Torres was a Texas Syndicate informant who provided information crucial to a federal case against fellow gang members. They are used for the transfer of money from Germany which amounts to a billion of D-marks a year. The group eventually evolved an internal hierarchy and opened its doors to non-Hispanic members. (stophoustongangs.org), The Texas Syndicate gang's sign is sometimes the image of the horns of the Texas Longhorns. a deadly weapon in 2001 at the Federal Correctional Institute Albanian organized crime is active in Albania , the United States , and the European Union (EU) countries, participating in a diverse range of criminal enterprises including drug and arms trafficking . (El Paso Times), On August 17, 1997, Texas Syndicate members murder Gerardo Garcia in the El Paso County Jail. Crim. Andrew "Dirty" Vidaurri, 30, who was a former. Enver Sekiraqa : Leading person of organized crime in Kosovo, aka the boss of the bosses, who is on the Interpols wanted list for several crimes. The Justice Department says the "Texas Syndicate is one of the largest and most violent prison gangs active on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. Support local journalism. Unless he renounces his membership and tells everything he knows - which he says he won't. . I like being surprised. However, they still maintain their headquarters in California, where their national president resides, and their numbers continue to reach into state and federal prisons across the US. Always remain a member. Watch: Astros SP Luis Garcia debuts new windup after rule changes, Oops! Texas Syndicate members abide by a constitution requiring members to: Be a Texan. Horse) of Uvalde; Ervey Sanchez (a.k.a. Texas Syndicate Members In San Antonio Indicted On Racketeering Charges Charges allege responsibility for four murders, three attempted murders and drug distribution 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) statute. Lane Everett Grinage - Felon in Possession of Firearm. A member of the Texas Syndicate has pleaded guilty to charges of participating in a plot to kill another person in San Antonio. Number codes change on a periodic Torres was also found guilty of possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine within 1,000 feet of the Sacred Heart Parish School in Uvalde. has been reported in Austin, Texas, and Corpus Christi, Texas.. Rivals of the Texas Syndicate have included or presently include: Development of the Texas Syndicate was initially motivated by self-protection Alleged leader Frank de la Cruz was charged with assault with At 62, he has two murder convictions and is serving time in the Goree Unit. It was the first Texas prison gang to embrace such Italian mobster traditions as strict rules and harsh discipline. He pleaded guilty to violent crime in aid of racketeering conspiracy to commit murder. Concerning "loyalty", "honor" and family (blood relations and marriage being very important) most of the Albanian networks seem to be "old-fashioned". On April 2, 2013, Cuellar pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful use of a government computer and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. (Gang Intelligence 101), In 2004, The Raza Unida and Texas Syndicate settle on a truce. After dinner, they drove to a sugar-cane field and shot him in the head. State public safety officials believe there are more than 100,000 gang members across Texas. Recruitment is achieved by demonstrating a "homeboy connection," 10. Victor Emajae Coronado, 50, was arrested Saturday and is being held in Harris County Jail with no bond. syndicate bank members, Construction Engineer, contractors . Rodriquez of a violent crime in aid of racketeering, namely the murder of Rogelio Mata in Uvalde, Texas on October 13, 2002, for allegedly failing to follow the rules of the Texas Syndicate; Velasquez of conspiracy to commit violent crime in aid of racketeering and the substantive charge of violent crime in aid of racketeering for the murder of Jose Guadalupe de la Garza on December 25, 2005, in Uvalde, Texas for allegedly disrespecting the Texas Syndicate as well as conspiracy to commit robbery in violation of the RICO statute; and. brandi harris said, "has been dropped after going on a racist tirade". 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. While the number of effective affiliates within the federal prison system continued to grow, the Texas Syndicate began expanding their operations to the outside world. Two Texas Syndicate gang members were sentenced today to a combined 50 years in prison for drug trafficking in Lubbock, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox. I did this to myself. The Texas Syndicate is headed by a presi dent and vice president who are elected by the entire membership. The Texas HIV Syndicate serves as the statewide HIV/STD community planning group for Texas. 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. In October 2004, the FBI arrested 22 men who worked for it. Despite changes that have come since the Texas Syndicate was founded in the 1970s, authorities said the state's original prison gang has dwindled in size but remains a significant threat. In popular culture In films An Albanian criminal organization in Paris is responsible for the kidnapping of Liam Neeson 's character's daughter in Taken . (Houston Chronicle). As the organization continued growing, drug trafficking . 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. Members of the Texas Syndicate are bound by a set of strict rules which ensure loyalty and participation in the enterprise's criminal activities and are subject to strict and harsh discipline, including death, for violating the rules. More accurate investigations lower the number to about 4000, with some sources even going as low as 3800. The main objective of the Texas Syndicate was that of offering protection to other native Texan inmates. Tata) of Uvalde; Charles Esparza (a.k.a. Most notably, the Los Zetas cartel has been known to count on members of the Texas Syndicate to plan and carry out murders, armed assaults and other violent wet-work. Little Larry) of Uvalde; Brian Esparza (a.k.a. TJ) of Hondo; Jessica Escareno of Hondo; Ruben Dominguez of Hondo; Sandra Torres of Uvalde; Jaime Corona, Jr., of Hondo; John Khosravi of San Antonio; and, former Bandera County Sheriffs Deputy Thomas Cuellar of Hondo. In a separate, but related matter, on June 20, 2013, a federal jury in Del Rio returned guilty verdicts against Eli Torres and Alfredo Tapia III, the last two defendants involved in a narcotics distribution ring operating in Hondo, Uvalde, San Antonio and the surrounding areas. As part of his plea deal, Nuncio agreed to be sentenced to seven years in prison. The rules require that a member continue his participation in the organization even after his release from prison. gang, promoted to captain at Ellis II Unit prison just north of ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle), The Texas Syndicate was started more than 40 years ago in the California prison system and later spread to Texas. Armed robberies, the sale of illicit substances such as methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, and other crimes remain the main activities of this group. basis to prevent counter-codes by law-enforcement. December 18, 2019. "The road for arms and people, meaning illegal immigrants destined for Europe, is in Albanian hands." "When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, he had only Ten Commandments. The Texas Syndicate (Spanish: Syndicato Tejano) is a mostly-Mexican criminal group founded in Folsom State Prison, California, in the 1970s. 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. He is locked in a cell by himself 23 hours a day for his entire sentence. against the historical "building tenders" in prison. The majority of these, though, were only marginally involved with the gang activities. Judge Moses sentenced Cuellar to 40 months incarceration while sentencing the others to federal prison terms ranging from 48 months to 151 months. Cassiano, who previously held a leadership role in the criminal organization in 2005, of two counts of conspiracy to commit violent crime in aid of racketeering for the Jose Guadalupe de la Garza murder and the November 9, 2009, murder of Jesse James Polanco in Uvalde. He is a former captain since 1989 in Rio Grande City, Texas; In 2001 Pablo "Bam Bam" Gonzalez one of the Syndicates ranking member's of the Dallas/Fort Worth area killed two members of Tango Blast "Hector Solis" & "Ruben Vargas" and is still sought by police today. unit is controlled by a chairman, who oversees a vice chairman, Members of other ethnic groups can be accepted only to execute certain one time or secondary jobs. 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. 826 Hispanic members operate across Texas, including specific reportings He doesn't view himself as a cartoonist so much as he does kinda like a guy on a higher mission who happens to do cartooning. (Hernandez v. Johnson, 108 F.3d 554 (C.A.5 (Tex. Chief U.S. District Judge Fred Biery set sentencing for Aug. 24. "On the 27th of July 1999 police in Durres (Albania), with Italian assistance arrested one of the godfathers of the "Sacra Corona Unita", Puglias Italian Mafia. Hector Soto, a former local leader of the Austin-area Texas This is a carousel. The Texas Syndicate is a dominant prison gang in Texas. (Kin Man Hui/kmhui@express-news.net), Any violations of the gang rules can result in harsh penalties, including death. 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. Our team of syndicate experts spend hours selecting only the very best opportunities in betting tips for you to cash out at the window. Torres, who remains in federal custody, awaits sentencing scheduled for December 16, 2013. . (stophoustongangs.org), The Texas Syndicate is known to keep strict discipline among its members, and not tolerate disrespect to prison guards or other authorities. Southern Albanian groups also have good relationships with Sicilys Cosa Nostra "The Albanian criminals were special from the beginning," said Francesca Marcelli, an organized-crime investigator for the Italian government. After She joined the staff as a breaking news reporter in 2018. TS has a paramilitary structure, headed by a president and vice (Associated Press), On Austin July 2, 2001, Texas Syndicate members murder female TS associate Jove Rios for conducting business with the Mexikanemi. Blacks. Los Angeles County will end its COVID-19 emergency declaration at the end of March the latest region to take that step amid stabilizing and . (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. United States District Judge Alia Moses sentenced TS members and Uvalde residents George Curious Sanchez, age 40; Raul Fatboy Rodriquez, age 42; Mike Big Mike Cassiano, age 39; and, Cristobal Little Cris Velasquez, age 37, to life in federal prison for conspiracy to violate the Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organization (RICO) statute. Rudaj Organization The most famous Albanian criminal organization was the Rudaj Organization . Mata owed a drug . Mariachi) of Uvalde; Jose Andres Torres (a.k.a Yogi) of Uvalde; Larry Munoz, Jr. (a.k.a. 8/21/2008) (Tex. Marshals Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Customs and Border Protection and the Uvalde County Sheriffs Department assisted in making the arrests. Texas Capital Bank is built to help businesses and their leaders. (Gang Intelligence 101), In June of 1997, the Texas Syndicate and Mexicles gang settle on a truce. In " We Own the Night "; A final drug transaction is made with the Albanian Mafia. Nicholas "Nick Morello" Terranova took over the 116th Street Mob , and became in boiled in the Mafia-Camorra War. Links to Calabrias Mafia, the "Ndrangheta", exist in Northern Italy. (Gang Intelligence 101), In 1986, Texas Syndicate member Rogelio Hernandez murders Officer Jose Herrera during an attempted escape from the Webb County Jail. Western District of Texas (210) 384-7100 In Del Rio, three Texas Syndicate members from Uvalde, Texas, face up to life in federal prison after a federal jury convicted them last night of. 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. In October 2002, Rodriguez, Sanchez, and other Texas Syndicate members were said to have voted at a Texas Syndicate meeting to have fellow Texas Syndicate member, Mata, murdered. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. The latter policy would be reversed in the 1980s. Current Location: Most of Texas, Other Zones in The United States; "We don't tolerate none of our members who do that," Mendoza said in a face-to-face interview at a state penitentiary about 25 miles outside Huntsville. 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. Coppola later moved to South Florida and effectively retired. The rules require that a member continue his . The street gangs caught up with me," said Mendoza, who while in prison used ash, shampoo and a needle to ink his first Syndicate tattoo. He instead charged at the deputy while continuing to swing the weapon, a district attorneys office spokesman said. The day would be labeled Bloody Sunday. Sorted by District. This allowed the Sicilian to maintain dominance and control over New York City and the remaining Camorra gangs joined forces with Sicilian gangs. In the movie " In With Thieves " A blood diamond deal goes wrong which throws Albanian Mafioso into chaos in the criminal underworld. Coppola was also supervising the illegal number racket that was once controlled by Dutch Schultz before his murder. Law enforcement officials and Syndicate members said that the newer generation is more likely to turn their backs on tradition and take deals in exchange for leniency. Get 1 of our top plays and be on your way to big winnings. Members of the Texas Syndicate are bound by a set of strict rules which ensure loyalty and participation in the enterprise's. The Texas Syndicate (Spanish:Syndicato Tejano) is a mostly-Mexican criminal group founded in Folsom State Prison, California, in the 1970s. After Salazar, authorities have named Robert Velez as the leader Both the Texas Syndicate and Mexikanemi team up against the Barrio Azteca. 15-51164 (5th Cir. They include: Jose Alberto Ruiz (a.k.a. Hunstville, Texas. Of the handful of prison gangs in Texas, the TS had operated mainly in the other big cities in the state -- Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth and Austin. Bebito) of Uvalde; Mark Anthony Vela of Hondo, Texas; Mario Alberto Gonzales (a.k.a. We haven't found a single catalogue or brochure for travelling at the agency, computers were not operating, nor has the printer been ever used. (Gang Intelligence 101), In 1995, the Texas Syndicate declares war on a Mexican gang known as Mexicles. Allies: Texas Mafia, Los Zetas; In addition to the narcotics charges, Cuellar also pleaded guilty to unlawfully accessing a police department computer in order to obtain law enforcement information regarding the co-conspirators. Saviano notes that the Camorra from Naples can't understand the Russian clans , which aren't based on family ties, and feels greater affinity with the Albanian crime families. Report: Houston is the No. Jurors found that Torres participated in this drug distribution ring as a member of the TS prison gang using the gangs drug distribution connections to aid him in obtaining cocaine to sell on the streets of Uvalde from August 1, 2009, until September 28, 2011. Belgium The Albanian mafia has deep roots in Belgium, which was recently a topic of a special programme on Belgian RTBF Channel One. building tenders disappeared, the Syndicate's activities turned A- A+. over a "T.". 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