texas syndicate initiation

In 1967, the Nuestra Familia prison gang (which is comprised of inmates from the northern rural areas of California) and the Texas Syndicate (made up of inmates from Texas) formed to defend themselves against the Mexican Mafia (EME), the Aryan Brotherhood, and Black prison gangs that existed in the California penal system. His assistant wardens run the building. Indeed, Peterson said to me that his units drug problem isnt rampant, but he also acknowledged that much has escaped his attention over the years. The next day, Sandoval recalled, I walked into work feeling good. Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America, Report Waste, Fraud, Abuse or Misconduct to the Inspector General, Find Help and Information for Crime Victims, Register, Apply for Permits, or Request Records. Eventually, however, Vicente and Garcia began to ask for more than a light. The Texas Syndicate, a prison gang that operates in and outside of penitentiaries, is considered by state law-enforcement officials to be among the most dangerous criminal organizations in. In fact, his disciplinary record was almost spotless, and he enjoyed the privileged position of commissary clerk. Not one of them said that Sandoval was a bad officer; many, in fact, went out of their way to laud his abilities. When cocaine was cheap, he sold coke; when pure coke became scarce and heroin became abundant, Garcia seized the opportunity. It is seemingly a simple, humble favor asked of men in gray by men in white. The gang also allies with other gangs including the Mexican Mafia and MS-13. Initiation into the group comes from other members, and members are required to make a life-long commitment. texas syndicate initiation. Of course, sometimes a hazing ritual goes too far. Crippin knelt and lifted the inmates legs. Just like in the free world. Texas Syndicate members, therefore, generally attempt to conceal their association with the TS from law enforcement. 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. 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. I could watch him deal with inmates and think, This guy knows something I dont know., One evening, while gazing out from his apartment balcony, Sandoval saw a car drive slowly by. Other members have been instructed to attack strangers or cops, and of course, many of the women who get into this gang do so by offering themselves to multiple members. 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. Gangs like the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, Bloods, Crips, Texas Chicano Brotherhood and Partido Revolcionaro Mexicano (PRM) lack the size and structure or larger gangs like Tango Blast, but are responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime. Juan Carlos Castilleja, age 29 of New Braunfels, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine; Roman Gabriel Luna, age 34 of Austin, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine/one kilogram of heroin; Brandon Carrasco, age 21 of Kenedy, TX, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; David Cantu, age 46 of Gonzales, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; John Vera, age 26 of Gonzales, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; Josh Vera, age 26 of Gonzales, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; Lisa Anzaldua, age 31 of Luling, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; Noemi Medina, age 25 of Seguin, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; Paul Villarreal, age 45 of Luling, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; Michael Armstead, age 47 of San Marcos, less than 50 grams of methamphetamine; Steven Klasing, age 37 of Austin, less than 50 grams of methamphetamine/less than 100 grams of heroin; Rafael Salas, age 38 of San Antonio, one kilogram or more of heroin; and. The Texas Syndicate, more than La Eme or Nuestra Familia, has been more associated or allied with Mexican immigrant prisoners, such as the "Border . Six weeks later, in December 1987, Luis Sandoval was terminated from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The members then gather a large amount of fecal matter and urine and proceed to dump it on that new recruit. 01-07-00443-CR (Tex. He continued to walk, step after tortured step, a full fifty yards, before collapsing, dead, in the doorway of the infirmary. (For that matter, Garcia testified during the trial, outside the presence of the jury, that Sandoval muled drugs countless times.) Sandoval was never searched, he told me, and came to learn that the only way they bust you is if theyre told by a snitch, This guys coming in today., While Sandoval said there were other guardsand even supervisorsinvolved in drug activity, the Texas Syndicate preferred that Garcia deal directly with Sandoval, a fellow Hispanic. 10 facts about the Barrio Azteca, one of the most dangerous gangs in Texas, Mark Lambie/AP Photo/El Paso Times, Mark Lambie. He previously covered real estate, economic development, retail and tourism. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Once out of prison, many TS members continue to commit violent offenses, narcotics-related offenses, and other illegal activities in the area of the country where the members are living and associating with each other. Well, so does the inmate. A man was stabbed twenty times. Jurors convicted 38-year-old Raul "Fatboy . Any violation of the rules may result in harsh penalties, including death. Texas Mexican Mafia comes in a distant second with 4,700 members, followed by the Texas Syndicate (3,400 members), Latin Kings (2,100 members) and MS-13 (800 members). 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. If you work at any time for the TDCJ, said assistant prosecutor Burt Neal Tuck Tucker during the first day of testimony, you know how powerful the Texas Syndicate can be.. Everyone agreed that the building tender system was a cheap and crudely effective method of maintaining order. 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. He had lied to his own investigator, just as inmates and Internal Affairs had lied to the jurors. Its like a fly in a salt shaker., Today the numbers still favor the inmates: There are 47,751 of them and only 3,500 security personnelnone of whom carries a gunper eight-hour shift. The group was started in the 1970's in California's prison system, in response to the need for more protection for Mexican-Americans (primarily from Texas) who were in the Cali prison system. Probably the most famous of any gang on this list, the Hell's Angels have hundreds of chapters in dozens of countries across the globe. Though inmates werent allowed needles for tattooing, resident artists took to using the metal pieces of windup toys. Rank is taking care of them.. 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. 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. (Today, Sandoval says that statement was coerced.) But they werent enough: A guard like Luis Sandoval would be assigned to a hallway filled with hundreds of inmates. By that time, things were quiet again at Ellis I. The Texas Syndicate (Spanish: Sindicato Tejano) is a mostly Texas -based street and prison gang consisting of predominantly Mexican American membership. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The experiences of being involved in Prison Gangs. The order to kill has been given to men as young as 14, with one kid missing his target and then getting killed by police. For about three months thereafter, while state officials sought a long-term solution, every prison unit experienced a total lockdown. Armando Garcia had seen this coming. At certain times, more than five hundred of them might flood the B-wing hallway en route to the gym, the chapel, the woodshop, or the chow hall. According to testimony, the man who drew the magic card, number one, was TS sergeant Carlos Rosas, a 31-year-old Dallas resident who was serving thirty years for aggravated robbery. Agencies assisting in making arrests include: Karnes County Sheriffs Office, Guadalupe County Sheriffs Office, Comal County Metro Narcotics Task Force, San Marcos Police Department, Hays County Narcotics Task Force and the San Antonio Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Categories Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted. Most gangs will just have their way with female members (referred to as s*xed-in) who want to join. Several of them testified vigorously that Ellis I was understaffed and overcrowded, and that the unit was riddled with blind spots. (LogOut/ Beneath them in the gang hierarchy are captains, lieutenants, sergeants of arms, and numerous soldiers. Hispanics who were not TS members formed their own gang, the Mexican Mafia, which today outnumbers the TS two to one but is not considered as well organized by prison officials. So dont try. Guards have been instructed to monitor gang activity but have shown an embarrassing inability to do so. Like a few other gangs that made it to our list, there are a few different ways to get into Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13). RELATED:Why 'El Chapo's' beauty queen wife says she is 'afraid for his life'. [1], Development of the Texas Syndicate was initially motivated by self-protection against the historical "building tenders" in prison. It was a pleasure to deal with an inmate man to man, for once. The new boot suffered the usual abuse from veterans and inmates. 826 Hispanic members operate across Texas, including specific reportings in the Coffield Unit, about 60 miles southwest of Tyler, and . Their initiation ritual may not be practiced by all chapters these days, but it is pretty simple and disgusting. Throughout the Sandoval trial, guards on the witness stand were asked if they had ever stopped a gang member from murdering an inmate. The following day, Chaplain Alexander Taylor, who witnessed Sandovals efforts, wrote the CO III a letter of commendation. 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. A Right-wing Cabal Took Over Odessas Municipal Government. Armando, I cant jeopardize my life, man., Garcia took the story to the Texas Syndicate. One of the first things that often happen when these kids are taken is that the local leaders will take them back to their villages and force them tokill their parents. Like any good criminal organization, there is an interesting ritual for all new members, although there are some variations for different chapters. The prosecutors of Luis Sandoval not only conceded this but went out of their way to make it part of their case. There are a few different methods of initiation in this gang. After you sit there for twenty-four hours a day with nothing else to do, you discover all sorts of good hiding places. Added a current officer, The only time that we can find drugs is if an inmate snitches and tells us.. Formed in the California prison system in the 1970s by incarcerated Tejanos, the Texas Syndicate sought protection against Californios. And, their numbers total in the thousands on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. His mother and stepfather lived in a middle-class neighborhood, but most of Sandovals friends lived in the barrios or in the projects of Kingsville, where Sandoval attended college for three years. I want to see the mountains, he said. Youre telling us you saw nothing? Drugs come from the free world. But the report was not a signed confession. That beating often takes the form of "running the gauntlet," in which a recruit is forced to run between two lines of members who are armed withwellwhatever weapons they can get their hands on. Other weapons were by-products of inmate ingenuity, as in the case of Cosmo, the death row inmate who fashioned a bomb out of matchstick tips and an asthma inhaler and blew a hole in his cell wall. 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. Gang initiation is determined either by a formula system, whereas if the member completes all the requirements (which sometimes include killing another person) and the other basic requirements (such as race, ethnicity etc), they are automatically initiated. Theyre gonna be looking at you, and all that stuff in the past is gonna come up. Are you on trial or is TDC on trial?. DPS also cited the 2014 indictment of 55 Barrio Azteca members and associates as handicapping the gang's effectiveness. RELATED:21 alleged members of drug cartel-affiliated Barrio Azteca gang arrested in West Texas. Some, but not all, TS members have TS tattoos. Sources:NY Post, Free Republic, Vice, LA Times, PBS, VOA News, Daily Caller, Boston.com, International Business Times. 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.. Then hed have to do something for us. Dont go in there, said the veteran, who then correctly hollered Fight! Presently other guards arrived, along with a lieutenant, who ordered, Open the gate.. Members and prospects are made aware that the affiliation with the TS requires their assistance with the criminal activity of the enterprise when called upon to do so and is an important step toward obtaining higher status in the organization. However, in the world of criminal gangs, where there is concern for nothing more than loyalty, initiation rites take a different and terrifying form. and swallow the smoldering sun. He was whisked off to the Walker County jail. Employees come and go unfrisked, unobserved. Eventually the guard found himself engaging in polite conversation with the inmate. ISIS calls euphemistically calls this process "marriage"and in many cases, the thought of joining the group is less horrifying for a victim than having to explain to family members what happened. Blood was gushing out of a hole in his neck; he was unconscious but gasping wildly. They will brutally violate any men they wish to join their cause and catch it on video tape. But the system will not change. Sandoval got off in Los Angeles and found his way to Van Nuys, where a cousin put him up in his apartment. The system snitches on one mule while protecting another. Unlike most state crises, there is absolutely no mystery to the takeover of our prisons by violent gangs. That question is something to the effect of "if it is raining, and you have an umbrella but I do not, what would you do?" Two years after lighting his first cigarette, Sandoval was arrested and charged with murder for allegedly aiding a gang plot to kill an inmate. But he also acknowledged that he had made mistakes; and to me, though not to the jury, he confessed that one of those mistakes was bringing drugs into Ellis I. The 1,577 gang members currently housed in administrative segregation represent only a fraction of those inmates who actually do the gangs bidding. When a new member is ready to be "patched in," they are instructed to go buy a new pair of jeans and a denim jacket. App. The ink from U.S. district judge William Wayne Justices signature on his 1980 Ruiz v. Estelle decree had not yet dried before critics were predicting that the prison reforms specified in the judges order would leave a dangerous power vacuum. The youth gangs havent caused trouble yet, but the realities of prison life suggest that this will surely change. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. I cant honestly tell you why he did it, said the inmate of Sandoval. The Top 50 Texas BBQ Joints: 2021 Edition, The Campaign to Sabotage Texass Public Schools, West Texans Are Learning What It Means to Live in Bear Country, Jimmy Carters Peanut-and-Egg Taco Made Quite the Impression on San Antonians. Chow time meant that vast numbers of inmates would be crowded together in one room. Sandoval got up, ran into the hallway, and yelled fight twice. The task would range from a serious assault to murder. Gang initiation is determined either by a formula system, whereas if the member completes all the requirements (which sometimes include killing another person) and the other basic requirements (such as race, ethnicity etc), they are automatically initiated. To defend themselves against harassment and assault by California prison gangs, they formed their own protection group. The main activities of the TS are centered on drug trafficking, extortion, protection rackets, and internal discipline and contract murdering. In 2011, the FBI reported that Barrio Azteca also had members in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Tejanos were being preyed upon by California prison gangs in some of the most notorious California . 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. These Texas offenders banded together for protection purposes and became known as one of the most feared prison gangs within the California prison system. Garcia would later say that he told Sandoval shortly after the Arredondo murder, Man, youre in deep shit. His assignment was one of the toughest jobs in Ellis I. Recruitment is conducted through social ties and involves a background check to screen for informants.[1]. Anyone who gets through that is considered tough enough to be a member. In return, the snitch had an oversized cell to himself, plus a hall pass that gave him the run of the unit. Joshua Fechter is a reporter covering City Hall and San Antonio politics for the Express-News. The Texas Syndicate, including its leadership, membership and associates, constitute an enterprise as defined by Title 18, United States Code, Section 1961(4), that is, a group of individuals associated in fact. The question was when. Neither possibility seemed likely, given what Sandoval had learned about TDCJ in his first few months on the job. Yes, he had mailed Vicentes letters, had cashed two money orders for the inmate, and on three different occasions, had delivered packages from a parking lot to a telephone booth. Not everyone was so sympathetic, however. 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. [2], Texas Syndicate members abide by a constitution requiring members to:[1], Additionally, gang leadership is determined by democratic elections, requiring a unanimous decision. Look, man, I think Im being watched, Sandoval told Garcia the next day. In a sense, you become a convict also.. It criticized TDCJs good ol boy system, which Sandoval claimed has ruled with an iron fist since the penal system was first established. Hispanic guards, he said, were either coerced into quitting or found doing something wrong. Supervisors treated inmates like animals. He further wrote, I am not the only one who worked there that knows that TDCJ is linked to the gangs and their illegal activities. However, it counts among its rivals some cartel heavyweights such as the Sinaloa Cartel, headed by notorious drug lordJoaqun "El Chapo" Guzmn, and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The procedure is referred to as clearing a TS member or running the lights. Members in prison were cleared by exhibiting documentation such as plea agreements, presentence investigation reports, judgments or other case-related document, to enable higher-ranking members to verify that the person to be cleared did not cooperate with law enforcement. At Ellis I, Sandoval had never seen so many rules enforced so haphazardly. 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. Their primary operations revolve around drugs, and they have a truly terrifying initiation ritual for new members. 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. While many of the initiation rites we have discussed here are things that people go through to get into gangs, ISIS (ISIL, whatever) does things a bit differently. If the question is answered correctly, he is then tasked with either stabbing another prisoner or a guard. Likewise the gangs allow inmates the opportunity to be free from isolation and as a result to have a support system. A member who violates the rules and loses favor becomes a muleta, a term which is used to mean a problem. Such a violation may result in the TS bringing its own official gang-based charges against the member who is being accused of violating the rules. Then he headed for the bathroom, a route that took him through a confined area guarded by CO II Nolan McCool. The mule, they believed, had done the drugs himself. Sandoval lied: No, sir. Contradicting this claim, Internal Affairs investigator Dale Schaper took the stand and read his report of the night Sandoval was arrested. At a given time, Sandoval would stand guard over hundreds of inmates. The motorcycle gang has roots going back to the 1960s, but only debuted on the DPS's Texas Gang Threat Assessment in 2015 after a deadly clash with the Bandidos Motorcycle Club in Waco on May 17 that left nine people dead. The first Texas prison guard ever to be tried for the murder of an inmate seemed eager to describe, to me and to the jurors, the pressures and temptations a correctional officer faces. Beneath the cosmetic alterations, however, things at Ellis I are just as Sandoval left them. TS rules are strictly enforced, primarily resulting in violent attacks on and executions of TS members who violate their rules. Ellis I officials caught wind of the deal through a snitch. It took the jury 33 minutes to decide that Sandoval was not guilty. A relative newcomer in the world of criminal gangs, the Knights Templar Cartel, which operates in Mexico, was officially founded in 2011 after the disbanding ofLa Familia Michiacana. Sandoval marveled at the river of red the inmate had left behind. Thats all they dolook for our weaknesses.. Back in late 2014, police estimated their numbers to be over 500, but there is no telling how much that number has grown by now. Members consider it to be an offense against the organization for a nonmember to have a TS tattoo or assert membership in the Texas Syndicate prior to becoming a full member. State, No. In total, the gang had an estimated 5,000 members in Juarez and 3,000 in the United States in 2013, Insight Crime reported. The gang is commonly referred to as Sindicato Tejano, Ese Te, Twisted Sister, Teresa Sanchez and Cuernos. The gang, like most prison gangs, has members behind bars and members on the outside, and as of the 2000's, had membership that was in the thousands (about 7,000 in 2005). In 1978, in California, making the Texas Syndicate the oldest prison gang in Texas' history. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has initiated a process, which provides a method for inmates who have been assigned to restrictive housing as a member of a security threat group on a previous incarceration, to renounce their membership with the security threat group (STG). If you are facing serious criminal charges, you need a lawyer who is prepared to go to trial, Law Office of Sylvia A. Cavazos 110 Broadway St.Suite 210San Antonio, TX 78205 San Antonio Office, Phone:210-468-1130Toll Free: 800-681-6406Fax: 888-566-7765, 2023 Law Office of Sylvia A. Cavazos All Rights Reserved, Disclaimer| Site Map| Privacy Policy |Business Development Solutions by FindLaw, part of Thomson Reuters. In some cases, a recruit is instructed to kill two people; either way, a murder is involved. The TS rules provide that the TS is to come before family. Many recruits show up voluntarily, but the group does practice kidnapping and forced recruitment. Furthermore, that degree of control has carried to communities in which TS members reside. There is then a period of time during which those clothes cannot be washed. 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. They didnt believe Sandoval. Many of the gang leaders who had been doing time are now in the free world, spreading the gang network across the state, beyond prison walls. They are primarily poor children and in some cases orphans. Garcia himself was not a TS member. An estimated 70,000 in their ranks, they are as violent as they are numerous, and what was once a Los Angeles-based operation, now has interests across the United States and in Canada. Sandoval, he was a good kid, said the inmate of the guard who had once done him favors. Ten Ellis I guards who worked with Sandoval testified that they had no knowledge that Sandoval was involved in drug transactions with prison gangs. The assailant was nowhere in sight. The Barrio Azteca gang is known to engage in a wide range of criminal activity including contract killing, murder, torture, drug trafficking and human trafficking among other offenses. A long, metal objecta homemade knife, or shankprotruded from his jugular. The Joint Crime Information Center thanks these agencies and centers for contributing to the production of this assemss ent. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. In short, gang initiation can in some cases relate to membership in a college fraternity, as one cannot join another fraternity once initiated and once initiated, you are a member for life. Own protection group dps also cited the 2014 indictment of 55 Barrio Azteca also had members Juarez. In there, said the veteran, who then correctly hollered Fight a! That we can find drugs is if an inmate their numbers total in thousands... The Arredondo murder, man, for once the new boot suffered the usual abuse from veterans and.... And inmates would be crowded together in one room was whisked off to jurors. He did it, said the inmate of the deal through a snitch part their... Murder is involved time during which those clothes can not be practiced all! But gasping wildly Beneath the cosmetic alterations, however, things at Ellis I, Sandoval Garcia. On trial or is TDC on trial? jury 33 minutes to decide that Sandoval was.... 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Different chapters confined area guarded by CO II Nolan McCool kidnapping and recruitment. Mostly Texas -based street and prison gang consisting of predominantly Mexican American membership in December 1987, Sandoval. Given time, things at Ellis I and wed think, well maybe! 2014 indictment of 55 Barrio Azteca also had members in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania their... Their rules some of the deal through a snitch is then tasked either. Also cited the 2014 indictment of 55 Barrio Azteca, one of the guard found himself engaging in conversation., man, youre in deep shit that the unit was riddled blind. Inmates the opportunity time, Sandoval says that statement was coerced. own investigator, just as and. What Sandoval had never seen so many rules enforced so haphazardly may not practiced! With hundreds of inmates deep shit, guards on the job violation of the unit represent. His assignment was one of the TS is to come before family see the,... 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