Operation targeting Stockton street gangs results in 88 felony arrests, including two homicides
A months-long anti-gang operation by the Stockton Police Department and other agencies resulted in 88 felony arrests, including two homicides, one of them being that of Edison High School coach Mark Scott in February.
"What I want (the community) to take away ... is that we understand the complexity of the crimes that we're dealing with," Mayor Kevin Lincoln said at a news conference at the Stockton Police Department on Thursday.
In January, Stockton police began an investigation alongside the California Department of Justice, the California Highway Patrol and the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office into several street gangs in Stockton.
Among the arrests made during the operation was Antonio Thomasson, 35, who is accused of fatally shooting Pulliam Elementary School paraprofessional and Edison baseball coach Mark Scott on North El Dorado street in February. Thomasson was arrested on May 16.
‘They took the love of my life’: Stockton vigil honors slain educator, Edison coach Mark Scott
Antonio Hoskins, 30, and Roverta Howard, 38, were arrested in relation to a fatal shooting near West Lane and Knickerbocker Avenue on March 15.
The quadruple shooting, which occurred in a parking lot near West Lane Plaza, left a 20-year-old man dead.
Related: Man shot in at West Lane and Knickerbocker Avenue makes second homicide in area since March
In addition to Thomasson, Hoskins and Howard, other arrests have been made in connection with this year's gang-related homicides, District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar said. She did not specify how many arrests have been made.
Along with those already charged, the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office will be reviewing the cases of all those arrested for potential filing in San Joaquin County Superior Court. The alleged crimes include murder, conspiracy to commit murder, firearms and narcotics trafficking, as well as gang enhancements.
Of the 21 homicides in Stockton this year, less than half have been gang-related, Verber Salazar said. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, City Manager Harry Black and Stockton's new police chief, Chief Stan McFadden, were also in attendance.
As part of the operation, Bonta said the agencies arrested 88 people on felony charges, seized 58 firearms — including 12 ghost guns and 10 assault weapons — and confiscated 959 grams of MDMA, 394 grams of cocaine, 98 grams of methamphetamine, 73 grams of heroin, 3.8 pounds of illegal marijuana, 54 grams of fentanyl and $23,846 in cash.
Gangs targeted included the Northside Gangster Crips, Sutter Street Crips, Nortenos and others.
This is a developing story. Check back at recordnet.com for updates.
Record reporter Aaron Leathley covers business, housing, and land use. She can be reached at aleathley@recordnet.com or on Twitter @LeathleyAaron. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Operation Hybrid Havoc cracks down on Stockton, California gangs
