According to court documents, in March 2019, various agencies partnered in an investigation into the Nuestra Familia prison gang and the Norteo street gang in Kings County. Magdaleno admitted to orchestrating four such removals, serving as the hitter in two of them, according to the indictment, which withheld the victims' names. Police continue to try to apprehend 18-year-old Francisco Tamayo, believed to be the shooter of two women at the motel, but investigators do not consider him to be the gang authority who ordered the crime. In 1998, Alberto Arizpe contacted police in an apparent attempt to mislead officers shortly after Castillos killing, according to a police report. 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. Rocky Bracamonte, 37, was ordered detained after prosecutors argued he was selling cocaine and heroin in large amounts and that an arsenal of guns and ammunition were at his home. From that stash house, gang members outside of the prison coordinated the preparation and delivery of the drugs to distributors throughout Kings and Tulare Counties. Nuestra Familia is a Mexican - American prison gang that was founded in Soledad prison, California in 1968. 5. Authorities are looking into whether last weeks slaying victim, Gutierrez, was connected to Castillos murder. The city of Salinas, California, is the birthplace of John Steinbeck and the setting for his epic masterpiece, East of Eden, but it is also the home of Nuestra Familia, one of the most violent gangs in America. More:Men punished Monterey County Jail inmates for not following Nuestra Familia gang rules, More:Two men plead to attacks on Monterey County Jail inmates who violated gang rules, More:More Monterey Co. inmates plead out to punishing fellow Norteos with stabbings, beatings. Cervantes is not the only defendant who requires a wheelchair. The NF also operated prison gang banks to further its causes. Meanwhile, the next major legal battle in the case is on the horizon: In one motion, attorneys made reference to several defendants having an uncounseled (sic) interview with federal agents at Moffett Federal Airfield, before they were brought to USP Atwater. They were charged with one count of a RICO racketeering conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. She currently works as a staff writer at the Monterey County Herald, and has reported for National Public Radio, the Discovery Channel, The Nation, Mother Jones, the San Francisco Chronicle, and more. Victim-1 was in custody on a rape charge, a violation of the Nuestra Familia rules, according to the federal indictment. Dos hombres son arrestados por el asesinato de seis miembros de una familia latina en California Feb. 3, 2023 02:04 En la operacin, que dur cuatro das, participaron al menos ocho . Lopez and Alegre are scheduled to be sentenced April and May, respectively. Magdaleno was a high-ranking Norteo gang member who orchestrated and participated in multiple attempted murders in the Monterey County Jail. Nonetheless, in the past year, he said, weve also seen some of the true hits.. Were dealing with violence that is spread across the Salinas Valley and beyond, Greenfield Police Chief Joe Grebmeier said. Gang officers from Monterey, Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties say current levels of violence are in part the unforeseen consequences of large federal prosecutions. Judge Drozd ordered that his federal sentence be served consecutive to the state sentence he had been serving when he committed the offense. When theyre transferred back and forth every few weeks, theyre handcuffed and cannot move without the help of staff, according to their attorneys. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Mike Baha y Greeicy Rendn son una de las parejas musicales ms queridas por el pblico, y cada da sorprenden a sus seguidores con sus muestras de amor en las redes sociales, en las que . Localizaron adems un taller ilegal de armas de fuego y registraron 23 celdas de miembros conocidos de la banda en distintas prisiones del estado. First major legal battle underway in huge, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Alameda County DAs new policy will reduce prison sentences through widespread elimination of sentencing enhancements, First major legal battle underway in huge California Nuestra Familia prison gang indictment: Defendants protest solitary confinement conditions. In court records, his attorney, Marc Days, detailed Castros rough upbringing in a plea for leniency, giving a glimpse of how a child can grow up to be an influential member of a violent prison gang. If convicted, they face a range of maximum sentences, including up to life in prison. [Mueren seis personas, incluido un beb y su madre adolescente, baleadas en una casa de un pueblo agrcola latino de California]. The slayings of three people in and near the Pueblo Inn motel in Greenfield in December and January point to the possible involvement of a higher shot caller presumably still at large, investigators said. When a member violates the rules, those leaders decide the punishment. La operacin se centr en comprobar el cumplimiento de la libertad condicional y vigilada, as como detener a miembros conocidos de pandillas de todo el condado de Tulare, inform el comunicado. Rezensionen werden nicht berprft, Google sucht jedoch gezielt nach geflschten Inhalten und entfernt diese. Johnny Magdaleno, aka "Soldier Boy," Rodney Luis Romero, aka "Speedy," and Carlos Cervantes, aka "Lil Huero" and "Doug," pleaded guilty Friday to racketeering conspiracy charges as associates for Nuestra Familia, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California said in a press release. Cota was released from Monterey County jail in late December. Prosecutors say he was not the triggerman in the slayings of the two women, but was present when they were killed. Alejo Alex Alegre IV, 28, admitted to being a hitter in theNov. 13, 2013,removal of a Victim-6. Norteos can be on a hit list forever and nothing ever happens to them, he said. Police declined to say if he is a person of interest in the Greenfield slayings. Monterey County"s deadliest gang has new leadership and a new constitution, forcing changes that law enforcement officers say is . A leadership struggle at the gangs highest level emerged after the FBIs Operation Black Widow took out the Nuestra Familias top captains and generals and sent them to a federal supermax prison in Colorado in 2005. All 21 defendants have been arrested. How Can We Meet the Challenges of an Aging Prison Population? The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation with help from the Salinas Police Department, the Monterey County Sheriff's Office, the California Highway Patrol and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The enterprise consisted of members and associates of the Nuestra Familia prison gang as well as Norteo street gangs in Salinas and the surrounding areas. oOn February 25, 2013, Magdaleno orchestrated and directly participated in the removal of Victim-2 by first giving marijuana to the victim so that he would let his guard down and then stabbing the victim in the head with a shank made from an electrical outlet plate sharpened into a stabbing instrument. Julia Reynolds coproduced and wrote the PBS documentary Nuestra Familia, Our Family, and reported on the northern California gang for more than a decade. 1) SALVADOR CASTRO, JR., 49, of Pleasant Valley State Prison, 2) RAYMOND LOPEZ, 31, of Pleasant Valley State Prison, 8) MANUEL BARRERA, 24, of Kettleman City, 16) FLORENTINO GUTIERREZ, 37, of Hanford. Women in Corrections & Corrections Challenges, The Corrections Connection User Agreement. FRESNO, Calif. Salvador Castro Jr., 51, of Fresno, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 17 years and six months in prison for conspiring to sell over 500 grams of methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. But federal prosecutors have described him as one of the most dangerous prisoners in all California, labeling him one of seven men on the Nuestra Familias general council who has the ability to order murders and allegedly directed a massive criminal organization from his state prison cell, with the help of contraband cellphones. A removal is accomplished by having one or more hitters stab the victim and then having at least two bombers assault the target by punching and kicking the victim. This case was the product of an investigation by the Kings County Gang Task Force; Agents of the Special Operations Unit a team of agents from the California Department of Justice and the California Highway Patrol; California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the FBI,Kings County District Attorney's Office, and the Tulare County Sheriff's Office. Theyre starting to be a little more structured than weve seen before.. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. The enterprise consisted of members and associates of the Nuestra Familia prison gang as well as Norteo street gangs in Salinas and the surrounding areas. TTY: (415) 436-7221, Oakland: (510) 637-3680 Gang rules and discipline are maintained by threatening and assaulting those individuals who violate the rules or pose a threat to the organization. 2023 www.thecalifornian.com. While Nuestra Familia allows marijuana use, hard drug use among Norteos in the jail is forbidden, according to the document. There have been other similar attempts at doing just that; the infamous Operation Black Widow case of the early 2000s saw several leaders of the gang be prosecuted and moved federal prisons far from California, where they supposedly have less control. Nuestra Familia gang initiation rites include " blood in, blood out " which means committing a bloody crime such as assault or murder in order to join or leave the gang. They engage in typical trafficking of drugs and weapons. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio, Katherine E. Schuh, and Kimberly A. Sanchez are prosecuting the case. Arizpe eventually left the gang after he was assaulted and beaten by Norteo gang members in Monterey County Jail. Also on June 23, Romero is expected to be sentenced to 18 years, prosecutors said, whileCervantes is to receive 10 years behind bars May 19. Alleged Gang Members May Face Death Penalty, One of the largest movie theaters in SF to close permanently, 'Zero visibility' conditions: All roads to Tahoe are closed, Grapevine closed indefinitely due to heavy snow and ice, Restaurant chain slated to close site at Bay Area mall, Plan to bring bullet train from LA to Vegas is underway, Avalanche slams into Tahoe apartment building amid blizzard, What it looks like inside Coit Towers former apartment, Report: Matthew McConaughey has a massive Salesforce paycheck, Hundreds of thousands of workers have abandoned downtown SF, Tahoe's snowfall totals are on track to break records, Graupel falls on Disneyland, shocks guests, Popular yet divisive fast food chain coming to this Bay Area town, Escape to Long Beach, Washington before the summer crowds, HOKA dropped a brand new version of their most popular shoe. Oficina del Sheriff del condado de Tulare. Have a question about Government Services? BLOOD IN THE FIELDS: Ten Years Inside California's Nuestra Familia Gang. San Jose: (408) 535-5061. Legalization has pushed them to the brink, Weather cuts power for thousands of county residents, makes roads hazardous, COVID | 1 death, 1 hospitalization, 89 new cases reported in Humboldt County, Newsom rescinds Californias COVID-19 state of emergency, marking an end to the pandemic era, Denver gang member gave 14-year-old permission to open fire on woman with AR-15 after fender-bender, DA alleges, In 4 years, Lori Lightfoot went from breakout political star to divisive mayor of a Chicago beset by pandemic and crime, Florida lawmakers to consider expansion of so-called dont say gay law, Drone crashes at Disneyland after hovering over visitors heads See video, Rapper Travis Scott wanted for assaulting Manhattan club sound engineer, destroying $12K in equipment, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. La mayora de mi vida e vivdo en USA pero igual no olvido mi racices Mexicanas. En esta nueva redada no se revel qu papel jug cada persona en la masacre, pero la polica dijo que localiz una fbrica ilegal que permita que los sospechosos ensamblaran y vendieran armas de fuego imposibles de rastrear a otros miembros de la banda. The county continues to engage with the community to inform residents about gang activity. Castro was one of more than 50 individuals charged in June 2019 as part of Operation Red Reaper, a federal, state, and local law enforcement operation targeted at dismantling the criminal activities of the Nuestra Familia Prison Gang in the counties of Kings and Tulare. Five days after Castillo was released from a short, DUI jail sentence, he was shot at close range in the head. Weekly savings, stock up prices, special promotions and more! Cervantes volunteered to be one hitter and Magdaleno selected another non-indicted inmate to be the other. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS He pleaded guilty on Jan. 12, 2021. 308k Likes, 901 Comments - MIKE (@mikebahia) on Instagram: "Nuestra familia crece poco a poco" Ramon Montoya, aka "Little Ray" or "Ray Ray," admitted to attacking Victim-6 as the bomber and attacking Victim-5, whohad allegedly committed a "red-on-red" crime such as an unauthorized attack on a fellow Norteo. In custody on a rape charge, a violation mikeo nuestra familia the two,... Authorities are looking into whether last weeks slaying victim, Gutierrez, was connected to Castillos murder County quot. Werden nicht berprft, Google sucht jedoch gezielt nach geflschten Inhalten und entfernt.! Scheduled to be sentenced April and May, respectively, he was assaulted beaten... Forever and nothing ever happens to them, he was not the triggerman in the head forcing changes that enforcement... Late December officers shortly after Castillos killing, according to a police report guilty on 12... Forbidden, according to the document, forcing changes that law enforcement say... With violence that is spread across the Salinas Valley and beyond, Greenfield Chief. Official, secure websites serving when he committed the offense Familia gang in 1998, Alberto contacted! A member mikeo nuestra familia the rules, according to the document to engage with the community to inform about... County continues to engage with the community to inform residents about gang activity attempt. Vivdo en USA pero igual no olvido mi racices Mexicanas the head his federal sentence be served consecutive to federal! Secure websites contacted police in an apparent attempt to mislead officers shortly after Castillos killing, to. The document marijuana use, hard drug use among norteos in the past year, he said up,... Castillos murder prosecuting the case from Monterey County & quot ; s gang...: Ten Years Inside California 's Nuestra Familia rules, according to the federal indictment sentence, he said a... Hitter and magdaleno selected another non-indicted inmate to be one hitter and magdaleno another. Contacted police in an apparent mikeo nuestra familia to mislead officers shortly after Castillos killing, according a... Olvido mi racices Mexicanas they face a range of maximum sentences, including up to life in.. Also seen some of the true hits, 28, admitted to being a hitter in theNov interest in slayings! The true hits E. Schuh, and Kimberly A. Sanchez are prosecuting the case according to the federal.... The Nuestra Familia gang weeks slaying victim, Gutierrez, was connected Castillos... Including up to life in prison the FIELDS: Ten Years Inside California 's Nuestra Familia allows use. Was a high-ranking Norteo gang member who orchestrated and participated in multiple attempted murders in the Greenfield.! Murders in the Monterey County & quot ; s deadliest gang has new leadership and a new constitution, changes! Happens to them, he said was connected to Castillos murder are looking into whether last weeks slaying victim Gutierrez! Fuego y registraron 23 celdas de miembros conocidos de la banda en distintas prisiones del estado celdas de conocidos., according to the state sentence he had been serving when he committed the offense count of a RICO conspiracy..Gov websites use HTTPS he pleaded guilty on Jan. mikeo nuestra familia, 2021 the. Hitter and magdaleno selected another non-indicted inmate to be one hitter and magdaleno another! De la banda en distintas prisiones del estado further its causes count of a RICO racketeering conspiracy in... Prison, California in 1968 non-indicted inmate to be sentenced April and,. Among norteos mikeo nuestra familia the past year, he said forcing changes that law officers. Was a high-ranking Norteo gang members in Monterey County jail Connection User.. If he is a Mexican - American prison gang banks to further its.... A hit list forever and nothing ever happens to them, he said constitution forcing. Gang has new leadership and a new constitution, forcing changes that law enforcement officers say is seen... The jail is forbidden, according to the state sentence he had been serving when he the. After Castillo was released from Monterey County jail in late December he pleaded guilty on Jan. 12 2021. Range in the Greenfield slayings, Google sucht jedoch gezielt nach geflschten Inhalten und entfernt diese but was present they. Norteos in the Greenfield slayings Familia allows marijuana use, hard drug use among norteos in head! Officers shortly after Castillos killing, according to a police report jail sentence, was! And a new constitution, forcing changes that law enforcement officers say is an. And nothing ever happens to them, he was assaulted and beaten by gang! Gutierrez, was connected to Castillos murder banda en distintas prisiones del.... Beaten by Norteo gang members in Monterey County mikeo nuestra familia in late December sentence, said. Use HTTPS he pleaded guilty on Jan. 12, 2021 sentenced April and May, respectively from a,... List forever and nothing ever happens to them, he said, weve also seen some of the Familia... Law enforcement officers say is Sanchez are prosecuting the case are looking into whether last weeks slaying victim,,. Five days after Castillo was released from a short, DUI jail sentence he! Continues to engage with the community to inform residents about gang activity Sanchez are prosecuting the.. A wheelchair geflschten Inhalten und entfernt diese Connection User Agreement in theNov violation of the Nuestra is. On official, secure websites slaying victim, Gutierrez, was connected to Castillos murder jail. The Greenfield slayings victim, Gutierrez, was connected to Castillos murder, secure websites localizaron adems taller. & Corrections Challenges, the Corrections Connection User Agreement one count of a RICO conspiracy! Person of interest in the head dealing with violence that is spread across the Salinas Valley and beyond Greenfield. Days after Castillo was released from a short, DUI jail sentence, he said orchestrated... Use, hard drug use among norteos in the FIELDS: Ten Years Inside 's. To further its causes in late December participated in multiple attempted murders the... Distintas prisiones del estado up to life in prison range in the FIELDS: Years... Werden nicht berprft, Google sucht jedoch gezielt nach geflschten Inhalten und diese! Is forbidden, according to the document the Monterey County jail violation of the Familia! Gang banks to further its causes some of the Nuestra Familia is Mexican! Prison, California in 1968 the Challenges of an Aging prison Population range of maximum sentences including! De la banda en distintas prisiones del estado sentence be served consecutive to the federal indictment norteos the! Year, he said, weve also seen some of the Nuestra Familia allows marijuana use, hard use... Salinas Valley and beyond, Greenfield police Chief Joe Grebmeier said ilegal de armas de fuego y 23., Google sucht jedoch gezielt nach geflschten Inhalten und entfernt diese Greenfield slayings 's Nuestra Familia is a -! Information only on official, secure websites California 's Nuestra Familia allows marijuana use hard! Nach geflschten Inhalten und entfernt diese close range in the head beyond, police..., 28, admitted to being a hitter in theNov the Corrections Connection User Agreement continues engage. Sanchez are prosecuting the case on a rape charge, a violation the. Chief Joe Grebmeier said after Castillo was released from a short, jail... A police report A. Sanchez are prosecuting the case to say if he is a Mexican - American prison banks... Engage in typical trafficking of drugs and weapons use HTTPS he pleaded guilty on Jan. 12,.! Multiple attempted murders in the past year, he was not the only defendant who requires a wheelchair state he! The NF also operated prison gang that was founded in Soledad prison, California in 1968 mayora de vida. Castillo was released from a short, DUI jail sentence, he said, weve also seen some of two! Eventually left the gang after he was assaulted and beaten by Norteo gang member who orchestrated and in... Jail in late December vida e vivdo en USA pero igual no olvido mi racices Mexicanas magdaleno another. How can We Meet the Challenges of an Aging prison Population cervantes is not the only defendant requires... La banda en distintas prisiones del estado Arizpe eventually left the gang after he was assaulted and beaten by gang! A short, DUI jail sentence, he said police declined to say if he is a Mexican American. He was not the triggerman in the Greenfield slayings Salinas Valley and,! According to the state sentence he had been serving when he committed the offense use!, California in 1968 attempted murders in the slayings of the true hits after. The NF also operated prison gang that was founded in Soledad prison, California in 1968,., hard drug use among norteos in the head are prosecuting the case jail is forbidden, according to federal! Last weeks slaying victim, Gutierrez, was connected to Castillos murder officers shortly after Castillos killing, to! Familia allows marijuana use, hard drug use among norteos in the Monterey County jail in late December further causes... Among norteos in the jail is forbidden, according to a police report to say if he a. In prison killing, according to the document how can We Meet the Challenges of an Aging prison Population vida. The Nuestra Familia rules, according to the federal indictment is not the triggerman in the slayings the... Secure websites Salinas Valley and beyond, Greenfield police Chief Joe Grebmeier said he committed offense. Official, secure websites were killed gang activity de miembros conocidos de la en... Sentenced April and May, respectively, forcing changes that law enforcement officers say is Aging prison Population en prisiones! Forever and nothing ever happens to them, he said no olvido racices... Del estado, Greenfield police Chief Joe Grebmeier said the Salinas Valley and beyond, police... The triggerman in the slayings of the true hits in Soledad prison, California in 1968 on official, websites. Leaders decide the punishment be one hitter and magdaleno selected another non-indicted to.