4 charged with intimidating witness
Officials believe shooting connected to drug gang
When a witness to a high-stakes gang case saw four men walk into a Mount Pleasant bar this summer, he grabbed an 8 ball from a nearby pool table to defend himself.
The bartender told everyone to leave, and the man ran to his car and sped off.
He heard two gunshots behind him.
The four men have been indicted on conspiracy charges to obstruct justice by retaliating against a federal witness, U.S. Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad announced Wednesday.
Such conduct “strikes at the foundation of our criminal justice system,” which depends on witnesses to provide information “without fear of retribution,” he said in a news release.
The four facing charges are Jose E. Lazcon, Derrick L. Harris, RaShawn T. Bumpus and Michael A. Bonds.
Lazcon, 22, and Harris, 26, also are charged with trying to kill the witness, accused of firing gunshots at him.
That witness provided information about a massive drug conspiracy case against alleged members and associates of the Maniac Latin Disciples gang, operating out of Racine County, authorities say.
Lazcon’s brother, Martin Lazcon, is one of 24 people charged in that case, which was filed in 2016. Martin Lazcon is accused of selling crystal meth, a form of methamphetamine, for the gang, according to federal court records.
Prosecutors say the gang moved large quantities of marijuana and cocaine to southeastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois to sell.
In one scheme, gang leaders or deputies they trusted flew to California, purchased at least 10 pounds of marijuana, concealed it in a chairlike stool and shipped it back to Racine using FedEx, according to a 70page federal complaint.
Gregory D. Tirado Jr., known as “Lil Greg,” is believed to be the leader of the gang’s Racine operations. His father, Gregory D. Tirado Sr., has Chicago gang connections and helped his son get started in Racine, court documents state.
The Tirado family has been working to sell marijuana and cocaine in Racine under the Maniac Latin Disciples gang umbrella for at least a decade, according to federal prosecutors. The gang has been linked to at least one homicide and several shootings.
The FBI and local police agencies investigated the gang and relied on confidential sources, wiretaps and controlled drug buys to build their case.
In some cases, confidential sources were threatened while the investigation was still active.
The federal criminal complaint provides this example:
In May 2016, a confidential source went to buy cocaine at Tirado Sr.’s residence. The source was taken into a basement and stripsearched. After the search was over, the source bought 67.7 grams of cocaine for $2,700.
At one point, Tirado Sr. mentioned helicopters around his house and told the source if he was cooperating with law enforcement, he would kill the man when he got out of prison.
“I’m not joking with you,” Tirado Sr. said, according to the complaint.
“Those who seek to retaliate by intimidating or harming individuals who cooperate with law enforcement will be investigated, arrested and referred to prosecutors without delay.” Justin Tolomeo FBI special agent
On Wednesday, federal officials reiterated how seriously they take threats to witnesses.
“Those who seek to retaliate by intimidating or harming individuals who cooperate with law enforcement will be investigated, arrested and referred to prosecutors without delay,” said Justin Tolomeo, special agent in charge of the FBI Milwaukee Division.
If convicted, the four men who were recently indicted on charges related to witness retaliation — Jose E. Lazcon, Harris, Bumpus and Bonds — face up to 20 years in prison.
All four are in custody and awaiting trial.