Gangs still terrorize the prisons. His wife divorced him. He was muling, said McDonald. The caller, known as El Carpintero, was a convicted child molester from El Paso who nonetheless had managed to obtain a job, under an assumed name, as an x-ray technician at Ellis I. El Carpintero instructed Sandoval to drive to a location in Huntsville where a sack containing marijuana awaited. When he sent the letter off to his mother, he knew it wouldnt be long before law enforcement officials discovered his whereabouts. Although, they do have alliances with some Hispanic gangs. TS rules are strictly enforced, primarily resulting in violent attacks on and executions of TS members who violate their rules. Lighting an inmates cigarette is considered an act of friendship or favoritism, and favoritism is forbidden by TDCJ rules. Garcia, of course, could snitch to the Ellis I authorities. Garcia, a four-time loser serving a life sentence for repeated theft and heroin offenses, was one of the friendlier inmates: 33 years old but actually grandfatherly in demeanora gentleman, you could almost sayquiet and unthreatening. One day Garcia told Sandoval to expect a call at home that evening. The west end of the B-wing hallway was left unguarded after three-thirty every afternoon, when the guard normally stationed there was transferred to the chow hall. Mike Hall writes about criminals, musicians, the law, and barbecue. It is a method of psychologically breaking a kid and has been used in many war zones in recent years, including Joseph Kony in Uganda and the Sierra Leone conflict. He was a drug dealer, with connections dating back to his days peddling heroin in El Paso. A TS member will attempt to discover the evidence that will be used against the fellow member or discover the names of the witness of witnesses who will provide testimony in trial. By the spring of 1986, prison officials had examined every inmate for telltale tattoos, weeded out identifiable gang members, and ordered that they spend the rest of their sentences in administrative segregation, away from the general population. Prison officials believe that the rivalry between the TS and the Mexican Mafia has produced homicides in Austin, Dallas, Houston, El Paso, and especially San Antonio, where nearly one hundred suspected prison-gang-related murders were committed last year. 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. Id say about eighty percent of the inmates knew he was dealing clamed one inmate who was close to the action. Theres no way to shut them down, Sandoval said. Syndicate Initiation : Over The Cliffs, And Through The Woods - New WordJoin this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW2N5MbCNEM. The steaks would have come from the kitchen; the laundry basket that held them would have been wheeled past a guard. Here are fifteen of the most troubling and horrifying gang initiation rituals around the world. Alvarez, Jimenez-Jaimes, Accord, and May were already in custody prior to yesterday. And call for a gurney.. It was a blind spot, and unit officials hoped the inmates wouldnt notice. Scroll through the slideshow for 10 facts you need to know about the Texas-Mexico border gang. For his trouble, the inmates offered the guard $75. Do they spread their message and beliefs through peaceful interaction and pamphlets? During this investigation, authorities seized over 100 kilograms of methamphetamine and multiple firearms attributed to this organization. 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. Berry) Like fat-bellied ships heavily laden with riches, our 19 ewes lie uncomfortably at anchor, waiting to be offloaded. Then he returned to Arredondo. [1], The history of the group and documented acts of violence in other jurisdictions warrant their certification as a Security Threat Group. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. (LogOut/ The corridor where Joe Arredondo was murdered is now permanently guarded. But they werent enough: A guard like Luis Sandoval would be assigned to a hallway filled with hundreds of inmates. Then, the new recruit is expected to participate in the kill. It was not the most hospitable climate for trust, which was something Sandoval felt inclined to consider when Armando Garcia and Vicente held out a letter and asked Sandoval to mail it for them. To defend themselves against harassment and assault by California prison gangs, they formed their own protection group. If the question is answered correctly, he is then tasked with either stabbing another prisoner or a guard. Sandoval is one of more than sixty TDCJ guards who have been indicted by McDonalds Special Prison Prosecution Unit over the past six years for felony offenses. Chow time meant that vast numbers of inmates would be crowded together in one room. If you are facing serious criminal charges, you need a lawyer who is prepared to go to trial, Law Office of Sylvia A. Cavazos 110 Broadway St.Suite 210San Antonio, TX 78205 San Antonio Office, Phone:210-468-1130Toll Free: 800-681-6406Fax: 888-566-7765, 2023 Law Office of Sylvia A. Cavazos All Rights Reserved, Disclaimer| Site Map| Privacy Policy |Business Development Solutions by FindLaw, part of Thomson Reuters. At about five-thirty that afternoon, Sandoval approached CO II Cade Crippin, who was inside a cellblock, observing the inmates. Theyre coming in from work, theyre coming out of the tanks to go eat or recreate or go to school or go to the chapel, said Sandoval. Like any good criminal organization, there is an interesting ritual for all new members, although there are some variations for different chapters. That beating often takes the form of "running the gauntlet," in which a recruit is forced to run between two lines of members who are armed withwellwhatever weapons they can get their hands on. They will brutally violate any men they wish to join their cause and catch it on video tape. He told her that he feared the Texas prison authorities, who by now had surely discovered that the murder of Joe Arredondo was, if anything, a result of prison mismanagement. Violent retribution is an important activity of the enterprise. Youll drain all the blood to his head. Three other officers arrived on the scene. The DPS projects Bandidos members will attempt to change their public perception by adding new members with clean criminal backgrounds and organizing charity events. All of above. In 2006, Andres Garcia was arrested for allegedly luring George Garza, a member of rival Valluco prison gang, and then stabbing him to death. Receipt of inmates on interstate compact and the current membership in groups with Hispanic and Latino supremacy ideology lend to the threat of an organizing TS within our facilities. Tango Blast, Texas Syndicate, Bloods, Crips, Gangster Disciples and MS-13 all were identified as active in human smuggling operations in 2014. His neck had been slashed; his head was all but severed. If you are switching factions, you will need to leave your company in order to change to Syndicate. Either way, Sandoval was out. A gurney was produced, but the inmate ignored it. And as in any society, some lead while others are led. And Sandoval welcomed his company. If he refused to do the favor, they could always snitch on him for lighting an inmates cigarettethough Sandoval didnt think either was that type of inmate. However, prospects stand ready to carry out decisions made at these meetings as this would help improve their status in the organization. Mimi Swartz is a staff writer based in Houston. Texas Syndicate: Founded in the 1970s at the Folsom State Prison in California ; . A member who has fallen out of favor might also be referred to in the feminine form. 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. Virtually everyone saw it coming. In his first year on the job, Luis Sandoval found himself delivering drugs to a self-described drug runner on behalf of the states deadliest prison gang, the Texas Syndicate. Hey, boss, you got a light? Luis Sandoval pulled out his lighter and, as he had before, lit the cigarette held by Armando Garcia. They didnt believe Sandoval. 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. Beneath the cosmetic alterations, however, things at Ellis I are just as Sandoval left them. Like a few other gangs that made it to our list, there are a few different ways to get into Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13). Click Expand to view. 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. Hey, Boss, you got a light? Every newly hired prison guard, or new boot, hears the question. Sandoval described Ellis I warden Jerry Peterson as a good man but a figurehead. Absolutely not. One of the first things that often happen when these kids are taken is that the local leaders will take them back to their villages and force them tokill their parents. 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). This allows members to function with less oversight, especially within the prison system. I was in the dayroom. Today supervisors advise guards: We cannot stop a hit. Sandovals apparent relationship with the gang did not escape the attention of the Ellis I population. Armando Garcia had seen this coming. I could watch him deal with inmates and think, This guy knows something I dont know., One evening, while gazing out from his apartment balcony, Sandoval saw a car drive slowly by. He had lied to his own investigator, just as inmates and Internal Affairs had lied to the jurors. Crippin knelt and lifted the inmates legs. The assailant was nowhere in sight. Leave them on the floor! said Sandoval. Mungiki is a religious/ethnic sect in Kenya. He was accused of leaving a door unsecured and unguarded as part of a murder plot. Texas Syndicate. But the system will not change. Bring on the Shiplap? texas syndicate initiation. The answer was always no said former Ellis I officer Nolan McCool, If the opportunity exists, theyre gonna make the hit. The United Blood Nation, who still operate to this day in New York, was a gang started back in the early 1990's to protect members from Puerto Rican and Hispanic gangs, such as the Latin Kings and Netas. I was a damn good officer, he told both me and them. The brutality of the murder, coupled with Sandovals complete inability to prevent it, made quite an impression on the young guard. And the courier must possess a particular power: He must be able to walk through walls. There is little supervision, no governing oversight other than the hierarchy, and quite literally the only purpose of these is to test would-be members to see if they have what it takes to serve the purpose of the group. 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. When cocaine is available, the supplier might tell his customers that he had work available. We know who you take orders from. 01-07-00443-CR (Tex. There are a few different methods of initiation in this gang. Tango Blast, Aryan Brotherhood and Aryan Circle are the most active prison gangs in the region. Federal, state and local authorities have arrested 17 members and associates of the Texas Syndicate in connection with a methamphetamine/heroin trafficking operation in central Texas announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash, FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division, Austin Police Chief Brian Manley, Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw, and Gonzales . Yes, he had mailed Vicentes letters, had cashed two money orders for the inmate, and on three different occasions, had delivered packages from a parking lot to a telephone booth. Everyone wanted informationon the inmates, on their superiors, on their peers. In total, the gang had an estimated 5,000 members in Juarez and 3,000 in the United States in 2013, Insight Crime reported. The Texas Syndicate (Spanish: Sindicato Tejano) is a mostly Texas-based street and prison gang consisting of predominantly Mexican American membership. Dale Schaper dutifully typed up his report, and sent it through the proper channels. Finally, in areas in which the Gangster Disciples (a rival gang) operate, groups of Latin Kings may drive around showing GD hand symbols and then carry out a drive-by shooting on anyone who flashes the signal back. Eventually the guard found himself engaging in polite conversation with the inmate. Several of them testified vigorously that Ellis I was understaffed and overcrowded, and that the unit was riddled with blind spots. Texas Syndicate Gang Members. The Joint Crime Information Center thanks these agencies and centers for contributing to the production of this assemss ent. Recalling the letter deliveries and phone messages, Sandoval might have wondered just what he had gotten himself into and how deeply. ), the group has somewhere between 50,000 and 100,000 members across the United States (mainly on the east coast), in Canada, Mexico, and in several countries in central America. 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. It criticized TDCJs good ol boy system, which Sandoval claimed has ruled with an iron fist since the penal system was first established. Hispanic guards, he said, were either coerced into quitting or found doing something wrong. Supervisors treated inmates like animals. He further wrote, I am not the only one who worked there that knows that TDCJ is linked to the gangs and their illegal activities. An eight-inch metal shank lay nearby. The quality of cocaine is frequently discussed in terms of how pretty or how good the girls are. Payments for drugs are often called receipts and cheese.. Seventeen San Antonio-based members of the Texas (TS) have been charged by federal grand jury indictment with conspiring to violate the Racketeering Influenced Corrupt (RICO . On March 19, the name of Luis Sandoval was called three times in the Walker County courthouse, but the defendant did not respond. 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. Within the prison system, there is a widely agreed upon initiation requirement, and it is that a new recruit must kill someone. Popular on college campuses, most fraternities or sororities still have rites of initiation, but the focus is now being put on making the experience fun and mildly embarrassing, rather than something that causes a new member to need therapy. The rules of the Texas Syndicate prohibit the distribution of information regarding fellow members to law enforcement. Some rules were just too silly to heed. He did not turn himself in. Once a gang member is initiated, the recruit is under a blood in blood out oath whereas, they typically make a cut on their arm to symbolize their blood in, and that their only way to leave the gang is death, either from murder from a rival gang, or death for treason. Drugs come from the free world. Well, so does the inmate. And all you see is white shirts. The only witnesses who said that Sandoval had anything to do with the murder of inmate Joe Arredondo were two convicted felons: Carlos Rosas, a Texas Syndicate member who confessed to actually stabbing Arredondo but was offered a favorable deal in exchange for his testimony; and Ruben Ortiz, a convicted murderer and Texas Syndicate sex slave who was paroled after he agreed to testify. If the Texas Syndicate had told him there was a murder happening, he wouldnt have gone for it. They are primarily poor children and in some cases orphans. 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. Many recruits show up voluntarily, but the group does practice kidnapping and forced recruitment. The thought worked away at his nerves. [1], Development of the Texas Syndicate was initially motivated by self-protection against the historical "building tenders" in prison. Then he headed for the bathroom, a route that took him through a confined area guarded by CO II Nolan McCool. By the mid-1800s, there were street gangs in _____. 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. A certain order prevailed, which stilled the critics and deflected the interest of the media. After that first transaction, Sandoval went back for morea total of three, four, or five times, he told me, though he vividly described six transactions to an investigator hired by his family. We assembled and maintain a team of the best talent with a keen eye on the future. The next day, a Sunday, the newlyweds threw their possessions into a suitcase and a grocery bag, and drove Sandovals Datsun to Conroe. Gang initiation is determined either by a formula system, whereas if the member completes all the requirements (which sometimes include killing another person) and the other basic requirements (such as race, ethnicity etc), they are automatically initiated. Theyre gon na make the hit is then tasked with either stabbing another prisoner a., a route that took him through a confined area guarded by CO II Nolan McCool interaction and pamphlets through... The slideshow for 10 facts you need to leave your company in order change! 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