On Tuesday, the Yolo Narcotic Enforcement Team, in a multi-jurisdiction effort led, by among others, the California Department of Justice, claimed 18 arrests which they said would disrupt a criminal gang network.
On Thursday, 11 of them were arraigned, although charges were dropped on at least one, and another subject of the warrant had been deported at least two years ago.
According to a release from the Attorney General’s Office, “The arrests highlight the Yolo Narcotic Enforcement Team’s (YONET) continued efforts in combating gangs and narcotics trafficking in our communities. YONET consists of all the law enforcement agencies in Yolo County and is led by the California Department of Justice.”
The operation in West Sacramento was named “Operation Red Sash” because of the Northern Riders and Broderick Boys criminal street gang affiliation with the color red and Norteños criminal gang.
During the operation, which began in November 2011, YONET agents served 12 state arrest warrants and 16 state search warrants in the West Sacramento, Sacramento and Roseville areas. The investigation has resulted in 18 arrests, 4 guns, body armor, a stun gun, and drugs. Everyone arrested will be booked into the Yolo County Jail.
“Operation Red Sash” targeted mid-level to high-level members who were distributers of illegal narcotics, according to the release.
They write, “Several of the members identified in this investigation are probationers, six are on parole, and several are validated gang members from Norteño, Northern Riders or Broderick Boys criminal street gangs.”
Those arrested face multiple felony charges related to narcotic trafficking, conspiracy to commit narcotic trafficking and participation in a criminal street gang. Today’s operation will cripple these criminal street gangs and their criminal enterprise network.
A warrant the Vanguard got ahold of, signed by Judge Timothy Fall, shows 16 targeted properties and ten named officials, of which nine were arrested in addition to eight others.
The warrant identified vehicles that the Yolo County District Attorney’s office sought to confiscate and acquire under forfeiture laws.
They were looking for meth, “articles of personal property tending to establish and document use, sales, transportation and/or conspiracy to use, sell and transport methamphetamine including,” weapons, cell phones, personal computers, and stolen property.
The warrant says, “Officer Herrera knows from training, experience and the course of this investigation that all or any part of the below items sought after will further establish the above mentioned subject’s participation in this felony crime and their gang affiliation will provide supporting evidence that they are an active criminal street gang members, who committed this felony crime in association with, or at the direction of or in conspiracy with, and/or for the benefit of a criminal street gang.”
As such they were looking primarily for red clothing: “Any gang related clothing to consist of such clothing as red belts, red shirts, red checkered shirts, pants with red stitching, tennis shoes with the color red, red sports hats or hats with the color red, and/or clothing that has written on it any moniker, gang symbol or words associated with the ‘Norteno’ criminal street gang or Norteno sets, such as Broderick Boys Nortenos and or Northern Ryder Nortenos…”
It was reported to the Vanguard that in one case, they confiscated the subject’s red clothing and nothing else, ignoring his large volume of blue clothing. Charges were dropped against this individual.
While the release claims that the targets were mid-level to high-level members, critics and those in the West Sacramento community argue that most of those arrested are nothing but low-level drug offenders. Some of them have gang ties, much of them through their prison time.
However, many are actually gang dropouts, known as Northern Riders or Northern Structure.
What exactly the Northern Riders are is the subject of some controversy. The group is a splinter group from California prisons after the Federal Government attempted to crack down on the Nuestra Familia – the prison gang that is affiliated with Norteños. That crack down produced chaos within the organization and led to a power struggle.
The Northern Riders many claim are simply a dropout of the Nuestra Familia. Because of prison culture, they have banded together to protect themselves from prison gangs like Nuestra Familia and the Mexican Mafia.
The FBI classifies the Northern Riders as one of two groups of former Norteño gang members that has now spilled onto the street whose rivals are both the Norteño and Sureño gang.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation classified the Northern Riders as a “disruptive group” instead of a prison gang. According to prison guidelines, a “disruptive group” consists of inmates who pose a threat to the physical safety of other inmates or prison staff members because of their activities.
However, in 2010, for the first time, defendants were charged with criminal charges that they had committed crimes to benefit the Northern Riders.
It remains to be seen what this hugely publicized raid actually yields. Sources, mainly community members, told the Vanguard most of these individuals were drug dealers, but most were dealing drugs to support personal habits, many of which went back quite a way.
A lot of them were either dropouts or affiliated with a gang mainly through their prison time. The notion that these are middle to high ranking street gang members is considered with a great deal of skepticism by community members.
—David M. Greenwald reporting
Did they find any Meth?
Who was arrested?
That is a good question Mr. Toad. They ought to bring themselves over here to Sacramento, especially the apartment complexes out by the airport that are hotbeds of drug trafficking…particularly Terracina Meadows. The place looks so nice…families and landscaping…but with lax management and families early to bed, the places hums with illegal drug activity late at night. Bold as brass too.
[quote]“It was reported to the Vanguard that in one case, they confiscated the subject’s red clothing and nothing else, ignoring his large volume of blue clothing. Charges were dropped against this individual.
While the release claims that the targets were mid-level to high-level members, critics and those in the West Sacramento community argue that most of those arrested are nothing but low-level drug offenders…..Sources, mainly community members, told the Vanguard most of these individuals were drug dealers, but most were dealing drugs to support personal habits, many of which went back quite a way.
A lot of them were either dropouts or affiliated with a gang mainly through their prison time. The notion that these are middle to high ranking street gang members is considered with a great deal of skepticism by community members.”[/quote]Arrested Tuesday, arraigned Thursday and then less than a day later, the subject of an in-depth [i]Vanguard[/i] piece again with the old refrain, “ain’t no gangs around here.”
David, what is your obsession in pooh-poohing anything about gangs, gang charges, gang affiliations, etc? You must have some special reason for going after this particular topic. Is there a story behind this particular interest?
Who are these “community member” sources? Is it more than one person? Are they gang leaders or just gang members with special knowledge about who is and is not a member of their own and other given gangs?
Are they the defendants’ attorneys? Their family members? Just neighbors? Why are they so anxious to immediately get to you with the story that those arrested are just drug-dealers. If those arrested are not affiliated, how do your sources just happen to know the whole lot of them?
If the community members know so much about the magnitude of these particular criminals, why did they not turn them in to authorities and try to clean up the area? It suggests these folks have some reason to fear the criminals in their neighborhood, maybe because of the high level of gang activity.
Are you sure that your sources aren’t being forced to tell you what the hoodlums want you to print?
“David, what is your obsession in pooh-poohing anything about gangs, gang charges, gang affiliations, etc? You must have some special reason for going after this particular topic. Is there a story behind this particular interest?”
Yes. (A) I’m skeptical that the authorities overplay their hand frequently with these gang crimes and (B) I think 186.22 Penal Code and worse yet the case law in California is particularly onerous to the point of eroding the rights of those accused of gang law.
“Who are these “community member” sources? Is it more than one person? Are they gang leaders or just gang members with special knowledge about who is and is not a member of their own and other given gangs?”
They are people who live in West Sacramento. They did not want to be identified by name, so I attempted to at least describe them briefly. More than one person. Not gang members, just people who live in the community and know many of those arrested.
“Are they the defendants’ attorneys? Their family members? Just neighbors?”
No. I don’t think they are family members. They are active in the community however.
“Why are they so anxious to immediately get to you with the story that those arrested are just drug-dealers. If those arrested are not affiliated, how do your sources just happen to know the whole lot of them?”
Because it’s a very tight-nit community and everyone knows everyone else. I went on a ride along once in West Sac and we arrested a guy, turned out I knew his mother and grandmother. That’s how small a world it is there.
“If the community members know so much about the magnitude of these particular criminals, why did they not turn them in to authorities and try to clean up the area? “
Because I think few people are going to turn in low level drug offenders and will instead attempt to deal with those problems in other ways.
“It suggests these folks have some reason to fear the criminals in their neighborhood, maybe because of the high level of gang activity.”
You’re being presumptuous.
“Are you sure that your sources aren’t being forced to tell you what the hoodlums want you to print?”
I’m pretty sure that you really have no connection to this community and no idea the dynamics or what people are doing to try to improve their neighborhoods. It does lead me to perhaps want to cover a few stories that might shed more positive light on what is going on.
[quote]It does lead me to perhaps want to cover a few stories that might shed more positive light on what is going on.[/quote]
You want to shed more positive light on drug dealing?
“You want to shed more positive light on drug dealing?”
Yes, that’s what I want. You got me.
ERM
With regard to David”s statement, “I’m pretty sure that you really have no connection to this community and no idea the dynamics or what people are doing to try to improve their neighborhoods. It does lead me to perhaps want to cover a few stories that might shed more positive light on what is going on.”
Were you really unclear that his desire “to cover a few stories that might shed more positive light on what is going on” was a direct reference to his preceding statement ” what people are doning to try to improve their neighborhoods”, or was this just a cheap shot? If that latter, I am surprised since for me this comes no where near your usual standard of thoughtful commentary.
Thank you for providing this additional information about how you approach these stories. It makes me realize why we are so far apart on some issues while we are in almost total agreement on many. It’s really helpful.
I resist claims that law enforcement must get a certain wrong since they almost always get it wrong. That’s because I’ve seen them get it right most of the time and I’ve never had a family member or close acquaintance unfairly treated by police or prosecutors (with the exception of one Salem witch). I realize authorities are fully capable of and have done wrong, however, I don’t yet don’t assume “there they go again” when someone is arrested or charged.
That you have family and friends in West Sac is a good explanation of how and why you’re on top of all of these allegations of gang crime. It also suggests that you should take care in your reporting to avoid a kind of boosterism bias hat certainly would be understandable.
I’m pretty sure from what I’ve read that gangs are alive and well in West Sac. Since I don’t have any intimate connections, I assume vigilant enforcement is appropriate. I also see efforts to minimize the negative impacts of gang activity as a “burying your head” approach. My “zero tolerance” view for gangs or wannabes or tagging for my hometown might not easily transfer to other communities, however.
I can see value in gangs, but feel they eventually lead to antisocial, violent behavior. I’d rather concentrate on fixing the things that result in people seeing gangs as an acceptable or necessary alternative. While being good at selling drugs probably takes the same training and skill sets as being good at selling refridgerators, and might be much more fun and exciting, I still pleased to see police and prosecutors cracking down at the first hint of gang enterprise in my city.
I may be presumptuous in questioning whether gang activity raises the level of fear in a specific community, but it seems like a pretty reasonably concern anywhere gangs operate. Labeling gang activities as low level and attempting to deal with the problems without police could mean some level of fear has gotten built into the community’s society.
“I resist claims that law enforcement must get a certain ACTION wrong since they almost always get it wrong.”
[quote]Were you really unclear that his desire “to cover a few stories that might shed more positive light on what is going on” was a direct reference to his preceding statement ” what people are doning to try to improve their neighborhoods”, or was this just a cheap shot? If that latter, I am surprised since for me this comes no where near your usual standard of thoughtful commentary.[/quote]
Perhaps it is overfatigue, not sure. I didn’t read it the same way you did! It was not intended as a cheap shot (not my style). I think I got the idea from parts of the previous thread, to wit:
[quote]JustSaying: “Why are they so anxious to immediately get to you with the story that those arrested are just drug-dealers. If those arrested are not affiliated, how do your sources just happen to know the whole lot of them?”
dmg: Because it’s a very tight-nit community and everyone knows everyone else. I went on a ride along once in West Sac and we arrested a guy, turned out I knew his mother and grandmother. That’s how small a world it is there.
JustSaying: “If the community members know so much about the magnitude of these particular criminals, why did they not turn them in to authorities and try to clean up the area? ”
dmg: Because I think few people are going to turn in low level drug offenders and will instead attempt to deal with those problems in other ways. [/quote]
In other words it sounds as if West Sac is a den of low level drug dealing, where no one is about to turn a dealer friend in to the police…
My niece who used to live in West Sac some time ago said that West Sac doesn’t have a gang problem as much as they have a drug problem.
“That you have family and friends in West Sac is a good explanation of how and why you’re on top of all of these allegations of gang crime. “
I do not have family in West Sacramento and there are people I know in West Sacramento that I have met through my Vanguard duties, I don’t have a social relationship with any of them. I don’t know where you got the idea I had family or friends there, but it is not accurate.
[quote]I do not have family in West Sacramento and there are people I know in West Sacramento that I have met through my Vanguard duties, I don’t have a social relationship with any of them. I don’t know where you got the idea I had family or friends there, but it is not accurate.[/quote]
Thanks for the explanation. I couldn’t figure out where JustSaying got the idea you had relatives in West Sac either…
I can shed some light on who the northern riders are. My cuzin works at a prison in the california prisons. One thing i will say is the northern riders are the fastest growing group in the california prison system due to what they used to be part of the nortenos. Know from my understanding the nortenos have been killing each other for dumb reasons if they dont like you they try to kill you now in the modestocalifornia downtown county jail they are in general population they have their own jumpsuits which is yellow and white. These guys are doing alot of crazy stuff they were in protective custody for their own protection from the nortenos why they were in PC was because they were an undocumented gang against one of the five biggest prison gangs not because they snitch. Know how they ended up in GENERAL POPULATION was they all started beating up and stabbing the snitchs the child molesters rapist and gay people that need to be housed in protective custody they didnt want PROTCTIVE CUSTODY because they felt they are not to be in PC because the kinda people that are in protective custody. The thing that is odd is they are the fastest growing gang they grew from 10 member to 1000 member in less than 10 years it shows the seriousness of the problem the law has they act like their is no problem but their is in the modesto are the northern riders are recruitin people in neigborhood and are shooting people. hope things change for the best but time will tell
David, I guess I read more into your comments about your West Sac contacts and relationships–and how you get such immediate feedback when people get arrested for gang related crimes–including your ride-along experiece, as well as what I saw as your comparison that I “really have no connection to this community….”
I meant to be agreeing in a positive way that you were operating from a much closer connection and the resulting deeper understanding about the community than I had. Hope it came across in that positive way even though I misread and, therefore, overstated your relationship. I look forward to your stories to provide some insight about what goes on in this tight-knit community.
Unfortunately, the story I wanted to do where the community had done a boxing clinic and worked with the city and police, it appears to have been shot down by the people involved. I think there are a lot of good community efforts going on to improve things, and ultimately that and not police action is going t o lead to improvements for those who live there. But that will be a story for another day it seems.