LA grocer guilty of racketeering

LOS ANGELES, April 20 (UPI) -- A jury in Los Angeles Monday found supermarket chain owner George Torres guilty on federal racketeering charges.

Prosecutors said Torres -- owner of the Numero Uno chain of grocery stores -- took in millions of dollars by employing illegal workers, evading taxes, paying bribes and arranging the death of people who got in his way, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday.

Defense attorneys characterized Torres as an industrious businessman and said Los Angeles police were overzealous in their pursuit of him. The defense accused police informants of lying in exchange for promises of remuneration and early release from prison, the newspaper said.

Two witnesses -- Raul Del Real and Derrick Smith -- are in prison for distributing cocaine, the Times said.

Torres was accused of arranging the deaths of two men. The jury convicted him on one of those counts.

Several Numero Uno stores serve some the poorest communities in Los Angeles County, the newspaper said.