He ordered assaults and murders on behalf of NF and approved all 10 removals in this case. Ukiah became a meeting place for gang leaders in March of 2000, Nuestra Familia is a Mexican - American prison gang that was founded in Soledad prison, California in 1968. 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. PIX Now -- Wednesday morning headlines from the KPIX newsroom. 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Nuestra Familia is one of a constellation of race-based prison gangs that organize and direct the growing subculture of California's inmates. This investigation and prosecution are part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The intended target wasnt struck, but 20-year-old Malik Johnson was, and died from his injuries. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Todays operation strikes a substantial blow to Nuestra Familia leadership. Crime and Public Safety | Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 500 of their leaders are in prison, and tens of thousands of foot soldiers (Norteos) are also behind bars. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory sentencing factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. In an intercepted prison message, Nuestra Familia leaders explained that Crystal Morado was killed because she was no longer "functioning," according to a specialist who has investigated the gang for federal and state agencies for 15 years. Nuestra Familia (Spanish for "our family") is a criminal organization of Mexican American . of the Familia is an impossibility, with the gang's tentacles spanning The main targets of the investigation including alleged members of the Nuestra Familias leadership counsel are still in federal detention awaiting a resolution to their cases. By contrast, Maldonado was serving a life sentence for a 2008 conviction of dissuading a witness from testifying against another gang member. According to Koehler, in Colorado prisons, the Familia is an attempt to protect and preserve Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? and the five council members. This investigation revealed the wide-ranging influence of the gang that extends far beyond prison walls. suspicious, and dedicated criminal organization, similarly committed SDLRLA LEGACY AWARD. All seven members of the NFs General Council led the NF organization while incarcerated in the California prison system. 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. First published on September 17, 2021 / 1:09 AM. money orders into the DOC bank accounts of several Familianos, who Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. as well as the preservation of the Familia culture itself. Catalog; For You; Los Gatos Weekly Times. the Familia's messages confirm reception to their family members and in Colorado prisons are often Caucasian, as white convicts have In recent years, Gratton had been the leading source of information to law enforcement about the inner workings of the Nuestra Familia, Lewis said. Contrary to what past research has dictated, Koehler stresses that The Nuestra Familia members came from northern California while the Mexican Mafia came from southern California, leading to a divide between the Norteos (NF) and the Sureos (La Eme). in his head. Both were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez-Rogers in late January, records show. Between 2003 and May 2007, Huerta engaged in drug trafficking with NF members, communicated NF-related orders to NF members, and received monthly monetary benefits from NF drug proceeds. Vincent Gerald Garcia, 55, of Salinas. Henry Cervantes, 52, aka Happy, of Lodi, Calif., was sentenced to 75 years in prison. to the Familia when the Familia requests a confirmation, usually 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. 846, 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B) Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The U.S. Department of Justice said that Nuestra Familia (NF) and the Norteno gang are associated with each other, in that the Nortenos pledge loyalty to the NF. DOJ NF indictment 082521, The indictment charges all seven of the members who make up the Nuestra Familias ruling body: the General Council, said Acting U.S. Attorney Hinds. The NF gang has a Mafia-like structure, with the three top Nuestro Generals being called "La Mesa" ("the table"). A lock ( Casper was sent back to prison for communicating with the gang, violating his parole, and was sent back for six months. A five-year-long investigation into gang activity in the Bay Area has culminated in federal charges for 55 members of the Nuestra Familia, El Hoyo Palmas and San Jose Grande gangs, federal. 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. Magic Memories ha prestado servicio a ms de 800 nios de toda la regin, y es una cuantificacin de su deseo de formar a los jvenes que sern el futuro de nuestro pas. They bring in millions of dollars through the drug trade, but prostitution, extortion, and identity theft are also major rings. At the direction of Andrew Cervantes, Larez instructed his subordinates to send proceeds from their criminal activities to the commissary accounts of gang leaders incarcerated in several BOP facilities, including the account of Andrew Cervantes. Nuestra Familia leaders control and direct the gang's criminal activities both inside and outside of the prison system. Because the process can take many years, only those convicted of It consists of more than 20,000 members inside and outside of prison. While members of the Norteos gang are considered to be foot soldiers of Nuestra Familia, being a member of Nuestra Familia itself does not signify association as a Norteo. Huertas travel expenses for this trip were paid using NF drug money. Federal Courthouse The . Several defendants have already pleaded guilty and been sentenced, including for other alleged murder conspiracies. El presidente David O. McKay dijo: "Ningn xito compensa el fracaso en el hogar" ("Blessed Are They That Do His Commandments", Improvement Era, junio de 1964, pg. They talked about how the victim had committed an assault to get back into good standing with the gang, but had resorted to his old ways, which was the final straw, prosecutors said. "While the physical movement of this leadership was restricted by prison walls, the indictment alleges their power and influence were not so constrained. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. In September, 2011, Henry Cervantes stabbed two people to death in an apartment in Oakland. Familia attempt to convert guards into "mules," who may SACRAMENTO, CACarolyn Huerta, 37, of Castroville, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to traffic methamphetamine, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. 2019 - Catherine Arambula. The arrests made yesterday, most significantly the arrests of the Nuestra Familia leadership, will severely cripple the ability of this criminal enterprise to continue to facilitate crimes in communities throughout the state and help break a decades-old cycle of violence, said FBI San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Fair. Nuestra Familia were prison enemies of the Southern Latinos who comprised La Eme, better known as the Mexican Mafia. While law enforcement has succeeded This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Frias did not get the orders to not kill him, and a hidden security camera showed Frias shooting Sanchez in the back of the neck - Sanchez was killed, and he fell into the alley. Nuestro canal (NuestraFamiliTv) es formado por 5 miembro de la familia. Esta responsabilidad siempre . The Nuestra Familia is known as the governing body of the Norteno gang, a predominantly Latino group formed in Northern California that identifies with the color red. Level 2 includes negotiators, who act as messengers to other prison He decided to go to the garage so that his wife and two sons were not killed in the house, and the message showed that even the leaders were able to be targeted. Their prison stronghold was Pelican Bay, where their main leaders lived. confinement and the constant threat of danger. Both men had support letters from their mothers. PressReader. of the Familia, and the strategies and operations of the family. In this case, one or more "hitters" stabbed the victim, followed by "bombers" who viciously beat the man without weapons. The FBI's FOIA Library contains many files of public interest and historical value. "The arrests made yesterday, most significantly the arrests of the Nuestra Familia leadership, will severely cripple the ability of this criminal enterprise to continue to facilitate crimes in communities throughout the state and help break a decades-old cycle of violence," said FBI San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Fair. An official website of the United States government. 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 . 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nuestra Familia is a Mexican-American prison gang that was founded in Soledad prison, California in 1968. In 2010, Henry Cervantes and Larez were released from the BOP after serving sentences for racketeering conspiracy convictions in 2004 involving the distribution of controlled substances on behalf of the Nuestra Familia. Evidence traced Garcia to all gang removals at the jail. Colorado prisons and the American criminal justice system. Northern California, or Norte, is the original homeland of the Familianos. Soon after, El Norte Law was passed, which meant that all Norteos that wore red were now a part of the Nuestra Familia gang. Zarate and Maldonado were indicted as part of a massive 2021 investigation targeting the Nuestra Familia and multiple Norteo subsets based in San Jose. local law enforcement agencies concluded what was considered the most significant effort to dismantle the Central Coast leadership structure of Nuestra Familia. designed to convey a specific message: an eagle painted black means 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. Nuestro General Gerald "Cuete" Rubelcaba ordered the assassination of former NF member Robert "Brown Bob" Viramontes in early 1998, a member of the leading council for the NF and a 20-year veteran who had covered up his NF tattoo on his back and also educated young kids about the dangers of gang life. then forward the correct debt sum to the financial minister. 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. Whether meth, heroin, coke, or pot, they control the drug trade by personally bringing in the drugs or by taxing drug dealers. group, and judging by their self-assuredness, ideological adherence, Nobody is safe in Salinas, California, where two Latino gangs, Nuestra Familia and the Mexican Mafia, are at war. housing the longest-serving Familianos and Familiano leaders in Contact Us- Overview- Territory/Jurisdiction, News and Outreach- Press Room | Stories- In Your Community, About Us- Our People & Capabilities- What We Investigate- Our Partnerships- Sacramento History, This content has been reproduced from its. Seven members of the Nuestra Familia leadership council were among those charged, according to Hinds. . prison population grew in the 1970s and 1980s, so too did the Familianos, History [] Origins []. "While the physical movement of this leadership was restricted by prison walls, the indictment alleges their power and influence were not so constrained. Mafia. Prosecutors said the group used a "paramilitary structure" to control thousands of other gang members throughout 28 California counties. Crime and Public Safety | In the span of just over one year, Jaime Cervantes participated in three armed robberies on behalf of the gang, and stabbed a rival at the direction of his carnal Larez. The Nuestra Familia share allegiances with their Northern California-area to the rules, and decides on important issues concerning the welfare San Jose: (408) 535-5061. By removing violent actors and crime drivers from the streets, we make our neighborhoods safer.. Have a question about Government Services? Gang Culture, History and Info, Other Area, International Street Gangs & Organized Crime, Mexico, Central America, South America & the Caribbean, LOS ANGELES: Gangs /Clubs, Street Culture, History and Info, Gang Questions & Info: Black Gangs / Clubs, Gang Questions & Info: Latino gangs, Sureos, clubs, crews and varrios, Gang Questions & Info: Asian & White gangs. This set of rules includes: Who may become a full member (not females); The structure of leadership; 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. Often, You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. The case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Attorneys Office of the Northern District of California, with assistance from the BOP. 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 conspiracies he perpetuated while in Monterey County Jail, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Nuestra Familia members Santos and Gilbert Arenda are stabbed by Eme members. 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 Agent in Charge Wade R. Shannon. The defendants charged in the alleged racketeering conspiracy include the following: Also charged in the indictment are defendants who allegedly participated in two conspiracies to possess and distribute methamphetamine, one in May of 2019 and the other in September 2020 to March 2021. Larez recruited individuals, including Jaime Cervantes, to commit crimes on behalf of the gang and Henry Cervantes supervised the criminal activities of the gang in Oakland. Feds announce massive 'takedown' of Nuestra Familia gang and leadership 2021-09-24 - By Robert Salonga and Summer Lin Staff writer Nate Gartrell contributed to this report.. Huerta is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24, 2013, by United States District Judge William B. Shubb. While the NF was composed of a relative few, it exercised control and wielded influence over thousands of subordinate gang members in counties and prisons throughout Northern California using such regiments. His job was to make sure that San Francisco, Sacramento, Oakland, and San Jose all had a regiment in place, and made sure that the regiments were going by the gang's rules. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot concedes defeat, Southern California home sales fall to all-time low, Denver just got a direct flight to this Caribbean island known for music history and vegetarian cooking, NYC Mayor Adams dismisses need to separate church and state, declares himself a servant of God, Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? Its leaders control and direct the group's criminal activities both inside and outside of the prison system. Andrew Cervantes led the criminal organization from a federal prison in Pennsylvania, using complex coded letters and telephone calls to communicate to his underlings. OAKLAND Two members of the Nuestra Familia prison gang have been sentenced to varying federal prison terms for their roles in the same two murder conspiracies targeting lower-tier members of their organized crime network, court records show. This shooting was one of the most infamous killings, as it was recorded on video. The Huerta provided a vital communications link to incarcerated NF generals. maintained by a "finance minister." Larez and Henry Cervantes were senior gang members who reported to Andrew Cervantes. Description of indictment by USDOJ against Nuestra Familia leaders, members and associates on Aug. 25, 2021. member of his own gang, top-ranking Salinas, California gang leader Michael The indictment handed down on August 25, 2021, and unsealed Thursday, September 16, 2021 catalogues a litany of crimes allegedly directed by the Nuestra Familias command structure incarcerated in California prisons. by Common Sense August 23rd, 2007, 11:01 am, Unread post Crime and Public Safety | offenders serving the longest sentences, served to concentrate the The Mafia members most- ly ex-convicts from the East Los Angeles area plan to chal- lenge their gang's chief rival, "Nuestra Familia" ("Our Fami- ly" in Spanish) for control of San Jose s street crime, an ex- pert on prison gangs revealed. Crime and Public Safety | slated to be attacked if admitted to the prison. 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Murder conspiracies testifying against another gang member of Lodi, Calif., was sentenced 75! Accounts of several Familianos, History [ ] leaders are in prison, and identity are... Make our neighborhoods safer.. have a question about government Services were by. Northern California, or redistributed leadership Council were among those charged, according to.... Es formado por 5 miembro de La Familia January, records show was sentenced 75! Files of Public interest and historical value '' to control thousands of other gang members who reported to Cervantes.

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