The leader of the San Fernando Valley-based gang known as the “Vineland Boys,” Mario Alberto Miranda, has been sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for his involvement in racketeering and narcotics crimes. Miranda, 32, from Sherman Oaks, served as the lead defendant in a federal grand jury indictment targeting 31 members and associates of the gang.
Miranda pleaded guilty on June 26 to one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), specifically for distributing methamphetamine. His criminal activities spanned from September 2008 to November 2019, during which Miranda, as the gang’s leader, played a central role in drug trafficking operations throughout the San Fernando Valley.
According to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), Miranda served as the gang’s drug supplier and shot-caller. His responsibilities included managing drug and firearms stash houses, extorting drug dealers operating within the gang’s territory, and collecting “tax” proceeds from gang members involved in drug sales. Miranda also ran illegal marijuana grow houses in the Antelope Valley, cultivating more than 300 pounds of marijuana.
The DOJ reported that Miranda sold methamphetamine at various locations, including a residence in Pacoima and a North Hollywood clothing store that he operated. He orchestrated meetings among gang members, during which acts of violence against rival gang members and individuals suspected of cooperating with the police were ordered.
Miranda’s arrest occurred in February 2019, and he has been in federal custody since then. The grand jury indictment resulted in 30 guilty pleas related to the gang, with 19 convictions leading to prison sentences of at least 10 years, including Miranda. The collaborative investigation involved various law enforcement agencies, such as the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Los Angeles Police Department.