The fight was merely a distraction. The only known members are Dardan Petrela, Kalem Vulaj, and Bledar Morina. Carlos Rosas, a 31-year old from Dallas, a Texas Syndicate sergeant was tasked with the murder and fulfilled the hit for his prison gang, the Texas Syndicate. Ruz claimed the Texas Department of Corrections (TDC) prison system violated the U.S. Constitutions 8th Amendment which prohibited cruel and unusual punishment. The gang felt that the mother of 3 had crossed the line and ordered TS member Magnaleno Medina to kidnap and murder her. The Gonzales homicide was merely one representative example of the larger problem of violence stemming from the war between the Texas Syndicate and the Texas Mexican Mafia that raged inside the walls of the prison units. Regardless of what skeptics may argue, they engage in various illicit criminal activities such as the drug trade, prostitution, robbery, and extortion within the walls of Texas prison units (Fair, 1988). The unconstitutional findings exposed by the court ruling uncovered issues within the Texas prison system such as overcrowding, inadequate security (collapsed the building tenders), inadequate healthcare, unsafe working conditions, and severe punishment policies. In July 2007, Texas Syndicate members murder Marcelino "Mars" Rodriguez Torres in Mc Allen, Texas after the gang suspects Rodriguez is a police informant. Belgium The Albanian mafia has deep roots in Belgium, which was recently a topic of a special programme on Belgian RTBF Channel One. Travis McDonald, the prison prosecutor for Texas stated, Its hard to try a case against a guard in Huntsville. Over thirty people lost their lives in a notorious welter of political violence, that made headlines across Ireland and across the world. (or Syndicato Tejano) is a mostly Texas-based prison gang that includes Hispanic and at one time White members (The organization at one time did allow non-Hispanic members to join, but that policy was repealed in the 1980s). Then, through negotiations or in armed showdowns, the Albanians struck out on their own, daring to battle the Lucchese and Gambino families for territory in Queens, the Bronx and Westchester County, prosecutors say." Ultimately, as the histories of prison continue to expand, the inclusion of Mexican Americans as an integral population to its history is necessary; we grow to contest the views of Mexican Americans as a criminalized population, discern an increased incarcerated population, and also recognize them becoming institutional operatives of the prison system itself. The Albanian mafia in Brussels has monopoly over activities such as "narcotics and arms deals" according to Belgian sources. Sandoval as a Mexican American new boot, at the ripe age of twenty-one, during the most violent period of Texas prison history succumbed and became a duck as employment for Mexican Americans was not taken for granted. Due to the fact that the Mafia families are based on the blood ties, which is a factor that restricts the number of the clan members, the bonds between them are very strong, which makes getting close to and infiltrating into them almost impossible. On the other side of the argument, prosecutors contend that Sandoval left open a hallway and allowed the Texas Syndicate to carry out the planned murder of Joe Arredondo (McKay, 1991). 50 Years On, Bloody Sunday's Wounds Are Still Felt - The New York Times. The panel consisted of acting/front boss Thomas "Tommy Ryan" Eboli, underboss Gerardo "Gerry" Catena and consigliere Michele "Big Mike" Miranda while others served in the advisory capacity, Mike Coppola was considered an influential capo and was used to help the panel. Texas Syndicate (TS) is a violent prison gang that originated in the California penal system over 40 years ago. Sandovals lawyer Steve Fischer argued for their removal from the murder trial. There were approximately sixty prison gang related homicides between 1984-1985. A myriad of factors may have explained why Sandoval took on the tasks by the Texas Syndicate. (Associated Press), In June 2008, Texas Syndicate member Emanuel Camacho Gomez fatally guns down 27-year-old Rose Anne Martinez in San Antonio, Texas. Rent $3.99 Buy $12.99 (Gang Intelligence 101), In June of 1997, the Texas Syndicate and Mexicles gang settle on a truce. (Hernandez v. Johnson, 108 F.3d 554 (C.A.5 (Tex. Albanian "banks" in Germany are a special story. The roots of its foundation were directly connected to prison gangs. Both the Texas Syndicate and Mexikanemi team up against the Barrio Azteca. (Associated Press), On Austin July 2, 2001, Texas Syndicate members murder female TS associate Jove Rios for conducting business with the Mexikanemi. He was digging himself deeper into their clutches and soon found himself processing a money order of two hundred and fifty dollars and was paid a percentage of that. The issues of guards becoming corrupted continued and continues well into the 2010s. Under Sandovals watch on December 17, 1986 Joe Arredondo, a Texas Syndicate member was found murdered. The Azteca's murder their TS victim by slamming his head through jail bars. A former car dealership displays a graffiti representation of Bloody Sunday on its boarded facade. While the lawyers made their arguments for and against Sandovals case, Sandoval expressed the states impetus to charge him which he argued was based on an entirely different motivation. Concerning "loyalty", "honor" and family (blood relations and marriage being very important) most of the Albanian networks seem to be "old-fashioned". The Boston College Irish Studies program will mark the 50th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday"a tragic milestone in the decades-long Northern Irish conflict, "The Troubles"with a symposium on February 18 and 19 that will examine the events of the fatal day and its legacy. Gonzales was a Texas Mexican Mafia member and was allegedly killed by members of the Texas Syndicate (Buentello, 1986). (Associated Press), In 1993, the Barrio Azteca brutally beat and murder a Texas Syndicate member in the El Paso county jail causing the Texas Syndicate to alliance its self with the Mexikanemi. November 13, 1987. Fifty-two. The Texas Syndicate's activities include drug trafficking, extortion, prostitution, protection, gambling, and contract murder. The Texas Syndicate, a prison gang that operates in and outside of penitentiaries, is considered by state law-enforcement officials to be among the most dangerous criminal organizations in. Immediately after the trial, the community responded. The first time, on January 30th, 1972, it was a real event: a massacre in Derry of 13 unarmed civilians by the first . The gangs agree to revise the manifesto each year on May 5th. Albanian gangsters were also involved in the largest cash robbery in British crime history, the 53 million (about US$92.5 million at the time of the robbery) Securitas heist in 2006. The Texas Syndicate, more than La Eme or Nuestra Familia, has been more associated or allied with Mexican immigrant prisoners, such as the "Border Brothers", while La Eme and the NF tend to be more composed of US-born/raised Hispanics. Sandoval was caught in the crossfire of prison changes. The group became known as the 116th Street Mob (or Morello gang ), with their increasing power the Morello's sought to control the Lower Manhattan's Little Italy. Roberto Saviano, The Italian writer, a good expert of Neapolitan Camorra and the Italian mafia in general, spoke of the Albanian mafia as a no longer foreign mafia to Italy and stressed that the Albanians and Italians have a "brotherly" relationship between each other. The Texas Mexican Mafia was initially formed in 1984 as a response to the predatory nature of the Texas Syndicate against non-member inmates. The presdent will be there to mark 58 years since the Bloody Sunday, a violent clash between 600 civil rights marchers and white police officers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965 that served. It however, only played a brief part of the court proceedings of Sandovals murder trial. The number racket controlled bookmaking and illegal gambling throughout Harlem and South Bronx making thousands of dollars a year. They start rumors to your supervisor that youre bringing in drugs, or theyll bring bogus grievances against you, Ware said. If an officer fails to cooperate, a gang has non-violent ways of retaliating []. He could not return to employment at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. These homicides were in part, primarily caused by the war between the Texas Syndicate and the newly formed Texas Mexican Mafia who sought to gain the reins of power as the building tender system was being demolished. It simultaneously illustrated that race was crucial to membership, belonging, and trust, but it was also used as a predatory and manipulative tool to further advance their objectives of revenue creation. International activity Scandinavia "The ethnic Albanian mafia is very powerful and extremely violent," said Kim Kliver, chief investigator for organized crime with the Danish National Police. The murder involves a state wide war between both prison gangs. He quite simply may have wanted or needed the money. Steve Fischer [Sandovals attorney], however, contends that Sandoval had not unlocked the door and that officials there knew that guards frequently left the door unlocked (Fair, 1991). This allowed the Sicilian to maintain dominance and control over New York City and the remaining Camorra gangs joined forces with Sicilian gangs. Dominicans. Even while considering the institutions perception of the strength of prison gangs, they still largely lacked broad exploration in historical scholarship. Between 1961 and 1964, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) had led a voting registration campaign in Selma, the seat of Dallas County, Alabama, a small town with a record of consistent resistance to black voting. In fact, the building tender system had purposely ignored Mexican Americans as potential candidates based on racial ideas. Unfolding in real time we're able to see exactly how the . Buentello, S. Texas Syndicate: A Review of Its Inception, Growth in Violence and Continued Threat to the TDC. The method was also wed with ideas of race because prison gangs are primarily built within racial structures. Vincent continued operating from Brooklyn and Ciro continued expanding his operations in East Harlem and The Bronx. Sandoval claimed he skipped the court date and hid out for three weeks in California because he feared prison officials. In his testimony, Ortiz alleged that while in his cell with Hernandez, he was told about Sandovals role of leaving his post and leaving the door unlocked (Fair, 1991). Robert Draper, a journalist for the Texas Monthly provided an apt description of this homicide scene: Help me, Boss! Turning around, Sandoval saw a Hispanic inmate [Cesario Gonzales] standing behind a hallway crash-gate, clinging to the bars with both hands. The process of downing the duck is described as an inmate or a group of inmates manipulating a guard or staff member into undertaking very small tasks perceived to be innocuous. Le Chiffre is the main villain of the 2006 James Bond film, Casino Royale , portrayed by Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen . The rising racial tensions finally bubbled over into bloodshed in the nearby town of Marion on February 18, 1965, when state troopers clubbed protestors and fatally shot 26-year-old Jimmie Lee. In the case of Luis Sandoval, while he was not a member, the Texas Syndicate preferred that Garcia deal directly with Sandoval, a fellow Hispanic. Sandovals acceptance and willingness to acquiesce was alleged in part, because as one inmate stated Sandoval always seemed to be hurting for money (Draper, 1991). While Sandoval hid from authorities prior to the trial he wrote and sent a 24-page letter to his mother Delia Sandoval, whom he asked to then send it to members of the media. The case of Luis H. Sandoval, a prison guard in Texas during the 1980s who became allegedly involved in criminal activity for the Texas Syndicate emphasizes this complicated multi-faceted Mexican American experience within the prison setting. Garcia was not a member of the Texas Syndicate. Albanian mafia The Albanian Mafia or Albanian Organized Crime are the general terms used for criminal organizations based in Albania or composed of ethnic Albanians . Some of these punishments for example were longer durations behind bars, beatings enacted by the building tenders, or being sent to solitary confinement. As a street gang, heavy activity has been reported in Austin, Texas, Corpus Christi, Texas, the Rio Grande Valley and the Dallas Fort Worth area. The tension between Tejanos and Californios also illustrated the restrictive and complicated parameters of membership for prison gangs. However, Sandoval later recanted the statements he made to Draper concerning these acts. (Associated Press), In 1994, the Texas Syndicate and the Raza Unida agree that the gangs would share the drug trade in Brownsville by dividing gang territory in the border town in sections. Sandoval was charged with the murder of Joe Arredondo through the special prison prosecution unit which was founded in 1984 to directly combat the escalation of prison gangs activity. Agim Gashi : Leader of an Albanian Mafia clan based out of Italy. In this case, exploring the Mexican American experience within the development of the Texas prison system has broad implications. Correspondingly, Vasquez, Garcia, and Carrillo who were the earlier victims were all incarcerated for robbery or burglary convictions. Paul Vanden Boeynants was released (physically unharmed) a month later, on 13 February, when an undisclosed ransom was paid to the perpetrators. Race and Ethnicity in Alice, TX. The cycle of predatory violence against non-gang members had continued to historically breed new prison gangs. Thirteen. In South Texas, Sandoval primarily interacted with Mexican American friends from the barrios and the housing projects of Kingsville, TX. Coppola's policy racket Michael "Trigger Mike" Coppola, was a top lieutenant in the 116th Street crew of Ciro Terranova. In the United States, Albanian gangs started to be active in the mid-80s, mostly participating in low-level crimes such as burglaries and robberies. These acts also garner the most attention as violence is habitually presented by the media, and more commonly consumed by the public. Released or parole members who generate money for the Texas Syndicate must surrender a 10% tax ("the dime") of all proceeds toward the gang in prison. At this point Sandoval, along with other guards, or staff members became the duck and were now leveraged against by the inmates as the victims or co-conspirators dug themselves deeper into the clutches of the inmates bidding as a representative of a prison gang. Home - Julian Samora Research Institute - Michigan State University He was stabbed approximately twenty times in the B-Wing of the Ellis I Unit in Huntsville. Their . (Gang Intelligence 101), In 1997, armed Texas Syndicate members raid an El Paso bar known as La Cumbala and murder 4 people. (Associated Press). The history of Ireland: 11 milestone moments. A week later another juror wrote Sandoval a four-page letter, expressing her chagrin that he had been put through all the agony (Draper, 1991). First prison gang remains a force to fearThousands of Texas Syndicate members behind bars, but murder, mayhem continue. The story arc "The Slavers" of the adult-oriented Marvel comic The Punisher: Frank Castle deals with Albanian criminals engaged in human trafficking. Bloody Sunday 2002 R 1 h 51 m IMDb RATING 7.6 /10 25K YOUR RATING Rate Drama History War A dramatization of the Irish civil rights protest march and subsequent massacre by British troops on January 30, 1972. Sat Jan 22 2022 - 06:00. However, after the disturbance was quelled, in an adjacent room, Leonel Perezs body was found. Perez was found stabbed approximately fifteen times in his upper torso and back (Graczyk, 1985). While these prison gangs relied primarily on ethnicity and racial identity for membership, state identity informed their inclusion as well and should be noted. [ March 4, 2023 ] Mayor Sylvester Turner expects the state will soon take over Houston ISD Current News [ March 4, 2023 ] Texas school districts face millions in extra costs as state program backing bond debt hits its limit Education [ March 4, 2023 ] As Bloody Sunday grows in significance across the world, organizers want to preserve the integrity of the event Uncategorized Jessica Corbett Feb 20, 2023 Similarly, Biden is hoping the Jan. 6 sacking of the U.S. Capitol . The Mexican Mafia for example, was formed in 1957 in the Deuel Vocational Institution in Tracy, California and is one of the earliest formed prison gangs to still exist, and continues to exhibit power inside and outside prisons. The Texas Syndicate was established at Folsom State Prison in California in 1978 in direct response to the other California prison gangs, notably the Aryan Brotherhood and Mexican Mafia, which were attempting to prey on native Texas inmates. Texas Syndicate Gang Members Busted - Again. This was especially insightful because it was written with the viewpoint of a prison guard. In fact, one juror phoned Sandovals brother that afternoon and told him that in her view the case against Sandoval was racially motivated. Historically, the Mexican American population in Texas had been wrought with unfair legal and social practices that had negatively impacted this marginalized population for over a century. In an Albanian television station ""ShqipTV" Saviano went on to say that the Albanian and Italian factions are "one of the same", and that they dont consider each other as foreigners. March 7, 1965, would become known as "Bloody Sunday," a day when more than 600 people marching for civil rights were attacked by state troopers. Thus, the public generally perceives prison gangs and their activity to be violent. South Texas Syndicate estimated lease property, in the most recent month of production (10-01-2022), produced 159 bbls of oil and 0 mcf of natural gas. They developed, rose, and gained their power through the demise of the building tender system. Analysis: Bloody Sunday was a massive driver of activism and fund-raising within the Irish-American community With the possible exception of April 10th 1998, and May 5th 1981, no date has. Membership was tied to their regional home state and in this case trumped ethnicity as the only restriction towards membership. Blood Out, Texas Prison Gangs. Accessed December 1, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2SjyCPZ-NU 116th Street Crew The 116th Street crew, also known as the Uptown crew, is a powerful crew within the Genovese crime family. Simmons published in Prison Legal News October, 2004, page 39. Charles Brown, a TDCJ spokesman said, an 8-inch long flat piece of metal and a boning knife were recovered at the scene, likely the murder weapons (Graczyk, 1985). This marriage took place only after Sandoval was able to attain job security with the Texas Department of Corrections as a correctional officer in Huntsville. He was fatally stabbed by confirmed Texas Syndicate member Antonio Hernandez who was serving a seventeen-year burglary conviction (Buentello, 1986). He had graduated quickly from menial tasks to more important tasks. TDC guard indicted in 1986 slaying of inmate. Houston Chronicle. (Associates Press), On January 2009, 10 Texas Syndicate members invade the home of an Austin couple and rob the family of their TVs wallets, and vehicles. The Museum | Museum of Free Derry - The Museum of Free Derry is the . Salerno based the crew out of the Palma Boys Social Club located 416 East 115th Street in East Harlem, Manhattan. Ortiz was the cellmate of John A. Hernandez, a high-ranking member of the Texas Syndicate. Draper, Richard. T hirteen people were shot dead on Bloody Sunday and ensured any hope of peace was over. The Polish mob has told its associates that the Albanians are like the early Sicilian Mafia clannish, secretive, hypersensitive to any kind of insult, and too quick to use violence for the sake of vengeance. Bloody Sunday happened at the very beginning of 1972, which proved to be horrendous - the worst year of the Troubles, with almost 500 people killed. Riggs, Robert. He also placed phone calls for them to the outside world and relayed harmless, though highly likely coded, messages for their illicit activity. This influenced who the prison gang incorporated into their monetary endeavors. H. Christoph/ullstein bild/Getty Images Young man shot by the British military on Bloody Sunday. Later in the game, Albanian gangs appear working as muscle for other organizations, such as the Cosa Nostra or the Bratva . Sandovals Early Beginnings Familiarity was both good and bad. Sandovals case was unique as the only guard to be charged with a homicide at this point, but other guards were charged with other crimes. State identity also occurred as a form of othering by the California prison gangs which did not extend membership to non-Californios. This Albanian link seems to confirm that the Sacra Corona Unita and the Albanian Mafia are "partners" in Puglia/Italy and delegate several criminal activities". The commonly known and widespread narrative goes as follows: At dawn on 9 January, a crowd of workers that were . Inmates used this perceived racial brotherhood to manipulate Sandoval for the gains of the prison gangs illegal activity by initiating the common process in prisons called downing the duck (Bedard, 2013). It was also the most violent period for Texas prisons, which proved to be a difficult adjustment not just for the state but for Sandoval as well. Top Gear , a British car show, featured an episode (comedy) in which they tested three luxury automakers; Rolls-Royce Ghost , Mercedes-Benz S-Class , and Bentley Mulsanne , to see which would be best suitable for Albanian Mafia bosses. Another trial focused on the parties who were responsible for the murder of Arredondo was underway. Danielle S. Willkens "Once we identify a name and the story behind them, we can track. Klimko, Frank. Their exit does not exist and the prison gang has now also gained a member that will remain in their proximity for the duration of their sentence, equivalent to their life. The day would be labeled Bloody Sunday. On Monday [June 24], at eight in the morning, Sandoval reported for duty at the Ellis I training academy in Huntsville (Draper, 1991) where he eventually secured employment with the TDC as a prison guard after completing several weeks of mandatory training. The jurors in Sandovals trial werent convinced that Sandoval worked for or with the gang in any way (McKay, 1991). United Kingdom Albanian mafia gangs are believed to be largely behind sex trafficking, immigrants smuggling, as well as working with Turkish gangs in Southend-On-Sea, who control the heroin trade in the United Kingdom . By 1997 the immigration had come under the control of Albanian and Italian criminal groups, tightening relationships between them The Albanians are targeting affluent central and northern areas like Lombardy , Piedmont , and Tuscany . Mexican Americans did not hold many of these positions, if any at all. Thirteen people were shot dead and at least 15 others injured when members of the Army's Parachute Regiment opened fire on civil rights demonstrators in the Bogside - a predominantly Catholic part. Their gang activity in this case was approved because of racial kinship. Torres was a Texas Syndicate informant who provided information crucial to a federal case against fellow gang members. They have been reported in the Federal Correctional Institute at Oakdale, Louisiana, and in San Quentin, California, with frequency. Furthermore, since the rapid growth of prison gangs in the late 1970s and early 1980s, prison gangs in Texas were responsible for several dozen homicides, hundreds of assaults on other inmates and staff, and have had a stranglehold on power in Texas prisons since then. He crossed into Mexico into Cuidad Juarez and allegedly stayed with an uncle there. This study is also meant to highlight not only Mexican American prison gangs but the overall Mexican American experience for inmates and guards within the confines of the world of prisons. Employment opportunities were not plentiful in South Texas, and so the next day, a Sunday [June 23], the newlyweds threw their possessions into a suitcase and a grocery bag, and drove Sandovals Datsun to Conroe (Draper, 1991). They continued the war and within month's police began arresting top members of the Camorra gangs. Prison guards were rapidly hired. Along with this, something else was happening. Their options were either possibly losing their job, or continue assisting the inmates and they would remain silent. Bloody Sunday commemorates when, in 1965, 600 people began a march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, demanding an end to discrimination in voter registration. His kinship and his familiarity with Mexican American inmates brought him to become close to them. Bloody Sunday Brian Lawless/PA By Mike McBride & David Wilson BBC News NI Relatives of those killed on Bloody Sunday have been remembering their loved ones on the 50th anniversary. Fifty-two prisoners were murdered in a 21-month period that became known as the "war years." Over 50 different gangs were represented in our study. The State of Texas vs Luis H. Sandoval Case No. The Texas Syndicate 2,082 views Jun 18, 2022 62 Dislike Share Save Gangsters Cops and Politicians 3.4K subscribers Gang Expert Gabe Morales discusses the California roots of the Texas. App., 2002), On June of 1997 Texas Syndicate and Barrio Azteca settle a truce and sign a peace agreement called the Manifesto.