Gang member arrested Monday in South Lake Tahoe during "Operation Bear Trap"

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – A known Sureno gang member, Jose Medina, was arrested on Chris Avenue in South Lake Tahoe Monday morning after a lengthy investigation into gang activity in the Lake Tahoe Basin, Northern Nevada, and Northern California.

The multi-year investigation called "Operation Bear Trap" was completed by the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD), El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office (EDSO), El Dorado DA’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Douglas County Sheriff’s and the Carson City Sheriff’s Office, and others. It has resulted in 76 arrests to date.

Operation Bear Trap led to the identification of the 29-year-old Medina. According to SLTPD, Medina allegedly sold narcotics, firearms, and illegal gun parts to FBI Safe Streets investigators during the lengthy investigation. The illegal parts convert a semi-auto firearm into an illegal fully automatic firearm.

A search warrant and arrest warrant were issued for Jose Medina and his residence in the 2500 block of Chris Avenue in the Sierra Tract/Tahoe Sierra neighborhood of South Lake Tahoe. Due to the nature of the investigation, the SLTPD Crisis Response Team was utilized to serve the warrants.

Neighbors reported hearing "bangs" and saw a large police presence early Monday.

Medina surrendered to officers on the scene without incident.

Medina is a convicted felon, prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. Medina is on active probation through El Dorado County for being a prohibited person in possession of firearms, according to police.

Operation Bear Trap targeted narcotics and illegal firearms sales in the Tahoe Basin through the FBI's Safe Streets Task Force (SSTF). It has uncovered members affiliated with the Surenos gang operating within the Lake Tahoe Basin. Today’s arrest of Medina marked the third arrest of a Sureno gang member known in South Lake Tahoe.

During a search of the residence, the following items were recovered:

Cocaine packaged for sale
An illegal short-barreled AR-15-style rifle
A Glock handgun with an illegal 30-round magazine
Illegal parts to convert a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic
firearm

Medina is currently being held without bail at the El Dorado County Jail in South Lake Tahoe on the following charges, all of which are felonies:
- Prohibited person in possession of a firearm
- Prohibited person in possession of ammunition
- Sales of cocaine
- Sales of methamphetamine
- Possession and transport of machine guns
- Sales of machine guns

The previous Operation Bear Trap investigation in South Lake Tahoe led to the arrests of two other local Sureno gang members. After illegally selling FBI Safe Street Investigators cocaine and illegal parts designed to transform a semi-automatic firearm into an illegal fully automatic firearm, Oscar Nunez was arrested in Carson City, Nev. on 03/24/23. On 10/04/21, Carlos Perez was arrested at his residence in South Lake Tahoe during the execution of a search warrant. Perez was arrested for being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and possession of child pornography.