In the face of a drier future, that iconic piece of Americana is on its way out in Southern California. Gray was detained again on October 15, 2012. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. 18 deputy gangs that have operated within the department The suit also claims Banditos encourage deputies to increase their arrest numbers by planting evidence on suspects. Content Warning: This series explicitly details acts of violence (including murder) carried out by law enforcement officials. Lemus supervisor, Hugo Reynaga, initially marked the matter as resolved. They were treating her like a housewife, says Gregory Smith, Lopezs attorney. Did you investigate the Banditos? asked Vincent Miller, an attorney representing the eight deputies, according to a transcript of the deposition excerpts. However Deputy Brian Goodwin, Commander Chris Blasnek, and Commander James Wolak rigged the investigation to support a seven-day suspension of Zaredini, according to the lawsuit. Knock LA is a nonprofit community journalism project, originally conceived by Ground Game LA. Huntsman also said LASD ignored evidence that exists to support the conclusion that the Banditos are a gang-like clique and their influence has resulted in favoritism, sexism, racism, and violence ICIB did not want to delve into the Banditos involvement.. She had no assistants trying this case. Villanueva has generally downplayed the problem, saying cliques are nothing more than "hazing run amok" and "intergenerational rivalry. 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. Your tax-deductible financial support keeps our stories free to read, instead of hidden behind paywalls. 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. Gray was charged and prosecuted for intentionally obstructing a law enforcement officer from performing their duties. Rafael Munoz approached Casas on at least two occasions to ask him to be his eyes and ears in the southern part of the precinct. Los Banditos East LA Station has been a notorious LASD gang hub for decades, but not every deputy is welcome. She even contends that Hish manipulated her score in order to keep her from moving up in rank. On September 26, 2018, Deputies Munoz, Silverio, Rodriguez, and Moran apparently planned to attack Deputy Gonzales in order to make an example out of him. Patrelli refused to accompany Lopez to the meeting or send any other union representation saying, You should be grateful that Commander Romero is willing to meet with you!. Several videos taken at the scene show him standing several feet away from the car until he is arrested and taken into custody. A Los Angeles County sheriffs deputy associated with a gang-like group of deputies with matching tattoos testified that he has attended about seven inking parties.. . 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. 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. opened an investigation But he has also taken credit for addressing the problem by instituting a policy that prohibits deputies from joining groups that promote behavior that violates the rights of others. Twenty-four are currently stationed in East L.A. Later he was asked: To your knowledge, you were not brought in to quell the Banditos situation, correct?. The pair demanded she immediately resign from her mentoring position, and she was removed the following day. The lawsuit contends that even with the new leadership, the Banditos still effectively run the East L.A. station and that it remains a hostile workplace. They use word on the yard, a phrase used to explain what is being said among people in prison, according to the lawsuit. Deputy gangs, or All eight requested transfers out of East L.A. and moved to other stations earlier this year, according to their attorney, Vincent Miller. Those who do not are pushed out. The group embraces the tradition of violence passed down by the gangs that came before them and turns on anyone who questions them. The department did not respond to LAist's inquiry as to whether the policy has been formally adopted. Before this amendment, alleged members and associates of the gang included; Commander April Tardy; Captains Ernie Chavez (an alleged Vikings gang member), Richard Mejia, and Chris Perez; Lieutenants Eric Smitson, Anthony Easter, Edmundo Torres; Sergeant Angelica Estrada (AKA the Pink Hand); Rafael Rene Munoz (AKA Big Listo); Gregory Rodriguez (AKA G-Rod); David Silverio (AKA Silver); Michael Hernandez (AKA Bam Bam); Vincent Moran; Hector Soto Saavedra, who killed Paul Rea in 2019; Jeff Hamil; Jeff Chow; William Jaeger; Scott Chapman; Raymond Mendoza; Luis Carbajal; Braulio Robledo; Jonathan Rojas, who killed Anthony Vargas in 2018; Eldemira Para; Andrea Villa; Marc Elizondo; Nikolis Perez, who killed Anthony Vargas and Jorge Serrano in 2018; Kelly Porowsky; Woodrow Kim; Juan Sanchez; Aaron Abellano; Silvano Garcia; Joanna Macs Moran; Joanana Palombi; Jose Aceituno; Anthony Pacheco; Soraya Sanchez; Karla Sepulveda; Marcelo Ortega; Diana Woodward; Eduardo Muniz; Rebecca Cortez; Joe Mendoza; Erin Rosario; Jessica Santos; John Soria; Miguel Ortiz; Claudia Perez; Brian Goodwin; Manuel Palacios; Jodi Hutak; Pablo Partida; Noel Lopez; and Christopher Moore. Rodriguez was rehired despite being charged with falsifying the police report concerning the unlawful detainment and beating of Christopher Gray. , 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. Villanueva did not respond to questions about the discrepancies. Banditos meetings are held at the home of Deputy Noel Crook Lopez. Denham was later promoted to assistant sheriff by Sheriff Villanueva, and retired in 2019. The gang also established a culture at the station where deputies work backwards, meaning they arrest civilians then later come up with probable cause by planting and manufacturing evidence. Zaredini did not report the incident for fear of retaliation by the gang. Deputies Alfred Gonzalez, Oscar Escobedo, Ariela Lemus, Art Hernandez, Mario Contreras, David Casas, Louis Granados, and Benjamin Zaredini, the latter of whom was previously accused of being a Bandito, claim to have suffered at the hands of the gang for the past four years. Before joining The Times in 2016, she reported on crime and policing for the Glendale News-Press and Burbank Leader. Soon afterwards, Zaredini was removed as an FTO and lost his bonus pay. 3:20 p.m.: This article was updated to note that the Sheriff's Dept. The incident was never investigated, despite it being reported, according to the complaint. Hernandez told investigators the truth. Along with the county, the suit names four Banditos as defendants: Raphael "Rene" Munoz aka "Big Listo"; Gregory Rodriquez aka "G-Rod"; David Silverio aka "Silver", and Michael Hernandez aka "Bam Bam," who the complaint says was assigned to Men's Central Jail. The claim states that Captain Mejia wrote a memo in June of 2018 to the County recommending an investigation into the Banditos. 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. The new defendants represent a significant expansion of the civil rights and workplace harassment The Sheriffs Department may not refuse to produce the records requested below by unilaterally declaring that no deputy sheriff is a member of a law enforcement gang, Huntsman wrote, adding that the Banditos and Executioners may fall within the states definition of such a gang. Anthony Lowe was shot and killed by Huntington Park police on Jan. 26. The trainees were reportedly told that if they stole anything from a suspect, they should dispose of it outside of the station. Commander Ernie Chavez has admitted Villanueva did not transfer any Banditos, nor ask Chavez to investigate. In response to questions from The Times earlier this month, Villanueva said the Sheriffs Departments investigation into the Compton Executioners led to two terminations and 13 transfers out of the station. Casas also says he received several intimidating messages from the Banditos, including demands to stop working at the station and threats of assault. Banditos prospects Rojas, Perez, and Saavedra were allegedly given membership tattoos following the shooting deaths of Vargas and Rea. Rosa Gonzalez became the latest target of the Banditos abuses in December 2011, shortly after she arrived at the East LA Station. Its just smoke and mirrors, its just a pretend at reform.. On August 10, 2012, Deputy Troy Krautkramer, who had also been loaned out as a result of Lopezs POE, drove up to her in the rear parking lot of the East LA Station and used his vehicle to spray dirt on Lopez. Deputy Louis Granados claims that his number of calls went up in 2018 after he blew the whistle on the Banditos with Deputy Zaredini. The lawsuit claims the department is "permeated by criminal gang culture.". The Countys deputy gangs also subjected him to an experience that left him traumatized. Banditos groom young deputies they are considering for membership in the group, assigning them mentors, the deputy said. She immediately began to experience chest pains and shortness of breath, and was diagnosed with a stress-induced pre-heart attack condition. There are 30 alleged members of the Executioners operating from the Compton station. Former Undersheriff Ray Leyva stated in a deposition that Villanueva made a settlement with Deputy Gregory Rodriguez, a Bandito, shortly after Rodriguez was involved in the attack at Kennedy Hall. However, he was found not guilty by a jury. On October 25, 2012, her car was vandalized while parked at the East LA Station. Gonzalez was transferred to the Norwalk Station, but no action was taken against the sergeants. He said he did not know how many deputies were identified as having tattoos and said the name Executioners was coined by an attorney. LAPD Chief Moore also questioned officers' actions in the fatal shooting of Takar Smith, although not in two other fatal incidents. In August, Villanueva announced a zero tolerance policy on deputy cliques/subgroups engaging in misconduct, according to the statement. Mejia also claimed to have forgotten texts and phone calls he received from Deputy Oscar Escobedo reporting the hostile work environment. Mismanagement, Sloppy Hiring Practices, Lack Of Transparency. LA Sheriff Villanueva Toughens His Policy On Deputy Cliques. Cerise Castle | April 1, 2021 Part of A 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). 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. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Members of the Banditos can be identified by their signature tattoos of a skeleton wearing a sombrero, bandolier, and pistol. What are you going to do? On December 23, 2011, Deputy Eduardo Sanchez, another Banditos associate, swore at Lopez and demanded that she meet up with him. There were sexual implications to his request and she told him that she would not meet up with him alone. The lawsuit also alleges that the plaintiff deputies have been continually harassed through the filing of the amendment. At East L.A., Gonzalez discovered, there was a shadow government: a secretive group of sheriffs deputies known as the Banditos. Some of these goups have been accused of violence and harassment of both residents and colleagues. Thirty-one of these allegedly are themselves Banditos, associates, or prospects for the gang, he said. According to court documents, Villanueva also reinstated Danny Batman Batanero, one of the original 10 Banditos, and made him head of his security detail. The Banditos are a group of nearly 100 deputies who wear matching tattoos of a skeleton with a thick mustache, sombrero, pistol and bandolier, according to the suit. A new study finds that 16% of L.A. County Sheriffs deputies and supervisors said in an anonymous survey theyve been asked to join a secret clique. Murakami instructed Wolak to uphold the suspension on Villanuevas orders. Just a few months later, Deputy Gregory Rodriguez made one final attempt to recruit Deputy Mario Contreras to the gang. Eric Valdez and Veronica De La Rosa were promoted to the rank of sergeant, which they held as recently as 2019. 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. 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The lawsuit alleges Sgt. Instead, it issued this statement: Sheriff Alex Villanueva was the first sheriff in the history of LASD to implement a strict policy prohibiting cliques and sub-cultures, and he has repeatedly demonstrated his commitment to transparency and accountability.. I dont know who the Banditos are, Chavez, who is now a commander, said under oath in March. She's The other plaintiff deputies would provide assistance, despite the fact they would have to go outside of their respective areas of service. He ended up fiercely resisting oversight and clashing with watchdogs and the rest of the countys political establishment. He said that Villanueva did not discuss the problems at the station with him. He met his wife and the mother of his children in LA. We are dedicated to providing independent journalism and telling the real story of LA. The list includes 11 deputies allegedly belonging to the Banditos and operating out of the East LA sheriff's station. Villanueva told ABC7 on Tuesday, May 24, that the hearing was a political stunt that allowed witnesses to testify without cross-examination. 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. LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network. Youve got people who were put in leadership positions who were basically there to hide and minimize and cover up the extent of the deputy gang problem.. Los Angeles Countys top watchdog says in a report released Monday that substantial evidence exists that a secretive group of tattooed deputies at the East L.A. A look at years past when snows creeped into our citified neighborhoods, away from the mountains and foothills. Moore allegedly reported the attack directly to Banditos shot caller Raymond Mendoza. Donate Now In this latest filing, the plaintiffs have identified 17 additional alleged associates of the Banditos by name: Undersheriff Timothy Murakami (a tattooed Caveman), Sergeant Hugo Reynaga, Edmundo Torres, Hugo Ramos, Mario Castro, Manny Navarro, Nikki Hanamaki, Vincent Choi, James Wolack, Chris Blasnek, Albert Maldonado, Leo Sanchez, Elizabeth Aguilera, Luis Valle, Bobby Denham, and Anthony Rivera. Chavez said he was not told why he was being moved to the station and that he never made an effort to identify who belonged to the Banditos. In September 2018, two deputies were knocked unconscious at a department party at an event space called Kennedy Hall, the lawsuit says. Zaredinis partner worked 12-14 hour shifts because he feared what would happen to Zaredini alone. She previously covered the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, focusing on accountability stories and writing about failures by officials to comply with transparency laws. 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. The Banditos logo (Courtesy of Vincent Miller). Sgt. But new court documents that include sworn testimony from Chavez raise questions about and at times, contradict the sheriffs claims. 2023 Southern California Public Radio - All Rights Reserved, assertions made in legal claims filed in March and May, A Los Angeles Family Seeks Answers And Accountability After Black Mom Dies In Childbirth, A Brief History Of Why It Does Occasionally Snow In LA. Cliques? We had a captain that was gracious enough to take her in [his unit] and she just hid, says Gonzalezs attorney, Gregory Smith. 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. 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. April Valentine died at Centinela Hospital. Call Them What You Will There've Been 18 (Yes, 18) In The LA Sheriff's Department, A Controversial East LA Sheriff's Station Logo Was Banned. Will It Solve The Problem? He was elected in 2018 after running as a progressive Democrat who would reform the department. The Executioners were Patrelli instead scheduled a meeting with Lopez and Division Commander Henry Romero, who had been her captain at East LA. Just a few days later she was summoned into the Watch Commanders Office by Sergeants Hish and Florence, who were not her supervisors. the F.B.I. As she was completing a victim interview, Hernandez began cursing at her. In this role, the FTOs are able to abuse their trainees without any accountability. Mejia later lied in a deposition and claimed he didnt see the letter until 2019. Valdez appears to currently work as a sergeant at a different station. One of the deputies approached him and told him to step back and he said, Im nowhere near whats going on. She had no investigators. 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. Deputies Garcia, Rodriguez, Munoz, and Silverio fled the scene in Garcias car and drove to the East LA Station. Smith says that current Sheriff Alex Villanueva reached out to Gonzalez after taking office and assisted her with study for the Sergeants exam. Rodriguez told Contreras that he was going to be assigned to ride along with Munoz. A new policy is meaningless if you dont actually enforce it, said Miller, the attorney representing the deputies. In March and April 2018, two of the plaintiffs, deputies Louis Granados and Benjamin Zaredini, were "alarmed by the increasingly hostile and violent nature" of the Banditos' activities, the lawsuit states. Mismanagement, Sloppy Hiring Practices, Lack Of Transparency. A Tradition of Violence is hosted and executive produced by Cerise Castle. LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network. Members of the gang are given special privileges, like preferred parking spaces. Please exercise self-care and check in with yourself before choosing to read. The Banditos And Other LA Sheriff's Deputy Groups Are Now Being Investigated By The FBI, East LA Sheriff's Deputies File Suit Claiming Harassment, Violence By 'Banditos' Clique, Authorities ID Man Arrested In Killing Of LA Auxiliary Bishop David O'Connell As Husband Of Housekeeper, Huntington Park Police Shot, Killed Man Who Had Both Legs Amputated: What We Know So Far, LAPD Chief Bans Thin Blue Line Flag From Police Station Lobbies, Patrol Vehicles, And Uniforms, Mayor And City Council Members Express Concerns After LAPD Releases Footage Of Fatal Shootings, New LA Sheriff Says He Thinks Deputies Are Ready For A Stabilizer. 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 Traditionally, once deputy gang membership reaches 100, a new group is introduced. According to the lawsuit, the deputy detained, battered, and searched Gray without reasonable suspicion or probable cause. She was also regularly sent on calls with just a few minutes left on her shift. Sheriff Alex Villanueva has downplayed the issue, saying problems associated with the groups are often the result of drunken deputies getting into fights and taking issue with those who refer to them as deputy gangs. Last month, Villanueva sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Board of Supervisors, demanding that they and others stop using the phrase. However, the inquiry did not examine the allegations of withholding backup, according to the complaint. Around August 4, 2014, Gonzalez filed a formal grievance against Sergeant Peter Hish, an alleged Banditos member, and Sergeant Joel Flores, an admitted tattooed member of the gang, alleging that she was subjected to gender discrimination. READ NEXT: The Pink Hand, Big Listo, and Crook. The legal action also accuses L.A. County and Sheriff Alex Villanueva of failing to eradicate the Banditos and other problem cliques, which date back decades and whose members have risen to the highest ranks of the department. Members typically get matching tattoos and go by names such as the Grim Reapers and Jump Out Boys. Lopez was nervous about returning to a hostile environment, so she contacted the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs (ALADS) who told her they could not help. During the course of the investigations, the complaint alleges multiple Banditos members and associates lied about their knowledge of the gang and said they did not see the attacks. She quickly learned there was a power struggle going on between FTOs Hernandez and Valdez, along with the latters Banditos associates. Forty-seven Los Angeles County Sheriffs officials were added Monday as named defendants Lieutenant Eric Simpson allegedly buried the memo under the orders of Chief Bobby Denham. Although the plaintiffs were overwhelmed with calls, they were also denied backup by Munoz, Silverio, Rodriguez, Hector Soto Saavedra, Braulio Robledo, Jonathan Rojas, Nikolis Perez, Juan Sanchez, Aaron Abellano, Silvano Garcia, Claudia Perez, Vincent Moran, Edelmira Parra, Andrea Villa, and Eldimerra Parra. Mejia also appears to have lied in the civil suit concerning the killing of Anthony Vargas by stating he only knew about the Banditos gang through media reporting, and that he was unfamiliar with the criminal associations with the word shot caller. Those statements contradicted prior testimony in internal investigations. Lopez attempted to come back to work just over a month later, but was met with the same harassment as before. A report by Loyola Law School found Lopez was informed by other women in the department that Valdez expected female trainees to submit to male training officers, meaning she had to drink, party, and provide sexual favors upon request. 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. Granados reported this to Woodwards supervisor, Sergeant Albert Maldonado, who initially discarded the write-up. Deputy Christopher Wargo drove to the location and blocked Lopezs patrol car so she could not move and ordered her out of the vehicle. The lawsuit claims the department is "permeated by criminal gang culture" beyond the Banditos. repeat Every weekday, you'll get fresh, community-driven stories that catch you up with our independent local news. The plaintiffs originally filed claims in 2019, stating they had been attacked, beaten, and denied backup as a result of refusing to cooperate with the gang. Union Says It'll 'Wait And See', A Look Back At LA Sheriff Alex Villanueva's Tumultuous 4 Years, A Los Angeles Family Seeks Answers And Accountability After Black Mom Dies In Childbirth. She was not in a good way. Many of the people who violently harassed Lopez are still with the department. While under oath in a deposition, Rauno confirmed that he sent the message to the group. Other new Latino deputies have faced similar treatment court documents allege Bandito member Jose Aceituno shoulder checked another employee inside the East LA station. 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. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. The complaint alleges that the Banditos have controlled scheduling, assignments, and promotions at the East Los Angeles Station until relatively recently. July 19, 2021. The current undersheriff, Tim Murakami, has a "Cavemen" tattoo, according to the lawsuit. We believe when reliable local reporting is widely available, the entire community benefits. 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. Members have gang nicknames and use slang like ese and homes when speaking with each other. Escobedo was unable to work for a week afterwards, according to the suit. Once she rejected them, they retaliated against her. In November 2011, Deputy Andrew Hernandez, a Banditos associate, leered at Lopezs breasts in the hallway as she was leaving the womens locker room. Between 2019 and 2020, Sheriff Villanueva lied when he repeatedly claimed he transferred 36 Banditos out of the East LA Station and directed the Captain to investigate the gang. "They see who is eager to belong, who they can manipulate, who they can control easily," he said. Thank you for investing in your neighborhood. One of the new named defendants is Sheriff Alex Villanuevas chief of security, and another is his driver, according to Miller. For decades, but not every deputy is welcome several videos taken at the station with alone! Threats of assault includes 11 deputies allegedly belonging to the County recommending an into. Watchdogs and the rest of the Executioners operating from the car until he arrested... Read NEXT: the Pink Hand, Big Listo, and retired in.!, Im nowhere near whats going on who initially discarded the write-up and threats of.. Hand, Big Listo, and promotions at the East LA station belong... 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