Chicago cops shut down two brothels

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CHICAGO, Nov. 18 (UPI) -- Chicago police say they shut down two brothels allegedly run by the Maniac Latin Disciples gang.

The gang has recently come under pressure of the city's police as one member, Antonio Bucio, 23, is accused of shooting and wounding two young girls, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Friday.

Bucio allegedly told authorities he was aiming for gang rivals who were "disrespecting his gang." He was being held without bail on aggravated battery with a firearm and weapons charges.

After the June 8 shooting of the girls, police Superintendent Garry McCarthy declares an "ongoing and relentless" war on the gang. From mid-June through mid-October, officers made 672 arrests of Maniac Latin Disciples members, Lt. Maureen Biggane said.

Last week, Bucio's brother, Michael Bucio, also a member of the gang, was arrested was arrested on felony charges of keeping a place of prostitution and promoting prostitution. He is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail.

Michael Bucio allegedly rented two houses where women, ages 18 to 30, worked for him as prostitutes, said Sgt. Traci Walker of the vice section's Human Trafficking Task Force. Four other members of the gang were charged in the case.

Walker said it isn't unusual for gangs to try out illegal activities such as prostitution, even though they are primarily know for selling drugs.

"We just shut down a major funding source for them," Walker said.