After its formation in 1986, both the Texas Syndicate and Texas Mexican Mafia refused to recognize the Aztecas and declared war on the gang. Receipt of inmates on interstate compact and the current membership in groups with Hispanic and Latino supremacy ideology lend to the threat of an organizing TS within our facilities. With the impersonal manner of assassins who have long since become intimate with the odor of death, the witnessesguards, inmates, and prison officialsreadily supplied evidence that gangs are calling the shots in our prisons. Not everyone was so sympathetic, however. Today, Sandoval says he mailed the letter and others like it with a kind heart but with bad judgment. And in an institution where judgment allowed some inmates to flaunt dangerous weapons while officials looked the other way, mailing the letter seemed like a minor transgression. Thereafter, inmates made their blades out of hard plastic or made do with whatever crude instrument was within reach, like the cast-iron weight an inmate found in the recreation yard and used, with one vicious swing, to lop off the ear of another inmate. That afternoon in the interrogation room, Special Prison Prosecution Unit investigator Royce Smithey bore down on Sandoval. The inmate, a former gang operative now in protective custody, pulled a hand-rolled cigarette out of his white shirt and lit it. Some of these funds are used to bribe police and public officials on both sides of the border. Leader Of "Texas Syndicate" Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced To He just got involved with the wrong people.. Thats all they dolook for our weaknesses.. I cant honestly tell you why he did it, said the inmate of Sandoval. The attorney was advised that his client would never again wear gray in a state penal institution. Later, Vicente asked the guard if a free world individual could mail Sandoval two money orders, which Sandoval would cash and then bring the $250 to the inmates. Ive seen about five new boots take one step out of the control riot-gate and into the main hallway and turn around and say, See you later, said Sandoval. I was a damn good officer, he told both me and them. Neither possibility seemed likely, given what Sandoval had learned about TDCJ in his first few months on the job. But Ellis I officials, like so many other wardens in the post-Ruiz era, were playing a numbers game. I knew he didnt have nothing to do with it. We spoke to hundreds of prison gang members - here's what they said Sandoval was one of the officers I wanted to be like, said one correctional officer whom Sandoval helped train. Each gang had its own hierarchy and its own rules; each member was not permitted to leave his gang, even outside of prison, except by his own death. Some prisoners do so to affirm and convey gang membership, indicate their rank in that gang, or display their ability to endure pain. Forty-one-year-old Texas Syndicate Lt. Hilario Nieto (aka "Shorty") is one of 8 individuals from San Antonio arrested this week on federal drug trafficking charges. And each gang, after accomplishing the first objective of protection from other gangs, preyed on inmates who would buy drugs or sex or who could be intimidated into giving sex or buying protection. Everyone wanted informationon the inmates, on their superiors, on their peers. The next day, a Sunday, the newlyweds threw their possessions into a suitcase and a grocery bag, and drove Sandovals Datsun to Conroe. But no one suspected a thing. Had Schapers investigation been thorough, this denial might have seemed implausible to the jury. On August 26, 1990, a death row inmate proved his loyalty to the Aryan Brotherhood during his daily recreation hour by strangling a black inmate in a recreation yard with a jump rope while the latter was performing oral sex on the former. When asked about it, Sandoval testified that the report merely contained Schapers accusations, which Sandoval denied then and would deny now, under oath. Barrio Azteca gang members Fabian "Shamoo" Rodriguez and Juan "Porky" Manuel Viscaino-Amaro pleaded guility in U.S. federal court to racketeering, murder, and other charges related to the gang's drug and human trafficking. They grew quickly by recruiting violent individuals, especially from the El Paso-Juarez area. Guards could still smell burning marijuana and still see inmates giggling to themselves. The only witnesses who said that Sandoval had anything to do with the murder of inmate Joe Arredondo were two convicted felons: Carlos Rosas, a Texas Syndicate member who confessed to actually stabbing Arredondo but was offered a favorable deal in exchange for his testimony; and Ruben Ortiz, a convicted murderer and Texas Syndicate sex slave who was paroled after he agreed to testify. . Uneasy truces between gangs have developed. Extra guards to supervise the gathering had to come from some other post. As a result, the Mexikanemi and the Texas Syndicate begrudgingly recognized Barrio Azteca. The thought worked away at his nerves. Never try to apprehend a fugitive yourself. Formed in the California prison system in the 1970s by incarcerated Tejanos, the Texas Syndicate sought protection against Californios. On the other hand, if his superiors caught him delivering inmate mail, they could fire him on the spot. And were there in it. Sandoval, he was a good kid, said the inmate of the guard who had once done him favors. texas syndicate hand signs. Keep all gang information within the group. Sandoval was then ordered to take off his uniform and replace it with inmate furlough clothes. When Sandoval told me that, he was sitting in the interrogation room of the Walker County jail in Huntsville, wearing prison whites. For all of Sandovals claims that the system was making a sacrificial lamb out of him, the system came to his rescue in the end. Sandoval experienced the escalated violence in the summer of 1985 first hand as he initiated . They have their money. Meanwhile, white inmates, tired of being robbed and sexually assaulted by the larger population of black inmates, began the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas. If they dont make this hit, theyll become the person to get hit. Kelly Manfredini - Austin, Texas, United States - LinkedIn The Texas Syndicate (Spanish: Sindicato Tejano) is a mostly Texas-based street and prison gang consisting of predominantly Mexican American membership. Theyre gonna say you were in on it. At the close of the eighth hour, the shift changes, but the inmates remain. texas syndicate hand signs Some veteran gang members claim that the Barrio Azteca gang can trace its roots in El Paso back to the original 1940s El Paso Tip gang (ept). Somehow an inmate by the name of Vicente had gotten past the new boots boys. He had lied to his own investigator, just as inmates and Internal Affairs had lied to the jurors. Without drugs, gangs would have little income; without income, they would have little power over the system. But the sudden absence of gang wars did not mean that the gangs had gone away. Most convicts who finish serving their sentence leave the gang life behind, with only a fraction continuing as street thugs. Colors: Red, black, green; Green can be used with Red ; 5 point star or crown; Pitchfork pointed down; MOB ; UBN; 21 Brick Pyramid; Dawg paws; hand sign making "B"; "P" or "TP". Paranoia overcame him. Some choose designs that symbolize their time inside. By the fall of 1986, several months after the gang lockdown policy had been instituted, Joe Arredondos cockiness began to catch up with him. Then hed have to do something for us. You were in the hallway, Smithey said. When Vicente and his friend Armando Garciaalso a pleasant, nonconfrontational fellowbegan to ask Sandoval if he had a light, the guard refused at first, and finally decided, after repeated requests, what the hell. Members of La eMe and exponents of white supremacy theories such as the Aryan Brotherhood would often prey on these individuals, who found themselves lacking the numbers and allies to put up a fight. The number 13 and the letter M both play a big role in Mexican Mafia aliases and symbolism, some of which we have seen so far throughout this list. Compared with Luis Sandovals quiet life in Alice, Ellis I must have seemed like an opium den. Just like in the free world. To keep him at ease, the Texas Syndicate requested that the inmate return from his furlough with two hundred dollars worth of heroin and marijuana. By that time, things were quiet again at Ellis I. (Officials also say the Texas Syndicate is far more selective and does not, for example, recruit homosexuals.) Sandoval did as he was asked. The gate opened. The new boots new habit, like everything else, was duly noted by the inmates. The new boot suffered the usual abuse from veterans and inmates. The Texas Syndicate, unlike the Mexican Mafia or Nuestra Familia, has been more associated or allied with Mexican immigrant prisoners. Nine things to know about the Texas Syndicate gang By now he was a CO III, an old boot, and he had trained many of the guards who now worked with him. Whats Up With All the Kangaroos on the Loose in Texas? We know who youre tied to. And perhaps he was vaguely aware that the request, if honored, would be only the first of manythat later he would be asked for cigarettes, chewing gum, packs of sunflower seeds, and more. They have their prostitution, their gambling, their extortion. Leave them blank to get signed up. We report on vital issues from politics to education and are the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering everything from music to cultural events with insightful recommendations. Either the guard didnt know what was going on, or he did. Seventeen Texas Syndicate gang members living across Central Texas were arrested after federal authorities uncovered a methamphetamine and heroin trafficking operation, according to a news release. Understand that the Texas Syndicate is always in the right; 5. Sandoval is one of more than sixty TDCJ guards who have been indicted by McDonalds Special Prison Prosecution Unit over the past six years for felony offenses. Prison tattooing is the practice of "getting inked" while behind bars. But the report made no mention of Armando Garcia and El Carpintero; nor did it offer any evidence that Sandoval had actually smuggled drugs into Ellis I. As the organization continued growing, drug trafficking came to be one of their favorite activities and sources of income. Great comedians and humorists have a deep understanding of human complexity and emotions in a way that a computer application never can or will. Its a society, Luis Sandoval told me of the world he inhabited five days a week, eight hours a day. Leave them on the floor! said Sandoval. The ugly crimes of kidnapping, human trafficking, extortion, gang violence, and unsolved murders are often committed by Mexican cartel members in cities across the United States but remain unreported. The Texas Syndicate (Spanish: Sindicato Tejano) is a mostly Texas -based street and prison gang consisting of predominantly Mexican American membership. After building tenders disappeared due to a court order, the Syndicate's activities turned to drug trafficking, extortion, prostitution, protection, illegal gambling, and contract killing. texas syndicate hand signs Even after Arredondos murder, when the Special Prison Prosecution Unit began to gather incriminating evidence against Sandoval, Peterson showed little interest in the details. To make identification difficult for prison officials, most gang members no longer wear tattoos. When asked on the witness stand if the hallway was ever undermanned, the reply of Nolan McCoolanother officer working the B-wing that afternoonwas emphatic: Constantly.. They ally with the Texas Mafia; Dirty White Boys, and Border Brothers. Until Judge Justices decree, TDCJs inmate population was essentially governed by brutal trusties known as building tenders, whose methodswhich included beating and sodomizing inmates into terrified submissionwent largely unchecked by prison officials. There were many times when he said, I aint gonna do this shit anymore. And wed think, well, maybe were putting too much pressure on him. That statistic does not come close to reflecting the actual number of TDCJ employees suspected of involvement in corrupt activities. A deal was struck between the gang and Garcia: Garcia would acquire the drugs, give half to the Texas Syndicate, and sell the other half himself. Federal agents arrested 28 people and subsequently charging 35 Barrio Azteca members and associates with racketeering and related charges in a sweep called Operation Knock Down on March 20, 2010. Twelve San Antonio-Based Texas Mexican Mafia Members and Associates Fifty-two prisoners were murdered in a 21-month period that became known as the " war years ." Over 50 different gangs were represented in our study. Recalling the letter deliveries and phone messages, Sandoval might have wondered just what he had gotten himself into and how deeply. PDF Security Threat Grou Groups - Texas Department of Criminal Justice But to prison officials, the story is as familiar as the smell of marijuana in a cellblock and the sight of an inmate with a hand-tooled shank. Prison officials believe that the rivalry between the TS and the Mexican Mafia has produced homicides in Austin, Dallas, Houston, El Paso, and especially San Antonio, where nearly one hundred suspected prison-gang-related murders were committed last year. Blood was gushing out of a hole in his neck; he was unconscious but gasping wildly. 15 Facts You Didn't Know About La eMe, The Mexican Mafia - TheRichest These fugitives should be considered armed & dangerous. Chip Gaines Bought Larry McMurtrys Historic Texas Bookstore. The BA gang also imposes a street tax, or "cuota," on other criminal enterprises and businesses operating on turf where the Aztecas claim control. These would mostly come to life within the prison system; both as a physical response to assaults and as a way to achieve greater racial unity. When he sent the letter off to his mother, he knew it wouldnt be long before law enforcement officials discovered his whereabouts. Texas Mafia 12. The Texas Syndicate, more than La Eme or Nuestra Familia, has been more associated or allied with Mexican immigrant prisoners, such as the "Border . But things got more interesting when Internal Affairs investigator Dale Schaper walked into the room and handed Sandoval copies of his phone records, showing that 25 phone calls he had made on Vicentes behalf were to a high-ranking TS official named Felix Benavidez. Full text of "Texas Gangs" Sandoval got off in Los Angeles and found his way to Van Nuys, where a cousin put him up in his apartment. The Barrio Azteca was formedfrom these alienated inmates. The corridor where Joe Arredondo was murdered is now permanently guarded. This international criminal organization, which began as an El Paso street gang, has organized and proliferated on both sides of the Mexican border to become one of the most dangerous prison gangs operating in both state and federal facilities. The drugs are distributed by the gang on both sides of the border. The caller advised Sandoval not to show up for his March 18, 1991, trial, and then hung up without identifying himself. 10 facts about the Barrio Azteca, one of the most dangerous gangs in Texas Patricia Sharpe writes a regular restaurant column, Pats Pick, for Texas Monthly. Youre telling us you saw nothing? Ten months after the murder, on October 23, 1987, Sandoval was again summoned to the wardens office. Armando Garcia had seen this coming. Anytime they choseanytimethey could kill him. Throughout most of its early life, the Texas Syndicate was primarily a prison gang, with little to no contact with the outside world. In prison, he had come to learn, if you gave, you got. Gang members may change or modify the tattoos as corrections officials and law Leslie Zepeda died the day after Christmas. And in March 1991, McDonalds prosecution force indicted yet another Ellis I guard. Sandoval described Ellis I warden Jerry Peterson as a good man but a figurehead. Prison officials could boast that their residents stood less chance of being killed than did the average Texas city dweller. A marginal amount of contraband and drug trafficking has also been registered. Looking toward the chapel, he could see Crippin ahead of him, heading for the hidden narrow corridor at the west end of the B-wing. Beneath them in the gang hierarchy are captains, lieutenants, sergeants of arms, and numerous soldiers. His assignment was one of the toughest jobs in Ellis I. The Barrio Azteca goal was to wrestle away control from the other gangs and gain dominance of the prison system. Crippin knelt and lifted the inmates legs. The Texas Syndicate also operates in state and federal prisons across the United States, with significant activity being reported at FCI Oakdale in Louisiana and San Quentin State Prison in California, as well as some representation in the Florida Department of Corrections. One day Sandoval received a phone call at work. Around the same time, prison officials expressed concern about the fifty or sixty members of the two Los Angeles-based black street gangs, the Bloods and the Crips, that had recently entered the system. I want to see the mountains, he said. When Arredondo got killed, Sandoval was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Inside the walls of each prison is drugs, prostitution, gambling, extortion, and grand theft, but no investigation into any of these things has ever been made. The letter did not say what such an investigation would say about Luis Sandoval. texas syndicate hand signs - vivelive.ai Katy Vine has been a staff writer since 2002. They often victimized members of other smaller gangs and individuals, alienating many Mexican national and Mexican-American inmates. None of them knew anything about Sandoval and drugs. The release in Mexico of one of the men responsible for the murder of DEA Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena has renewed tension between the U.S. and Mexico over the case. In fact, his disciplinary record was almost spotless, and he enjoyed the privileged position of commissary clerk. Sgt. [6], TS has a paramilitary structure, headed by a president and vice president elected by the general membership. The inmates handed Sandoval a letter, wondering if the guard could mail it for them. So it may be a week or a month or a yearbut that hit is on.. Then hed say, Damn, I wish I had twenty dollars to go buy a couple of beers. And Id say, Just wait here, Ill be back. And Id collect fifty dollars for him. Each society sustains the other, but the economic cycle depends on a vital link, for the supply will not meet the demand unless the product reaches the consumer. Sandoval insisted that he didnt know anything about the Arredondo murder other than what he filed in his report. But according to one Ellis I officer, Inmates watch everything we do. We in the free world classify inmates according to motivation: those who do not wish to live a life of crime and those who know no other life; those who wish only to do their time and get out and those who function best in a kill-or-be-killed environment. When Luis Sandoval went to work for the Texas prison system, he did the wrong favors for the wrong people. Intelligence & Counterterrorism Division . With what was left of his final J.C. Penney paycheck, Sandoval and his cousin drove to Las Vegas, a place Sandoval had always yearned to visit. A tattoo can also be a sign or code to display their crimes on their skin for all . [2] The Syndicate is the oldest Texan prison gang. Airship Syndicate hiring VFX Artist in Austin, Texas, United States Perhaps it was because Vicente was so quiet and servile or perhaps he had such a talent for lingering that the porters simply paid him no mind. After that first transaction, Sandoval went back for morea total of three, four, or five times, he told me, though he vividly described six transactions to an investigator hired by his family. texas syndicate hand signs Receive the latest law enforcement in-depth information, news and products. After the big lockdown, metal detectors were installed in every prison unit to discourage the carrying of shanks. If you didnt treat your snitch right, he would scurry off to a more grateful listener and begin his new relationship by snitching on you. The warden would later testify that Sandovals actions were somewhat heroic. But, Peterson added, the hero had seemed awfully calm in the midst of all the bloodshedperhaps too calm. Sandoval took a step toward the crashgate but was held back by the more experienced guard. Summary ofGang Signs & Symbols: >> Houston GangsByTypeListed Alphabetically - This is not an all inclusive list. One Ellis I officer reported that in 1986, between one hundred and two hundred gallons of chock was discovered on a weekly basis within the unit. texas syndicate hand signsfeathered friend questions and answers. Word spread through the unit the way it always had, at bewildering speed: Joe Arredondo was a dead man. Sandoval picked up the marijuana and smuggled it into Ellis Ifrightened every step of the way, he told me, that someone might notice the smell of marijuana and search him. The roles in the Arredondo hit were decided in either the chow hall or the chapel, where numbers were drawn from a cup. But now that seemed the least of Luis Sandovals worries. Federal, state and local police as well as other government officials have succumbed to the money involved in the cannabis cancer. Sandoval weighed his choices. The real picture presents gloomy evidence of who really is in charge at TDCJnot the state, not the guards, but the convicts themselves. Whos on trial here, Louie? demanded the intense and steely-eyed chief prosecutor, Travis McDonald, during his two-hour grilling of Luis Sandoval on May 24, 1991. Prisons, crammed with thrill-seekers and outright junkies, provide the ultimate captive consumers. Sandoval did not know any warden, ranking officer, or CO at Ellis I who did not have at least one snitch. The youth gangs havent caused trouble yet, but the realities of prison life suggest that this will surely change. Ten Ellis I guards who worked with Sandoval testified that they had no knowledge that Sandoval was involved in drug transactions with prison gangs. More than. Apple Jack protected his mule, however, and though many knew of the officers extracurriculars, the hammer never fell on him. Homosexuality was prohibited, yet punks strutted about in their cells, wearing womens panties and makeup. White Knights (Texas) White Prison Gangs. In March of 2010, the Barrio Azteca gang ambushed a private automobile traveling on a road in Juarez, Mexico, killing U.S. Consulate employee Leslie Ann Enriquez Catton, her husband Arthur Redelf, and the husband of another consulate employee, Jorge Alberto Salcido Ceniceros.
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