US Police Fake News: Santa Maria Cops Conducted Sting Operation To Apprehend California Gang Members

A California police department came under fire for using a fake news release in an anti-gang operation. Santa Maria Police Chief Ralph Martin reportedly defended the action, calling it necessary to protect the lives of two men from a gang that wanted to kill them.

The police was reportedly criticized for using the tactic that could undermine the department and its trust with the public. The sting operation carried out by the police came to light as news organizations tried to set the record straight, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

"I am keenly aware and sensitive to the community and the media. I also had 21 bodies lying in the city in the last 15 months," Martin said.

Kendra Martinez, news director at KSBY-TV, told AP she was "deeply troubled" that the police misled the public. "While we strongly support the police department's efforts to protect citizens in harm's way, we are concerned this type of deception can erode the basic trust of our residents and viewers," Martinez added.

Last week, the fictional news release was found by the Santa Maria Times in court documents. The original story was reported nearly 10 months ago by local newspapers and television stations.

In the fake press release, police said two cousins — 22-year-old Jose Santos Melendez and 23-year-old Jose Marino Melendez — were detained on charges of identity theft. Police also reportedly said the two were handed over to immigration authorities.

This false report was part of the department's surveillance operation on a gang called MS-13. While listening to MS-13 conversations through wire tapes, the police learned the Melendez cousins, members of a rival gang, were targeted for murder, AP reported.

Authorities took the cousins into protective custody, and later released the fake news to deceive the MS-13 assassins. When the suspects returned the cousins' house to look for them, police eavesdropped on a phone conversation and heard the alleged assassins talking about news reports of the arrests.

Martin said the investigation, called Operation Matador, eventually led to the arrest of 17 gang members on charges related to 10 murders.

“It was a moral and ethical decision, and I stand by it,” Martin said. “I am keenly aware and sensitive to the community and the media. I also had 21 bodies lying in the city in the last 15 months.”