The defendants, allegedly, conspired to distribute methamphetamine/heroin in Austin, San Marcos, Luling, Gonzales, New Braunfels, Hutto, Kenedy, Seguin, Bastrop and Tuscaloosa, AL, since January 2018. Mendoza's biological father - a man he never knew - was also in the Texas Syndicate. COURTESY PHOTO. Victims of the violent crimes were often those who transgressed Texas Syndicate rules regardless of whether it was done knowingly or unknowingly. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( Number codes change on a periodic Twelve San Antonio based Texas Mexican Mafia members and - DEA He said that while old-school gangsters were known for keeping a low profile, a new breed is more brash and willingly draws the attention of law enforcement. Although the rules of the Texas Syndicate exclude shady or devious characters, members who commit murders, aggravated assaults, robberies, or traffic in illegal drugs are not classified as being of bad character. All 14 defendants have been charged with conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization (RICO) statute -- the same statute used to bring down the Mafia -- and the feds date the Texas Syndicate's "conspiracies" back to at least the mid-1990s. [1] The Texas Syndicate has approximately 1,300 members, the majority of whom are Mexican American males aged between 20 and 40. Performance meets portability with Apple's 2023 MacBook Pro. Juan Antonio Vasquez, a.k.a. In Tier 1 are Tango Blast, the Latin Kings, the Texas Mexican Mafia and Mara Salvatrucha. The last member of the Texas Syndicate on a 20-defendant federal indictment has been sent to prison, and federal officials say the sentencing effectively shut down the prison-based gang in San Antonio. Texas Syndicate - unitedgangs.com Federal, state and local authorities have arrested 17 members and associates of the Texas Syndicate in connection with a methamphetamine/heroin trafficking operation in central Texas announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash, FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division, Austin Police Chief Brian Manley, Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw, and Gonzales Police Chief Tim Crow. He is locked in a cell by himself 23 hours a day for his entire sentence. Jerry Donel (by vehicle) and Adam Chavez (right) are alleged to be members of the Texas Syndicate. He instead charged at the deputy while continuing to swing the weapon, a district attorneys office spokesman said. Texas' biggest gang threats - San Antonio Express-News TS has a paramilitary structure, headed by a president and vice More accurate investigations lower the number to about 4000, with some sources even going as low as 3800. Emilio Noyola, a.k.a. At the heart of that case: A Syndicate gangster turned federal informant was taken to Hooters by his buddies. West, age 33 If convicted, all face a maximum statutory sentence of life in prison: Roy Arredondo, Jr., a.k.a. Convicted killer Mike Mendoza Jr. shows his only "free-world" tattoo - "TS" for Texas Syndicate - in an interview. It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. Thousands of the gang's members are locked up in state and federal prisons, but even more are on the streets today, their wrath chilling. Our past efforts have been very productive and Members and associates of the Texas Syndicate committed crimes to achieve the enterprises economic goal of making money as well as to enforce the rules of the organization. 17 Texas Syndicate Members and Associates Arrested Based on Federal Both in cities and behind bars, members of the Texas Syndicate began using hand-signs and gang markings to show their allegiance to the group. He was held down in the so-called "Texas Syndicate Tank" by Syndicate soldiers in an El Paso jail and injected with heroin that had been smuggled inside. There also have been numerous instances of extortion, kidnapping, robberies and murders, both sanctioned and not sanctioned by the gang. toward the gang in prison. General Info "The arrests made as part of Operation Last Dance in San Antonio and the surrounding areas conclude a comprehensive investigation by DEA and our law enforcement partners into the criminal activities of violent local street gangs to include members of the Mexican Mafia, Texas Syndicate, and their criminal associates, said DEA Special Agent in Charge Steven S. Whipple, Houston Field Division. Four defendants, Marco Medina, David Gutierrez, Emilio Noyola and Sixto Salinas were arrested last week. While in prison, members ensure the safety of both allies and other affiliates. The indictment alleges that the conspiracy began in the mid-1990's and continued up to the date of this indictment. Hits are sanctioned against fellow gangsters by a majority vote of other members in a prison unit or city. Just this January, three were sentenced in the Rio Grande Valley to life without parole. An official website of the United States government. Members are . Sitting behind protective glass and screening, Mendoza said that as a teenager he thought he would one day be a Marine and wear a dress-blue uniform to make his mother proud. The Texas Syndicate (Spanish : Syndicato Tejano) is a mostly-Mexican criminal group founded in Folsom State Prison, California, in the 1970s. Authorities have indicted 18 alleged members of the Texas Syndicate gang on federal racketeering charges that blame some of them for four killings in San Antonio. Pantera, age 35 Hec; a.k.a. , Lt. Santos Cadena, Commander of the Dallas Police Department Gang Unit said, The Dallas Police Department Gang Unit is firmly committed to working with our federal counterparts to aggressively pursue the prosecution of violent gang members, such as those named in todays indictments. This indictment resulted from a Texas Anti-Gang Center (TAG) investigation conducted by San Antonio TAG member agencies including the DEA, FBI, San Antonio Police Departments Gang Unit, Bexar County Sheriffs Department, Bexar County District Attorneys Office, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Texas Department of Criminal Justice-Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). A Texas Syndicate gang member has been charged with aggravated assault of a public servant after he was accused of swinging a knife at a sheriffs deputy. Authorities contend that in the past decade, members of the Texas Syndicate, which is the state's original prison gang, have carried out at least 50 murders, solved or unsolved, in addition. Texas Legislature Online Senate Members Help | FAQ | Site Map | Contact | Login Mexican Mafia members sent to prison for slashings, shootings, drugs - mySA Texas Syndicate gang member accused of swinging knife while - Chron "The class and character of the members they bring in now is nothing like it was," said Darby, who has two murder convictions, including killing an ex-member who testified for the government. "We don't harm innocent people, man," contends Mike Mendoza Jr., 32, a second-generation Texas Syndicate member from Baytown who is serving life in prison for murder. This is a carousel. to drug trafficking, extortion, prostitution, protection, gambling, president resides, and their numbers continue to reach into state Michael Golson, Sr, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Dallas, said, This was a cooperative effort to combat armed narcotics traffickers and to make the streets of North Texas safer., The partnership between the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, local law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Attorneys Office has brought about these criminal charges. Most are retribution hits on their own members, associates or rivals, according to authorities. Most convicts who finish serving their sentence leave the gang life behind, with only a fraction continuing as street thugs. It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. Related: Texas Lottery crashes through a . Recruitment is achieved by demonstrating a "homeboy connection," Texas Syndicate - Texas Syndicate 18 now facing charges in Texas Syndicate case, What to know about the invasive hammerhead flatworms in Texas, TX juvenile department is sending more children to adult prisons. If convicted, all 14 face a maximum statutory sentence of life in prison. The street gang was involved in petty crime and many of its members were sent to prison and became associate members of the Texas Syndicate. Attorneys Matt Harding and Dan Guess are prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government. We spoke to hundreds of prison gang members - Yahoo News we look forward to future successes in making Dallas a safer city for all its residents.. He has the Texas Syndicates longhorns-type emblem on his face, according to the district attorneys office. Mendoza claimed he was defending himself because Benavidez had a gun. This would put the Texas Syndicate in contact with several Mexican-based cartels. Nous, Yahoo, faisons partie de la famille de marques Yahoo. The Texas Syndicate's golden rule is as simple as it is merciless: Betray us and you're dead. Prison units are individually controlled by a local chairman and vice chairman. mesurer votre utilisation de nos sites et applications. Whether youre shopping Way Day 2023 or Walmart, theres an al fresco set for you. The purpose of the TAG Center in San Antonio is to provide a one-stop information sharing environment for federal, state and local law enforcement to combat and target gang violence in and around San Antonio. The 90s and The Cartels Munch, age 29 (stophoustongangs.org), The Texas Syndicate is known to keep strict discipline among its members, and not tolerate disrespect to prison guards or other authorities. Attorneys Chad Meacham and Jerri Sims. In Mendoza's case, that means forever. In 2000, reports indicated the existence of roughly 20000 members. These are Texas' biggest gang threats - Beaumont Enterprise 3 Unbeatable Texas Syndicate Plays. Tri-City Bombers They have been reported in the Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Abidance by these laws was enforced with violence, often resulting in beatings or executions of those who crossed the line. Authorities contend that in the past decade, members of the Texas Syndicate, which is the state's original prison gang, have carried out at least 50 murders, solved or unsolved, in addition to countless extortions, kidnappings, robberies and assaults. Because four murders are included in the charges, the case could become a death-penalty prosecution if Attorney General Eric Holder signs off on it a first for the DEA in San Antonio, Fernandez told reporters. "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. After building tenders disappeared due to a court order, the Syndicate's activities turned to drug trafficking, extortion, prostitution, protection, illegal gambling, and contract killing. of 2004. The Dallas Police Department and our federal partners realize that by combining our areas of expertise and resources, we are able to achieve a greater level of efficacy in combating violent gangs in Dallas. Texas prisons were mostly gang-free until bloody battles broke out in 1984-85 between the Mexican Mafia and Texas Syndicate as well as the Aryan Brotherhood and Mandingo Warriors. Texas Syndicate DPS: Texas Syndicate (TS) is a violent prison gang that originated in the California penal system over 40 years ago. Four Uvalde Texas Syndicate Members Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison Sex Offender Faces up to 40 Years after Being Nabbed in Online Child Porn Sting. at Oakdale. Back in February, Texas Syndicate member Ernesto Medrano and some 20 of his fellow gang members were in a Dallas federal courtroom receiving multi-year prison sentences for importing hundreds of kilos of cocaine into the U.S. -- using military transport flights from Columbia to Ft. Bliss, Texas. Gang members sought permission or "gave notice" of intentions to leave, or enrolled in the prison system's two-year exit program. Beneath them in the gang hierarchy are captains, lieutenants, sergeants of arms, and numerous soldiers. Membership is for life. Our past efforts have been very productive and we look forward to future successes in making Dallas a safer city for all its residents.. $99.99. Manuel Mancha (center) coldly stares at cameras while joining six other alleged Texas Syndicate members for a hearing. 826 Hispanic members operate across Texas, including specific reportings Texas Syndicate gang member accused of swinging knife while charging at deputy. Formed in the California prison system in the 1970s by incarcerated Tejanos, the Texas Syndicate sought protection against Californios. 3.2: Criminal Gang Members - Workforce LibreTexts United States Attorney Richard B. Roper 1:41PM. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. 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 Comprised of Texans involved in HIV prevention and care, Texas HIV Syndicate members engage in collective learning through ongoing conversation and exploration of topics that affect . Syndicates are spending millions of dollars on Texas' lottery to beat and help keep the future of the Observer, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our, Dallas Observer's The Morning After Brunch. Primitivo Ybarra, a.k.a. The Texas Syndicate also operates in state and federal prisons across the United States, with significant activity being reported at FCI Oakdale in Louisiana and San Quentin State Prison in California, as well as some representation in the Florida Department of Corrections. Boozy Hill Country golf course tees off in New Braunfels, Cardi B speaks out on viral 'mean girls' TikTok at Astros game, 1 found dead inside Northwest side apartment; suspect in custody, Highest-rated restaurants for tacos in San Antonio, according to, Guess the rent of this Leon Valley apartment, Under-the-radar San Antonio burgers to try right now. Of those indicted, 14 are to be submitted for consideration. Hector Manuel Ayala, a.k.a. Upon their release from prison, gang members returned to Texas, renamed themselves the Texas Syndicate (TS), committed crimes, and wound up in TDCJ, where they developed an extensive. "In that indictment all you see is drug dealers getting robbed, ex-members getting killed.