Alleged Members of Israeli Crime Family Charged with Drug Trafficking, Racketeering
Five individuals who are reported to be members of a powerful Israeli crime family were recently charged in Los Angeles with drug trafficking and racketeering, according to The Los Angeles Times.
The men have been accused of using a gang based in the San Fernando Valley to distribute ecstasy, and prosecutors also allege that they paid a gang member to kill a man who stole a shipment of drugs. The men were recently arrested in Israel and were extradited to the United States by U.S. Marshalls. They will be held in custody until after the trial, which is expected to last for two months, but a date has yet to be set. The men were denied bond because of their lack of ties with the community.
All of the men pleaded not guilty to all charges. If they are convicted, they could serve life in prison. Their prison sentences would be carried out in Israel under international treaties.
These charges are very serious. These defendants have been charged with federal crimes, rather than state crimes. Under federal sentencing guidelines, judges have to impose minimum mandatory sentences, even if the sentence seems excessive. There are over 100 federal crimes in the U.S. Code. In addition, any crime that is committed on federal property can be considered a federal crime.
Have you been charged with a federal crime in California? If so, contact the Los Angeles federal crime defense attorneys at the Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf. Our office has been helping defendants accused of federal crimes for more than 40 years. Call us today at 866-390-7373 to learn more about your legal rights under the federal system.
