18th Street Gang member takes deal in organized crime case

Jeremiah Guajardo, 24, pleaded guilty to attempted violation of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act, the same as three of his co-defendants after a three-year investigation into the 18th Street Gang in Greeley. One other co-defendant was found guilty at trial of a host of criminal charges. He and four others -- Ramon Acevedo, 37; Rosendo Santa-Cruz, 34; Christopher Cox, 29; and Joseph Perez, 21 -- were indicted in March 2011 by the Weld County Grand Jury. Ads by Google The indictment states that between Sept. 12, 1994 and March 17, 2011, the suspects participated in the enterprise, whose purpose was "financial gain through illegal activities; to establish and maintain respect, power, control and influence over the entire gang subculture in prison and in the community through criminal activity, intimidation, fear and violence." Guajardo will be sentenced in July and faces up to 12 years in prison. The agreement calls for open sentencing, with no guidelines or concessions for the judge to consider. Acevedo was sentenced to 10 years in prison in March; Santa-Cruz, pleaded guilty in February to one count of attempted COCCA and will be sentenced May 22; Perez was sentenced to eight years in prison for his plea to attempted COCCA; and Cox was sentenced to 42 years after taking his case and being convicted on all counts at trial.

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