LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Los Angeles County Inspector General Max Huntsman has accused Sheriff Alex Villanueva of promoting a code of silence'' around secret societies within his department, but Villanueva calls the IG's actions purely politically driven and an attempt to undermine the department.''. Escobedo was unable to work for a week afterwards, according to the suit. The trainees were reportedly told that if they stole anything from a suspect, they should dispose of it outside of the station. Terms of Use WebThe East Los Angeles Sheriffs station has the most documented history of deputy gangs. Hernandez told investigators the truth. One of the deputies approached him and told him to step back and he said, Im nowhere near whats going on. In December 2013, Lopez was informed that if she didnt immediately request a transfer to Century Station, she would have to return to East LA. L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis, who represents East L.A., said in an emailed statement: "It is shameful to learn that the number of deputy gang members, specifically from the Banditos, have increased and now include those who have enabled and hid their misconduct. The inspector generals new figures add to a growing body of information about the secretive groups, which have existed in the Sheriffs Department for decades. Im not bothering anybody. Deputy Christopher Wargo drove to the location and blocked Lopezs patrol car so she could not move and ordered her out of the vehicle. County lawyers instructed the deputy not to answer questions about whether he has the Executioners tattoo, which is a skull with a rifle and a military-style helmet, surrounded by flames. It says this has happened "dozens" of times over the last three years. LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Sheriff Alex Villanueva says he intends to fire or suspend 26 deputies for misconduct related to a 2018 attack by the "Banditos" deputy The group embraces the tradition of violence passed down by the gangs that came before them and turns on anyone who questions them. The federal probe follows allegations of beatings and harassment by members of the Banditos, a group of deputies assigned to the Sheriffs Departments East L.A. station who brand themselves with matching tattoos of a skeleton outfitted with a sombrero, bandolier and pistol. Villanueva blamed the situation on "a leadership team that fell asleep at the switch.". Lopez was later contacted by ALADS union representative Julie Patrelli, who told her that East LA Captain James Wolak was willing to send Lopez to Cerritos Station. She was assigned to the Los Angeles County Jail until transferring to the East LA Station in 2011 where she began training to become a patrol officer, according to court documents. More LA Sheriffs Officials Accused of Misconduct in Banditos opened an investigation The incident was never investigated, despite it being reported, according to the complaint. There are 30 alleged members of the Executioners operating from the Compton station. Munoz, Eldemira Parra, Andrea Villa, and Claudia Perez controlled the calls through dispatch, and would send Granados and other plaintiffs out at the end of their shifts, forcing them to stay past their work time. While Deputy Granados encountered other deputies firing guns at a suspect and pulled over his vehicle, he was written up for misconduct by Diana Woodward. Hish told her that Gonzalez had allegedly hazed a deputy, which she denies. It describes members of the group as maintaining control by intimidation of other deputies and control of key positions, including dispatcher, scheduling deputy and training officer. But her attorney, Gregory Smith, says the damage was done. A deputy came to his home as Gray was moving a car into his driveway. Going back to 2016, the lawsuit alleges, the Banditos repeatedly denied backup to the plaintiff deputies on dangerous calls, pressured them to quit or leave the station and sent hostile messages on work computers. Theyve been called "gangs" because they wear matching tattoos, operate in secrecy, and have initiation rituals. Will It Solve The Problem? Privacy Policy. The new defendants include two commanders, three captains, two lieutenants and 41 deputies, according to plaintiffs attorney Vincent Miller. In 2014, Gonzalez took the exam to become a Field Training Officer, and in July of that year, Master Field Training Officer Angelica Estrada assigned Gonzalez to be a mentor to new deputies. In an interview with KPCC/LAist, Murakami denied that he's a member of the group. At the time, then-interim Sheriff John Scott announced he would share the results of an investigation into claims of bullying by the Banditos, yet the probe has Lopezs lawsuit states that the harassment continued after she complained. The Top 5 newsletter catches you up with LAs top 5 stories in just 3 minutes. On March 8, 2012, Barsh filed a Policy of Equity (POE), a practice that prohibits discrimination against County employees on a variety of bases, on Lopezs behalf and told Captain Henry Romero about the Banditos threats and harassment. The suit also claims Banditos encourage deputies to increase their arrest numbers by planting evidence on suspects. They were treating her like a housewife, says Gregory Smith, Lopezs attorney. A Tradition of Violence is hosted and executive produced by Cerise Castle. On April 10, 2013, Lopez found a dead rat underneath the drivers side door of her vehicle. At East L.A., Gonzalez discovered, there was a shadow government: a secretive group of sheriffs deputies known as the Banditos. He says that Lopez left California altogether in an attempt to leave the trauma behind. Here's Why It's Especially Dangerous To Hike SoCal Mountains Right Now, How 4 Words Upended A University's Journalism Program, And Stirred A Reckoning Over Race, What A Popular Yoga Teacher's Descent Into Conspiracy Theories Says About The 'Wellness To QAnon Pipeline', Ancient Lung Disease Strikes Countertop Cutters In LA. On that shift Lopez saw Wargo purchase reports, meaning that Wargo would write arrest reports for other deputies as part of initiation into the gang. The Sheriffs wife, a retired LASD employee, allegedly put out messages telling deputy gang members to keep their heads up. and Many who are not recruited go along with the gangs requirements for fear of retaliation. The FBI The incident was the focus of two internal Sheriffs Department investigations one of which Villanueva has said led to the discipline of 26 employees as well as a report by the Office of Inspector General. We believe when reliable local reporting is widely available, the entire community benefits. She also told Lopez she would contact her on August 11 with a work schedule, which Lopez received. Two of the men are veterans with more than a decade on the job. Deputy gangs, or Over the past 30 years, litigation related to deputy gangs at the East LA Station has cost taxpayers more than $36 million. In a letter dated Monday, Inspector General Max Huntsman said his office has compiled a partial list that includes 11 deputies who allegedly belong to the Banditos, which operate out of the East L.A. sheriffs station, and 30 alleged Executioners from the Compton sheriffs station. She previously covered the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, focusing on accountability stories and writing about failures by officials to comply with transparency laws. LASD has never thoroughly investigated allegations of gang corruption, and this case is no exception, Huntsman told The Times. The other plaintiff deputies continued to face harassment from Banditos associates. The sheriff said previously that he cracked down on the Banditos presence in East Los Angeles as one of his first acts upon being sworn in. Mejia later lied in a deposition and claimed he didnt see the letter until 2019. READ NEXT: The Pink Hand, Big Listo, and Crook. The claim states that Captain Mejia wrote a memo in June of 2018 to the County recommending an investigation into the Banditos. Deputy Woodrow Kim, who was listed as a witness, stated Saavedra was lying about the claim in the IA investigation. In their claim, the deputies allege that Raymond Mendoza, Jonathan Rojas, Woodrow Kim, Juan Sanchez, and Luis Valle have recently served and continue to serve as field training officers (FTO). The deputy kept hitting him in his testicles and calling him a monkey. Mismanagement, Sloppy Hiring Practices, Lack Of Transparency. Will Orange County's Fledgling Clean Power Agency Survive? Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. According to Lopezs complaint, the employees who had been moved as a result of her complaint were returned to the East LA station on December 27, 2012, without her receiving prior notification. Deputies Garcia, Rodriguez, Munoz, and Silverio fled the scene in Garcias car and drove to the East LA Station. Gonzalez said under oath that in the summer of 2013, shortly after being given the day off and mentioning plans to travel to Hawaii, she received a text message sent to a group she was in with Deputy Jose Rauno. All eight requested transfers out of East L.A. and moved to other stations earlier this year, according to their attorney, Vincent Miller. Thirty-one of these allegedly are themselves Banditos, associates, or prospects for the gang, he said. 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In early March 2012, someone posted a phony Department Personnel Transfer Request at the East LA station with Lopezs name on it. LASD does not appear to have disciplined anyone for the text exchange. Its just smoke and mirrors, its just a pretend at reform.. The top watchdog for the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department has identified more than 40 alleged members of gang-like groups of deputies that operate out of two sheriffs stations. . I went to the trial for a day or two and the Deputy DA who was trying the case had no partner. Zaredinis partner worked 12-14 hour shifts because he feared what would happen to Zaredini alone. In an unprecedented lawsuit, eight Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies Wednesday accused a group of their colleagues at the department's East L.A. station of being members of a secret "criminal gang" that violates their civil rights with a campaign of harassment and physical attacks. The Banditos are said to operate out of the sheriffs East L.A. station, and sport tattoos of gun-wielding skeletons wearing sombreros. Please exercise self-care and check in with yourself before choosing to read. Gonzalez developed high blood pressure and a heart condition which led to her removal from the field. According to a complaint, Lopez wasnt given adequate time to prepare administrative paperwork, supervisors at the East LA station refused to sign off on her reports, and detectives didnt file or investigate her cases. She even contends that Hish manipulated her score in order to keep her from moving up in rank. Today, the station is dominated Banditos. Eight Los Angeles County Sheriffs deputies are suing the county, saying they were pressured by the Banditos gang to quit their jobs or leave the East Los Angeles station. the F.B.I. Sgt. A new policy is meaningless if you dont actually enforce it, said Miller, the attorney representing the deputies. Deputies who are members have adopted gang expressions, the lawsuit says. On October 25, 2012, her car was vandalized while parked at the East LA Station. And any time youre a Black man, somebody calling you a monkey, in my book, thats racism, Orange tells Knock LA. Current deputies out of the East Los Angeles station say the existence of gangs within law enforcement has been a problem in the area. She's Granados reported this to Woodwards supervisor, Sergeant Albert Maldonado, who initially discarded the write-up. Knock LA is a nonprofit community journalism project, originally conceived by Ground Game LA. At least four secret cliques or gangs of sheriffs deputies with names like the Banditos and the Executioners continue to operate and recruit within the L.A. This is America, Orange recounts. The Fort Apache insignia, which depicts a riot helmet and a boot with the words Low profile and siempre una patada en los pantalones or always a swift kick in the pants, was created at the station during the Chicano Moratorium, when deputies brutalized hundreds of people gathered to protest the Vietnam War. Cliques? In one claim, Miller, the deputies attorney, portrayed the East L.A station at the time of the fight as a place run by the Banditos in a similar manner to prisoners running a prison yard. Deputy Zaredini was allegedly left without backup for most of the summer of 2018 under the direction of Munoz, Eldemira Parra, Andrea Villa, and Claudia Perez. , including the charge that the Banditos named as defendants in the lawsuit attacked fellow deputies at a September 2018 off-duty party, leaving two unconscious and sending them to the hospital. Vincent Miller, an attorney for the whistleblower deputies, says that the gang was looking for Gonzalez, but didnt hesitate to beat up other deputies as well, including: Deputies Jose Fuentes, Art Hernandez, Oscar Escobedo, and David Casas. ", Villanueva did Just a few months later, Deputy Gregory Rodriguez made one final attempt to recruit Deputy Mario Contreras to the gang. Once she arrived at Century Station, Lopez was assigned to the Youth Activity League, which significantly impacted her career prospects, according to her lawsuit. July 19, 2021. In reality, Villanueva sent notices to terminate Banditos Rafael Munoz, Gregory Rodriguez, and David Silverio, as well as discipline plaintiff deputies in what appears to be retaliation. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has repeatedly touted what he says was his first act in office in December 2018: removing the captain of East L.A. station, where a group of tattooed deputies known as the Banditos ran roughshod and dictated where deputies would be assigned. The L.A. County Sheriffs Department Inspector General has identified dozens of deputies who are allegedly members of gang-like groups that operate out of the East L.A. and Compton stations. Villanueva has said hes the first sheriff to have implemented a policy that prohibits membership in illicit groups. In 2016, Munoz, Deputies David Silver Silverio, Vincent Moran, Anthony Pacheco, Leo Sanchez, and associate Andrea Villa forced Casas to pay taxes to the gang a scheme allegedly cooked up by Noel Lopez, Mark Elizondo, Munoz, Rodriguez, and Silverio. However, he was found not guilty by a jury. However, the inquiry did not examine the allegations of withholding backup, according to the complaint. At the end of the call he followed Lopez to her car. Members typically get matching tattoos and go by names such as the Grim Reapers and Jump Out Boys. Patrelli instead scheduled a meeting with Lopez and Division Commander Henry Romero, who had been her captain at East LA. She was moved to the day shift in an attempt to alleviate the abuse she was facing, but still worked near FTO Valdez and Christopher Valente, who had been implicated in her complaint. She was able to maintain control of the weapon but fell backwards into a wall, hitting the back of her head. The next evening, LASD held a department-sponsored party at Kennedy Hall. The Banditos of the East Los Angeles Sheriffs Station seemed not only to embrace the tradition of terrorizing surrounding communities, but celebrate the Knock LA is a nonprofit community journalism project, originally conceived by Ground Game LA. Community members speak out at a town hall in East Los Angeles on July 10, protesting the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Departments handling of the Banditos, an Granados and Zaredini both suffered retaliation for blowing the whistle, according to the complaint. Patrelli contacted her again and told her that she would actually be going to the County Services Bureau USC Hospital location. "Other taxes take the form of sexual favors from female deputies," according to the complaint. As described by Huntsman, the Executioners A second investigation into the Kennedy Hall incident initiated by Sheriff Villanueva resulted in the termination of Deputies Gregory Rodriguez, David Silverio, and Sergeant Michael Hernandez, all members of the Banditos. While under oath in a deposition, Rauno confirmed that he sent the message to the group. She contacted the Back to Work Unit but was told they could not help her, and advised her to contact the station Director. Current leaders include Rafael Rene Munoz AKA Big Listo, Gregory G-Rod Rodriguez, David Silver Silverio, Michael Bam Bam Hernandez, Silvano Cholo Garcia, Vincent Moran, and Raymond Mendoza, who call themselves shot callers. Part of A Tradition of Violence, an extensive investigation into more than five decades of abuse, terror, and murder carried out by gangs within the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. She attempted to contact Romero about the status of her transfer request, but he was allegedly unavailable. The money has been used for legal fees for some defendants in the claim and vacations for Banditos members to Thailand. repeat Dear reader, we're asking you to help us keep local news available for all. Christopher Gray, who is Black, is originally from Idaho. . Deputy Christopher Moore, who was on-duty and assigned to the party, stood by and watched the assault. Hernandezs former FTO Marcelo Reaper Ortega and Contreras former FTO Elizondo also told him not to speak about what had happened. "The Pink Hand's dominance of the management at the East Los Angeles Station was so strong, she was also nicknamed 'the Red Queen,'" the suit contends. Gonzalez passed the exam, and Smith says she is currently a Patrol Sergeant. According to a lawsuit filed by eight East L.A. deputies and the A.C.L.U., the Banditos gang "controls the East Los Angeles station like inmates running a prison yard." Instead of investigating her claim, the department began investigating her. Jefferson Chow, who has been in the department for 26 years, was tasked with investigating a September 2018 fight between deputies at a department party at Kennedy Hall in East Los Angeles. Her case settled for $1 million in 2019. Members have a common tattoo on their legs of a skeleton with a bushy mustache wearing a sombrero and bandolier holding a pistol, all of which are sequentially numbered. Smitson, Perez, and Sergeant Estrada informed the Banditos that Granados and Zaredini had blown the whistle. As she was completing a victim interview, Hernandez began cursing at her. Eight L.A. County sheriffs deputies allege in a lawsuit that they were routinely harassed by a gang of deputies at the departments East L.A. station who have matching tattoos. The Banditos now ran East LA. The updated lawsuit cites text messages between a group of deputies after the incident in which one jokes about the 245 at the party, referring to the penal code section for assault. A deputy grabbed him and cuffed him. Her doctor placed her on medical leave again. Member activities allegedly include leaving dead rats for enemies and killing teenagers. Based on the information that I have, that is incorrect. After taking office in December 2018, Sheriff Alex Villanueva removed the captain and transferred numerous deputies out of the East L.A. station. Chavez also said the 36 people moved from the station reflected general transfers, retirements or promotions, not a response to allegations centered around the Banditos. The timing of this letter suggests Mr. Huntsman is using his public office and resources to campaign against the sheriff leading up to the June primaries.. Commander Ernie Chavez has admitted Villanueva did not transfer any Banditos, nor ask Chavez to investigate. The Banditos consist primarily of Latinx LASD personnel, and allegedly do not allow women to become full-fledged members. We believe when reliable local reporting is widely available, the entire community benefits. She signed up to take the sergeants exam to seek a promotion in July 2013, but was unable to take it because of continued harassment, despite her not coming into the station regularly. Leaders, known as "shot-callers," determined deputies' hours, promotions, even days off. The lawsuit claims the department is "permeated by criminal gang culture" beyond the Banditos. If you're enjoying this article, you'll love my daily morning newsletter, How To LA. Lopez states in her complaint that around this time, she became the subject of sexual harassment by male deputies. But the eight deputies this week filed an updated lawsuit with new allegations, including that the Banditos recently had an inking party where 10 deputies were tattooed, raising the total number of members to 100. In all, eight deputies are demanding $60 million in a new lawsuit against Los Angeles County and four fellow deputies they say are members of the "Banditos" deputy gang. Sources within LASD told Knock LA that the Banditos recently held an inking party to add 10 new tattooed members to their ranks and take membership to 100. He said he did not know how many deputies were identified as having tattoos and said the name Executioners was coined by an attorney. Those who do not are pushed out. Sheriff Villanueva Just Brought It Back, LA Sheriff Watchdog: The First Amendment Shouldn't Shield Deputy Cliques, Tattoos From Scrutiny. When Sheriff Villanueva took over the department in December of 2018, he made it a priority to reinstate former employees with ties to deputy gangs, including Undersheriff Murakami and Caren Carl Mandoyan, a Grim Reaper. Inspector General Max Huntsman said that the investigation almost completely ignored evidence of the involvement of the Banditos which led to the assaultive conduct at Kennedy Hall, and that the investigation into the Banditos was a cover up by the sheriff and LASD. Bandito FTOs would demand taxes, handing their trainees empty envelopes and telling them to fill them with money, sometimes up to $2,000, by the end of the day. The memo included an anonymous letter detailing the Banditos wrongdoings. Youve got people who rigged internal affairs bureau investigations, Miller told LAist. The lawsuit says Banditos are given preferred parking spots at the station and collect taxes from young deputies, including through a recent fundraiser to help four of them pay for legal expenses related to these claims. Villanueva has generally downplayed the problem, saying cliques are nothing more than "hazing run amok" and "intergenerational rivalry. Subgroups? The charges were dismissed at a pre-trial hearing by the prosecutor after reviewing the cell phone video of Grays arrest. Murakami instructed Wolak to uphold the suspension on Villanuevas orders. The Sheriff's Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a retaliation lawsuit filed by a sheriffs lieutenant, a deputy associated with the Executioners testified last month that he had participated in deciding who could get a tattoo and had attended seven so-called inking parties. When one says that a person is in the car, it means that person is one of them. Just a few days later she was summoned into the Watch Commanders Office by Sergeants Hish and Florence, who were not her supervisors. For the latest national news from NPR and our live radio broadcast, visit The list includes 11 deputies allegedly belonging to the Banditos and operating out of the East LA sheriff's station. However, he and Deputy Louis Granados reported harassment that they had observed at the hands of Banditos to Captain (then Lieutenant) Richard Mejia. Banditos groom young deputies they are considering for membership in the group, assigning them mentors, the deputy said. She was placed on medical leave. What has previously been known about the groups has often been stitched together from allegations and testimony in lawsuits. Lieutenant David Infante, who previously worked at the East LA station and knew about the complaint, made it known to Lopezs supervising Sergeant, Veronica De La Rosa, that he didnt want Lopez at Century Station. In one of the more explosive allegations, the lawsuit claims Banditos declined to provide backup to deputies they don't like, endangering them and the public. Donate Now Instead of assisting Contreras, Perez and Rojas drove by and mocked him, according to the complaint. Taking office in December 2018, Sheriff Alex villanueva removed the captain and numerous! Smitson, Perez, and Smith says she is currently a patrol Sergeant her head a in. Later lied in a deposition, Rauno confirmed that he 's a member the... Lopezs attorney the men are veterans with more than a decade on information! 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