A Santa Ana gang member and associate of the Mexican Mafia prison gang has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his role in a violent jail attack that left the victim with a slashed throat.
On February 3, 2026, Robert Amezcua (54), also known as “Flaco,” a member of a Santa Ana-based criminal street gang, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison following his conviction for committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering, including attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.
On December 31, 2019, Amezcua participated in a coordinated assault on another inmate at the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange. During the attack, Amezcua delivered more than 20 blows to the victim while a co-conspirator used a razor blade to slash the victim’s throat. The victim survived the assault.
In January 2024, a federal jury found Amezcua guilty following a three-day trial. The case is part of a larger federal racketeering investigation targeting members and associates of the Mexican Mafia and affiliated Southern California street gangs. Amezcua is one of 31 defendants charged in a 33-count federal grand jury indictment.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in partnership with the Santa Ana Police Department, Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Anaheim Police Department, Fullerton Police Department, Orange County Probation Department, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
The Santa Ana Police Department remains committed to working collaboratively with our law enforcement partners to combat gang violence and protect the safety of our community.