Profile

Name: Emigdio "Junior, Trigger, Spooky, Snyper" Preciado Jr.
Aliases: Junior, Trigger, Spooky, Snyper
Sex: Male
Race: Hispanic
Age Now: 39
Height: 5'5\"
Weight: 180
Hair (Color, Description, Facial Hair): Brown\rMay have thin mustache
Eyes (Color and Correction): Brown
Other Physical Characteristics: The FBI believes that Preciado may have had plastic surgery to remove a scar on his left ear, a mole below his eye, and tattoos on his chest.
Wanted for: Attempted Murder, Los Angeles County, CA; Sep 05, 2000

Locations

Last seen: Jalisco, Mexico Guadalajara, Mexico Los Angeles County, CA The FBI has received information that Preciado was seen in several locations across western Mexico.
Possible location: Nayarit, Mexico Mexico It's believed he is currently hiding in the Mexican state of Nayarit, although he might also be hiding in the Mexican states of Baja California or Jalisco, and specifically in the city of Guadalajara in Jalisco.
Last known: Unkown

Traits

Police say he may have gang affiliation with the \"Southside Whittier\"

Case Story

FBI Names Preciado To Their Top Ten

On September 5, 2000, Deputy Michael Schaap's life was changed forever during a routine traffic stop.  Cops say a Los Angeles County Sheriff's unit attempted to stop a van in the suburb of Whittier for malfunctioning headlights. The driver of the van drove past Schaap's vehicle, and police say that's when one of the passengers, Emigdio Preciado, opened the sliding door and opened fire at the deputy. Deputy Schaap was shot in the face with an automatic weapon, and his partner, Deputy David Timberlake, escaped uninjured. Amazingly, Schaap's wounds weren't fatal, and officers were able to track down Preciado's accomplices, Jose Guardado and Carlos Gutierrez. The third accomplice was arrested in Mexico. Authorities say that fugitive gang member Preciado had a long criminal record that includes narcotics and firearms violations. At the time the van was stopped, Preciado was wanted for a parole violation. Accomplices Guardado and Gutierrez pled not guilty, but a jury didn't buy it and both men were given two strikes and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Meanwhile, Emigdio Preciado remains at large. He was described as 5'5" inches tall, weighing 180 lbs. when last seen. Authorities said he once had a horizontal scar on his left ear, a black mole below his right eye and tattoos of "Susana" and "Alexa" on his left breast, although he may have since had them removed.

A Hero's Road To Recovery

On March 14, 2007, the FBI named Preciado to their Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list in an attempt to bring the alleged gunman to justice after evading authorities for almost seven years.  In the week before the announcement, AMW caught up with Deputy Schaap to see how this hero's recovery has progressed, and how his life changed after that fateful autumn night. Rehabilitating after such a serious injury has not been easy for Deputy Schaap, although he admits it has made him look at life differently.  Schaap went back to work in early 2001, but could only work at a slow pace due to his injuries, which had severely altered his cognitive abilities.  His family was apprehensive about his going back to the force, but his department offered him a different kind of police work. No longer able to work as a patrol officer, Deputy Schaap worked for 30-45 minute segments when he re-entered police work, doing primarily administrative duties.  Schaap says that he no longer had the same reaction time or processing speed needed to be a patrol officer.  The injury to his brain made it impossible to function as he had before -- in essence his brain had to rewire itself. Over time, he was able to begin teaching employment issues classes to his whole department, a task which has proven beneficial to redeveloping his cognitive capabilities.  He's taught for the last four years and is now in charge the program. When asked about how he felt about Emigdio Preciado being named to the FBI's Top Ten list, Schaap said, "It's awesome and comforting to know that they're trying to get him in custody."  "Preciado will be captured," Schaap says. "Time is on our side." Today, Deputy Schaap lives life for his family and in the moment. This real-life hero holds to his belief that the incident that could have taken his life wasn't for naught, and that Preciado will be brought to justice. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is offering a $50,000 reward for Preciado's arrest and conviction. The FBI's reward for his capture is an additional $150,000.