Authorities say Zarate blamed the intended victim for the March 2021 killing of his son, 25-year-old Eric Zarate Jr., and orchestrated the shooting. What is the Supreme Power Structure of Nuestra Familia? Three Nuestra Familia Gang Members Sentenced for Drug Trafficking. Los abuelos no slo cuidan; son el tronco de la familia extendida, aportan algo que los padres no siempre vislumbran: pertenencia e identidad, factores indispensables en los nuevos brotes. The indictment outlines each position according to the NF Constitution. Nate Gartrell covers crime and corruption in Contra Costa County. The indictment charges all seven of the members who make up the Nuestra Familias ruling body: the General Council, said Acting U.S. Attorney Hinds. Following a series of raids Wednesday, prosecutors have charged 55 people, including seven in Northern California prisons, a group described as the governing body of the Nuestra Familia prison. At the direction of Andrew Cervantes, Larez instructed his subordinates to send proceeds from their criminal activities to the commissary accounts of gang leaders incarcerated in several BOP facilities, including the account of Andrew Cervantes. TTY: (415) 436-7221, Oakland: (510) 637-3680 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. An official website of the United States government. Alberto Larez orchestrated the murder of a rival in San Jose. En 1902 viene otra parte de la familia desde Europa y, el 1 de febrero de 1904, llega a lo que luego se llamara Colonia Suiza mi abuelo, Eduardo Goye, que era sobrino de los primeros", cuenta . Last year, a newly revised constitution for the gang was distributed through underground channels, allowing for change in the mesa's structure, said Santa Cruz County sheriff's Sgt. Northern California, or Norte, is the original homeland of the Familianos. Once membership was achieved, this membership was for life. [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. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Todays operation strikes a substantial blow to Nuestra Familia leadership. Summer Lin covers breaking news and general assignment for The Mercury News. If I betray you, kill me.. This case is being prosecuted by the Organized Crime Strike Force of the United States Attorneys Office for the Northern District of California. . She focused special attention to the seven members of what she described as the Nuestra Familia General Council, which she said ran a massive network across 28 California counties spanning Humboldt to Kern, with major activity centers in San Jose, Salinas and the Central Valley. Garcia was "regiment commander" for the gang in charge of all Monterey County and he controlled the criminal activities of gang members in the jail. Related Articles / CBS/Bay City News Service. . DOJ Nuestra Familia indictment info 082521, NF Areas of Criminal Influence map FBI SF. Now, they say they're spending their retirement paying for it, Investigation underway after E-40 claims he was ejected from Warriors-Kings game due to 'racial bias'. Pacifica: Suspect sought in indecent exposure incident, Fremont: Two-alarm apartment fire displaces 85 residents, Los Gatos party mom asks judge what sentence would be if she pleaded guilty as charged, They spent their lives teaching California's children. [18] The spark that led to the ongoing war between Nuestra Familia and members of the Mexican Mafia involved a situation in 1965 in which a member of La eMe stole a pair of shoes from a Northerner at Deuel Vocational Institute in Tracy. 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. The defendants were members or associates of the federal branch of the Nuestra Familia, which was controlled by two principal overseers incarcerated in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), including Andrew Cervantes. The murder was committed in retaliation for the attacks on the Arenda brothers. September 16, 2021 - SAN JOSE - A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging 17 defendants with racketeering . . While all Nuestra Familia soldiers and captains in California are expected to follow the orders of Cervantes, a small percentage of the gang remains loyal to the former generals and captains imprisoned in Colorado. An official website of the United States government. The NF is alleged in the indictment to be a criminal enterprise that was created to organize, protect, discipline, profit from, and maintain the allegiance of gang members on the streets of and within custodial facilities in California. The money was then sent up the chain to high ranking members in prison. Robert Salonga is a Bay Area News Group reporter who covers criminal justice and public safety for The Mercury News and East Bay Times. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Removals are approved in advance by the gang leader in charge of the facility. Members still pay homage and do the bidding of the leaders in prison because they know theyre likely to be behind bars with them again. Initiation to Nuestra Familia gang may also include a lengthy and painful beating from fellow members. Do Not Sell My Personal Information, If you need further help setting your homepage, check your browsers Help menu, Copyright 2013 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved, Calif. PD offers $75K signing bonus to new officers, Calif. bill banning use of police K-9s for arrests, crowd control passes 1st vote, N.M. police release bodycam showing officers fatally shooting man after responding to wrong address, Axon launches Axon Body 4 body camera for an improved user experience, Wash. trooper ambushed, shot in the face, sets return to service as number one goal, Open the tools menu in your browser. Northern District of California The case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Attorneys Office of the Northern District of California, with assistance from the BOP. El Viernes Santo, Ray Daniel Danny Hernndez, uno de los lderes comunitarios ms queridos y respetados de San Diego y del condado de Imperial, muri de cncer y su . Enter https://www.police1.com/ and click OK. When the five were transferred out of California, Gov. The four defendants were convicted of racketeering conspiracy and other offenses following a three-month trial before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. Larez and Henry Cervantes were senior gang members who reported to Andrew Cervantes. Three leaders soon emerged at Pelican Bay, filling the ranks of the gang's mesa, or board of directors: David "DC" Cervantes of Chino, Jose "Huerito" Gonzalez and James "Conejo" Perez. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Both men had support letters from their mothers. The NF is alleged in the indictment to be a criminal enterprise that was created to organize, protect, discipline, profit from, and maintain the allegiance of gang members on the streets of and within custodial facilities in California. SACRAMENTO, CAUnited States Attorney . 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. Zarates mom described him as a devoted son, father, grandfather, brother, and more who has learned from his mistakes. [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. 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]. "There's family members still loyal to the guys in the fed," he said, referring to the exiled former generals and captains in Colorado. One group assumed the gang's leadership while the other group was composed of the gang's workers/soldiers thereby acting as a subordinate. Eastern District of California (916) 554-2700. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Additionally, prosecutors describe Zarate as a high level heroin and cocaine trafficker who also collected thousands in dues for the gang. Murder trial of reputed Oakland gang member delayed amid dispute over judge Federal Courthouse 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. 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.. All rights reserved. The indictment handed down onAugust 25, 2021, and unsealed today, catalogues a litany of crimes allegedly directed by the Nuestra Familias command structure incarcerated in California prisons. 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. John Jordan, an attorney representing Zarate, pointed out in a sentencing memo that these two victims in this case were never actually injured and that Zarate has accepted full responsibility and shown remorse. 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. Official websites use .gov [14] Thirteen of the defendants pleaded guilty; the other cases are still ongoing. Now, nearly all Norte-o soldiers and Nuestra Familia regiment captains across California answer to Cervantes, gang experts say, but re-establishing the gang's control over the streets has not been easy. Northern District of California "Today's operation strikes a substantial blow to Nuestra Familia leadership. Lexipol. Information obtained through InfoTracer is not to be used for any unlawful purposes such as stalking or harassing others, or investigating public officials or celebrities. The next rung of leaders in Pelican Bay includes Daniel "Stork" Perez of Salinas; Anthony "Chuco" Guillen of San Jose, who was involved in the murder of a Nuestra Familia member there and is serving a 25-year sentence; and George "Puppet" Franco, 39, from San Jose, responsible for the gang's activities in Stockton, Tracy and Fresno. The FBIs Operation Black Widow resulted in arrests and indictments of 150 members of Nuestra Familia gang. DOJ NF indictment 082521, The indictment charges all seven of the members who make up the Nuestra Familias ruling body: the General Council, said Acting U.S. Attorney Hinds. How can I seem modest? TTY: (415) 436-7221, Oakland: (510) 637-3680 By using InfoTracer you agree to comply with the conditions set forth in the InfoTracer terms of service. Nuestra Familia's new leadership General: David "DC" Cervantes Top Commanders: Daniel "Stork" Perez, of Salinas; Anthony "Chuco" Guillen, of San Jose; George "Puppet" Franco, of San Jose Demoted: Jose "Huerito" Gonzalez; James "Conejo" Perez Copyright 2008 Monterey County Herald. The arrests made yesterday, most significantly the arrests of the Nuestra Familia leadership, will severely cripple the ability of this criminal enterprise (and) disrupt the communications and organization structure of a criminal network that has terrorized our neighborhoods for far too long.. Official websites use .gov OAKLAND Four members of the Nuestra Familia criminal organization including the top gang leader were sentenced to federal prison today for racketeering, murders, robberies, drug offenses, and related acts announced U.S. Attorney Brian J. Harriette Cole: I never asked him to solve my problems but he won't back off, Bay Area tech bust emerges after yearslong regional hiring boom. The gang's new constitution says the five should still be respected as former leaders, but has stripped them of their power in California. The indictment outlines each position according to the NF Constitution. [11], Members of Nuestra Familia are known to wear red bandanas ("red rags") to identify themselves. Mission Statement "Find the highest quality teaching about our history and make it available without cost to the community." Introducing. [23] After months of investigation, at least 37 alleged gang members were arrested during the raids conducted. Membership in the gang extends beyond prison. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Assistant U.S. Two of the indictments centered on a dozen people split between two San Jose-based Norteo gangs, alleging a string of crimes involving drug running, robberies, attempted murder and murder, acting Northern California U.S. Attorney Stephanie Hinds said at a Thursday news conference. 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. Eric Zarate Sr., 44, was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison, while his co-defendant Robert Maldonado, 57, was given 88 months. 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. In 2010, Henry Cervantes and Larez were released from the BOP after serving sentences for racketeering conspiracy convictions in 2004 involving the distribution of controlled substances on behalf of the Nuestra Familia. Was then sent up the chain to high ranking members in prison to identify.!, NF Areas of Criminal Influence map FBI SF California, with from. 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