In November 2016, the Sacramento Police Department began working with the California Department of Justice, the California Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office to bring an end to the violence between two rival gang sets which have predominately feuded in the North area of the City.

Following the 2015 murder of Grant High School football player Jaulon “JJ” Clavo, and the increased violence between rival criminal street gangs from the Del Paso Heights and Strawberry Manor neighborhoods, “Operation Challenger” was created.  The goal of the operation was to focus on addressing this violence by targeting high level gang members. 

With the collaborative effort of our local, state and federal partners, we were able to make a positive difference in these neighborhoods.   On January 19, 2017, the investigation concluded and resulted in 20 suspects arrested in four different states for a variety of charges to include; attempted murder, human trafficking, robbery, narcotics, and firearm related charges.  Additionally, 11 firearms were seized and 20 search warrants were served during the investigation. 

Since the conclusion of the operation, investigators have gained a tremendous amount of insight into the scope of these two criminal street gangs.   While the operation itself is over, more arrests associated with this investigation are anticipated. 

The Sacramento Police Department encourages any witnesses with information regarding gang activity to contact the dispatch center at (916) 264-5471 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-HELP (4357) or submit an anonymous tip using the free “P3 Tips” smartphone app.  Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.