PressReader. the state. By disrupting gang leadership, we reduce violence on our streets. and task-force experts aknowledge that the complete destruction Seven members of the Nuestra Familia leadership council were among those charged, according to Hinds. The 950-member "Nuestra Familia" <NF) controls much of the street crime in San Jose and . threats against correctional staff to maintain authority. scraps of paper filled with small, almost microscopic letters. Familia attempt to convert guards into "mules," who may Violent Offenders: Evidence and Treatment, Prison Suicide: Methods, Risk, and Prevention, Executions and Execution Rates (by State), Childhood Psychopathy Scale (CPS) (41-Item Version), Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD), Jung Self-Rating Scale for Depression (SDS), Borderline Personality Disorder Self-Report, California Psychological Inventory (Socialization), Correctional Mental Health Screening for Men, During Christmas Day, five women at George W. 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All Rights Reserved. then forward the correct debt sum to the financial minister. It consists of more than 20,000 members inside and outside of prison. Nuestra Familia is one of a constellation of race-based prison gangs that organize and direct the growing subculture of California's inmates. The Familia The police warned Castillo about the NF threat, but Castillo ignored them. 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 . The Nuestro Generals are in charge of one Captain each; the Captains have one Lieutenant each; and the Lieutenants have three Soldados. 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. and the five council members. For language and communication, the Familia uses legal mail and 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. "Today's operation strikes a substantial blow to Nuestra Familia leadership. The perpetration of violence and other crimes was ordinarily a prerequisite to entrance, continued membership, and advancement in the organization. Alberto Larez orchestrated the murder of a rival in San Jose. 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 Despite having this evidence, prosecutors didnt indict the pair until August 2021, two months after Zarate was allegedly involved in a shooting near a San Jose courthouse that left one man dead. Their violence was turned against those from Southern . According to Koehler, the Familia is a secretive and strongly-cohesive Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. 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. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasn't followed: What should you do? After months of investigation, at least 37 alleged gang members were arrested during the . Nuestra Familia Nuestra Familia (Spanish for "our family") is a criminal organization of Mexican American (Chicano) prison gangs with origins in Northern California. The money was then sent up the chain to high ranking members in prison. If I fall, avenge me. This investigation revealed the wide-ranging influence of the gang that extends far beyond prison walls. Todays operation strikes a substantial blow to Nuestra Familia leadership. "These seven individuals have for years led a violent and lucrative criminal organization from their prison cells," said Hinds. 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. September 21, 2021 at 3:09 p.m. 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. In June 2021, Zarate was arrested and charged with murder for his alleged participation in a retaliatory shooting in San Jose. Nuestra Familia is organized in a military-like hierarchy, with generals running the gang from inside prison and paroled regiment captains running the streets outside. The workouts were intense, and they also had to read history books, law books, and philosophy books. Zarate and Maldonado admitted to two murder conspiracies in 2018 and 2019. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI (San Francisco, Sacramento, and Phoenix Divisions), the DEA, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the U.S. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. While on parole, Gratton gained notoriety by producing a rap album known as G.U.N. Main Office: 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2 years to demonstrate one's character, potential, and righteousness. He saved the D.A. 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 . The Nuestra Familia is a prison gang that originally formed in the California state prison system in the 1960s. "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. At the same time, Cuete Rubelcaba ordered a hit on Casper, whom he used as a scapegoat - Rubelcaba was accused of embezzling money from the gang, so he decided to pin the blame on Casper, the only person who knew that he stole from the gang. 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. 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. Nuestra Familia (Spanish for "our family") is a criminal organization of Mexican American (Chicano) prison gangs with origins in Northern California. 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. other inmates. convicts. "While the physical movement of this leadership was restricted by prison walls, the indictment alleges their power and influence were not so constrained. 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. and solidarity, perhaps resistant to change. 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. Have a question about Government Services? 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. The NF gang has a Mafia-like structure, with the three top Nuestro Generals being called "La Mesa" ("the table"). 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. READ MORE: Feds: 'Head of the Snake' Taken Down In Nuestra Familia Prison Gang Bust. Nuestra Familia leaders control and direct the gang's criminal activities both inside and outside of the prison system. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. organized criminal operatives upon release, also known as "wolfpacks." The Nuestra Familia, like all prison gangs, are undoubtedly a highly-secretive, Records of profit from the "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. 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. According to court documents, in 2004, Huerta would occasionally receive four ounces of methamphetamine from the NFs Salinas regiment. operates out of a cell, and charges 150% for items purchased by We will continue to look at these organizations structurally to disrupt and dismantle them., According to the indictment, the 17 racketeering defendants were members and associates of the Nuestra Familia (NF) prison gang, a violent and lucrative organization formed in the 1960s. captains to "re-energize" the Nortenos in Sonoma County. 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