Ojeda died behind bars shortly after his second racketeering conviction. For decades, Ojeda controlled the Orange County branch of the Mexican Mafia, even after a federal racketeering conviction left him in a prison cell three time zones away. The Mexican Mafia exerts widespread control over gang activity in Southern California, from “taxing” drug dealers to issuing edicts to local street crews. In 2018, prosecutors described the Rios killing as part of an uptick in violence they alleged was caused by Martinez – who reportedly goes by the gang moniker “crow” – taking over control of the Orange County faction of the prison-based Mexican Mafia from longtime gang chieftain Peter Ojeda. Prosecutors had described Martinez as the mastermind who ordered what would turn out to be a fatal confrontation with Rios, while Martinez’s attorneys have argued that there is no evidence that directly tied him to the Rios killing. That ruling opened the door for other defendants, including Martinez, to challenge the gang-related charges they were facing. The gang allegations in the case were already under scrutiny after the defense in May won a motion to dismiss gang charges and enhancements against one of Martinez’s co-defendants, arguing that a sheriff’s deputy who served as a gang expert in an earlier hearing had been dishonest on the stand. Orange County Superior Court Judge Patrick Donahue on Friday dismissed the criminal case against Johnny Martinez, which included murder, conspiracy, burglary and attempted robbery allegations tied to the 2017 slaying of Robert Rios at a Placentia home, court records show. The reputed head of the Orange County Mexican Mafia is no longer facing murder and other criminal charges related to the killing of a Placentia drug dealer during a confrontation prosecutors allege was ordered by gang leaders from behind bars. Murder case against reputed head of Southern California Mexican Mafia is tossed out Close Menu
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