Meanwhile, C.R.A.S.H., led by Officers Frank Tenpenny and Eddie Pulaski, exploit CJ into doing their dirty work, under the threat of framing him for Officer Pendelbury's murder, which they committed themselves. CJ also does missions for OG Loc, a GSF associate obsessed with his "gangsta" rapper image, but in reality, his crimes range from parking fines to joyriding. Other than those three, CJ participates in illicit street racing with his sister Kendl's boyfriend, Cesar Vialpando, who faces a lot of prejudice from Sweet, who looks down on Cesar being Mexican.
Missions involve him working for the prominent members of the Grove Street Families: his brother Sweet, the childhood friend and junkie Ryder, and cryptic childhood friend, Big Smoke. Following the death of his mother in a drive-by shooting by the Ballas, he returns and decides to stay for good. Years previously, the death of his brother, Brian Johnson, was blamed on him by his elder brother, Sweet, and Carl moved away for a fresh start in Liberty City. Protagonist Carl Johnson returns home to Los Santos and needs to reestablish himself in the neighborhood.