Los Padres Bank in San Luis Obispo

Expert ties alleged Big Money Bandit plot to gangs

Six men planned to rob a SLO bank for the benefit of gangs back home, an L. A. police officer testifies

By Nick Wilson

A Los Angeles police officer testified Wednesday that six men from that area accused of planning to rob a San Luis Obispo bank in December were intending to benefit gangs back home.

Officer Richard Mendoza — a gang expert whose jurisdiction covers about 12 square miles in South Central Los Angeles — took the stand and said tattoos on one accused man represented the Eight Tray Crips gang.

Mendoza also talked in general about how gang members commit robberies to earn respect among their peers and recruit younger members.

“Carrying out a robbery means more money, more power and more respect,” Mendoza said.

But defense attorneys set out to poke holes in the officer’s opinion that the men planned the robbery to help a gang.

During his cross-examination, Mendoza said that there are grocery stores, retail shops and a Home Depot in

South Central Los Angeles. Through that line of questioning, defense attorneys seemingly implied that money can be spent in various ways in that part of the city — not necessarily on gang activity.

Each of the six men accused in the case — dubbed the Big Money Bandits by police — has pleaded not guilty to bank robbery conspiracy and criminal street gang activity in the alleged Dec. 13 plot to hold up Los Padres Bank in the Laguna Village Shopping Center.

Prosecutor Gregory Devitt has to prove that the men conspired to rob the bank for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with any criminal street gang.

During Mendoza’s testimony, he indicated in a photo exhibit that defendant Lionel Woods was a member of the Eight Tray Crips because of the numbers eight and three that were tattooed on his triceps.

Woods also had “Gangster Crip” scrawled on his upper back, the policeman testified, pointing to a photo exhibit.

Defense attorneys asked questions about the difference between active gang members and those no longer participating.

Sometimes police determine that people seen hanging around gang members are “associates,” Mendoza said.

The men arrested Dec. 13 while traveling in a caravan of three cars on Prado Road never reached any bank.

“In a hypothetical situation, if somebody is unsuccessful in robbing a bank, is that done in benefit of a gang?” asked attorney Ray Allen, who represents defendant Shawn Quinney.

Mendoza said commitment to gang activity and not talking to police if arrested “shows strength” to fellow members.

The trial resumes Monday with two police officers set to testify on the alleged gang membership of other men accused in the case.

The defense is tentatively scheduled to start its case Tuesday after the prosecution wraps up Monday.