More than 1.4 million Americans are wearing the colors of more than 33,000 gangs across the country, according to a report by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Based on evidence from federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, the FBI says gangs commit 48% of violent crime, and are only becoming more dangerous. Some even source weapons from the military.
The 18th Street Gang is considered the largest street gang in California
One of the most well-known of the "Sureño" gangs in Southern California, the 18th Street Gang is said to be responsible for at least one robbery or assault a day in Los Angeles County. The gang is one of the most rapidly expanding criminal groups in the country, with a reach that extends across 32 states, from Maryland to Hawaii.
Though loosely connected, the gang is thought to be the largest street gang in California, with roughly 15,000 members.
18th Street gangsters have been linked to homicide, extortion, alien smuggling, drug smuggling, and auto theft,. They have also infiltrated the U.S. military.
Gangster Disciples (GD)
The Gangster Disciples were established on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois in 1969 by Larry Hoover. Larry Hoover was the leader of his own gang called the Supreme Gangsters while David Barksdale was also the leader of his own gang called the Devil Disciples. They later united the two gangs in 1969 and called themselves the Black Gangster Disciples.[citation needed]
The Gangster Disciples are active in 110 cities and in 31 states, predominantly in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States, and also maintain a significant presence in the U.S. prison system.[3][1] The gang has between approximately 50,000 and 90,000 members.[4] The Gangster Disciples first emerged in significant numbers in Memphis, Tennessee in the 1980s, the first modern street gang to do so.[12]
In January 2021, seven alleged members of Gangster Disciples including national and state leaders of the gang were indicted on charges of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and weapons charges
On July 3, 2005, members of the Gangster Disciples street gang killed Sergeant Juwan Johnson of the U.S. Army in the small town of Hohenecken near Ramstein, Germany. Prosecutors accused U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Rico Williams of being the first one to start attacking Johnson in a six-minute beating that he had to endure to join the gang. After the beating Johnson asked one of his fellow gang members to take him to the hospital. Williams then ordered his gang members not to take him there. Johnson later died from multiple blunt-force trauma injuries.[14][15][16]
According to the government's investigations, Williams was the leader of the gang set operating on base. Senior Airman Williams was sentenced to 22 years in prison, while other servicemen faced sentences ranging from 2 to 12 years. Some of the charges against the servicemen were: Williams, second-degree murder and witness tampering; Air Force Staff Sergeant Jerome Jones, conspiracy to commit assault, gang participation, and other charges; Airman Nicholas Sims and Army Sergeant Rodney Howell; involuntary manslaughter; Private Terrance Norman, voluntary manslaughter.[17][15][18]
The Gangster Disciples were falsely implicated in the 2008 murders of member Cecil Dotson Sr., his fiancée Marissa Williams, fellow member Hollis Seals, and his girlfriend Shindri Roberson. Also killed were Cecil and Marissa's 4-year-old son Cemario and Cecil's son with Erica Smith, 2 year old Cecil Dotson II. The toddler had been spending the night with his father and siblings. Severely injured in the attack were Cecil and Marissa's other three children nine-year-old Cecil Dotson Jr., five-year-old Cedric and two-month-old Ce'niyah.[19]
Allegations were originally made that the Gangster Disciples were responsible for the event which came to be known as "The Lester Street Massacre" and was featured in two separate episodes of "The First 48" on A&E. It eventually came to light that the attack was a case of fratricide between two brothers, with the Gangster Disciples uninvolved in the crime. Cecil and his family were butchered by Dotson's own brother, Jessie, who eventually confessed to the killings. He was convicted on all counts and sentenced to six death sentences plus 120 years for the three children (his niece and nephews) that he attempted to kill. The Gangster Disciples were cleared of any involvement.[19]
On April 27, 2016, 32 members of Gangster Disciples were arrested on RICO charges by federal agents. Among the 32 arrested was a former Atlanta-area police officer who prosecutors say was a hit man for the gang. The indictment alleges that Gangster Disciples members committed 10 murders, 12 attempted murders, 2 robberies, the extortion of rap artists to force the artists to become affiliated with the Gangster Disciples, and fraud resulting in losses of over $450,000. In addition, the Gangster Disciples trafficked in large amounts of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, illegal prescription drugs, and marijuana. The indictment also seek forfeiture of 34 different firearms seized as part of the investigation.[20]
On July 21, 2020, a car pulled up at a funeral home in Englewood, Chicago and at least two gunmen inside opened fire. Fifteen people were wounded, with no reported fatalities. The funeral was for a victim killed a week prior, and was allegedly involving a dispute between two Gangster Disciples factions.[21]
Crips
Crips, street gang based in Los Angeles that is involved in various illegal activities, notably drug dealing, theft, extortion, and murder. The group, which is largely African American, is traditionally associated with the color blue. The Crips gained national attention for their bitter rivalry with the Bloods.
The gang’s origins are disputed. According to some reports, Stanley (“Tookie”) Williams and Raymond Washington, both high schoolers in Los Angeles, founded the Crips in 1971 for protection from gang violence. Others claim that Washington, inspired by the Black Panthers, formed a political group in 1969 that evolved into a street gang. It was initially called Cribs, a possible reference to how young its members were or based on crib’s slang meaning, “home.” Soon, however, the gang became known as the Crips. Numerous explanations have been offered for the revised name. Some claim it is a mispronunciation of Cribs, while others suggest it is an amalgamation of Cribs and RIP (rest in peace), representing members’ involvement from birth to death. A third explanation is that Crips is short for cripple, a reference to the fact that some of the early members used canes or that they crippled their enemies.
Whatever its initial beginnings, by the early 1970s the Crips had a reputation for violence, and its members were engaged in extortion and theft. Other gangs, notably the Bloods, were established in response to the Crips’ growing power. Despite such efforts, the Crips continued to expand during that decade as more gangs in the city became affiliated with them, forming a loose confederation. Many of these gangs, however, remained independent—and fiercely territorial—with fighting between them extremely common. When Washington was fatally shot in 1979, some believed a Crips gang was responsible. That year also saw Williams arrested for several murders; he became an antigang crusader before being executed in 2005.
In the 1980s the Crips became more focused on drugs, especially crack cocaine, and the gang eventually formed alliances with Mexican cartels. Its involvement in narcotics helped the gang expand beyond Los Angeles. By the early 21st century, it was operating in some 40 states and had upwards of 20,000 members. However, Los Angeles remained its stronghold. While cocaine and marijuana provided the majority of its income, the Crips were also involved in auto theft, robbery, and carjacking.
The Crips were well-known for their rivalry with the Bloods—even though infighting caused three times more deaths. In an effort to distingush between the gang members, the Crips began wearing blue clothing or other items, while the Bloods became associated with red. In addition, Crips members often wore British Knights shoes. Their rivalry infiltrated pop culture, inspiring songs and movies.
Latin kings
King Motherland Chicago faction
The Latin Kings were founded in the Humboldt Park area of Chicago in 1954 by Ramon Santos as the Imperials, a Puerto Rican progress movement with the goal of overcoming racial discrimination.[2] With the Latino community facing constant violence from Greek and Italian greaser gangs, the Imperials merged with various other Puerto Rican and Mexican street gangs to form the Latin Kings.[1] The Latin Kings would later devolve into a criminal enterprise operating throughout the United States. There are two umbrella factions: the King Motherland Chicago (KMC) – also known as King Manifesto and Constitution – and Bloodline, formed in New York City in 1986. All members of the gang identify themselves as Latin Kings.[3]
Latin Kings associating with the Motherland faction also identify themselves as "Almighty Latin King Nation" (ALKN); they make up more than 160 structured chapters operating in 158 cities in 31 states. The membership in Chicago is estimated to be 20,000 to 35,000.[27]
The Chicago faction of the Latin Kings is recognized as one of the largest Hispanic street gang in the United States after the Surenos and Nortenos as well as MS-13 and 18th Street gang and one of the largest Chicago-based street gangs.[28] Their greatest membership is within the United States and the gang has more than 25,000[29] members in the city of Chicago alone and has organized chapters in numerous states and several Latin American and European countries.[30]
Bloods
The Bloods are a primarily African-American street gang founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for its rivalry with the Crips. It is identified by the red color worn by its members and by particular gang symbols, including distinctive hand signs.
The Bloods comprise various subgroups known as "sets", among which significant differences exist, such as colors, clothing, operations, and political ideas that may be in open conflict with each other. Since the gang's creation, it has branched throughout the United States.
The Bloods gang was formed initially to compete against the influence of the Crips in Los Angeles. The rivalry originated in the 1960s when Raymond Washington and other Crips attacked Sylvester Scott and Benson Owens, two students at Centennial High School in Compton, California. As a result, Scott formed the Piru street-gang, the first "Bloods" gang. Owens subsequently established the West Piru gang. The Bloods was initially formed to provide members protection from the Crips. Many of the non-Crip gangs used to call one another "blood".[17] On March 21, 1972, shortly after a concert featuring Wilson Pickett and Curtis Mayfield, 20 youths belonging to the Crips attacked and robbed Robert Ballou Jr. outside the Hollywood Palladium. Ballou was beaten to death after refusing to give up his leather jacket. The sensational media coverage of the crime and the continued assaults by the Crips increased their notoriety. Several non-Crips gangs formed during this period were no match for the Crips and became concerned with the escalating Crip attacks. The Pirus, Black P. Stones, Athens Park Boys and other gangs not aligned with the Crips often clashed with them. On June 5, 1972, three months after Ballou's murder, Fredrick "Lil Country" Garret was murdered by a Westside Crip. This marked the first Crips murder against another gang member and motivated non-Crip gangs to align with each other. The Brims struck back on August 4, 1972, by murdering Thomas Ellis, an original Westside Crip. By late 1972, the Pirus held a meeting in their neighborhood to discuss growing Crip pressure and intimidation. Several gangs that felt victimized by the Crips joined the Pirus to create a new federation of non-Crips neighborhoods. This alliance became the Bloods.[18] The Pirus are therefore considered the founders of the Bloods.
By 1978, there were 15 Blood sets. Crips still outnumbered Bloods 3 to 1. To assert their power, the Bloods became increasingly violent. During the 1980s, Bloods began distributing crack cocaine in Los Angeles. Blood membership soon rose dramatically as did the number of states in which they were present. These increases were primarily driven by profits from crack cocaine distribution. The huge profits allowed members to relocate to other cities and states.[17]
Black Disciples (BD)
The Black Disciples (often abbreviated as BDN,BDN III, BD's) is a large street gang based in Chicago, Illinois, which received significant news coverage after the murder of one of their own members, an 11-year-old named Robert Sandifer.[3]
In 1958, a group of young teenagers from Hyde Park, Englewood, and Kenwood came together as friends to create an alliance to combat their enemies.[4] The founders—Richard Strong, David Barksdale, Mingo Shread, Prince Old Timer, Kilroy, Leonard Longstreet, Night Walker, and others—named their new organization the "Devil's Disciples." By the beginning of 1961, David Barksdale, also known as "King David," took sole leadership of the Devil’s Disciples, and appointed different members to oversee various areas within the neighborhoods.[4]
Barksdale's goal was to claim small gangs around the area, and turn them into factions of the Disciples. In 1966, in order to help increase recruitment and counteract threats from other gangs, David Barksdale created the “Black Disciples Nation,” which helped boost recruitment numbers into the thousands.[4]
In 1969, Larry Hoover, the leader of the rival gang “Gangster Disciples,” agreed to a merger with Barksdale to create a unified gang called the “Black Gangster Disciples Nation.”[4] This made both David and Larry "Kings," therefore the name "King David" came about.[4]
Soon after the alliance was formed, Larry Hoover and a member were charged and convicted for the murder of another member, and received 150–200 years in prison.[4] With Larry in prison, King David was fully in charge of the gang. King David later died due to kidney complications at the age of 27 on September 2, 1974.[2]
The death of King David led to problems within the Black Gangster Disciple Nation (BGDN).[4] The majority of the BGDN believed in becoming more unified after the passing of King David, but some were opposed to the sentiment. The ideological differences led to the creation of two distinct factions: the "Black Gangsters Disciples" and the "Black Disciples."[4] This brought about a rivalry between these two gangs, as there was bloodshed in the streets immediately after they were created.[4]
Mickey Bull took over the Black Disciples, and made peace with the Gangster Disciples.[when?] Bull’s leadership brought about a temporary lull in the violence, until he was murdered in the streets by Gangster Disciples in August 1991.[4] Immediate backlash from Black Disciples culminated into a rampage, and three Gangster Disciples were killed on 7 August 1991.[4] Between 1991 and 1994, the rivalry between the Gangster Disciples and Black Disciples intensified. The contentious rivalry came to an end after Marvell Thompson intervened.[4]
MS-13
Mara Salvatrucha, commonly known as MS-13, is an international criminal gang that originated in Los Angeles, California, in the 1970s and 1980s. Originally, the gang was set up to protect Salvadoran immigrants from other gangs in the Los Angeles area. Over time, the gang grew into a more traditional criminal organization. MS-13 is defined by its cruelty, and its rivalry with the 18th Street gang.
Many MS-13 members were deported to El Salvador after the close of the Salvadoran Civil War in 1992, or upon being arrested, facilitating the spread of the gang to Central America. The gang is currently active in many parts of the continental United States, Canada, Mexico, and Central America. Most members are Central American, Salvadorans in particular.
As an international gang, its history is closely tied to United States–El Salvador relations. In 2018, the gang's US membership of up to 10,000 accounted for less than 1% of the 1.4 million gang members in the United States, and a similar share of gang murders. The gang is often referenced by the United States' Republican Party to advocate for stricter immigration policies.
History
The Mara Salvatrucha gang originated in Los Angeles, set up in the 1980s[37][38] by Salvadoran immigrants in the city's Pico-Union neighborhood who immigrated to the United States after the Central American civil wars of the 1980s.[39][32] Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Salvadoran asylum seekers were refused asylum in the U.S. and instead classified as undocumented immigrants. As such, Salvadorans began to immigrate without documents in increasing numbers. They mostly settled in cities with large undocumented populations, like Los Angeles. Salvadoran asylum claims were neglected until the 1991 case American Baptist Churches v. Thornburgh The case's settlement agreement required Guatemalan and Salvadoran asylum claims to be reevaluated, as long as they had entered the U.S. by 1990. By this point, the Civil War was already drawing to a close after more than a decade of fighting. Before ABC v. Thornburg and even after, Salvadoran immigrants were left highly vulnerable to exploitation.
In the very beginning, MS-13 was a group of young, delinquent, heavy metal fans who lived
in Los Angeles. However, the undocumented community in Los Angeles was subject to severe racial prejudices and persecution. Under these conditions, MS-13 began to mutate into a gang. Originally, the gang's main purpose was to protect Salvadoran immigrants from the other, more established gangs of Los Angeles, who were predominantly composed of Mexicans, Asians, and African-Americans.[40] Some of the original members of the MS-13 adhered to Satanism, and while the majority of contemporary MS-13 members do not identify as Satanists, the Satanist influence is still seen in some of their symbolism.[41][42] The gang became a more traditional criminal organization under the auspices of Ernesto Deras. Deras was a former member of Salvadoran special forces, trained in Panama by United States Green Berets. On gaining leadership of an MS-13 clique in 1990, he used his military training to discipline the gang and improve its logistical operations. It was after this point that the gang began to grow in power. MS-13's rivalry with the 18th Street Gang also began in this period. MS-13 and 18th Street were initially friendly, since they were some of the only gangs to allow Salvadorans to join. What exactly caused their alliance to fall apart is uncertain. Most versions point to a fight over a girl in 1989. In the incident, an MS-13 gangster was killed, which led to a cycle of vengeance that has escalated into an intense and generalized animosity between the two gangs.[43]
Many MS-13 gang members from the Los Angeles area have been deported after being arrested.[44] For example, Jose Abrego, a high-ranking member, was deported four times.[45] As a result of these deportations, members of MS-13 have recruited more members in their home countries.[10] The Los Angeles Times contends that deportation policies have contributed to the size and influence of the gang both in the United States and in Central America.[44] There was no significant gang activity in El Salvador until after MS-13 gangsters were deported there from Los Angeles. Large-scale deportations began shortly after the close of the Salvadoran Civil War in 1992.
The war had lasted for more than 12 years and included the deliberate terrorizing and targeting of civilians by US-trained government death squads including the targeting of prominent clergy from the Catholic Church. The war also saw the recruitment of child soldiers and other human rights violations, mostly by the military,[46] which left the country susceptible to gang infiltration.
As a part of the Chapultepec Peace Accords, the post-war Salvadoran government was required to stop using the standing army as a police force and form a new national police service. However, the ruling political party, ARENA, was a descendant of the wartime military government. To favor military allies, it delayed the formation of the National Civil Police of El Salvador (PNC). When the PNC was finally organized 1993, parts of the police force were created by integrating the armed forces. Some of the members of the nascent police force were known war criminals. The lack of a proper police force meant that deported gangsters faced little opposition when establishing MS-13 in El Salvador. To compound the issue, the post-war period was marked by the existence of a large number of uncontrolled arms left over from the conflict, which allowed MS-13 to become a significant arms trafficker. This remains one of its primary revenue sources today, alongside extortion and assassination.[47] In addition, the economic struggles of the post-war period, alongside neoliberal trade reforms likely contributed to the growth of MS-13.[48]
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