SPOKANE, WA — Three Washington men have been sentenced in federal court for their leadership roles in facilitating the criminal activities of La Nuestra Familia (NF), a national prison gang with roots dating back to the late 1960s.
Chief U.S. District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Jacenir Amezcua DaSilva of Moses Lake to 120 months in federal prison on gun charges, Jesus Antonio Mirelez of Yakima to 83 months on gun charges, and Thomas Lee Weatherwax of Spokane to 75 months on money laundering and drug conspiracy charges. Weatherwax’s term will run after his existing state prison sentence for assault with a deadly weapon. Each will also serve supervised release following their prison terms.
Federal prosecutors said the men advanced NF’s efforts to spread its doctrine in Washington State, including recruiting and indoctrinating minors into the Norteño movement. Officials described NF as a violent organization that uses intimidation, firearms, and money laundering to maintain control…