ICE takes custody of suspected Lynn gang members

LYNN-Some of the seven suspected MS-13 gang members arrested Saturday at the Strawberry Avenue Playground are currently in custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for possible immigration violations, authorities said.At least two of the seven men arrested, Manuel Mendes, 23, of 58 Kirtland St., Lynn and Jose Recinos, 17, of 299 Lexington St. #2, East Boston are currently in ICE custody, according to court documents. A Lynn police spokesperson said others were likely detained by ICE but didn’t have specific information about who else was being held.”Some of the individuals who were arrested had immigration issues,” Lt. Dave Brown said.The suspects were arrested shortly after 8:30 p.m. Saturday in a collaborative effort between Lynn and Salem police, along with local probation officers, the FBI and State Police who all belong to the North Shore Gang Task Force.The task force placed the Strawberry Avenue Playground under surveillance because local parks are identified as gang hangouts, and as a place to jump other youths into gangs or fight rival gang members, police said.A city ordinance prohibits anyone being in a park after dark. Signs are also placed around the Strawberry Avenue Playground stating the same.According to police, several of the suspects began to run away and tried to jump fences when officers approached.A State Police Trooper found a knife with “MS-13” painted on the blade that Recinos allegedly dropped, police said.Another suspect, Sammy Cancino, 17, of 454 Chatham St. #1, Lynn, had a large machete in his pants when he was apprehended, according to police.The remaining four suspects were identified as Erick Lopez Flores, 19, of 23 Stone Place #2, Lynn, Elder Palma, 17, of 142 Timson St. #1, Lynn, Kevin Avelar, 18, of 110 South St. #1, Lynn and Juan Iraheta, 17, of 83 North Common St. #2, Lynn.All seven were charged with trespassing and Cancino, Recinos, Avelar and Iraheta were additionally charged with violating the city’s knife ordinance for being in possession of a knife longer than 2.5 inches.According to a police report, “All admitted that they are all members of the MS-13 gang.”Brown, the Lynn police spokesperson, says enforcement is only one way authorities are trying to keep the gang problem under control.”When dealing with gangs and gang related problems, police take a combined approach. There is the education and prevention facet, and there is the enforcement approach,” Brown said. “Education and prevention is seen in programs like the Teen Drop-In Center.”The Teen Drop-In Center is a program where youths can play pick-up games of basketball on Friday nights at Lynn Vocational Technical Institute and has been touted as a success by several officials at the police department and City Hall.”The problems associated with gangs are not just limited to one city or town,” Brown said. “These problems can travel, and the North Shore Gang Task Force can follow.”