OGDEN -- Fifteen known gang members were arrested over the last week in the Ogden area by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.
Kris Line, ICE resident agent in charge, said ICE officials partnered with local law enforcement agencies in a raid June 23-27.
"No one knows the criminal element better than the local agencies that work with them day in and day out," he said.
The operation, part of the nationwide effort "Operation Community Shield," involved police departments of Ogden, Brigham City, Tremonton and Logan, the sheriff's departments of Weber and Cache counties and Utah Highway Patrol.
Line said the names of those arrested are being withtheld, pending further investigation.
"The (arrests) mostly came out of Ogden," Line said. "Ogden has a pretty robust gang unit. They have a problem with it, but they also have a very motivated chief that wants to see the community is kept safe."
Line said the 15 who were arrested were suspected of various crimes: two were arrested for re-entering the country after being convicted of felonies -- which he said carries a felony charge and up to 20 years in prison -- another was arrested after a standoff stemming from an aggravated robbery, one was running a fraudulent document lab and creating Social Security cards and green cards, and others were wanted on state warrants. Eight of those arrested are facing federal or state criminal charges.
"These are hardened criminals," he said. " ... These are people who prey on the communities. They also prey on the immigrant communities as well."
With these criminals arrested, Line said the surrounding communities are now that much safer.
"These are people who are making their living by committing crimes," he said. "Several people have felony convictions for aggravated assault, rape. These are not nice people. They are in and out of prison and jail. They don't have any positive contribution to the community, and to top it all off, they are all illegally here, so they are not even supposed to be here."
Eleven of the 15 arrested were Mexican nationals; the remaining four were U.S. citizens. They represent at least six documented transnational street gangs.
Line said after those arrested serve their time for their crimes, they will be deported to Mexico.
"It's a permanent removal from the community," he said.
Operation Community Shield has arrested 17,569 gang members and associates nationally since February 2005. From January to May this year, they have arrested 2,601 gang members, with 1,708 of those having criminal violations, and 986 having violent criminal histories.
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