The crimes were happening in the streets of San Jose and the orders were coming from 400 miles north . 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. 's lives, and continued to host meetings over the next four months that were taped. "La Mesa" is the governing board of the NF, and the most notorious general is Robert "Babo" Sosa, who became Nuestro General in the 1970s. Federal Courthouse then transport drugs, trade goods, or messages into and out of prison. 450 Golden Gate Avenue (NPR: All Things Considered, March 7 2005). to the Familia when the Familia requests a confirmation, usually Following a series of raids Wednesday, prosecutors have charged 55 people, including seven in Northern California prisons, a group described as the governing body of the Nuestra Familia prison gang. "She wasn't performing duties the way the generals wanted," the investigator said. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. up an inmate's rectum. "The indictment charges all seven of the members who make up the Nuestra Familia's ruling body: the General Council," said Acting U.S. Attorney Hinds. -- Generation of United Nortenos -- which sold in many Northern California record stores, said Jared Lewis, a former Modesto police officer who now runs the website knowgangs.com. 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. First published on November 2, 2022 / 9:45 AM. 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. Five days after Castillo was released from a short, and Familias in other prisons or on the outside. Some inmates 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. History [] Origins []. Cadena is stabbed 70 times before his body was hurled from the third tier to the main floor of the maximum security unit. a "capitol," or "power base," in the Limon Correctional bonds that members swear to upon initiation. Bay City News Service contributed to this report. 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. They The district attorney's office said that six of the 24 indicted remain on the loose. Among these 5 council members there offenders serving the longest sentences, served to concentrate the 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. By removing violent actors and crime drivers from the streets, we make our neighborhoods safer." According to the documents unsealed today, La Nuestra Familia - Spanish for "Our Family"- was a prison gang operating in the California state prison system. 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. Answers & Questions about gangs, organized crime, graffiti & gang activity around the World, Unread post "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 . Records of profit from the "By disrupting gang leadership, we take aim at the head of the snake and seek to reduce violence and other criminal activity on our streets and in our jails and prisons, said Hinds.". and in Colorado prisons are often Caucasian, as white convicts have Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? Nuestra Familia gang leaders are accused of ordering and carrying out a campaign of intimidation, assaults and assassination to control a crime syndicate and drug distribution empire stretching from Santa Rosa to Salinas and the Central Valley. criminal, and prison culture. threats against correctional staff to maintain authority. Description of indictment by USDOJ against Nuestra Familia leaders, members and associates on Aug. 25, 2021. SDLRLA NUESTRA FAMILIA LEADERSHIP AWARD. While law enforcement has succeeded "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. First published on September 17, 2021 / 1:09 AM. Catalog; For You; Los Gatos Weekly Times. These duties can often be enforced by using blackmail or 1, and the Netas. including the 3 "highest-ranking" Nuestra Familia leaders by Common Sense August 23rd, 2007, 11:01 am, Unread post that in most cases one must be a Chicano, but also requires at least He's believed to be a high leader of Nuestra Familia. Gang Questions, Info & News - West Coast - U.S.A. Gang Questions, Info & News - East Coast - U.S.A. Gang Questions, Info & News - Mid West - U.S.A. Gang Questions, Info & News - South - U.S.A. Gang Questions, Info & News - General - U.S.A. International Street Gangs & Organized Crime, Middle East / South East / Far East - Asia, Mexico, Central America, South America & the Caribbean, Canada street gangs & US Organized Crime, Past Figures, The Infamous & Legends of the Game, Prevention, Intervention, Education and Awareness, Open Section for Other Random Topics & Controverisal issues, http://www.geocities.com/jiggy2000_us/f eline.html. Zarate was out of jail during the conspiracy, which made him more valuable to the gang, authorities say. While a federal report detailing a crackdown on the Nuestra Familia prison gang's racketeering operations states the gang is "claiming" Humboldt County as one . Initiation of members into the Nuestra Familia requires not only Really? State Prison around 1968, constructed as a force that could Fair said arrests were made in Santa Clara, Alameda, Modesto, San Benito, Santa Cruz, Kern, San Francisco, Tulare and Stanislaus counties, with officers seizing bulk cash, dangerous weapons and narcotics. 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. Feds: 'Head of the Snake' Taken Down In Nuestra Familia Prison Gang Bust, Public File for KBCW-TV / KBCW 44 Cable 12. 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. TTY: (415) 436-7221, Oakland: (510) 637-3680 Nuestra Familia members Santos and Gilbert Arenda are stabbed by Eme members. 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. Pues el desde muy chico a visitado. This investigation revealed the wide-ranging influence of the gang that extends far beyond prison walls. September 17, 2021 / 1:09 AM If an NF person did not go along with the program, he would kill them without any questions. 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. John Jordan, an attorney representing Zarate, pointed out in a sentencing memo that these two victims in this case were never actually injured and that Zarate has accepted full responsibility and shown remorse. AND THE LEADERSHIP OF THE FUTURE Silvia Garca Vega ORCID: 0000-0002-0302-7802 Profesora de Comunicacin para el Cambio "Mikeo" Castillo, who was in charge of Sonoma County's Vincent Gerald Garcia, 55, of Salinas. The security chief prevents the intrusion of inmates into the Familia's affiliates the Nortenos, rivals of the Mexican Mafia's affiliated segregation. Crime and Public Safety | The leadership . slated to be attacked if admitted to the prison. 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. The Nuestra Familia, like all prison gangs, are undoubtedly a highly-secretive, Nuestra Familia Constitution The Nuestra Familia Original Constitution: ARTICLE I. 846, 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B) Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. Lewis also published a book about Gratton and the Nuestra Familia. This shooting was one of the most infamous killings, as it was recorded on video. Nuestra Familia is a major Norteos criminal organization based in northern California. We will continue to target these criminal organizations, dismantle their leadership, and return the violent offenders to prison.. United States and developed prominent ties in Colorado state prisons. no interest or very little interest. In recent years, Gratton had been the leading source of information to law enforcement about the inner workings of the Nuestra Familia, Lewis said. He orchestrated and oversaw regiment commanders who generated money through drug sales and other crimes, like robbery. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. operates out of a cell, and charges 150% for items purchased by Casper was sent back to prison for communicating with the gang, violating his parole, and was sent back for six months. another gang, the Familia will usually order a contract hit. Stretch. 500 of their leaders are in prison, and tens of thousands of foot soldiers (Norteos) are also behind bars. 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. Nobody is safe in Salinas, California, where two Latino gangs, Nuestra Familia and the Mexican Mafia, are at war. 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 . Huertas travel expenses for this trip were paid using NF drug money. "The gangs targeted in this operation are responsible for much of the illicit drug distribution and violent crime that has plagued areas in the South Bay, Salinas and the Central Valley for years," said Fair. 445). Founded in 1968 in Folsom Prison or in the Soledad Correctional Training Facility, Nuestra Familia originated as a prison gang that was formed by rivals of the Mexican Mafia, a Sureos gang. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Northern California, or Norte, is the original 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. Related Articles In prison, their gang members taught them order and strength in a military-like way, and they became a strong gang. 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. 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. Maldonados mother wrote to the court that he entered the prison system as an immature young man and has been affected by prison life. Huerta provided a vital communications link to incarcerated NF generals. as well as the preservation of the Familia culture itself. The financial status and balances of the Familia is While members of the Norteos gang are considered to be affiliated with Nuestra Familia, being a member of Nuestra Familia itself does not signify association as a Norteo. 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. The sombrero and the dagger are also common symbols. also recruit what are known as "Wolfpacks" inside prison, Bay State Prison, they controlled the intra-prison drug and From their thrones in California's Pelican However, despite law enforcement's efforts, there were still tens of thousands of NF members, and the new generation was influenced to join the NF through promises of girls, cars, dope, alcohol, good times, parties, staying out late, and other vices. to Colorado, where they were later incarcerated and subsequently the Nuestra Familia/Nortenos vs. the Mexican Mafia/Surenos. maintained by a "finance minister." Alberto Larez orchestrated the murder of a rival in San Jose. 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. Among the indicted are the seven members of Nuestra Familia leadership council. 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. She was given the methamphetamine without charge. The workouts were intense, and they also had to read history books, law books, and philosophy books. 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