The leadership structure of Nuestra Familia. That same day, Huerta entered the Supermax prison in Colorado to visit Hernandez in an effort to obtain coded communications for the Salinas regiment. SAN JOSE, Calif. (KTVU and wires) - Seventeen alleged Nuestra Familia gang members were in custody and six others were being sought Friday on charges ranging from attempted murder to conspiring. Lewis also published a book about Gratton and the Nuestra Familia. Familianos under one roof, strengthening their power within prison. By disrupting gang leadership, we reduce violence on our streets. respective responsibilities. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. In recent years, Gratton had been the leading source of information to law enforcement about the inner workings of the Nuestra Familia, Lewis said. On 20 April 2001, federal agents arrested 13 members of NF, including 6 inmates, among them Rubelcaba. The meeting was ultimately unsuccessful because of the significant security measures in place at the facility. On May 27, 2006, an NF member sent a $300 Western Union money order to Huerta in Florence, Colorado. . They used the Huelga Eagle, the symbol of United Farm Workers leader Cesar Chavez, as the symbol of their gang, as many of them were farmers from northern California. 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 . Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. extortion. offenders serving the longest sentences, served to concentrate the
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. were reported by informants in 2000 to be instructed by their Familia
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December 17, 1972 Nuestra Familia members murder Eme leader Rudy "Chyenne" Cadena in Palm Hall at Chino. 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. "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. 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. of the Nuestra Familia, the Family operates as a "mutual aid
Hinds was joined by FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig Fair, DEA Special Agent in Charge Wade Shannon, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Safety Chief Derrick Marion, Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith and San Jose Police Deputy Chief Elle Washburn. 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. Contrary to what past research has dictated, Koehler stresses that
) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. They all cut plea deals, and many convicted served at Florence, Colorado's supermax prison. for members to remain a member once they have been released and
bonds that members swear to upon initiation. El Espritu Santo puede guiar a la familia. 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. Nuestra Familia was organized at Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, California in 1965. The recruits are expected to sacrifice their life and freedom, and members are supposed to expect that they will go to prison. All seven members of the NFs General Council led the NF organization while incarcerated in the California prison system. Nuestra Familia is one of a constellation of race-based prison gangs that organize and direct the growing subculture of California's inmates. 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. 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. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. is a security chief, who manages the less prestigious level 4 inmates,
Casper was sent back to prison for communicating with the gang, violating his parole, and was sent back for six months. 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. 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. Monterey Herald. local law enforcement agencies concluded what was considered the most significant effort to dismantle the Central Coast leadership structure of Nuestra Familia. After months of investigation, at least 37 alleged gang members were arrested during the . member of his own gang, top-ranking Salinas, California gang leader Michael
The intended target wasnt struck, but 20-year-old Malik Johnson was, and died from his injuries. 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. This investigation revealed the wide-ranging influence of the gang that extends far beyond prison walls. 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. The remaining leadership of the organization in Pelican Bay consists of Daniel "Stork" Perez, Anthony "Chuco" Guillen and George "Puppet" Franco. Official websites use .gov His second-in-command Joseph "Death Row Joe" Gonzalez spent years on death row before he was commuted to a life sentence, and he had no patience for fools. Executive Leadership Dara Munson President and CEO Dara Munson, formerly CEO of Chicago Child Care Society since 2016, is a native of Detroit and past president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Detroit, past COO of Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan, and past senior director of United Way of Southeastern Michigan. The Bay Area's top federal prosecutor announced a sweeping array of indictments targeting the notorious Nuestra Familia prison gang, boasting that a fiveyear . The police warned Castillo about the NF threat, but Castillo ignored them. Larez communicated with Andrew Cervantes primarily through prison phone calls and correspondence using coded language. Maldonados mother wrote to the court that he entered the prison system as an immature young man and has been affected by prison life. "While the physical movement of this leadership was restricted by prison walls, the indictment alleges their power and influence were not so constrained. communications chief directs the messages to members of other gangs
One of these was
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. 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. It is . 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. As the Chicano
The rap group sold thousands of copies, and many members possessed the album. Zarate and Maldonado were indicted as part of a massive 2021 investigation targeting the Nuestra Familia and multiple Norteo subsets based in San Jose. Among these 5 council members there
The sombrero and the dagger are also common symbols. Colorado prisons and the American criminal justice system. Esta responsabilidad siempre . Henry Cervantes, 52, aka Happy, of Lodi, Calif., was sentenced to 75 years in prison. 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. their rivals the Mexican Mafia, who wear blue. very serious offences, such as murder or armed robbery, are successfully
Nuestra Familia members Santos and Gilbert Arenda are stabbed by Eme members. state-lines and touching the most vulnerable segment of the population,
Their footsoldiers make up an army on the streets that generate money for the organization, and they are based in Modesto, Salinas, and Santa Rosa in northern CA. Its leaders control and direct the group's criminal activities both inside and outside of the prison system. 13 is reserved for the Mexican Mafia, corresponding to the letter"M."
As the prison population has exploded in the past. If I stumble, push me. by SUR 14 May 19th, 2008, 11:21 pm, Unread post Nuestra Familia Constitution The Nuestra Familia Original Constitution: ARTICLE I. Since then the Familia has moved eastward across the
to the rules, and decides on important issues concerning the welfare
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. 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. Public File for KBCW-TV / KBCW 44 Cable 12. is based on a model of capitalist enterprise, and relies on regular
Updated on: November 2, 2022 / 9:34 AM 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. While law enforcement has succeeded
In December 2000, another Nuestro General stepped in on Casper's behalf and Cuete backed off the hit order, but Casper wanted revenge. sex trade, while communicating with their members on the outside,
He makes sure that business is conducted according
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. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. After he turned, he started giving up all the information he had, Lewis said. 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. Nuestra Familia leaders control and direct the gangs criminal activities both inside and outside of the prison system. Bay City News Service contributed to this report. In addition to recruiting "mules," the Nuestra Familia
society," committed to providing commissary goods to fellow
They bring in millions of dollars through the drug trade, but prostitution, extortion, and identity theft are also major rings. From their thrones in California's Pelican
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. San Francisco, CA 94102, San Francisco: (415) 436-7200
Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Hitt and William S. Wong are prosecuting the case. They face competition from the Mexican Mafia, the predominant Hispanic gang in southern California (known to NF as "sewer rats" or "scraps"). "She wasn't performing duties the way the generals wanted," the investigator said. The Norteos fought together as a cohesive force for the first time, giving rise to the Nuestra Familia. San Jose: (408) 535-5061. Whether meth, heroin, coke, or pot, they control the drug trade by personally bringing in the drugs or by taxing drug dealers. nuestra familia, equipo de trabajo, clientes y entorno. confinement and the constant threat of danger. then forward the correct debt sum to the financial minister. Operation Quiet Storm was the culmination of more than 5 years of complex investigative work. According to court documents, Huerta is the wife of a Nuestra Familia general Joseph "Pinky" Hernandez. He ordered assaults and murders on behalf of NF and approved all 10 removals in this case. The gang continued to carry out violent actions even after the downfall of 21 of their leaders. . Nuestra Familia is a major Norteos criminal organization based in northern California. Huertas travel expenses for this trip were paid using NF drug money. Andrew Cervantes led the criminal organization from a federal prison in Pennsylvania, using complex coded letters and telephone calls to communicate to his underlings. suspicious, and dedicated criminal organization, similarly committed
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 . He's believed to be a high leader of Nuestra Familia. the communications chief, and the director. 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. Familia members in prison at inexpensive or "face value"
The Nuestra Familia is a prison gang that originally formed in the California state prison system in the 1960s. 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. According to evidence introduced at trial, Andrew Cervantes used coded letters to order his fellow gang members to kill a fellow Nuestra Familia gang member for failing to uphold the rules of the organization. / CBS San Francisco, SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- 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 of the snake.". 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. September 21, 2021 at 3:09 p.m. investigation into prison gang activities in California's history. Bay State Prison, they controlled the intra-prison drug and
Nuestro canal (NuestraFamiliTv) es formado por 5 miembro de la familia. Robert Lee Gratton, 44, of Palmdale -- who authorities suspect was driving while intoxicated -- was backing his Chevrolet Cavalier down Highway 14 north of Agua Dulce Road about 1:15 a.m. Friday, when it was struck by another vehicle, a California Highway Patrol spokesman said. The NF fell into disarray, and Casper was still undercover when the chaos began. DOJ Nuestra Familia indictment info 082521, NF Areas of Criminal Influence map FBI SF. The gang was an enemy of the Mexican Mafia, and it decreed that all Nortenos ("northerners") were members of the NF, granting them protection from "La Eme" (the Mexican Mafia) behind bars. The receivers of
has been known to construct "Bad News Lists," containing
After months of investigation, at least 37 alleged gang members were arrested during the . The crimes alleged include racketeering, robberies, drug crimes, and murder. Nuestra Familia (Spanish for "our family") is a criminal organization of Mexican American . On 24 January 2001 in Tracy, California, Casper set up a meeting with NF chiefs, which was monitored. a greater chance of escaping the suspicion of prison guards. 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. 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. Several defendants have already pleaded guilty and been sentenced, including for other alleged murder conspiracies. 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