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. After the big lockdown, metal detectors were installed in every prison unit to discourage the carrying of shanks. McCool opened the picket gate to allow Sandoval into the rest room. He took up smoking, two packs every eight-hour shift. Arredondo took the two hundred dollars, went home, and blew the money. [2], Texas Syndicate members abide by a constitution requiring members to:[1], Additionally, gang leadership is determined by democratic elections, requiring a unanimous decision. Not only was the event novel at the time, it started the trend of airfield racing across the country. Twelve days later, Texas chief prison prosecutor Travis McDonald flew to L.A., took custody of Sandoval, and flew him back to Huntsville, where he was held without bond at the Walker County jail. The following day, Chaplain Alexander Taylor, who witnessed Sandovals efforts, wrote the CO III a letter of commendation. Prison officials could boast that their residents stood less chance of being killed than did the average Texas city dweller. Hes bleeding! He whirled and burst into the B-wing hallway. Their initiation rituals vary based on whether or not a given cell of the gang is in prison or on the outside. All of the defendants remain in federal custody. A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. Now Turner could be seen pushing trash cans down the hall, twirling his knife in the air; nobody took his knife away. Word spread that the Texans were a force to contend with. (LogOut/ On Sandovals shift alone, at least four or five guards had been busted for bringing drugs into prison, but there were others who hadnt been busted and probably never would be. In some cases, a recruit is instructed to kill two people; either way, a murder is involved. His refusal would prompt the reply, Then Ill tell your supervisor about when you lit my cigarette., At first the young guard spurned the inmates who pestered him, and threatened to write them up for disciplinary action. Arredondo did take part in a different contract killing, but when all the conspirators except Arredondo were placed in administrative segregation, TS members concluded that Arredondo had snitched on the rest to save himself. One juror phoned Sandovals brother that afternoon and told him that in her view the case against Sandoval was racially motivated. Relying on American trained experts with global experience, we have created an open minded culture with a never ending drive for innovation. Released or parole members who generate money for the gang must surrender a 10% tax ("the dime") of all proceeds toward the Texas Syndicate in prison. The 1985 lockdown put a damper on the atmosphere but not on the flow of drugs. A week later another juror wrote Sandoval a four-page letter, expressing her chagrin that he had been put through all the agony. But the system will not change. But the evidence gathered by Justice clearly added up to a violation of the Eight Amendments protection from cruel and unusual punishment. First, they have to kill a rival gang member, and once their kill has been confirmed, they are brutally beaten by other members while local leaders count to thirteen slowly. Texas chain with San Antonio bakeries files for bankruptcy, Report: San Antonio Rep. 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His neck had been slashed; his head was all but severed. In some of these sects, failure to keep this nasty concoction down is punishable by death. b. making a financial donation . Upon conviction of the drug trafficking charge: Castilleja, Luna, Salazar, Salas and Alvarez face between ten years and life in federal prison; Jimenez-Jaimes, Carrasco, Cantu, Accord, John Vera, Josh Vera, Anzaldua, Medina, Villarreal and May face between five and 40 years in federal prison; Armstead and Klasing face up to 20 years in federal prison based on their involvement, drug type and drug amount involved. Ruben Mosso, 'El MIlenio" "FBI: Los Zetas - problema de seguridad nacional para EU," January 9, 2008, "Prison Gangs (continued) - Gangs and Security Threat Group Awareness", "Special Issue: Gangs in the United States", "Appendix B. National-Level Street, Prison, and Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Profiles - Attorney General's Report to Congress on the Growth of Violent Street Gangs in Suburban Areas (UNCLASSIFIED)", http://www.communitycorrections.org/psn/publications/TxGngThrtAssessment2010.pdf, First prison gang remains a force to fear, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Texas_Syndicate&oldid=1123850487, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox criminal organization with ethnicity or ethnic makeup parameters, Pages using infobox criminal organization with rivals parameter, Articles containing Spanish-language text, Articles with dead external links from June 2018, Articles with permanently dead external links, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Place the Texas Syndicate before anything else, Understand that the Texas Syndicate is always in the right, Keep all gang information within the group, This page was last edited on 26 November 2022, at 01:12. 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. 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. When cocaine was cheap, he sold coke; when pure coke became scarce and heroin became abundant, Garcia seized the opportunity. The soldiers and prospectos (prospects) are often used to carry out violent TS business. 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. Aventus has hired you to lure the altered wolves to Midnight Den and cull them, then meet him at the Syndicate Enclave to the north-east when you are finished. He did not turn himself in. Detention hearings are expected to occur over the next two weeks in U.S. Magistrate Court in Austin for all defendants except May. Had Schapers investigation been thorough, this denial might have seemed implausible to the jury. gangs in Texas, and they underscore the commitment among law enforcement and criminal justice agencies in Texas to share information and intelligence in order to effectively combat crime and improve public safety. Barrio Azteca members are suspected of carrying out the March 2010 assassination of a U.S. Consulate employee, her husband and the husband of another U.S. Consulate employee. Sometimes, that person is allowed to chose between taking out a prison guard or a rival gang member, but other times, the decision is made by the member in a position of leadership. Texas Syndicate, a criminal organization whose members and associates engage in acts of violence, including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, extortion and narcotics distribution.. While the Texas Syndicate is primarily a prison-based gang, they have many members who operate on the outside. 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. 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. Some of the states most violent criminals were housed there. He was whisked off to the Walker County jail. I dont have any money to get any stamps, Garcia explained. Given the size of the gang and the number of areas in which they operate, there are a few initiation rituals. Upon their release from prison, gang members returned to Texas, renamed themselves the Texas Syndicate (TS), committed crimes, and wound up in TDCJ, where they developed an extensive network. Any violation of the rules may result in harsh penalties, including death. They specialize in the usual street crimes including robbery, car theft, drug trafficking, assault, and murder, but the 18th Street Gang is also known to have been involved with human trafficking and illegal immigration initiatives. The other factor that has led guards to traffic in drugs is the peculiar morality of Ellis I, where rules are never universally applied and the use of drugs is so widespread that officials have to knowand acceptthat prison guards are involved in the supply chain. Formed in the California prison system in the 1970s by incarcerated Tejanos, the Texas Syndicate sought protection against Californios. He had long since survived the new boots six months of hell. 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. So wed just lay back, let him cool down. To the public, the saga of Luis Sandoval will be a shocking revelation of how Texas prisons have spawned an organized crime wave that afflicts the entire state. Ellis I officials caught wind of the deal through a snitch. He lives in Ottawa, Canada, a desolate wasteland that nobody should call home. But for males who want to get into the United Bloods, they usually have to endure a vicious beating (generally 31 seconds) or give a member of a rival gang a "buck-50," which is a slash across the face that requires a hundred and fifty stitches. 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. These tattoos commonly include cuernos (horns), and words containing the letters T and S. Just as he entered, Sandoval heard someone yell, Hes on the floor! Upon Arredondos return, they ushered the inmate to an infirmary cell, where a guard stood nearby, waiting for Arredondos bowels to evacuate a container of drugs. Sometimes, members who have a problem or muleta that they need to work off in order to achieve better status with the TS are called upon to perform the ordered task. The Joint Crime Information Center thanks these agencies and centers for contributing to the production of this assemss ent. In a sense, you become a convict also.. The guard made the call, apparently unaware that such messages, and the letters, might contain coded instructions from a prison drug-runner to a high-ranking member of the Texas Syndicate. 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. 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. Jurors convicted 38-year-old Raul "Fatboy . a. being sexed in. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. The prosecutors of Luis Sandoval not only conceded this but went out of their way to make it part of their case. Either way, Sandoval was out. Like any good criminal organization, there is an interesting ritual for all new members, although there are some variations for different chapters. Between full members and associates both within and outside of the prison system, the group has an estimated membership of around 10,000, and as the name implies, it is a white gang. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. The Texas Syndicate (Spanish: Sindicato Tejano) is a mostly Texas-based street and prison gang consisting of predominantly Mexican American membership. The mule, they believed, had done the drugs himself. If several TS members commit a crime, it is not uncommon for one member to demonstrate his loyalty by taking responsibility for the crime in order to shield other TS brothers from the attention of law enforcement. Apple Jack protected his mule, however, and though many knew of the officers extracurriculars, the hammer never fell on him. Bring on the Shiplap? The 18 second beating is a theme for this gang, and they often employ it as a disciplinary measure when proper respect isn't shown to a leading member or if a member goes against the gang's rules. In Del Rio, three Texas Syndicate members from Uvalde, TX, face up to life in federal prison after a federal jury convicted them last night of various violations of federal racketeering offenses committed in Uvalde, San Antonio and the surrounding areas announced United States Attorney Robert Pitman. Even after Arredondos murder, when the Special Prison Prosecution Unit began to gather incriminating evidence against Sandoval, Peterson showed little interest in the details. Id say about eighty percent of the inmates knew he was dealing clamed one inmate who was close to the action. Nothing during three weeks of by-the-book lectures at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice training academy had prepared him for the helplessness he felt as a lone correctional officer constantly surrounded by violent criminals. Sandoval caught one inmate with a homemade oven and a laundry basket filled with about fifty prime-cut steaks. Youre telling us you saw nothing? Meanwhile, white inmates, tired of being robbed and sexually assaulted by the larger population of black inmates, began the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas. Nearly all of them, however, confessed that they knew TDCJ had its share of dirty guards. Employees come and go unfrisked, unobserved. He was on a westbound bus, fleeing the state. 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. The caller advised Sandoval not to show up for his March 18, 1991, trial, and then hung up without identifying himself. But Arredondo had brought back nothing. Plain and simple, many young people trying to get into this group are instructed to kill a member of a rival gang. Some are disgusting, some are dehumanizing and shocking, while others are just confusing. Likewise the gangs allow inmates the opportunity to be free from isolation and as a result to have a support system. Eventually the guard found himself engaging in polite conversation with the inmate. Coded language is commonly utilized during drug related phone calls. He had lied to his own investigator, just as inmates and Internal Affairs had lied to the jurors. I wasn't a BeyHive member. 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. Alvarez, Jimenez-Jaimes, Accord, and May were already in custody prior to yesterday. (After the trial, Sandoval became less talkative on the subject of drugs. His assignment was one of the toughest jobs in Ellis I. The inmates handed Sandoval a letter, wondering if the guard could mail it for them. The Junky Funky Kids, who operate in areas in and around the Cape Flats part of Cape Town, South Africa, are just one of several dangerous gangs that operate in those areas. Tango Blast, Texas Syndicate, Bloods, Crips, Gangster Disciples and MS-13 all were identified as active in human smuggling operations in 2014. Such retribution helps enforce loyalty of the organization which is necessary for ensuring the smooth running of the drug distribution business as well as maintaining discipline within the enterprise. 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 . Joshua Fechter is a reporter covering City Hall and San Antonio politics for the Express-News. Are you on trial or is TDC on trial?. Membership is for life. The federal agency is offering up to $100,000 for information leading to his capture. It is understood that members and prospects of the TS may receive a telephone call and instructions to commit a crime including homicide for the Texas Syndicate at any time. TS members will also assist a fellow member in this pending criminal case. Sandoval did not tell his mother why he was such a vulnerable candidate. One can easily compare joining a gang while in prison to joining a fraternity in college. When Luis Sandoval went to work for the Texas prison system, he did the wrong favors for the wrong people. To the newer guards, Sandovals stature among the inmates was something to behold. Everybody knew about this scum. Yet Apple Jack went unpunished: He tithed a share of his profits to the Texas Syndicate and gave the supervisors something to crow about by setting up a guard now and then. As with some of the groups we'll cover in this list, some people will argue that the people involved with Mungiki are innocent victims in a struggle against the Kenyan government, but their operations closely mimic gang activities. Inmates know their surroundings, and they know that the surroundings are theirs. 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 gangs alleged leader Eduardo Ravela is on the FBIs Top Ten most wanted list. The recruitment techniques of gangs vary from gang to gang, but generally, they have some common recruitment techniques and requirements. At the Ferguson Unit, for example, guards wore special caps sporting a patch designed by an inmate. He continued to walk, step after tortured step, a full fifty yards, before collapsing, dead, in the doorway of the infirmary. To make identification difficult for prison officials, most gang members no longer wear tattoos. RELATED:Feds: Fugitive Texas elementary teacher tied to hit men, drug running and kidnapping. There are a couple of rituals that are listed among their practices for new members, including r*ping a woman and sustaining a brutal beating. Join The Syndicate Speak with representative Astrid in the Syndicate Enclave and, should you desire, join the Syndicate Go up the stairs within the Enclave to speak with Astrid. If the recruit answers, "I will share my umbrella," he is deemed unworthy of membership and becomes a s*x slave. In prison, he had come to learn, if you gave, you got. Everyone agreed that the building tender system was a cheap and crudely effective method of maintaining order. West Texas Syndicate has always embraced the spirit of a hardworking, relentless underdog. Free Quote: 0333 344 7476 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. Or if they cared to enforce the rule. Youre telling us its a coincidence that you werent down at the end of the hallway? [4] [5] Contents 1 Overview 1.1 Criminal activity 2 Structure The Texas Syndicate, unlike the Mexican Mafia or Nuestra Familia, has been more associated or allied with Mexican immigrant prisoners. He squinted through the smoke and the bars and the memories. Texas Syndicate Members In San Antonio Indicted On Racketeering Charges Charges allege responsibility for four murders, three attempted murders and drug distribution . Joe Arredondo was taken to a hospital in Huntsville. Armando, I cant jeopardize my life, man., Garcia took the story to the Texas Syndicate. Every inmate was confined to his cell, stripped of recreation and visitation privileges, and fed sandwiches that guards tossed through the bars of the cell. 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. 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. Sandoval came to enjoy these moments. And all you see is white shirts. 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. I remember when he yelled fight. To pay for his legal expenses, his mother sold the family home. Absolutely not. As to everything he had told his investigatorsnone of that was true either, he said. Rank is taking care of them.. The main activities of the TS are centered on drug trafficking, extortion, protection rackets, and internal discipline and contract murdering. We assembled and maintain a team of the best talent with a keen eye on the future. In fact, his disciplinary record was almost spotless, and he enjoyed the privileged position of commissary clerk. Then, he is deemed fit to join the gang. If the person answers that, he will put down his umbrella and stand in the rain (signifying willingness to share a burden and way of life). Hey, boss, you got a light? Luis Sandoval pulled out his lighter and, as he had before, lit the cigarette held by Armando Garcia. The Texas Syndicate (Spanish: Sindicato Tejano) is a mostly Texas -based street and prison gang consisting of predominantly Mexican American membership. Mungiki is a religious/ethnic sect in Kenya. Sandoval did not know any warden, ranking officer, or CO at Ellis I who did not have at least one snitch. 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