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. Nuestra Familia leaders control and direct the gang's criminal activities both inside and outside of the prison system. 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. The Norte-os are trying to establish (in Salinas) but every time they try to, there's shootouts." The response they received included much information about how Nuestra Familia leaders, direct underlings to perform home invasions, enhance drug profits, and even commit murder. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Evidence presented at trial established that from approximately fall 2010 through March 2013, under the supervision of Henry Cervantes and Larez, members and associates of Nuestra Familia engaged in the trafficking of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin and committed robberies to raise money for themselves and the gang. The danger of having a written constitution has to be weighed against the difficulty controlling a widespread criminal operation without one. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. Once membership was achieved, this membership was for life. 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. SAN JOSE - A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging 17 defendants with racketeering conspiracy, including acts involving murder, robbery, drug trafficking, and money laundering, and charging five others with drug trafficking-related crimes. 215 likes, 9 comments - Banda Independiente Federal (@bandaindependientefederal) on Instagram: "Cmo Junta Directiva nuestro objetivo es crecer exponencialmente tanto en la parte musical, admi . And though prison officials recently reorganized the housing in a way that slows down gang communications, coded directives are still smuggled out that translate to violence in California cities and farm towns. In June 2021, Zarate was arrested and charged with murder for his alleged participation in a retaliatory shooting in San Jose. 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. Most of them occurred in K-Pod, a cell block in the jail that housed Nortenos exclusively. According to the documents unsealed today, La Nuestra Familia - Spanish for "Our Family"- was a prison gang operating in the California state prison system. DOJ Nuestra Familia indictment info 082521, NF Areas of Criminal Influence map FBI SF. She is a graduate of Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism and worked on ProPublicas Electionland project during the 2016 presidential election. [21] Nuestra Familia members often use the image of a sombrero with a machete as their gang symbol. Nuestra Familia members murder Eme leader Rudy "Chyenne" Cadena in Palm Hall at Chino. By disrupting gang leadership, we reduce violence on our streets. 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. FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office officials announce charges Thursday against 55 people after a five-year investigation centered on the Nuestra Familia prison gang. Nuestra Familia top leadership was prosecuted and this made the gang to split into two groups. [18] The spark that led to the ongoing war between Nuestra Familia and members of the Mexican Mafia involved a situation in 1965 in which a member of La eMe stole a pair of shoes from a Northerner at Deuel Vocational Institute in Tracy. A lot of the street violence in the past 10 years in Salinas and Watsonville and San Jose stems from this, and in the prison yards too.. 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. If I betray you, kill me.. 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. The next rung of leaders in Pelican Bay includes Daniel "Stork" Perez of Salinas; Anthony "Chuco" Guillen of San Jose, who was involved in the murder of a Nuestra Familia member there and is. Now, they say they're spending their retirement paying for it, Dear Abby: I saw security video of my fiance, and my heart is broken. But in a coup d'etat of sorts, Gonzalez and Perez have been "demoted" to "Category 1," the lowest level of the Nuestra Familia, investigators say. Both were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez-Rogers in late January, records show. Son cuatro pilares para sanar, trascender y de los cuales tomar los dones y la fuerza para la vida. 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. The glorification of gang affiliation by celebrities in rap music, and through video games and movies have created a bonanza for recruitment. While the Mexican Mafia had initially been created to protect Mexicans in prison, there was a perceived level of abuse by members of La eMe towards the imprisoned chicanos from rural farming areas of Northern California. "There's family members still loyal to the guys in the fed," he said, referring to the exiled former generals and captains in Colorado. 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. Who may become a full member (not females); How sub-gang or clique territories are to be divided and respected; How profits from illegal drug sales, robberies, and other activities are to be divided among members and leaders; Penalties and discipline for violating gang rules, including becoming an informant, and. The end result was the creation of federal and state factions of the gang that continue to lock horns. This investigation revealed the wide-ranging influence of the gang that extends far beyond prison walls. Pacifica: Suspect sought in indecent exposure incident, Fremont: Two-alarm apartment fire displaces 85 residents, They spent their lives teaching California's children. As outlined in the indictment, membership in the NF involved a process of sponsorship, approval, and indoctrination. 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. Official websites use .gov Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Oregon,[6] Texas, Utah,[7] Washington[8] 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. Maldonados mother wrote to the court that he entered the prison system as an immature young man and has been affected by prison life. 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 were prosecuted federally after a similar complex probe dubbed Operation Black Widow. The indictment outlines each position according to the NF Constitution. [20], Eventually, three new generals came to power at Pelican Bay, yet two were demoted, leaving only David "DC" Cervantes as the highest-ranking member of the gang in California. 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. Craig Fair, head of the FBIs San Francisco area field office, said the operation announced Thursday was one of the largest gang takedowns in FBI San Francisco divisions history.. Copyright 2023 Do Not Sell My Personal Information, If you need further help setting your homepage, check your browsers Help menu, Copyright 2013 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved, Calif. PD offers $75K signing bonus to new officers, Calif. bill banning use of police K-9s for arrests, crowd control passes 1st vote, N.M. police release bodycam showing officers fatally shooting man after responding to wrong address, Axon launches Axon Body 4 body camera for an improved user experience, Wash. trooper ambushed, shot in the face, sets return to service as number one goal, Open the tools menu in your browser. 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, FBI SanFrancisco (@FBISanFrancisco) September 16, 2021, We take aim at the head of the snake, Hinds said. Alberto Larez orchestrated the murder of a rival in San Jose. Nuestra Familia gang initiation rites include blood in, blood out which means committing a bloody crime such as assault or murder in order to join or leave the gang. 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. Federal charges announced for 55 California gang members Sep. 16, 2021 The specific charges for the various defendants range from federal racketeering to drug trafficking and murder, with. Please enter valid email address to continue. This may be called Tools or use an icon like the cog. What they will do within the federal prison remains to be seen, but investigators said stabbings have increased and communication with the outside has been established through cell phones smuggled into prison. The gang's new constitution says the five should still be respected as former leaders, but has stripped them of their power in California. 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. This process has allowed Nuestra Familia and other gangs to flourish across the country. The indictment outlines each position according to the NF Constitution. Nuestra Familia is a prison gang that originally formed in the California state prison system in the 1960s. Despite the governor's complaints, all five are still housed in the same supermax unit. If I fall, avenge me. 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. En 1902 viene otra parte de la familia desde Europa y, el 1 de febrero de 1904, llega a lo que luego se llamara Colonia Suiza mi abuelo, Eduardo Goye, que era sobrino de los primeros", cuenta . The NF has a formal written constitution and a membership of approximately 250, with an additional 1,000 associates. 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. This case is being prosecuted by the Organized Crime Strike Force of the United States Attorneys Office for the Northern District of California. According to the U.S. Attorneys Office, 36 of the defendants named in the indictments were already in state prison and have been moved to federal holding facilities. Crime and Public Safety | These regiments primarily guaranteed the NFs vast influence and control over its own and its street gang members, ensured avenues to direct violence and other illicit activity, and secured means for the NF to make money through the commission of criminal activity. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. Nuestra Familia is a prison gang that originally formed in the California state prison system in the 1960s. Violators may be subject to civil and criminal litigation and penalties. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Nuestra Familia leaders control and direct the gangs criminal activities both inside and outside of the prison system. 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. / CBS/Bay City News Service. Northern California, or Norte, is the original homeland of the Familianos. Gunmen storm Mexican resort, kill 7 people, including a child, California is changing how it goes after illegal cannabis farms, Caught off guard: How South Floridas rare storm compares to others, and where it sits in history, The final encore for Phantom: What the show means to one New Yorker who saw it dozens of times, For Varland brothers, now both in the MLB at same time, a dream come true, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Once membership was achieved, this membership was for life. . What is the Supreme Power Structure of Nuestra Familia? During the robbery, Jaime Cervantes beat one victim over the head with a baseball bat and another victim was shot. Operation Quiet Storm was the culmination of more than 5 years of complex investigative work. In this case, one or more "hitters" stabbed the victim, followed by "bombers" who viciously beat the man without weapons. Los abuelos no slo cuidan; son el tronco de la familia extendida, aportan algo que los padres no siempre vislumbran: pertenencia e identidad, factores indispensables en los nuevos brotes. By removing violent actors and crime drivers from the streets, we make our neighborhoods safer.. This set of rules includes: Who may become a full member (not females); The structure of leadership; Henry Cervantes, 52, aka Happy, of Lodi, Calif., was sentenced to 75 years in prison. 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. [19], Since the written constitution of the Norteos stated that the gang's leaders resided in Pelican Bay State Prison in California; the relocation of the five leaders led to turmoil among its members. Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link. The Government introduced a video at trial of the stabbing. 450 Golden Gate Avenue 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. Stretch. The 17 indictmentstarget several facets of the Nuestra Familia gang and represent the most significant law enforcement action to disrupt the NF organization in decades, Hinds said. Crime and Public Safety | 3553. Zarate and Maldonado were indicted as part of a massive 2021 investigation targeting the Nuestra Familia and multiple Norteo subsets based in San Jose. Nuestra Familia is a Mexican - American prison gang that was founded in Soledad prison, California in 1968. The defendants are scheduled to make initial federal court appearances before U.S. Magistrate Court Judge Nathanael Cousins and U.S. Magistrate Court Judge Sallie Kim today. [21] Nuestra Familia's written constitution allegedly states that no member should prioritize women, money or drugs over their membership in the gang. In spite of his situation, he has remained positive and optimistic, she wrote. 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. While the physical movement of this leadership was restricted by prison walls, the indictment alleges their power and influence were not so constrained. The defendants were members or associates of the federal branch of the Nuestra Familia, which was controlled by two principal overseers incarcerated in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), including Andrew Cervantes. Two of the indictments centered on a dozen people split between two San Jose-based Norteo gangs, alleging a string of crimes involving drug running, robberies, attempted murder and murder, acting Northern California U.S. Attorney Stephanie Hinds said at a Thursday news conference. The NF oversaw such regiments in Contra Costa County, Santa Clara County, Monterey County, Santa Cruz County, San Benito County, San Francisco County, San Mateo County, Alameda County, Solano County, San Joaquin County, Fresno County, Kings County, Tulare County, Madera County, Merced County, Kern County, Sacramento County, Yolo County, Humboldt County, Shasta County, Lassen County, Tehama County, Butte County, Yuba County, Sutter County, Lake County, Placer County, and Sonoma County, as well as in Salinas Valley State Prison, Pelican Bay State Prison, Pleasant Valley State Prison, California State Prison Solano, California State Prison Sacramento, and High Desert State Prison. 16 likes, 3 comments - KQEDNews (@kqednews) on Instagram: "[English below] Cundo debes de presentar tus impuestos? ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Robert was a member of the Bay Area News Group reporting team awarded the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting for East Bay Times coverage of the fatal "Ghost Ship" fire. Enter https://www.police1.com/ and click OK. San Jose: (408) 535-5061. 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. Arizona, Florida,[2] Georgia, Idaho,[3] Nevada,[4] Kansas,[5] New Mexico, Northern California, Thermo Fisher Scientific has partnered with PoliceGrantsHelp to provide customized grant help for Rapid DNA products, including grant research, alert notices and application reviews. Murder trial of reputed Oakland gang member delayed amid dispute over judge Letters: Recall DA | Feinsteins job | Tax-free retirement | IRA funds | Gun control | US oil Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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