However, in August 1998 a gang war broke out in Salinas when Captain Michael Castillo was marked for murder after being caught in the middle of a power struggle between two Nuestro Generals. Nuestra Familia gang member Armando Frias noticed him in Cap's Saloon, but although he was on the hit list, he needed Casper's permission. Early Nuestra Familia leadership September 15 1968 Hector Padilla a gang member from northern California is attacked after a confrontation with . The Limon Correctional AL DA premi a siete empresarios en seis categoras, y qued claro que estas mentes mejoran la calidad de vida de nuestras comunidades. SAN JOSE, Calif. (KTVU and wires) - Seventeen alleged Nuestra Familia gang members were in custody and six others were being sought Friday on charges ranging from attempted murder to conspiring. The recruits are expected to sacrifice their life and freedom, and members are supposed to expect that they will go to prison. 13 is reserved for the Mexican Mafia, corresponding to the letter"M." The written constitution of the Norteos stated that the leadership of the gang reside in Pelican Bay State Prison in California; the relocation of the gang's leaders led to the confusion of its soldiers and a power struggle of prospective generals.<ref name="Monterey"> New leadership, constitution for Nuestra Familia. The final tally left 11 wounded and mafia member Archie Gallego, 25, dead. homeland of the Familianos. Operation Quiet Storm was the culmination of more than 5 years of complex investigative work. leader recently released from Pelican Bay was ordered to kill a In late 2012, while incarcerated at U.S. Penitentiary (USP) Lewisburg, in Pa., Andrew Cervantes ordered via coded letters the murder of an inmate at USP McCreary in Kentucky. Zarate and Maldonado pleaded guilty to a single count of racketeering involving the Nuestra Familia, a Northern California-based prison gang that lords over the Norteos and other affiliates in the area. In both instances, authorities knew of the plots because they were wiretapping the defendants phones, warned the victims and prevented the killings from occurring, prosecutors say. Familia members in prison at inexpensive or "face value" Facility in Colorado, considered the most concentrated facility to the Familia when the Familia requests a confirmation, usually Nuestra Familia is a Mexican-American prison gang that was founded in Soledad prison, California in 1968. 445). . He makes sure that business is conducted according . After months of investigation, at least 37 alleged gang members were arrested during the . The NF gang has a Mafia-like structure, with the three top Nuestro Generals being called "La Mesa" ("the table"). investigation into prison gang activities in California's history. costs, and providing commissary goods to members placed in administrative Although he was not a Nuestra Familia member anymore (he dropped out), he wanted to sell his drugs in the same place. to Colorado, where they were later incarcerated and subsequently On 21 May 2001, heroin dealer Raymond Sanchez crossed into the Chinatown district of Salinas, although he had been warned to stay out of Chinatown. The intended target wasnt struck, but 20-year-old Malik Johnson was, and died from his injuries. affiliates the Nortenos, rivals of the Mexican Mafia's affiliated the communications chief, and the director. The meeting was ultimately unsuccessful because of the significant security measures in place at the facility. The gang was an enemy of the Mexican Mafia, and it decreed that all Nortenos ("northerners") were members of the NF, granting them protection from "La Eme" (the Mexican Mafia) behind bars. Five days after Castillo was released from a short, employ scanner radios to monitor police transmissions. by Common Sense August 23rd, 2007, 11:01 am, Unread post He orchestrated and oversaw regiment commanders who generated money through drug sales and other crimes, like robbery. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. and the five council members. Under George Collord, the police gathered informants in prison, including "Red Raider", who revealed the leadership structure of the gang. According to Robert Koehler (2000), an ex-convict and past member They talked about his location in a county jail, selected a hitman, and discussed how E.C needed to be hit on sight, according to a prosecution sentencing memo. Henry Cervantes and Alberto Larez were Andrew Cervantes two highest ranking street commanders in charge of the Nuestra Familias Bay Area Street Regiment.. Zarate and Maldonado were indicted as part of a massive 2021 investigation targeting the Nuestra Familia and multiple Norteo subsets based in San Jose. 2023 Antioch Herald - Entries (RSS) - Comments (RSS) - Log in, 2021 Antioch Peoples Choice Awards Winners, Antioch Mayor Thorpe admits to private meeting with DA Becton, interim city manager, Antioch Mayor Thorpe claims lack of active sworn police officers part of national Great Resignation trend, Contra Costa DA Becton holds private meeting in her office with Antioch Mayor Thorpe three days after his DUI arrest, CHP: Antioch Mayor Thorpe under investigation by DAs office for DUI, possibly weaving when stopped, Contra Costa Supervisors to act on affordable housing, election campaign funding ordinances Tuesday, Antioch to celebrate Sesquicentennial of Incorporation Day with ceremony Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022 Contra Costa Humanitarians of the Year to be honored at MLK event Jan. 18, Antioch resident Velma Wilson to be honored as Contra Costas Humanitarian of the Year during 43rd MLK event Jan. 19, Fire fighters protest COVID-19 vaccine mandate at Contra Costa Supervisors meeting, Acting U.S. Attorney announces major law enforcement initiative to combat violence, drug distribution by La Nuestra Familia gang, 18 U.S.C. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. AND THE LEADERSHIP OF THE FUTURE Silvia Garca Vega ORCID: 0000-0002-0302-7802 Profesora de Comunicacin para el Cambio Chicano The Nuestra Familia have a strong base in Northern California, Sonoma County, Mendocino County, Santa Rosa, Windsor, and San Jose. That same day, Huerta entered the Supermax prison in Colorado to visit Hernandez in an effort to obtain coded communications for the Salinas regiment. Between 2003 and May 2007, Huerta engaged in drug trafficking with NF members,. It is . Padilla, Nuestra Familia launches a reprisal attack on the Mexican Mafia at 2:30 pm. The Nuestra Familia, like all prison gangs, are undoubtedly a highly-secretive, Several defendants have already pleaded guilty and been sentenced, including for other alleged murder conspiracies. Word of the sweeping law enforcement action was made at a Thursday morning press conference at the Phillip Burton Federal Building in San Francisco. In compliance with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requirements, some of these records are no longer in the physical possession of the FBI, eliminating the FBI's capability to re-review and/or re-process this material. the Familia. In June 2001, Operation Black Widow ended, with 21 NF gang leaders arrested. Pues el desde muy chico a visitado. their rivals the Mexican Mafia, who wear blue. Northern California, or Norte, is the original homeland of the Familianos. MONTEREY (CBS SF/BCN) - A judge sentenced a high-up leader of the prison gang Nuestra Familia to over 25 years in federal prison Tuesday after being convicted of multiple gang violence. Fair said the Nuestra Familia prison gang worked with other gangs such as Norteos, El Hoyo Grande, and San Jose Palmas with the effects felt across communities in the Bay Area and California. SAN FRANCISCO -- Twenty-five members of the Nuestra Familia prison gang, including its 'general' and 'first captain,' have been indicted on conspiracy and racketeering charges -- including. "Today's operation strikes a substantial blow to Nuestra Familia leadership. Further, the indictment describes the appointment by these leaders of NF members to positions of power over hierarchical and paramilitary structures called regiments, imposed on its gang members operating on the streets in California. "Mikeo" Castillo, who was in charge of Sonoma County's A video tape was played at trial showing the man being stabbed 13 times in a cafeteria in a federal prison in Louisiana, shortly after the coded letters were written. Of the 55 defendants caught up in the bust, 12 were from Santa Clara County. recruited into the organization. The main targets of the investigation including alleged members of the Nuestra Familia's leadership counsel are still in federal detention awaiting a . Scott Adams faces 'consequence culture' as U.S. newspapers drop Dilbert, Tom Cruise's 'ditching' of Suri showcased by Judd Apatow's 'co-parenting' joke, ex-Scientology exec says. Garcia was "regiment commander" for the gang in charge of all Monterey County and he controlled the criminal activities of gang members in the jail. Stretch, U.S. Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. Nuestra Familia were prison enemies of the Southern Latinos who comprised La Eme, better known as the Mexican Mafia. Henry Cervantes, 52, aka Happy, of Lodi, Calif., was sentenced to 75 years in prison. Their color was red, contrasting the blue-suited Mexican Mafia. has been known to construct "Bad News Lists," containing "store" are kept secret by the store owner, or memorized Some were forced to live in the Secure Housing Unit (the "Shoe"), where 12,000 inmates were held in a "prison within a prison" where the inmate was under constant surveillance. developed prison gangs in Colorado's prison system. Gonzalez wrote the constitution for the NF, and he also established Article 2, Section 5, which said that it was an automatic death sentence for desertion (if an NF member wanted out of the gang). Nevertheless, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. begin their lives on the outside. [19] The spark that led to the ongoing war between Nuestra . Their prison stronghold was Pelican Bay, where their main leaders lived. sport tattoos of a black eagle with arched wings on their wrists. Among the indicted are the seven members of Nuestra Familia leadership council. threats against correctional staff to maintain authority. The Government introduced a video at trial of the stabbing. membership can also alleviate the psychological harm imposed by Todays operation strikes a substantial blow to Nuestra Familia leadership. The investigation revealed that Nuestra Familia members in prison were smuggling out messages in body cavities, directing street gang members to murder, commit robberies and sell drugs. in his head. The gangs targeted in this case are responsible for much of the illicit drug distribution and violent crime that has plagued areas throughout CA pic.twitter.com/cyLZ3Uls5c. These wolfpacks are handed the responsibility of generating Really? After months of investigation, at least 37 alleged gang members were arrested during the . the Familia's messages confirm reception to their family members Known as one of the most powerful prison gangs in California, Nuestra Familia has been plagued by infighting in recent years, starting in the early 2000s when a number of high-ranking members. Vincent Gerald Garcia, 55, of Salinas, is the 14th defendant charged and convicted in the case, which involves racketeering, conspiracy, conspiracy to commit murder in the aid of racketeering and conspiracy to commit assault with a dangerous weapon in the aid of racketeering. The indictment also describes the NFs organizational structure and, in particular, the gangs governing body: a seven-member General Council, made up of three Generals and a four-member Inner Council, which makes significant decisions and oversees the activities of the NF and its subservient gangs. local law enforcement agencies concluded what was considered the most significant effort to dismantle the Central Coast leadership structure of Nuestra Familia. and in Colorado prisons are often Caucasian, as white convicts have The eagle can also be Facility, whose purpose was to house the more dangerous and violent intercepted by a prison guard in Pelican Bay, who found it stuffed In March 2013, the inmate whom Andrew Cervantes believed had violated gang rules was assaulted and stabbed by two Nuestra Familia inmates in the prison dining facility and survived. During the robbery, Jaime Cervantes beat one victim over the head with a baseball bat and another victim was shot. captains. The workouts were intense, and they also had to read history books, law books, and philosophy books. up an inmate's rectum. local law enforcement agencies concluded what was considered the most significant effort to dismantle the Central Coast leadership structure of Nuestra Familia. Level 2 includes negotiators, who act as messengers to other prison Colorado prisons and the American criminal justice system. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Debts are sometimes out its objectives by smuggling in money, drugs, messages, and women He allowed his own brother to be executed for leaving the NF, and was known as a ruthlessly pragmatic leader. smuggled in by correctional staff and distribute those drugs to After one week the payback rate is raised to 200%. The NF imposed "gang taxes" on drug dealers and prostitutes to help them gain a flow of income, and in the 1990s, their ranks swelled to more than 1,000 gang members. SDLRLA LEGACY AWARD. The Nuestra Familia is a prison gang that originally formed in the California state prison system in the 1960s. Abstract Soon after, El Norte Law was passed, which meant that all Norteos that wore red were now a part of the Nuestra Familia gang. Nuestra Familia ( Spanish for "our family") is a criminal organization of Mexican American ( Chicano) prison gangs with origins in Northern California. The sombrero and the dagger are also common symbols. In August 2012, Larez and two other gang members traveled to San Jose, Calif., and lured another gang member suspected of cooperating with law enforcement to a meeting, where he was shot to death while sitting in his vehicle. Please enter valid email address to continue. In prison, their gang members taught them order and strength in a military-like way, and they became a strong gang. They are trained in prison If the debt is not repaid within a reasonable amount of time, debt It is with gratitude and appreciation that we congratulate the FBI, the Bureau of Prisons, and the scores of local law enforcement officials who have brought this 6-year investigation to a successful conclusion., Criminal enterprises like the Nuestra Familia may spawn in prisons, but they often spread into our communities and onto our streets, bringing violence and mayhem with them, said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell. The album generated revenue for the Nuestra Familia leadership and united Northern California Latino street gangs, which had been feuding. and Familias in other prisons or on the outside. Casper lived in a small town in Middle America in hiding from some Norteos who would like to see him dead, and his WPP tenure lasted ten months. The business and task-force experts aknowledge that the complete destruction Evidence at Garcia's trial showed that from December 2012 through April 2014, Garcia was an active member of the Nuestra Familia prison gang and was incarcerated at the Monterey County Jail. state-lines and touching the most vulnerable segment of the population, According to the NF Constitution, the Street Regiment General oversees the NFs overall street operations. The General of the Prisons is responsible for the NFs overall pinta [prison] functions, and the General Advocates Office is the NFs justice department. Tiered just below these three NF Generals was the Inner Council, which consisted of four senior NF members who served as advisors to the Generals and provided a system of checks and balances. In September, 2011, Henry Cervantes stabbed two people to death in an apartment in Oakland. Robert Lee Gratton, 44, of Palmdale -- who authorities suspect was driving while intoxicated -- was backing his Chevrolet Cavalier down Highway 14 north of Agua Dulce Road about 1:15 a.m. Friday, when it was struck by another vehicle, a California Highway Patrol spokesman said. According to evidence introduced at trial, Andrew Cervantes used coded letters to order his fellow gang members to kill a fellow Nuestra Familia gang member for failing to uphold the rules of the organization. "While the physical movement of this leadership was restricted by prison walls, the indictment alleges their power and influence were not so constrained. The Nuestra Familia has a gang constitution called The Supreme Power Structure of Nuestra Familia that outlines the organization's goals, requirements, and expectations of its members. Huerta provided a vital communications link to incarcerated NF generals. 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