Gang Member Sentenced for Drug and Gun Running in Culver City/Venice Area

A gang member was sentenced to 10 years behind bars for his role in a drug and gun running operation in the Culver City/Venice area, federal officials announced Wednesday.

George R. "Trippy'' Lopez, 42, of Lawndale, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge George H. King, who said the defendant must serve three years on supervised release following the prison term.

According to court records, Lopez - a documented gang member - gave a rifle to co-defendant Cesar P. "Downer'' Rios, a previously convicted felon and fellow gang member, in order to hide it from police. Rios was previously sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison, officials said.

Seventeen others were also arrested as a result of the four-month investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and other agencies into Venice/Culver City-area gangs known to engage in gun and drug offenses, federal authorities said.