Authorities Nail 61 Alleged 'Latin Kings' In Cocaine, Meth Dealing Bust

Authorities charged and arrested 61 alleged members of the largest Hispanic street gang in the United States — including Pete Perez, their Austin-based, central region leader — after a massive racketeering investigation, the FBI announced.

A federal grand jury indicted 37, while a Texas grand jury indicted 28. Four still remain at large, the FBI said.

The Austin Police Department helped in the investigation into the gang’s meth and cocaine dealing. Authorities arrested 46 on Wednesday, while the other 15 were already in custody.

Three of those busted — Michael Ray Arriaga, Albert Guadalupe Mendoza and Perez — lived in the Austin area, according to the FBI.

The others were based in San Antonio, Uvalde and Live Oak.

“[Wednesday] morning, we had more than 50 state and federal agencies working out of the Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office kicking in doors. [They were] getting these gang members out of our community,” Uvalde County Sheriff Charlie Mendeke told reporters Thursday.

If convicted, they could all face life in prison, the FBI said.

The Chicago-based Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation, known as the “Latin Kings,” is the largest Hispanic street gang in the United States.

Perez was an “Inca,” what the gang calls its leaders.

Authorities told reporters that the gang starts recruiting in middle school, so parents need to be aware of what their kids are doing.

“They need to pay attention to what they have in their bedroom, who they’re talking to, what they’re doing on their computers or on their cell phones,” United States Marshal Robert Almonte said. ”That’s the key to prevent these young kids from becoming gang members so we don’t have to deal with them later.”