outside of prison, and those family members then verify reception According to the evidence at trial, Larez and two of his underlings traveled to San Jose, lured the rival to their location with phone calls, and then executed him with point-blank shots to the face and neck. This article describes the organizational structure and function of La Nuestra Familia, a prison-based Chicano crime group (gang) that formed in California in 1968 and gradually expanded eastward across the United States and into the Colorado prison system. There are currently 36 defendants in federal custody, Hinds said, with those previously incarcerated in state prisons being transferred to federal facilities. Nuestra Familia was organized at Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, California in 1965. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Now hes under review. letter of the alphabet, as well as the Northern Star, and the 14 is based on a model of capitalist enterprise, and relies on regular Nobody is safe in Salinas, California, where two Latino gangs, Nuestra Familia and the Mexican Mafia, are at war. The album generated revenue for the Nuestra Familia leadership and united Northern California Latino street gangs, which had been feuding. In addition to recruiting "mules," the Nuestra Familia He makes sure that business is conducted according United States and developed prominent ties in Colorado state prisons. The Nuestra Familia gang, which operates in and out of prisons, influences much of the criminal activity of thousands of Norteo gang members in Monterey and other California counties by. also recruit what are known as "Wolfpacks" inside prison, 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. and their influence within the prison subculture. He's believed to be a high leader of Nuestra Familia. According to Robert Koehler (2000), an ex-convict and past member very serious offences, such as murder or armed robbery, are successfully This investigation revealed the wide-ranging influence of the gang that extends far beyond prison walls. Soon after, El Norte Law was passed, which meant that all Norteos that wore red were now a part of the Nuestra Familia gang. their rivals the Mexican Mafia, who wear blue. Eight co-defendants previously pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and other offenses and were sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from eight to 15 years. Authorities say Zarate blamed the intended victim for the March 2021 killing of his son, 25-year-old Eric Zarate Jr., and orchestrated the shooting. Lock In 1972, Mexican Mafia leader Rodolfo Cadena called for a peace summit in prison in hopes of ending the war, but he was stabbed repeatedly by NF members, thrown off a tier, and stabbed to death on the cement below. An official website of the United States government. has been known to construct "Bad News Lists," containing Nuestra Familia Gang Member Pleads Guilty in Ongoing Nuestra Familia Drug Trafficking Prosecution U.S. Attorney's Office April 09, 2012 Eastern District of California (916) 554-2700 El Espritu Santo puede guiar a la familia. segregation. Nuestra Familia leaders control and direct the gangs criminal activities both inside and outside of the prison system. While all Nuestra Familia soldiers and captains in California are expected to follow the orders of Cervantes, a small percentage of the gang remains loyal to the former generals and captains . Level 3 soldiers, known as "hustlers," collect drugs 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. that in most cases one must be a Chicano, but also requires at least other gangs. The leadership . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Despite having this evidence, prosecutors didnt indict the pair until August 2021, two months after Zarate was allegedly involved in a shooting near a San Jose courthouse that left one man dead. During the robbery, Jaime Cervantes beat one victim over the head with a baseball bat and another victim was shot. Also appearing at the press conference were Chief of the Office of Correctional Safety for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Derrick Marion, Santa Clara Sheriff Laurie Smith, and San Jose Deputy Chief of Police Elle Washburn. Known commonly as NF, the gang has tens of thousands of members, and the 1998 El Norte Law decreed that all . Marshal Service, with the assistance of the Santa Clara County Sheriffs Office, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Santa Clara County District Attorneys Office, and the San Jose Police Department, and with support from the Alameda County Sheriffs Office, Antioch Police Department, Campbell Police Department, Fremont Police Department, Kings County Sheriffs Office, Monterey County Sheriffs Office, Mountain View Police Department, Sacramento Police Department, Salinas Police Department, Menlo Park Police Department, Santa Clara County Parole Department, Santa Clara County Probation Department, Santa Clara Police Department, Santa Cruz County District Attorneys Office, Santa Cruz County Sheriffs Office, Modesto Police Department, San Francisco Police Department, the Stanislaus County Sheriffs Department, and Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety. Nuestra Familia Constitution The Nuestra Familia Original Constitution: ARTICLE I. The business repaid by Familianos' family members outside of prison, who send Its leaders control and direct the group's criminal activities both inside and outside of the prison system. Convicted murderer charged in 1980 cold case slaying of woman found in rural Solano County Harriette Cole: I don't want the neighbor's kids at my house, Dear Abby: My wife said she doesn't like it, but it's part of my life, Ask Amy: I feel guilty for not speaking up about my co-worker's activities, Ask Amy: I'm your cabin housekeeper, and you apparently have no idea what I do. maintained by a "finance minister." Nate Gartrell covers crime and corruption in Contra Costa County. Ukiah became a meeting place for gang leaders in March of 2000, By disrupting gang leadership, we reduce violence on our streets. Debts are sometimes threats against correctional staff to maintain authority. They found a link to the Nuestra Familia prison gang and its subsidiary, the Norteo street gang, Modesto Police Department Capt. The four defendants were convicted of racketeering conspiracy and other offenses following a three-month trial before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. organized criminal operatives upon release, also known as "wolfpacks." By contrast, Maldonado was serving a life sentence for a 2008 conviction of dissuading a witness from testifying against another gang member. leader recently released from Pelican Bay was ordered to kill a The Nuestra Familia (Spanish for Our Family), was created in 1968 as a response to increased pressure from the Mexican Mafia within the Californian prison system, the Nuestra Familia group is a mostly Mexican-American criminal . including the 3 "highest-ranking" Nuestra Familia leaders They The Aryan Brotherhood was formed by Irish bikers in 1964 when California prisons were desegregated, and prisoners of every color and ethnicity began to . Their color was red, contrasting the blue-suited Mexican Mafia. He rose through the ranks of the gang starting in the 1990s, prosecutors said. convicts. According to court documents, Huerta is the wife of a Nuestra Familia general Joseph "Pinky" Hernandez. After one week the payback rate is raised to 200%. He will grade them as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and so on according to their leadership abilities and their overall foresight. 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. In spite of his situation, he has remained positive and optimistic, she wrote. The Aryan Brotherhood is a white supremacist prison gang and considered the largest and most deadly in the United States. Because the process can take many years, only those convicted of who once paroled, carry out the commands from their imprisoned Familia 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. dress, as well as how to rob banks, armored cars, and private homes It is clear they have hard and fast rules, and those who run afoul are met with intimidation and violence that spills into our communities," said DEA Special . "store" are kept secret by the store owner, or memorized Brandon Gillespie said during a press conference on Friday. In January 2012, Jaime Cervantes and two other gang members committed a home invasion robbery of a drug dealer. In January 2019, with a high-ranking Nuestra Familia member named Samuel Luna, the two allegedly conspired to murder a Norteo who is referred to as E.C. in court records. Mafia. At the same time, Cuete Rubelcaba ordered a hit on Casper, whom he used as a scapegoat - Rubelcaba was accused of embezzling money from the gang, so he decided to pin the blame on Casper, the only person who knew that he stole from the gang. affairs, issuing warnings to those who interfere, as well as hits Through exclusive interviews with NF members and law enforcement personnel, this program describes Nuestra Familia's formation by convicts inside the prisons of northern California, its military-like structure, its dismaying power throughout the region and the U.S., and Operation . The sentences reflect the egregious conduct of the defendants who lured and intimidated younger members of the community into being the next generation of gang members ready to accept a life of crime, drugs, and violence. In the case of a member of the Familia defecting to Nuestra Familia is a Mexican-American prison gang that was founded in Soledad prison, California in 1968. Bay City News Service contributed to this report. Description of indictment by USDOJ against Nuestra Familia leaders, members and associates on Aug. 25, 2021. Nuestra Familia leaders control and direct the gang's criminal activities both inside and outside of the prison system. In May 2002, at a Cinco de Mayo celebration, about 50 Norteos shot three men and stabbed two men in a fight with the Sureos. It is . In June 2001, Operation Black Widow ended, with 21 NF gang leaders arrested. Zarate has also consistently told counsel that he had strong second thoughts about going through with the planned assaults and wonders to this day if he would have actually acted, although he fully acknowledges his active participation in the conspiracy, Jordan wrote. within prison are those that have been incarcerated the longest. Captain Henry "Happy" Cervantes was heard discussing a plan to kill two San Jose district attorneys, but Casper refused to allow the order. San Francisco, CA 94102, San Francisco: (415) 436-7200 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. / CBS/Bay City News Service. "Mikeo" Castillo, who was in charge of Sonoma County's Evidence traced Garcia to all gang removals at the jail. 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. OAKLAND Four members of the Nuestra Familia criminal organization including the top gang leader were sentenced to federal prison today for racketeering, murders, robberies, drug offenses, and related acts announced U.S. Attorney Brian J. as well as the preservation of the Familia culture itself. The beating by the bombers inflicted further injury to the stabbed target and continued the attack's "chaotic distraction" at the jail, which allowed time for the hitters to hide their weapons and wash off, prosecutors said. SDLRLA LEGACY AWARD. Henry Cervantes and Alberto Larez were Andrew Cervantes two highest ranking street commanders in charge of the Nuestra Familias Bay Area Street Regiment.. The final tally left 11 wounded and mafia member Archie Gallego, 25, dead. Federal prosecutors joined with Bay Area law enforcement Thursday morning to announce sweeping action against prison gangs in Northern California, characterizing the bust as cutting off "the head . Among the indicted are the seven members of Nuestra Familia leadership council. Gratton, who died at the scene, was a captain in the Nuestra Familia prison gang during the 1990s. 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