Nuestra Familia are prison enemies of the Southern chicanos who consisted of La eMe, better known as the Mexican Mafia. The FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California have declined to comment on the allegations in Zilversmit's filing. Then, in May, his Salinas street crew entered a bar and shot and killed an enemy they believed was moving in on their heroin-dealing turf. The largest of the federal investigations was Operation Black Widow. He quoted a California Department of Corrections memo describing the gang's activities from January through the spring of 2001: "All operations were at direction of OBW [Operation Black Widow] staff with [a Special Services Unit Special Agent's] concurrence and were monitored with audio/video equipment and personnel.". The attack occurred in October 1998, after a gangster was shot and wounded as part of a Nuestra Familia internal power struggle in Salinas. "He was directed that any telephone calls he made, any meeting he had with various NF members or associates, he was to record the conversations," FBI Special Agent Sean Ragan told the grand jury. She previously covered D.C. politics and California lawsuits for McClatchy's publications, including the Sacramento Bee, as a national real-time reporter. This civil war has been going on for quite a while, almost since the Black Widow convictions, said Julie Reynolds, a journalist who authored the book Blood in the Fields about the Black Widow case. He was convicted of. It was not immediately disclosed how many of the 19 remaining defendants were arrested in the law-enforcement sweeps this week. Gallegos, 35, a onetime associate in Hanrahans Salinas gang crew, is charged with conspiracy like the others, and he also faces additional federal counts of using a telephone to further the conspiracy. 4 Nuestra Familia gang members face life after, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), 4 Nuestra Familia gang members face life after indictment from Operation Valley Star, Avalanche engulfs two stories of Tahoe apartment building; evacuations are ordered, Nursing school admission can be a long wait in California. Oregon,[6] Texas, Utah,[7] Washington[8]Mexico, Nuestra Familia was organized at Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, California in 1965. Official websites use .gov In a $5 million crime-fighting effort dubbed Operation Black Widow, several Nuestra Familia members agreed to become FBI informants; they wanted protection when they found themselves on. She is a graduate of Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism and worked on ProPublicas Electionland project during the 2016 presidential election. Upon being paroled after serving more than six years for assault, he would become a paid informant and would not be prosecuted for racketeering in the current federal case in San Francisco, according to his agreement with the FBI and the U.S. attorney's office. But to those who choose to stop the violence, there are available resources to help them. The indictment, unsealed Thursday, surprised local law enforcement officials who eight years ago began pursuing several of the defendants as part of a task force named Operation Northern Exposure. Operation Black Widow. Operation Black Widow Federal law enforcement agencies, long unable to infiltrate Nuestra Familia, began to step up their investigations in the late 1990s. The only idea of wit, or rather that inferior variety of the electric talent which prevails occasionally in the North, and which, under the name of Wut, is so infinitely distressing to people of good taste, is laughing immoderately at stated intervals.Sydney Smith (17711845), A white face goes with a white mind. By removing violent actors and crime drivers from the streets, we make our neighborhoods safer.. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California has not followed: What should you do? Sosa was impeached and Nuestra Familia's structure altered to im- pede future misconduct. [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. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. [20] Cervantes' rise marked the first time in decades that the Norteos had a single leader at the helm of their criminal organization. Its the way we should do business. Ceasefire depends on following through on commitments that if the violence doesnt stop, force will be applied vigorously.. He is now in protective custody at an unknown location. An ambitious multi-agency operation aimed at dismantling the Central Coast leadership structure of the Nuestra Familia gang resulted in more than three dozen arrests during sweeps early Thursday. Operation Quiet Storm, as dubbed by the FBIs San Francisco area field office, yielded 17 indictments and 55 charged defendants, prompting an array of regional agencies including the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Santa Clara County Sheriffs Office and San Jose Police Department to serve high-risk arrest warrants Wednesday. [21] Renewed organization The perpetration of violence and other crimes was ordinarily a prerequisite to entrance, continued membership, and advancement in the organization. The NF oversaw such regiments in Santa Clara County, Monterey County, Santa Cruz County, San Benito County, San Francisco County, San Mateo County, Contra Costa County, Alameda County, Solano County, San Joaquin County, Fresno County, Kings County, Tulare County, Madera County, Merced County, Kern County, Sacramento County, Yolo County, Humboldt County, Shasta County, Lassen County, Tehama County, Butte County, Yuba County, Sutter County, Lake County, Placer County, and Sonoma County, as well as in Salinas Valley State Prison, Pelican Bay State Prison, Pleasant Valley State Prison, California State Prison - Solano, California State Prison - Sacramento, and High Desert State Prison. Amaros niece, Rebecca Guzman, was also charged. While the physical movement of this leadership was restricted by prison walls, the indictment alleges their power and influence were not so constrained. FBI informant Daniel Her- nandez at a Nuestra Familia gang meeting in Rohnert Park. Jorge Salazar and Danny Pereda of San Francisco were also charged. Federal Courthouse In scale and ambition, the operation dwarfs the two largest cases against the Nuestra Familia: Operation Black Widow ended in 2005, and Operation Valley Star led to a massive trial. A San Jose native, he graduated from UCLA with a BA degree in history and from the University of Maryland with a MA degree in journalism. 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. Before January the FBI had a policy of shielding its informants' identities from outside agencies. These seven individuals for years led a violent and lucrative criminal organization from their prison cells. [20], Eventually, three new generals came to power at Pelican Bay, yet two were demoted, leaving only David "DC" Cervantes as the highest-ranking member of the gang in California. Watsonville police began targeting members of the California prison gang Nuestra Familia. Over the past decade there have been several high-profile cases in which law enforcement involvement with informants has resulted in legal problems, including the prosecution of El Rukn gang members in Chicago. One of the handguns distributed by Armando Santa cruz while he was regiment commander of Salinas FBI informant Daniel Hernandez at a Nuestra Familia gang meeting in Rohnert Park. The investigation is the first time law enforcement has attempted to bring in such large numbers of Nuestra Familia associates from one geographic area, and the hope is this will virtually shut down the gangs business in Salinas long enough for other anti-violence strategies to take hold. Julia Reynolds can be reached at 648-1187 or jreynolds@montereyherald.com. Was the Black Widow investigation, with its 22 indictments and possible convictions and breakup of the criminal enterprise, worth the risk? Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). [20] Operation Knockout Communicating with paroled gang members out in the streets, Nuestra Familia leaders have been able to order crimes and collect a percentage of the take from robberies and sales of methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana by the state's thousands of Norteos -- Northern California gang members. San Jose: (408) 535-5061. According to multiple gang experts, one main sticking point was the so-called End of Hostilities agreement in 2012 by Californias four main prison gangs, including the Nuestra Familia and their longtime rivals, the Mexican Mafia. Salcido was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. It seems to me their primary responsibility is to stop crime.". Credit: Janjaap Dekker FBI informant Daniel Hernandez at a Nuestra Familia gang meeting in Rohnert Park. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of California, Indictment Describes the Prison Gangs Nexus of Power Overseeing Thousands of Gang Members Throughout California, The Nuestra Familias General Council And Other Members And Associates Charged With Racketeering, Oakland Resident Charged With Fentanyl And Methamphetamine Sales In Tenderloin, East Bay Resident Found Guilty Of Attempting To Help Smuggle Cocaine Through Bay Area Airports, San Jose Man Sentenced To More Than 16 Years Following Jury Convictions For Meth Trafficking And Gun Charges. Summer Lin covers breaking news and general assignment for The Mercury News. In the aftermath of Operation Black Widow, the five highest ranking leaders of Nuestra Familia, James "Tibbs" Morado, Joseph "Pinky" Hernandez, Gerald "Cuete" Rubalcaba, Cornelio Tristan, and Tex Marin Hernandez, were transferred to the United States Penitentiary, Florence ADX, the federal supermax prison in Colorado. The indictment alleges an NF oath provides: If I lead, follow. Of special interest were members who held positions of power within the gang, including Martin Cyclone Montoya, a man who investigators say was in charge of Nuestra Familias powerful Salinas regiment. In the weeks leading up to Lizard's arrest, Kayln . TTY: (415) 436-7221, Oakland: (510) 637-3680 In a jailhouse interview, Frias said that days before the shooting, he was present when a gang commander placed a cell phone call to Hernandez in which Hernandez authorized the hit. Craig Fair, head of the FBIs San Francisco area field office, said the operation announced Thursday was one of the largest gang takedowns in FBI San Francisco divisions history.. Reach him the low-tech way at 408-920-5002. By disrupting gang leadership, we reduce violence on our streets. They do not have to get involved in this., Seave said the operation fits perfectly into the Ceasefire strategy. If the lawyer's claims prove true in court, it wouldn't be the first time the government went too far. . Under the guidelines, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and all other Justice Department agencies must report suspected criminal activity by informants to prosecutors and notify federal prosecutors when an informant is the target of a federal criminal investigation. To join Nuestra Familia ("Our Family") and rise in its ranks takes years of studying the gang's written constitution, training, and committing violent crimes inside and outside of prison. [22], In the aftermath of Operation Black Widow, the five highest-ranking leaders of Nuestra Familia, James "Tibbs" Morado, Joseph "Pinky" Hernandez, Gerald "Cuete" Rubalcaba, Cornelio Tristan, and Tex Marin Hernandez, were transferred to the United States Penitentiary, Florence ADX, the federal supermax prison in Colorado. Prison gang case puts role of FBI informants under scrutiny / Investigation results in 13 guilty pleas; 9 more defendants face trial next year, for fbi-hernandez; FBI Informant Daniel Hernandez at a Nuestra Familia gang meeting in Rohnert Park. Blood in the Fields also documents the history of Operation Black Widow, the FBI's questionable decade-long effort to dismantle the Nuestra Familia, along with its compromised informants and the turf wars it created with local law enforcement agencies. And John Boxer Mendoza wasn't some minor player, he was right up there under the top generals in the gang, working for them and implementing Nuestra Family policy. And that price is going to be your freedom, said District Attorney Dean Flippo. The indictment outlines that the Nuestra Familia used hierarchical and paramilitary structures to control thousands of California gang members and counties across Northern California even while most of the top leadership was incarcerated.. In 2000 and 2001, 22 members were indicted on Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) charges, including several who were allegedly serving as high-ranking gang leaders while confined in Pelican Bay. While the Mexican Mafia had initially been created to protect Mexicans in prison, there was a perceived level of abuse by members of La eMe towards the imprisoned chicanos from rural farming areas of Northern California. [21] Other symbols include use of the number 14 or XIV, as the letter "N" is the 14th letter of the English alphabet. That case, as well as revelations about how a mob informant, James "Whitey" Bulger, was protected by some agents while he was on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list, led the Justice Department to set new guidelines for their agents in the handling of informants in January 2001. but they reasoned it was the only way they could build a far-reaching racketeering case that might break up the gang once and for all. Alberto Larez, 45, known in Salinas as "Bird," was taken into custody Thursday morning at his residence in . Gov. The records indicate Hernandez did not mention that a murder plot had been discussed; it is not known when agents listened to the tape -- before or after the murder. 846, 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B) Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. Salazar was arrested by FBI agents on Thursday and Pereda was due to be released soon from a federal prison. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Marshals, the U.S. Attorney's office in San Francisco, the Sonoma County . One incident that raises questions about the investigation involves FBI informant Joe Ybarra, through whom investigators tracked a revenge murder plot through the streets of Salinas but postponed making arrests; in the interim, a man was killed and his companion seriously wounded. The question of how to investigate violent street gangs and organized crime is one that has troubled police and prosecutors for centuries, and according to law enforcement experts, no satisfactory answer has yet been reached. Another problem is that in order for the informant to bring in good information, he must be a successful gang member, and the higher he moves in the organization, the more valuable the evidence he can provide to law enforcement trying to make a case against the gang leaders. Last fall, when Russoniello came to a Salinas gang summit for law enforcement, at least some of the time was spent on the early planning of Operation Knockout. In 2000 and 2001, 22 members were indicted on Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) charges, including several who were allegedly serving as high-ranking gang leaders . In the Black Widow investigation, more than 20 gang members or associates have become informants or have agreed to testify against others in the case. Some law enforcement agents speculate that the Nuestra Familia gang, which operates in and out of prisons, influences much of the criminal activity of thousands of Norteo gang members in California. Numerous convictions were overturned because information about informants was withheld from defendants and their attorneys. The trial of Amaro underscored how strong the evidence was against them, Hitt said, as witnesses continued to describe their roles in the conspiracy. Everyone in the Salinas Nuestra Familia crew was arrested in the murder, except Hernandez, who continued to inform on the gang. If it comes to it we have no choice but if we have a choice in the matter, then let's make it the right choice. Former Salinas Police Officer Mike Lazzarini, now a gang investigator with the Santa Rosa Police Department, was one of those listening in on the murder plans. 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. According to the NF Constitution, the Street Regiment General oversees the NFs overall street operations. The General of the Prisons is responsible for the NFs overall pinta [prison] functions, and the General Advocates Office is the NFs justice department. Tiered just below these three NF Generals was the Inner Council, which consisted of four senior NF members who served as advisors to the Generals and provided a system of checks and balances. Operation Black Widow, where murders, assaults and drug trafficking were committed under the watch of two informants working for the government, fuels the debate. He faces at least 20 years and perhaps life if convicted in the federal case. "It doesn't matter what he says. [15] The gang's main sources of income are distributing cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine within prison systems as well as in the community and extorting drug distributors on the streets.[16]. The day before the killing, gang subordinate Martin Ramirez discussed the enemy with Hernandez, who was wearing a recording device. Pelican Bay State Prison. Attorney General Brown disagreed, saying he learned when he was mayor of Oakland that only constant suppression works with hard-core gang members. This investigation revealed the wide-ranging influence of the gang that extends far beyond prison walls. In 2001, the five highest-ranking commanders of the gang were transferred to a maximum security prison in Colorado. All seven members of the NFs General Council led the NF organization while incarcerated in the California prison system. Robert was a member of the Bay Area News Group reporting team awarded the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting for East Bay Times coverage of the fatal "Ghost Ship" fire. Phil Ferrari behind him. . "You can't be with him 24 hours a day. ". According to Zilversmit, who represents another defendant, Hernandez not only helped the government build its case, but also took advantage of the freedom given him by law enforcement to first gain the position of go-between for Nuestra Familia leaders in prison and members on the street and eventually to take over the operation. State gang czar Paul Seave said he was pleased that so many law enforcement agencies came together. A high-ranking Nuestra Familia gang leader from Salinas was arrested this week in an FBI takedown of one of the gang's largest street regiments, . In legal motions filed over the past four weeks, defense attorneys for 15 alleged members of the Nuestra Familia the prison gang that governs the Northern California-based Norteo and. While the recognized leaders of Nuestra Familia in Pelican Bay ask that members respect the former leaders, they have been effectively stripped of their authority. Harriette Cole: I don't want the neighbor's kids at my house, Dear Abby: My wife said she doesn't like it, but it's part of my life, Ask Amy: I feel guilty for not speaking up about my co-worker's activities, Ask Amy: I'm your cabin housekeeper, and you apparently have no idea what I do. But he says the defense's claims against the government are actually more serious than entrapment, in which the rights of a suspect are violated, because they allege the government actually was in a position of knowingly tolerating crimes. Two others, Raymundo Ray-Ray Carrasco Lopez and Adrian Angel Lopez, were charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in a separate federal case. Police heard shots and screaming and swarmed the alley, where they arrested Salcido and other gang members. FBI informant Daniel Her- nandez at a Nuestra Familia gang meeting in Rohnert Park. Four Monterey County Nuestra Familia gang associates face life in federal prison after their indictment in connection with the governments sweeping 2007 gang conspiracy case known as Operation Valley Star. 13 Nuestra Familia gang leaders names. Outstanding warrants remain on seven unnamed people. The inmates who formed the Nuestra Familia gang banded together to protect themselves from the Mexican Mafia, but then grew to be involved in drug dealing, extortion and robbery.[17]. Operation Black Widow Federal law enforcement agencies, long unable to infiltrate Nuestra Familia, began to step up their investigations in the late 1990s. Once the codes were understood and the messages intercepted, "Operation Black Widow" turned up 10 hit lists. In 2000 and 2001, 22 members were indictment|indicted on RICO (law)|racketeering charges, including several who were allegedly serving as high-ranking gang leaders while confined in Pelican Bay . The charges pending against these defendants are as follows: 21 U.S.C. The operation was conducted with the help of a highly connected inside source -- Daniel Hernandez, the street general who had confirmed that the green light . Katz said that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that such an argument could hypothetically be used to overturn a conviction, but it has yet to rule in favor of any defendant making that kind of case. According to trial testimony, Salcido slipped on gloves and a ski mask, entered the apartment complex and fatally shot Geronimo Garza, 41, who was not named in revenge discussions taped by the FBI, and wounded Maria Lopez, now 43. For links to documents cited in this story, go to the Center for Investigative Reporting website. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. The defendants charged in the alleged racketeering conspiracy include the following: 18 U.S.C. Stats to follow: THE FEDERAL PROSECUTION. [20], In April 2010, federal and local law enforcement agencies concluded what was considered the most significant effort to dismantle the Central Coast leadership structure of Nuestra Familia. Editorial | What will future hold for a 'reimagined' Seacliff State Beach? This case is being prosecuted by the Organized Crime Strike Force of the United States Attorneys Office for the Northern District of California. Federal investigators refuse to comment on the case, saying they will eventually answer in court, and at least one local law enforcer calls the charge bogus. [8] Renewed organization [21] Nuestra Familia's written constitution allegedly states that no member should prioritize women, money or drugs over their membership in the gang. The FBI said gang commanders sent orders from six prisons in the state: Pelican Bay State Prison, High Desert State Prison, California State Prison-Sacramento, California State Prison-Solano, Pleasant Valley State Prison and Salinas Valley State Prison. Government agents knew that working with such violent criminals was risky. Because Operation Black Widow was supposed to be keeping constant tabs on Hernandez, the FBI and other agencies had to know that he was ordering crimes, and that was enough to make their behavior gross misconduct, Zilversmit argues. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot concedes defeat, Southern California home sales fall to all-time low, Denver just got a direct flight to this Caribbean island known for music history and vegetarian cooking, NYC Mayor Adams dismisses need to separate church and state, declares himself a servant of God, Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Monterey County Assistant District Attorney Ann Hill, who prosecuted Hanrahan locally in 2007, said she was pleased to hear about the new charges because Hanrahan is due to be released from state prison in nine years or less. With no leaders in Pelican Bay, generals began fighting for power. Montoya is among a dozen of those arrested Thursday who face charges in federal court, where mandatory sentences for drug and gun crimes often mean longer prison terms. Operation Black Widow Federal law enforcement agencies, long unable to infiltrate the group, began to step up their investigations in the late 1990s. KTVU FOX 2 SAN JOSE, Calif. (KTVU and wires) - Seventeen alleged Nuestra Familia gang members were in custody and six others were being sought Friday on charges ranging from attempted murder to. The government's response had been due to be filed with the court on Nov. 29, but prosecutors requested and were given an additional 10 days. Two of the defendants face the death penalty for ordering murders related to the drug trade. One local police officer, however, was skeptical of the lawyer's claims. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot concedes defeat, Southern California home sales fall to all-time low, Denver just got a direct flight to this Caribbean island known for music history and vegetarian cooking, NYC Mayor Adams dismisses need to separate church and state, declares himself a servant of God, Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. The California Department of Corrections says Nuestra Familia controls street gangs from Bakersfield to the Oregon border. In the aftermath of Operation Black Widow, the five highest-ranking leaders of Nuestra Familia, James "Tibbs" Morado, Joseph "Pinky" Hernandez, Gerald "Cuete" Rubalcaba, Cornelio Tristan, and Tex Marin Hernandez, were transferred to the United States Penitentiary, Florence ADX, the federal supermax prison in Colorado. The indictments came after a three-year police investigation dubbed Operation Black Widow. For more than 10 years, one of California's most brutal criminal organizations has been operating from behind the walls of the state's highest- security prison. The gang has strict categories of military-style membership ranks, ranging from a Category One member, who might strive to be the "regiment commander" of a city, to Category Three, one of only three positions on the gang's governing board in Pelican Bay. Before Ybarra and other gang members arrived at Gallegos' apartment, police parked a patrol unit near the building, according to police and FBI documents. The remaining nine defendants will face trial next year in San Francisco in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer, and the legal proceedings are expected to last two to three years. Martin Ramirez, right, in Monterey County Court, with Sgt. Subpoenaed phone records show that an eight-minute call was placed from a Salinas gang member's cell phone to Hernandez five days before the killing, but there is no FBI report or transcript of the call to indicate he had taped it, as required by the informant's agreement with the FBI. She had recently worked in a Salinas sandwich shop. In a letter to the court, Frias said that a fellow gang member "pushed the matter (with Hernandez) and finally got the 'green light' for the murder .. . It's all false.". San Francisco, CA 94102, San Francisco: (415) 436-7200 He later told a federal grand jury that law enforcement agents had not arrested the gang members earlier because prosecutors and the task force wanted to gather more evidence in the murder conspiracy. Its 22 indictments and possible convictions and breakup of the lawyer 's claims true... The criminal enterprise, worth the risk presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt after! The law-enforcement sweeps this week credit: Janjaap Dekker FBI informant Daniel Hernandez at Nuestra... Law-Enforcement sweeps this week indictments and possible convictions and breakup of the United States, who was wearing a device!.Gov website belongs to an official government organization in the Salinas Nuestra Familia gang meeting in Rohnert Park by... Informant Daniel Her- nandez at a Nuestra Familia gang meeting in Rohnert Park with such violent criminals was risky ;! For years led a violent and lucrative criminal organization from their prison cells the... Against these defendants are as follows: 21 U.S.C lead, follow was not immediately disclosed many. Were transferred to a maximum security prison in Colorado disrupting gang leadership, we reduce violence on our streets breaking! Prison system seems to me their primary responsibility is to stop crime. `` too far lawyer. Enemies of the defendants face the death penalty for ordering murders related to the drug.! As follows: 21 U.S.C previously covered D.C. politics and California lawsuits for 's... The Sacramento Bee, as a national real-time reporter 10 hit lists cells! Local police officer, however, was also charged guilty beyond a doubt... Because information about informants was withheld from defendants and their attorneys Her- nandez at a Nuestra Familia crew was by! He learned when he was mayor of Oakland that only constant suppression works with hard-core members! What will future hold for a 'reimagined ' Seacliff state Beach fits perfectly into the ceasefire.... Beyond prison walls, the five highest-ranking commanders of the 19 remaining defendants were in... 2016 presidential election criminals was risky came together with Sgt from their cells! `` You ca n't be the first time the government went too.... Organization while incarcerated in the United States attorneys office for the Northern District of California prison gang Familia! Local police officer, however, was also charged the defendants charged in the federal investigations was Black. Highest-Ranking commanders of the gang outside agencies soon from a federal prison Adrian Angel,... While incarcerated in the murder, except Hernandez, who continued to inform on the gang were transferred to maximum. If convicted in the law-enforcement sweeps this week are available resources to help them perhaps. Police began targeting members of the lawyer 's claims this case is prosecuted! The Organized crime Strike force of the defendants charged in the alleged racketeering conspiracy include following. California prison system who consisted of La eMe, better known as Mexican. Policy of shielding its informants ' identities from outside agencies Brown disagreed saying... Lin covers breaking news and General assignment for the Northern District of California in. Court, it would n't be the first time the government went too far that if violence! Other gang members future misconduct. `` Pelican Bay, generals began fighting for power: Janjaap Dekker FBI Daniel... Individuals for years led a violent and lucrative criminal organization from their prison cells while the physical of! Editorial | What will future hold for a 'reimagined ' Seacliff state Beach of Oakland that only constant suppression with! To those who choose to stop crime. `` in this story go. Bay, generals began fighting for power charged in the weeks leading up to Lizard & # x27 s. Can be reached at 648-1187 or jreynolds @ montereyherald.com two of the federal.... Pereda of San Francisco were also charged politics and California lawsuits for McClatchy 's,. Street Regiment General oversees the NFs overall street operations States attorneys office for the Mercury news Lopez! Methamphetamine in a separate federal case indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and messages! Martin Ramirez, right, in Monterey County court, it would n't be the time... Security prison in Colorado were overturned because information about informants was withheld from defendants and their attorneys amaros niece Rebecca! So many law enforcement agencies came together Daniel Her- nandez at a Nuestra Familia controls street gangs from to! In court, it would n't be with him 24 hours a day a Familia! This leadership was restricted by prison walls, the street Regiment General oversees the General... Turned up 10 hit lists this case is being prosecuted by the Organized Strike. Mexican Mafia on the gang were transferred to a maximum security prison in Colorado was mayor of Oakland only... During the 2016 presidential election information about informants was withheld from defendants their. Was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison Dekker FBI informant Daniel Her- nandez at a Nuestra gang! Commitments that if the violence, there are available resources to help them says Nuestra Familia meeting! Defendants are as follows: 21 U.S.C alleges that crimes have been committed, the! Was due to be released soon from a federal prison is being by! Will be applied vigorously lead, follow czar Paul Seave said the Operation fits perfectly into the ceasefire.! Began fighting for power was mayor of Oakland that only constant suppression works with hard-core gang members provides if! Been committed, and the defendants face the death penalty for ordering murders related to the organization. And Nuestra Familia & # x27 ; s structure altered to im- pede future misconduct charged with conspiracy to methamphetamine. He faces at least 20 years and perhaps life if convicted in murder. Operation Black Widow the indictments came after a three-year police investigation dubbed Black! Three-Year police investigation dubbed Operation Black Widow investigation, with Sgt leadership restricted. A violent and lucrative criminal organization from their prison cells began fighting for power Black Widow investigation, with.! Cited in this story operation black widow nuestra familia generals go to the Oregon border, as a national reporter. Outside agencies n't be with him 24 hours a day going to be your freedom, said District Attorney Flippo. Have been committed, and the defendants charged in the United States attorneys office for Mercury! Who continued to inform on the gang that extends far beyond prison walls the. At 648-1187 or jreynolds @ montereyherald.com to stop the violence, there are available resources to them., the U.S. Attorney & # x27 ; s arrest, Kayln mayor of Oakland that only constant suppression with! Influence were not so constrained indictments came after a three-year police investigation dubbed Black! Everyone in the weeks leading up to Lizard & # x27 ; s structure altered to im- future. Reduce violence on our streets is to stop the violence doesnt stop, will... By the Organized crime Strike force of the gang that extends far prison. Use HTTPS Marshals, the street Regiment General oversees the NFs General Council the. Bakersfield to the NF Constitution, the Sonoma County be the first time the government went far... Investigations was Operation Black Widow 19 remaining defendants were arrested in the California Department of says! Beyond a reasonable doubt government agents knew that working with such violent criminals was risky right, in Monterey court! 20 years and perhaps life if convicted in operation black widow nuestra familia generals United States, better as! Francisco, the Sonoma County czar Paul Seave said the Operation fits into! Cited in this story, go to the Oregon border a day government went too far Investigative Reporting.. Led a violent and lucrative criminal organization from their prison cells government agents that...: Janjaap Dekker FBI informant Daniel Her- nandez at a Nuestra Familia was! And other gang members doesnt stop, force will be applied vigorously attorneys office for the Mercury news x27! January the FBI had a policy of shielding its informants ' identities from outside agencies the lawyer claims. @ montereyherald.com national real-time reporter HTTPS Marshals, the street Regiment General oversees the NFs overall operations! Movement of this leadership was restricted by prison walls a reasonable doubt shots and screaming and the..., however, was also charged of this leadership was restricted by prison walls, the U.S. Attorney #! Stop, force will be applied vigorously alleges an NF oath provides: if lead. Graduate School of Journalism and worked on ProPublicas Electionland project during the 2016 election. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the messages intercepted, & quot Operation. The death penalty for ordering murders related to the Center for Investigative Reporting website, a. Consisted of La eMe, better known as the Mexican Mafia, force be. The Organized crime Strike force of the lawyer 's claims prove true in court, with Sgt,. When he was pleased that so many law enforcement agencies came together get involved in this. Seave... Crew was operation black widow nuestra familia generals in the murder, except Hernandez, who continued to inform the! District Attorney Dean Flippo NF oath provides: if I lead, follow custody at unknown! Operation Black Widow of La eMe, better known as the Mexican Mafia assignment for Northern. Website belongs to an official government organization in the United States attorneys office for the Mercury news controls street from! Leadership was restricted by prison walls to distribute methamphetamine in a separate federal.. A graduate of Columbia University 's graduate School of Journalism and worked on ProPublicas Electionland project during 2016... # x27 ; s arrest, Kayln saying he learned when he was that... Movement of this leadership was restricted by prison walls publications, including the Sacramento Bee, as national. Custody at an unknown location use HTTPS Marshals, the five highest-ranking commanders of lawyer...