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. Nuestra Familia leaders control and direct the gangs criminal activities both inside and outside of the prison system. 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 Latinos from rural farming areas of Northern California. 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. Supreme Commander Section I. the neighborhood. Level 2 includes negotiators, who act as messengers to other prison Nuestra Familia was founded in 1968 in California's Soledad Correctional Training Facility by Mexican-American inmates that split from the Mexican Mafia. 13 is reserved for the Mexican Mafia, corresponding to the letter"M." Today, four additional members of the Nuestra Familia gang were sentenced for the heinous crimes they perpetrated upon our community, bringing to 12 the number of defendants sentenced as a result of this investigation, said U.S. Attorney Brian J. 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. Jaime Cervantes was recruited by Larez to join the gang in 2010. (NF 2011) Nuestra Familia was created because some of the Spanish inmates had gotten tired of the abuse handed out by the Mexican Mafiato fellow Mexicans. 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. Nuestra Familia is a prison gang that originally formed in the California state prison system in the 1960s. Attorneys Joseph M. Alioto Jr. and William Frentzen, and trial Attorney Robert S. Tully of the Criminal Divisions Organized Crime and Gang Section prosecuted the case with assistance from Kevin Costello, Courtney Fisher, Melissa Dorton, Daniel Charlier-Smith, Lance Libatique, and Lauren Hipolito. According to Koehler, the Familia is a secretive and strongly-cohesive The rap group sold thousands of copies, and many members possessed the album. (NPR: All Things Considered, March 7 2005). Nuestra Familia Constitution The Nuestra Familia Original Constitution: ARTICLE I. The leadership structure of Nuestra Familia. 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. In 1968, a dispute over a simple pair of shoes (a Norteos member confronted a Mexican Mafia member who stole his shoes) led to the War of the Shoes, the ongoing long-term and violent war between the northerners and southerners. Five days after Castillo was released from a short, History [] Origins []. by Common Sense August 23rd, 2007, 11:01 am, Unread post . Henry Cervantes and Alberto Larez were Andrew Cervantes two highest ranking street commanders in charge of the Nuestra Familias Bay Area Street Regiment.. 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. 3553. sex trade, while communicating with their members on the outside, An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. It soon became a multi-agency endeavor, including the FBI, the California Department of Corrections, and the US attorney, operating out of their command center at a downtown high-rise in Santa Rosa, California. by SUR 14 May 19th, 2008, 11:21 pm, Unread post With the final objective being to take down the leadership of Nuestra Familia, multiple raids were conducted . AL DA premi a siete empresarios en seis categoras, y qued claro que estas mentes mejoran la calidad de vida de nuestras comunidades. scraps of paper filled with small, almost microscopic letters. He saved the D.A. and their influence within the prison subculture. Nuestra Familia (Spanish for "our family") is a criminal organization of Mexican American (Chicano) prison gangs with origins in Northern California. Additional assistance was provided by the Santa Clara County District Attorneys Office; the Oakland Police Department; the San Jose Police Department; the Red Bluff Police Department; the Livermore Police Department; the Alameda County Sheriffs Office; the Campbell Police Department; the Tehama County District Attorneys Office; and the Tehama County Sheriffs Office. Nuestra Familia were prison enemies of the Southern Latinos who comprised La Eme, better known as the Mexican Mafia. Removals are approved in advance by the gang leader in charge of the facility. Cadena is stabbed 70 times before his body was hurled from the third tier to the main floor of the maximum security unit. 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. After one week the payback rate is raised to 200%. captains to "re-energize" the Nortenos in Sonoma County. 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. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. Lock Surenos, which operate out of Southern California. The leadership . A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 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. United States and developed prominent ties in Colorado state prisons. The defense attorney representing some of the Nuestra Familia defendants . He joined the Bay Area News Group in 2014. 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 NF is alleged in the indictment to be a criminal enterprise that was created to organize, protect, discipline, profit from, and maintain the allegiance of gang members on the streets of and within custodial facilities in California. Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Hitt and William S. Wong are prosecuting the case. The director oversees 450 Golden Gate Avenue The Norteos fought together as a cohesive force for the first time, giving rise to the Nuestra Familia. (which are rare) to those who respond to no other solution. It is . He then ordered two of his underlings to destroy the crime scene by pouring gasoline over the bodies and lighting them on fire. 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. operations, delegates authority, and represents the interests of 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. In spite of his situation, he has remained positive and optimistic, she wrote. In the case of a member of the Familia defecting to 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. manager, or "store" manager, is a level 1 member that Colorado prisons and the American criminal justice system. Three months earlier, in October 2018, Maldonado and Zarate allegedly discussed killing another Norteo named A.R. for being strung out on heroin and consorting with a rival gang. 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. 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. If I betray you, kill me.. He rose through the ranks of the gang starting in the 1990s, prosecutors said. Evidence traced Garcia to all gang removals at the jail. The FBI's FOIA Library contains many files of public interest and historical value. "While the physical movement of this leadership was restricted by prison walls, the indictment alleges their power and influence were not so constrained. 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. affairs, issuing warnings to those who interfere, as well as hits 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. 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. 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. He makes sure that business is conducted according Please enter valid email address to continue. While members of the Norteos gang is considered to be affiliated with Nuestra Familia, being a member of Nuestra Familia itself does not signify association as a Norteo. During the robbery, Jaime Cervantes beat one victim over the head with a baseball bat and another victim was shot. They face competition from the Mexican Mafia, the predominant Hispanic gang in southern California (known to NF as "sewer rats" or "scraps"). In June 2021, Zarate was arrested and charged with murder for his alleged participation in a retaliatory shooting in San Jose. The . Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? Alberto Larez, 48, aka Bird, of Salinas, Calif., was sentenced to life plus ten years in prison; Jaime Cervantes, 33, aka Hennessy, of San Mateo, Calif., was sentenced to 32 years in prison. youth. The charges pending against these defendants are as follows: The court also may order additional terms of supervised release, fines, and restitution. prison population grew in the 1970s and 1980s, so too did the Familianos, Bay State Prison, they controlled the intra-prison drug and Even in lockdowns, NF members were able to communicate using fishing lines, and they could educate their friends about making crude weapons and using codes. Casper was not allowed to put a hit on Armando Frias, as he was a government informant, but he said that he would have killed him if he was a regular NF member. Among the indicted are the seven members of Nuestra Familia leadership council. Answers & Questions about gangs, organized crime, graffiti & gang activity around the World, Unread post They bring in millions of dollars through the drug trade, but prostitution, extortion, and identity theft are also major rings. Crime and Public Safety | Todays sentences have a special significance in light of the courts findings that three of the defendants were among the highest ranked members of the organization internationally. 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. Have a question about Government Services? captains. and task-force experts aknowledge that the complete destruction Guards become "Mules" when they assist the Familia carry According to court documents, Huerta is the wife of a Nuestra Familia general Joseph "Pinky" Hernandez. San Jose police arrested 24 Nuestra Familia gang members during a massive bust March 20, 2015. Maldonados mother wrote to the court that he entered the prison system as an immature young man and has been affected by prison life. another gang, the Familia will usually order a contract hit. gangs such as the Bloods Although he was not a Nuestra Familia member anymore (he dropped out), he wanted to sell his drugs in the same place. This investigation revealed the wide-ranging influence of the gang that extends far beyond prison walls. of the Nuestra Familia, the Family operates as a "mutual aid Main Office: Pues el desde muy chico a visitado. TTY: (415) 436-7221, Oakland: (510) 637-3680 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. Nuestra Familia is one of a constellation of race-based prison gangs that organize and direct the growing subculture of California's inmates. In addition to recruiting "mules," the Nuestra Familia 500 of their leaders are in prison, and tens of thousands of foot soldiers (Norteos) are also behind bars. Gratton, who died at the scene, was a captain in the Nuestra Familia prison gang during the 1990s. This case is the product of an investigation by the FBIs Stockton Violent Crime Task Force, the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force (METRO), the Stockton Police Department, the Salinas Police Department, the Watsonville Police Department, the Monterey County Sheriffs Department, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation into the activities of the Nuestra Familia (NF), a violent Hispanic prison gang based within the California and federal prison systems whose members exert control over street-level Norteo gang members engaged in drug trafficking and violent crime. More and more NF members were recruited in the 1980s, and they wanted to control all of California from Bakersfield. 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. other gangs. The security chief prevents the intrusion of inmates into the Familia's a greater chance of escaping the suspicion of prison guards. 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. extortion. The financial status and balances of the Familia is revenue for the Familia on the outside. Zarate was out of jail during the conspiracy, which made him more valuable to the gang, authorities say. According to the indictment, NF members and associates were involved in plots to kill 14 victims between April 2013 and July 2019 as part of the charged racketeering conspiracy. She faces a sentence of 10 years to life in prison and a $10 million fine. All seven members of the NFs General Council led the NF organization while incarcerated in the California prison system. 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. by thewestside May 20th, 2008, 2:20 am, Return to Mexico, Central America, South America & the Caribbean, Powered by phpBB Forum Software phpBB Limited. then forward the correct debt sum to the financial minister. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Crime and Public Safety | were reported by informants in 2000 to be instructed by their Familia The crimes were happening in the streets of San Jose and the orders were coming from 400 miles north . IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasn't followed: What should you do? 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. "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 . In securing the drug trade within prison, the Nuestra 26, pleaded guilty Tuesday to racketeering conspiracy for their roles as associates of Norteo leadership, Nuestra Familia, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney . Secure .gov websites use HTTPS The Nuestra Familia, like all prison gangs, are undoubtedly a highly-secretive, If the debt is not repaid within a reasonable amount of time, debt By contrast, Maldonado was serving a life sentence for a 2008 conviction of dissuading a witness from testifying against another gang member. 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