He put the gun to her head and pulled the trigger, but it didnt fire. All 12 individuals were charged with a conspiracy to distribute narcotics and added to a Latin King indictment pending in Indiana that had previously charged 26 members of the gang, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's office. The specific sentence in each case to be imposed upon conviction will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The Indictment also alleges a drug conspiracy in which the 11-plus another additional individual were charged. The indictments pertain to alleged Latin King activities in two Chicagoland areas the Southeast Side of Chicago, including the south suburbs, and the western suburbs of Maywood and Melrose Park. Two indictments focus on the Latin Kings' dealings on the Southeast Side and in the western suburbs of Maywood and Melrose Park, known as "M-Town.". The 36th defendant is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges Guerrero and Martinez stole drugs, weapons and cash. Assistant U.S. WIMAUMA, Fla. - Expensive cars, jewelry and guns were all part of daily life for two high-ranking Latin King gang members recently arrested during a three-month narcotics operation in Hillsborough County. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The gang's current membership is estimated to be 20,000 to 35,000. Named in Tuesday's indictment are: Jeremiah Shane Farmer, 35, of Hammond,. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. According to this indictment, the Latin Kings is nationwide gang that originated in Chicago and has branched out throughout the United States, including to Texas. "But I'm not naive to think that this was going to put an end to it.". That's because common names are just nicknames for plants. Several other firearm-related offenses are charged in the indictment. Fardon has previously pointed to Chicago street violence as a priority for his office. Chavez is a convicted felon who is also charged with illegally possessing a Smith & Wesson .38-caliber pistol in Chicago in the summer of 2014, the indictment states. Baez shot into the bar, striking and killing Raudel Contreras, while Gamino served as a lookout. Delgado also faces a drug-related charge for allegedly distributing cocaine in the city in April 2014. The principal mission of OCDETF is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations. "Once we made all these arrests and got these individuals off the street, the homicide rate -- for instance up in East Chicago -- dropped down to like one or two,'Capp said. Lock Those charged are accused of murder, attempted murder, assault with dangerous weapons, arson and extortion, according to the indictments. The sentence was imposed Friday by U.S. District Judge Charles Norgle, who also ordered five years of supervised release after Garcias prison term ends. A weekly compilation of engaging digital content. In one instance, Bernal, Gudino, Robles, Jalomos and others allegedly caused Jonathan Zimmerman to be transported to Hammond and then murdered him for using counterfeit currency to purchase drugs. M-Town Section (Melrose Park and Maywood). latin king indictment chicago. 12 Latin Kings Gang Members Indicted In Indiana January 25, 2017 / 6:57 AM / CBS Chicago CHICAGO (CBS) -- Twelve members of the Latin Kings gang are now facing narcotics distribution. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. The defendant, Vicente Garcia, Jr., 35, the Supreme Regional Inca of the Almighty Latin King Nation, who oversaw the day-to-day illegal activities of all factions of the gang with some 10,000 members in Illinois alone, has been in federal custody since late 2008 and must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence. Through the investigation, the sheriff's office was able to figure out two of the top-ranking members of the Latin Kings gang - 32-year-old Fidencio Robles and 30-year-old Omar Bravo. Taliyah Barboza, a/k/a "Queen Taliyah," 27, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to time served (approximately six days in prison) and three years of supervised release. The officer was assisting FBI agents at the time of the attempted killing, according to the indictment. Thirty four alleged Latin Kings are charged with racketeering conspiracy. Hes also taken other courses that focus on keeping away from the sort of criminal activities that got him locked up in the first place. Get information about how to check in with your local ICE Office here. A locked padlock Authorities uncovered the alleged gang activity through dual investigations conducted under the umbrella of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). Rockford: (815) 987-4444. A chapter soldier, ROY VEGA, 33, of Chicago, is charged with brandishing and discharging a firearm during a violent assault on July 5, 2014, in Chicago. MARIO A. HERNANDEZ, 41, of Maywood, is a convicted felon who allegedly illegally possessed a Smith & Wesson 556-caliber rifle. Copyright 2023 WLS-TV. 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Eddie Johnson speaks about two federal indictments charging 34 members of the Latin Kings street gang with participating in a criminal organization during a press conference at the Dirksen Federal Building, Tuesday afternoon, July 26, 2016. The Chicago Crime Commission's Gang Book says the gang was founded in the 1980s along North Milwaukee Avenue. Colon absolutely deserves this opportunity to finally be out and be with his family and be free after all these years in custody, Pissetzky said. "This serves as a warning to others that we will continue to come at them with everything we have," said Chicago Police Supt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. During the four-year investigation, law enforcement developed evidence that the Latin Kings trafficked drugs, conspired to murder more than 10 victims, and committed violent crimes including numerous incidents of robbery, shootings, stabbings and witness intimidation. The Latin Kings is a well organized street gang that has specific leadership and is comprised of regions that include multiple chapters. EDGAR VELARDE-SALDANA, 33, of Maywood, a soldier in the younger circle of the M-Town section, is charged in the indictment with attempting to murder a Melrose Park police officer on July 6, 2014. Also charged in the indictment are several alleged chapter leaders, known within the hierarchy as Incas, and their second in command, known as Caciques. According to the indictment, PAUL VASQUEZ, 43, of Chicago, served as Inca of the 82nd Street chapter; RUBEN PORRAZ, 36, of Chicago, was Inca of the 89th Street chapter; EDWARD DELGADO JR., 31, of Chicago, and LUIS GOMEZ, 31, of Chicago, were at times Incas of the 97th Street chapter; MIGUEL DENAVA, 27, of Chicago, served as Inca of the 99th Street chapter; and ELOY FUENTES, 31, of Chicago, was Inca of the 104th Street chapter. Delgado also faces a drug-related charge for allegedly distributing cocaine in Chicago in April 2014. Episode 5: What's it like to be a special agent with HSI? In 2000, a federal judge sentenced Colon to life. Months later, the indictment alleges Robles, Salazer, Chavez and another Latin Kings member bet on who would be the first to successfully carry out Vargas order to kill a Latin Dragon leader. This count carries over unchanged from the previous indictment. The calls often showed Colons wife acting as an operator, connecting him with gang lieutenants. An official website of the United States government. Perez is facing gun charges for being a felon in possession of five pistols, a shotgun and a rifle in Maywood, Melrose Park and Hinsdale in the summer of 2014, according to the indictment. In 2020, QUINCY J. ARNOLD illegally possessed a loaded semiautomatic handgun, cocaine, and heroin in Bellwood, Ill. Eastern Division When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. During periods when the M-Town section was split into an older and younger circle, each circle had its own set of leaders, but the ranking members of the younger circle still reported to the ranking members of the older circle, according to the indictment. The Latin Kings is a. Feds: Chicago cops helped Latin Kings with Chicago, Indiana crimes By Michael Puente. Feds charge dozens of alleged Latin Kings in sweeping conspiracy. "I'd like to think that we were able to disrupt the gang and deter others from following in the footsteps of these leaders," said DePodesta, who is now in private practice. During the multi-year probes, authorities confiscated more than 40 firearms, including two AR-15 assault rifles. CHICAGO Two federal indictments unsealed in Chicago Tuesday charged 34 members of the Latin Kings street gang with participating in a criminal organization that assaults and attempts to murder its rivals and violently protects its territories in the city and suburbs. The officer was assisting agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation at the time of the attempted killing, according to the indictment. Sheriff Chad Chronister said detectives and DEA agents seized more than $800,000 in drugs, plus 15 firearms, cash and stolen property after they executed search warrants at five properties in . Sample Page; ; On the same day, Vargas directed Quiroz, Chavez and other Latin Kings enforcers to increase their efforts to murder leaders of the Latin Dragon gangs in retaliation for the Oct. 2, 2006, murder of Vargas younger brother. Contact Us- Overview- Territory/Jurisdiction, News and Outreach- Press Room | Stories- In Your Community, About Us- Our People & Capabilities- What We Investigate- Our Partnerships- Chicago History, This content has been reproduced from its. The Southeast Region of the Latin Kings contains over a dozen chapters, all of which answer to a regional structure of leadership, according to the indictment. Delgado is charged with being a felon in possession of a loaded Tauras .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol in Chicago, the indictment states. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, CFD: 1 injured, building collapses in West Town fire. HAMMOND - United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II announced federal racketeering and drug conspiracy charges against 6 members of the Latin Kings, a criminal enterprise operating in Chicago and Northwest Indiana. Perez is facing gun charges for being a felon in possession of five pistols, a shotgun and a rifle in Maywood, Melrose Park and Hinsdale in the summer of 2014, according to the indictment. The geographical location controlled by the Maywood section included the area east of 25th Avenue, west of 1st Avenue, north of Lake Street, and south of North Avenue, in the western suburbs of Maywood and Melrose Park, according to the indictment. The sentence was announced by Gary S. Shapiro, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, together with Cory B. Nelson, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Larry Ford, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. 219 S. Dearborn St., 5th Floor Trial evidence included audio and video recordings of three beatings inflicted upon gang members for violating the rules and testimony documenting three murders and 20 shootings in the Little Village area. "You will see that it's a regional problem.". The charges were announced by the following agency heads: Zachary T. Fardon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Michael J. Anderson, special agent in charge of the FBI in Chicago; Lindsay Murphy, acting special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Chicago; and Eddie T. Johnson, Chicago Police Department Superintendent. The indictments unsealed Tuesday in Chicago charged 34 alleged members of the Latin Kings with racketeering conspiracy, including several "regional enforcers" responsible for keeping gang members in line, as well as high-ranking members known as "Incas," who oversee members, and their seconds in command, called "Caciques." He lived in a house in suburban Highland.. "I think it is a major setback for the Latin King nation operating in this region," Fardon said. The previous Latin King indictment had charged Joseph Uvalle with sex trafficking offenses, and this . The racketeering conspiracy charge generally carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, but a life sentence is possible for certain underlying racketeering activities referenced in the indictments. Call 1-866-DHS-2-ICE to report suspicious activityReport Crime, Learn facts about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. His underlings arranged for a limousine to drive him back to Chicago from the Menard Correctional Center downstate. Edgar Velarde-Saldana, 33, of Maywood, a soldier in the younger circle of the M-Town section, is charged in the indictment with attempting to murder a Melrose Park police officer on July 6, 2014. U.S. Attorney Zachary Fardon, FBI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Michael Anderson, and Chicago Police Supt. Zambrano, 52, was sentenced to 60 years in prison in January 2012. The M-Town section was divided into two groups, known as circles, the indictment states. All 12 individuals were charged with a conspiracy to distribute narcotics and added to a Latin King indictment pending in Indiana that had previously charged 26 members of the gang, according to a . Efren DelAngel a/k/a "Payoso," 21, of Hammond; CHICAGO - Twenty-six alleged members and associates of the Latin Kings street gang are facing federal narcotics charges, most of them for their alleged roles in one of two drug-trafficking organizations that supplied and distributed multi-kilogram quantities of heroin, cocaine and marijuana in Chicago and the south suburbs. He fired repeatedly into the body of [the victim], and then casually held the gun to the head of [the young woman], who was spared only because the killers earlier zeal had emptied the weapon.. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Rockford, IL 61101, Chicago: (312) 353-5300 "I can't quantify how that looks from their perspective, but when you charge multiple Incas and treasurers and enforcers and Caciques, that is going to be disruptive for these organizations.". Vargas then allegedly sought to have others shoot people who were attending Delatorres funeral on Dec. 2, 2006. The Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (ALKQN, ALKN, LKN) the largest and most organized Hispanic street gang in the United States of America, which has its roots dating back to the 1940s in Chicago, Illinois. The new defendants are Zambrano, Fernando King, 39, of Chicago, alleged to be the gang's "Supreme Regional Officer" who reported only to Zambrano, and Ruben Caquias, Ernesto Grimaldo, Nedal Issa and Felipe Zamora. The investigations were conducted under the umbrella of the OCDETF program, a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Colon then walked over to a girl who was in Burrs group. The site is secure. Contents 1 Latin Kings 1.1 History 1.2 Leadership 1.3 Organizational structure 1.4 Markings 2 In Hip-Hop 2.1 Rappers and Rap Groups Meanwhile, the feds in Northwest Indiana also indicted several alleged gang members on Tuesday. Assistant U.S. A 2012 Florida Department of . Could new DNA tech crack the JonBenet Ramsey case? CHICAGOThe second highest-ranking leader nationwide of the Latin Kings street gang was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison after being convicted at trial in 2011 of racketeering conspiracy (RICO) and related charges involving narcotics trafficking and violence that plagued numerous neighborhoods on the citys north, south, and west sides. A chapter soldier, Roy Vega, 33, of Chicago, is charged with brandishing and discharging a firearm during a violent assault on July 5, 2014, in Chicago. They were linked to the Latin Kings, then allied with the Maniac Latin Disciples. The following year, Colon was sentenced to at least 30 years in state prison for the murder. Gang . Each of the persons named today are charged with a conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity and with a conspiracy to distribute narcotics. Federal and local law enforcement began making arrests earlier this week. According to the indictment, the Latin King's hierarchy consists of: a "chief" or "boss" of the gang; his top street chiefs or "jefes"; a "crown council," and various sections or chapters of the gang. The purpose of the assault was to maintain and increase their position in the Latin Kings, the indictment states. Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. Of those 31 defendants, 24 pleaded guilty, four were convicted at trial, and three remain fugitives. The geographical location controlled by the Maywood section included the area east of 25th Avenue, west of 1st Avenue, north of Lake Street, and south of North Avenue, in the western suburbs of Maywood and Melrose Park, according to the indictment. Another two alleged members were charged with lesser weapons charges. According to this indictment, the Latin Kings is nationwide gang that originated in Chicago and has branched out throughout the United States, including to Texas. 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