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Article Published: Thursday, June 19, 2003 - 12:00:00 AM MST



Arrests break up local gang
Vietnamese group accused of crimes ranging from attempted murder to theft
By Ann Schrader, Denver Post Staff Writer
Key members of a violent Vietnamese gang who allegedly attacked rivals, preyed on fellow Asians and caught innocent people in the crossfire are behind bars after an extensive, multi-agency investigation.

State, local and federal law enforcement agencies announced Wednesday that 23 members of the Viet Pride Gangsters, or VPG, were indicted by a state grand jury.

Gang members are accused of attempted first-degree murder, assault, burglary, theft and drug trafficking.

Colorado Attorney General Ken Salazar said the "large and violent gang" has been terrorizing the Denver metro area for seven or eight years after forming in California.

"This is one of the higher-profile, more violent, older gangs," said Lt. Jim Welton, commander of the Metro Gang Task Force.

Predawn arrests Wednesday of 16 people throughout the metro area and one in Ohio captured the "key and core members of this organization," Welton said. "We would count this as a dismantled gang organization."

Welton said interviews are being done to determine the gang's hierarchy.

Six of those indicted were already in custody of the Colorado Department of Corrections. Some of the gang's activities were directed from prison.

Salazar said the grand jury handed up the indictments Friday. They were sealed until arrests could be made.

The four indictments contain a total of 98 counts, ranging from five gang members being charged with one crime each to one gang member being charged with 42 crimes.

Among the alleged VPG crimes cited in the indictments:

In May 2002, VPG members attempted to or smuggled marijuana and methamphetamine to one of the indicted defendants who was serving a sentence in the Buena Vista Correctional Facility in Chaffee County. The defendant concealed the drugs in packets that he put in his anus.

On Aug. 22, 2001, a Denver police officer saw several VPG members corner a rival at the Denver courthouse. The man told the officer the gangsters were attempting to get him to change his testimony about a shooting in which he was a victim.

On Nov. 5, 2001, VPG members had a car towed to Speed Image, 64 S. Federal Blvd., stripped out the car and then filed a false insurance claim that the car had been vandalized.

On July 30, 2000, VPG members staged a shooting at Bishop Park in Westminster to cover up for an associate who was shot in the buttocks in a real, earlier shooting at the Thien Thanh Cafe, 2200 W. Alameda Ave.

On Oct. 7, 2001, 15 to 20 VPG members battled about 10 Asian Pride gang members at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison with mace and knives.

On Jan. 25, 1998, VPG members confronted several Laotian rivals at the Penny Lane Arcade, 6510 Wadsworth Blvd., in Arvada. One VPG member entered the arcade and shot a Laotian with a .380-caliber handgun. Another VPG member fired a .45-caliber gun from a car at another car.

On June 17, 2000, VPG members shot a rival Asian Pride gang member at the New World Cafe, 615 S. Federal Blvd. Bullet holes were found in businesses across the street.

On June 19, 2000, shots were fired into another car near Interstate 25 near 84th Avenue in Thornton.

Fifteen of those arrested Wednesday were booked into the Jefferson County Jail, with a 17-year-old juvenile taken to the Mountain View youth facility.

"This is old-time police work," Welton said.

The Asian community has a hesitancy to deal with government on any level, he said, adding that the case developed through work by an unnamed Denver patrol officer.

Welton said the Denver officer talked to informants and followed leads that, in some cases, led to victims who had never reported the crimes.

One of the indictments states that VPG members commit crimes to improve their status in the gang and with other gangs.

"The members often target Asian victims for burglaries and robberies because many Asians customarily keep large sums of money and valuables in their homes," the indictment said.

Young VPG members were coached by older members on how to commit crimes, the indictment said.

Several organizations are part of the VPG, including "Y&D" (Young and Dangerous), "JVP"(Junior Viet Pride), "LVP" (Last Viet Pride), and "VTL" (Viet Thug Life).

"These other gangs engage in both social and criminal activities with each other and the VPG," the indictment said. "They share common rivalries and often engage in violent and criminal acts because of their loyalty and connections with the entire VPG organization."

Welton said undercover officers were unable to infiltrate the close-knit, culturally linked group but were able to purchase the drug Ecstasy from people associated with the gang.

More than 20 agencies joined the effort, including the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, county and city police and sheriff departments, attorneys general, and the FBI.

Cases will be tried in Jefferson County District Court because many of the significant crimes took place in Jefferson County, District Attorney Dave Thomas said