San Diego: Suspect in nightclub shooting has ties to Arellano Felix operators

Suspect in nightclub has ties to Arellano Felix operators 

In the sprawl, and relentless churn of the Gaslamp, in downtown San Diego, thousands turn up every weekend, every week, to indulge in the sordid pleasures of the bar and nightclubs tucked into pockets of Fourth, Fifth and Sixth avenues. It is a varied assortment of people from casual tourists and conventioneers, the 9-5 crowd, binge drinking through the weekend, the industry crowd, servers, VIP hosts, bartenders, bottle service girls, the harder edged drug scene, and those who inhabit the clubs VIP area sections. 

Sidebar nightclub 

This is an interesting cross section of society, affluent business owners, tech start ups, legal and illegal marijuana dispensaries, gang members and human traffickers, out of town businessmen, white collar fraud offenders, all looking to spend, and be seen spending. Violence is common in Gaslamp, often in inter or intra group violence within those named above, and more. 

Gang violence, with rival gang members colliding in the crowded streets outside the clubs is common, ranging from assaults, to killings.  In 2009 a young woman was shot in the head, as rival Lincoln Park and Skyline gangsters exchanged gunfire.  There are killings yearly, and violent acts every weekend, from fights to stabbings, to shootings. 

In this case, in the after midnight hours, of January 28th, a man named Abel Gomez, 29,  has been accused of brandishing and discharging a firearm in Sidebar. A longtime Gaslamp nightclub, part of RMD group, whose collection includes FLUXX and several other ventures, it has recently reopened after renovations. 

Sidebar nightclub

 Sidebar is a mid level club, not the high price of newer arrivals, Omnia and Oxford Club at Pendry, the crowd is younger, early 20's, but many end up in it's small, close space, with two bars, and VIP tables lining the sides.  The area is small, fights and disputes are common, alcohol and drug fueled, spilling out onto the streets in the minutes before closing.

 After a dispute involving the groping or touching of a woman, Abel Gomez was confronted by another individual, attempting to intervene, and after words were exchanged, Gomez drew a pistol, and fired at least five times.  Reports say he did not hit anyone, but pointed the gun at a security guard, and appeared to be trying to scare patrons, witnesses, and the person he fought with. He was unable to be detained, before police could respond, and it considered a fugitive, though authorities say they do not believe him a threat to the public.

Official reports from the police, through multiple source,s have noted his alleged involved with the Arellano Felix cartel, which is a complicated and murky statement in itself.  There is no explanation for why authorities have revealed this information, or what led them to this conclusion, no ongoing investigations, aside from the shooting have been cited.

La Rana and Flakito

What Arellano Felix means, in 2019, is still unclear.  Since infighting and splintering, after 2006, CAF has been counted out.  The players and stars of the 2000's are often executed in public, newspapers detailing their crimes and hidden identities.  The different classes have mostly been wiped Tijuana, the Logan crew, after the arrest of Melvin Gutierrez, a lieutenant of Fernando Sanchez Arellano, aka El Inge, in 2013, the execution of his brother Benjamen Gutierrez, aka El Kecho, and the murder of Jose Lorenzo Hernando Garcia, aka Viejon November in 2015, there has been nothing else heard.

Every so often authorities in Tijuana will arrest an operator, usually a fugitive, there was El Richie in 2018, and Adan Rodriguez Guevara aka El Guero Chihuahua in 2017.  The last high profile arrest was in 2014, when federal agents arrested Fernando Sanchez Arellano, nephew of the Arellano Felix brothers, and daughter of Alicia Arellano Felix. He is imprisoned in Mexico, complaining of mistreatment.  

His one time lieutenants Armando Villareal Heredia, have been sentenced in federal court in the Southern District of California, to 35 years in prison, while Arturo Villareal Heredia, cousin of Armando, was sentenced to 30 years in 2007.  The latter was second in command to Javier Francisco Arellano Felix, arrested in 2006, off international waters, near La Paz, Baja California. 

Since 2010, there have been no known arrests or indictments of CAF or Arellano Felix members, as Sinaloa, and more recently have dominated those press releases and arrests.  In Tijuana, there are banners from CAF and banners from CTNG, naming longtime Arellano Felix operators, such as Don Balas, Manuel Lopez Nunez. whose son, Eric aka Balitas was kidnapped in 2005 by Los Palillos, infamous San Diego based kidnapping crew.  

Unknown, Jose El Tigre Soto, Don Balas, and El Chan

Lopez Nunez was arrested in 2008, and released in 2014.  Chencho Beltran, is another Arellano Felix name that is mentioned, along with Juan Vargas Gallardo, aka El Chan, who has been arrested and released multiple times in Tijuana.  But, other than a mention in a narcomanta, these names are not heard of, and no one knows where they are, or how they work.

Front line of the CTNG/Nueva CAF, aka Cafatera is Edwin Huerta, aka Flakito, who has been linked to crystal distribution in Tijuana, and numerous killings. He is not yet 35 years old. A lieutenant, Carlos Garmino Gonzalez aka Karateca was arrested in Mexicali in 2016, and released two years later. 

It was said that Javier Arellano, only 38 when arrested, would cross the border and party in San Diego nightclubs, with only the company of women, and a few bodyguards, in the years before his arrest.  The legacy of the onetime owners of the Tijuana plaza still lurking, clinging, the behind shots of whiskey, and bottles of champagne, leather clad women with sparklers, and affordable plastic surgery, refusing to die, refusing to leave.

Sources: https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-shooting-cartel-20190211-story.html