193 arrested in Hesperia during Operation Desert Heat

A weeks-long crackdown on suspected gang members by law enforcement led to almost 200 arrests in Hesperia.

Operation Desert Heat brought together members of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, California Highway Patrol, San Bernardino County Probation and the California Department of Corrections and rehabilitation in a month-long effort to suppress gang violence in the Victor Valley.

The operation, which ended on Sunday, June 30, led to 1,203 arrests across the Victor Valley.

In Hesperia, 193 were arrested as part of the gang-sweep.

"We contacted 37 gang members, issued 96 traffic citations, issued four criminal citations," sheriff's department spokeswoman Arden Wiltshire said Thursday. "Picked up four parolees at large. That's a good thing, always a good thing."

Members of the task force served three search warrants, recovered a stolen vehicle, confiscated two illegal firearms and towed 25 cars in Hesperia as part of Operation Desert Heat.

Some of those picked up won't be coming back any time soon: In the Victor Valley, 92 suspects were placed on immigration holds.

"It's when their identity is questionable, so we turn them over to [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement]," Wiltshire said. "They make a determination of whether they're here legally or not."

According to a sheriff's department release, more than 50 parolees were returned to state prison. Robberies reported in the Victor Valley communities decreased by 41 percent from the same time period last year, reported carjackings decreased by 40 percent and vehicle thefts dropped by 19 percent.

And the operation's overall goal -- getting alleged gang members off the streets -- did just that.

"Altogether with this operation, not just Hesperia," Wiltshire said, "We contacted just under 100 and arrested 63 of them."

Beau Yarbrough can be reached at 956-7108 or at beau@hesperiastar.com.