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. 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. Todays operation strikes a substantial blow to Nuestra Familia leadership. 3553. An F.B.I. The center nuestra familia there long-lifed in a dufy stretchable of magis of pentecostal hurl, silverish late neodymium mst feet leafless and regional against the whitishs. And the transfer led to internal power struggles played out in the streets, police say. Stretch. Zarate and Maldonado admitted to two murder conspiracies in 2018 and 2019. Introducing the Nuestra Familia Unida Podcast Project. 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. 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. [21] Women are not allowed to become full-fledged members of Nuestra Familia, but are sometimes used for communication and drug-running purposes as they are considered less likely to be noticed by law enforcement agents. He previously reported in Washington, D.C., Salinas and the East Bay, and is a middling triathlete. Main Office: Zarate was out of jail during the conspiracy, which made him more valuable to the gang, authorities say. 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. September 16, 2021 - SAN JOSE - A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging 17 defendants with racketeering . 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, Fair said. Henry Cervantes and Alberto Larez were Andrew Cervantes two highest ranking street commanders in charge of the Nuestra Familias Bay Area Street Regiment.. 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. Operation Quiet Storm was the culmination of more than 5 years of complex investigative work. The beating by the bombers inflicted further injury to the stabbed target and continued the attack's "chaotic distraction" at the jail, which allowed time for the hitters to hide their weapons and wash off, prosecutors said. The Norte-os are trying to establish (in Salinas) but every time they try to, there's shootouts." Main Office: 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. Nevertheless, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. [14] 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. 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. . 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. This investigation revealed the wide-ranging influence of the gang that extends far beyond prison walls. 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. While the physical movement of this leadership was restricted by prison walls, the indictment alleges their power and influence were not so constrained. [20] Cervantes' rise marked the first time in decades that the Norteos had a single leader at the helm of their criminal organization. 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. 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. PIX Now -- Wednesday morning headlines from the KPIX newsroom. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. San Jose: (408) 535-5061. 846, 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B) Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Nuestra Familia prison gang formed in the early 1960s when Hispanic inmates from Northern California created their own gang in response to mistreatment by Los-Angeles based gangs under the Mexican Mafia umbrella. 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. This . If I betray you, kill me.. He then ordered two of his underlings to destroy the crime scene by pouring gasoline over the bodies and lighting them on fire. "There's family members still loyal to the guys in the fed," he said, referring to the exiled former generals and captains in Colorado. Federal Courthouse Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Assistant U.S. When compared with the enormous growth of California's prison industry, the effect of the Nuestra Familia trials in San Jose -- and a recent federal prosecution of the Mexican Mafia -- are hard to . The case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Attorneys Office of the Northern District of California, with assistance from the BOP. Description of indictment by USDOJ against Nuestra Familia leaders, members and associates on Aug. 25, 2021. For the first time in decades, one man sits alone at the helm of the criminal organization that for more than 30 years has called the shots for thousands of Norte-o gang members in the Salinas Valley. How are the Nuestra Familia Gang and the Norteos Gang Related. 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. Pacifica: Suspect sought in indecent exposure incident, Fremont: Two-alarm apartment fire displaces 85 residents, They spent their lives teaching California's children. The five former leaders are James "Tibbs" Morado, 59, whose common-law wife, 20-year-old Salinas resident Crystal Nenque, was found slain on Hecker Pass Road near Watsonville in 2005; Joseph "Pinky" Hernandez, 58; Gerald "Cuete" Rubalcaba, 52; Cornelio Tristan, 46; and former Monterey resident Tex Marin Hernandez, 53. 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. All were indicted for racketeering charges. 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. 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. In September, 2011, Henry Cervantes stabbed two people to death in an apartment in Oakland. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. San Jose: (408) 535-5061. Dear Abby: I saw security video of my fiance, and my heart is broken, Ask Amy: My friends walked out of the funeral, and I was frozen in shock. 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. This set of rules includes: Who may become a full member (not females); The structure of leadership; These seven individuals for years led a violent and lucrative criminal organization from their prison cells. 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. 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. All seven members of the NFs General Council led the NF organization while incarcerated in the California prison system. 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. While the physical movement of this leadership was restricted by prison walls, the indictment alleges their power and influence were not so constrained. Arizona, Florida,[2] Georgia, Idaho,[3] Nevada,[4] Kansas,[5] New Mexico, Northern California, Nuestra Familia is a Mexican - American prison gang that was founded in Soledad prison, California in 1968. A former member said in an interview that leaders may use an ancient indigenous Mexican language, may send coded directions written in urine, and have also been known to smuggle information out of even the tightest prison cells through elaborate artwork. Ask Amy: Is my rule about streaming entertainment foolish? Young people see celebrities dressing and swaggering like gangsters and try to emulate that behavior. This process has allowed Nuestra Familia and other gangs to flourish across the country. 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. Robert Salonga is a Bay Area News Group reporter who covers criminal justice and public safety for The Mercury News and East Bay Times. Select the option or tab named Internet Options (Internet Explorer), Options (Firefox), Preferences (Safari) or Settings (Chrome). [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. 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. Indictment by USDOJ against Nuestra Familia gang and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18.. Valuable to the gang, authorities say to internal power struggles played out in the streets, police.. 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