SPOKANE, Wash. – Three local leaders from the prison gang, “La Nuestra Familia,” were sentenced for their roles facilitating criminal activities. The gang leaders were from Moses Lake, Yakima and Spokane.
The Eastern District of Washington United States Attorney’s Office released the information in a press release and announced their charges along with their positions in “La Nuestra Familia” leadership.
Jacenir Amezcua DaSilva was identified as the leader of the Moses Lake Norteño set “Pancho Villa Loco.” The office said that DaSilva played a leadership role and taught La Nuestra Familia teachings and code of conduct in the area and at Green Hill School juvenile detention facility.
Now, DaSilva has been arrested and sentenced to 120 months in federal prison on gun charges.
Jesus Antonio Mirelez was previously sentenced in federal court and was linked to six separate shootings in the Yakima Valley in 2022. When he was released, he continued serving in the Yakima Norteño gang set, La Raza.
Mirelez also eventually aligned his gang with the doctrines of “La Nuestra Familia” and took on a leadership position in the region. He helped facilitate illegal activities in the gang and threatened several people’s lives himself.
Now, Mirelez has been arrested and sentenced to 83 months in federal prison on gun charges.
Thomas Lee Weatherwax was a member of the Spokane area Norteño gang set “red Boyz” and was originally arrested after shooting at people he mistook for Surenos, the enemies of Norteños, in Walla Walla.
He was sent to Washington State Penitentiary, where he smuggled drugs and eventually became an authority figure in “La Nuestra Familia” there. He was put in charge of finances and controlled substances for “La Nuestra Familia” at the penitentiary.
Now, Weatherwax has been sentenced to 75 months in federal prison on money laundering and drug conspiracy charges.
United States Attorney Pete Serrano said that “even removing these predators from our communities and putting them behind bars has not been enough to stop them from engaging in ongoing violent crimes and victimizing our communities” and that “the significant sentences imposed in these cases reflects the lengths to which federal law enforcement will go to protect our communities from being preyed upon by dangerous gang members.”
United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent Jonathan Blais said that “These defendants and their criminal enterprise brought the blight of illegal guns, violence, and fear into our communities. Dangerous gangs like La Nuestra Familia think they can take root in our cities and operate freely, threatening our citizens’ safety. I am here with a clear and unwavering message: ATF and our law enforcement partners will stop at nothing to bring them and every single one of their co-conspirators to justice.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Caitlin Baunsgard and Benjamin Seal.
