The Iberia Parish Sheriff's Department invites a number of federal agencies to help extinguish a growing gang problem.
The FBI, DEA and the US Marshals alongside the Sheriff's Department have identified a number of gang-related crimes within the city of New Iberia alone.
"(They're) too lazy to go to work." Sheriff Louis Ackal says, "most of these guys have records- every one of them has previous histories."
Already, 27 arrests have been made ranging from drug activity to stolen property and deputies say a string of robberies and home invasions are also gang-related.
Sajauvious Robertson and Kevin Conley were among those arrests. Police found the pair during a routine traffic stop. Robertson tried to flee after ramming the police vehicle with his own car but police were able to catch the suspect after a short chase on foot.
Police found stolen items from various robberies and home invasions when they searched Conley and Robertson. Robertson also has outstanding warrants from St. Martin Parish for illegal possession of stolen items and failure to appear. When police arrested Robertson on Thursday, they found he was also carrying a handgun.
Abiel Gonzalez was one of the victims of a home invasion. He says three masked men kicked down his door and demanded money. The fourth waited in a car outside... When the gang members came inside, they became violent.
"With my friend, the tall guy hit him with the gun." Gonzalez says, "after that, the guys just ran."
Four other crimes have a similar story- four men with masks or shirts over their faces shoot a gun and demand money. Once the suspects get what they want, they hit the victim with the weapon.
"Mean, hateful," is how Sheriff Ackal describes them. "(They) have no regard for human life," he says. "Hell, they walk down the street shooting each other."
The Sheriff's Department says they'll continue to work with the federal agencies to bring the gang-related activities to a silence. They couldn't give an exact figure but deputies say:
"Much more arrests are expected."

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