In 1968,[10]Mexican American inmates of the California state prison system separated into two rival groups, Norteños (northerners)[6] and Sureños (southerners), according to the locations of their hometowns. Norteños, affiliated with Nuestra Familia, were prison enemies of the Southern Latinos, who are composed of members and affiliates of La Eme, better known as the Mexican Mafia. While La Eme had initially been created to protect Mexicans in prison, there was a perceived level of abuse by members of La Eme towards the imprisoned Latinos from rural farming areas of Northern California.[7] The spark that led to the ongoing war between Norteños and members of the Mexican Mafia involved a situation in which a La Eme allegedly stole a pair of shoes from a Northerner. This event put into motion the longest-running gang war in the state of California and the founding of Nuestra Familia.[7]
Culture
Norteños use the number 14 which represents the fourteenth letter of the English alphabet, the letter N, in order to pay allegiance to Nuestra Familia.[11][12] It is sometimes written in Roman numerals as XIV, or a hybrid of Roman and Arabic numerals, X4. Norteños use the color red to signify affiliation.[11] Some Norteños will tattoo themselves with four dots.[13] A Norteño derogatorily refers to a Sureño as a "scrap" (Hispanicized scrapa) or "Sur rat" (south rat). Norteños also use images of the Mexican American labor movement, such as the sombrero, machete, and the logo of the United Farm Workers which is a stylized black Azteceagle ("Huelga bird").[13]
Criminal activity
Tagging (graffiti) to vandalize a rival gang's territory
On January 9, 2005, in Ceres, California in Stanislaus County, Officer Sam Ryno was the first to respond to a call of a man with a gun in front of George's Liquors. Andres Raya, a U.S. Marine on leave after serving in Iraq, was armed with an SKS rifle and opened fire on officers, hitting Officer Ryno and killing Sergeant Stevenson. Raya was shot dead some time later after he opened fire on SWAT team members.[14]
Law enforcement officials claimed Raya had been involved in gangs for years prior to him signing up for military service. Modesto authorities discovered information during the investigation into the shooting that shows Raya was a Norteño gang member who was not involved in combat during his tour of duty in Iraq. A cooperative effort between local law enforcement, federal and military agencies revealed a large amount of information about Raya in a short amount of time.[15]
In August 2013, a shooting done by a documented Norteño killed 3 people and wounded four others at Taco Choice, a Mexican restaurant and bar in Salinas, California. The gunman, a 21-year-old Giovanni Pacheco, was sentenced to life without parole.[16]
Operation Black Widow
Federal law enforcement agencies, long unable to infiltrate the group, began to step up their investigations in the late 1990s. In 2000 and 2001, 22 members were indicted on Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) charges, including several who were allegedly serving as high-ranking gang leaders while confined in Pelican Bay State Prison in northern California.[6] Thirteen of the defendants pleaded guilty; the other cases are still ongoing. Two of the defendants face the death penalty for ordering murders related to the drug trafficking. The largest of the federal investigations was Operation Black Widow.[6] In the aftermath of Operation Black Widow, the five highest ranking leaders of the Norteños were transferred to a federal supermax prison in Florence, Colorado.
^"Tracking Surenos - Article - POLICE Magazine". Policemag.com. February 1, 2000. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
^Reynolds, Julia (2014). Blood in the Fields: Ten Years Inside California's Nuestra Familia Gang. Chicago Review Press. p. 9.
^ abcdReiterman, Tim (February 24, 2008). . Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 2, 2008.
^ abc"Gang Injunction". Oaklandcityattorney.org. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
^ abcd(PDF). Narcotics Digest Weekly: 1–12. October 4, 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 24, 2006.
^ abcd. The Press Democrat. Archived from the original on May 8, 2001. Retrieved February 21, 2001.
^ abcHennessey, Virginia (November 23, 2003). . The Monterey County Herald. Archived from the original on April 30, 2006. Retrieved June 13, 2009.
^Richard Valdemar (August 7, 2007). "Exceptions to the Gang Rules". Police Maganize. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
^(PDF). Tulare County Sheriff's Department. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 2, 2013. Retrieved February 29, 2012.
^Kinnear, Karen L. (2008). Gangs: A Reference Handbook (Contemporary World Issues). Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO. p. 192. ISBN978-1-59884-125-1.
^ abBulwa, Demian (May 27, 2005). "Sureño gang's threat growing in Bay Area". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved June 13, 2009.
^Barkan, S. E., & Bryjak, G. J. (2011). Fundamentals of criminal justice: A sociological view. (2nd ed., p. 115). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Barlett Learning.
^ abHerendeen, Susan (September 20, 2007). . The Modesto Bee. Archived from the original on June 7, 2009. Retrieved June 13, 2009.
^Finz, Stacy; Stannard, Matthew B. "Police shoot Marine dead after local sergeant is slain / Liquor store's video surveillance camera recorded shootout" from San Francisco Chronicle (January 11, 2005)
^New Information About Andres Raya and His Gang Affiliation March 4, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, press release from City of Ceres (January 14, 2005)
^"Man accused of gunning down seven at Salinas restaurant may face death penalty". Monterey County Weekly.
norteños, spanish, noɾˈteɲos, meaning, northerners, norteñas, females, various, affiliated, gangs, that, tribute, nuestra, familia, while, california, state, federal, correctional, facilities, refer, northern, california, norte, califas, their, biggest, rivals. Nortenos Spanish noɾˈteɲos meaning Northerners Nortenas for females are the various affiliated gangs that pay tribute to Nuestra Familia while in California state and federal correctional facilities 9 Nortenos may refer to Northern California as Norte Califas Their biggest rivals are the Surenos from Southern California 3 The statewide north south dividing line between Nortenos and Surenos has roughly been accepted as Bakersfield California 3 The gang s membership consists primarily of Mexican Americans NortenosFounded1968 55 years ago 1968 1 Founding locationSalinas California 2 Years active1968 presentTerritoryMostly in Northern California 3 EthnicityMexican American some other Latino ethnicity some Native Americans African Americans and European American members citation needed Criminal activitiesAssault 4 Auto theft 4 5 Burglary 5 Extortion Murder 5 Armed Robbery 4 5 Carjacking Drug Trafficking Gun TraffickingAlliesNuestra Familia 6 RivalsSurenos 3 Mexican Mafia 7 Fresno Bulldogs 8 Contents 1 History 2 Culture 3 Criminal activity 3 1 Operation Black Widow 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory EditIn 1968 10 Mexican American inmates of the California state prison system separated into two rival groups Nortenos northerners 6 and Surenos southerners according to the locations of their hometowns Nortenos affiliated with Nuestra Familia were prison enemies of the Southern Latinos who are composed of members and affiliates of La Eme better known as the Mexican Mafia While La Eme had initially been created to protect Mexicans in prison there was a perceived level of abuse by members of La Eme towards the imprisoned Latinos from rural farming areas of Northern California 7 The spark that led to the ongoing war between Nortenos and members of the Mexican Mafia involved a situation in which a La Eme allegedly stole a pair of shoes from a Northerner This event put into motion the longest running gang war in the state of California and the founding of Nuestra Familia 7 Culture EditNortenos use the number 14 which represents the fourteenth letter of the English alphabet the letter N in order to pay allegiance to Nuestra Familia 11 12 It is sometimes written in Roman numerals as XIV or a hybrid of Roman and Arabic numerals X4 Nortenos use the color red to signify affiliation 11 Some Nortenos will tattoo themselves with four dots 13 A Norteno derogatorily refers to a Sureno as a scrap Hispanicized scrapa or Sur rat south rat Nortenos also use images of the Mexican American labor movement such as the sombrero machete and the logo of the United Farm Workers which is a stylized black Aztec eagle Huelga bird 13 Criminal activity Edit Tagging graffiti to vandalize a rival gang s territory On January 9 2005 in Ceres California in Stanislaus County Officer Sam Ryno was the first to respond to a call of a man with a gun in front of George s Liquors Andres Raya a U S Marine on leave after serving in Iraq was armed with an SKS rifle and opened fire on officers hitting Officer Ryno and killing Sergeant Stevenson Raya was shot dead some time later after he opened fire on SWAT team members 14 Law enforcement officials claimed Raya had been involved in gangs for years prior to him signing up for military service Modesto authorities discovered information during the investigation into the shooting that shows Raya was a Norteno gang member who was not involved in combat during his tour of duty in Iraq A cooperative effort between local law enforcement federal and military agencies revealed a large amount of information about Raya in a short amount of time 15 In August 2013 a shooting done by a documented Norteno killed 3 people and wounded four others at Taco Choice a Mexican restaurant and bar in Salinas California The gunman a 21 year old Giovanni Pacheco was sentenced to life without parole 16 Operation Black Widow Edit Federal law enforcement agencies long unable to infiltrate the group began to step up their investigations in the late 1990s In 2000 and 2001 22 members were indicted on Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act RICO charges including several who were allegedly serving as high ranking gang leaders while confined in Pelican Bay State Prison in northern California 6 Thirteen of the defendants pleaded guilty the other cases are still ongoing Two of the defendants face the death penalty for ordering murders related to the drug trafficking The largest of the federal investigations was Operation Black Widow 6 In the aftermath of Operation Black Widow the five highest ranking leaders of the Nortenos were transferred to a federal supermax prison in Florence Colorado See also EditPortals California Law United StatesReferences Edit Tracking Surenos Article POLICE Magazine Policemag com February 1 2000 Retrieved February 5 2014 Reynolds Julia 2014 Blood in the Fields Ten Years Inside California s Nuestra Familia Gang Chicago Review Press p 9 a b c d Reiterman Tim February 24 2008 Small towns big gang issues Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on March 2 2008 a b c Gang Injunction Oaklandcityattorney org Retrieved February 5 2014 a b c d Gangs in the United States PDF Narcotics Digest Weekly 1 12 October 4 2005 Archived from the original PDF on May 24 2006 a b c d Federal indictments crack vast prison crime ring The Press Democrat Archived from the original on May 8 2001 Retrieved February 21 2001 a b c Hennessey Virginia November 23 2003 An End to the Cycle The Monterey County Herald Archived from the original on April 30 2006 Retrieved June 13 2009 Richard Valdemar August 7 2007 Exceptions to the Gang Rules Police Maganize Retrieved November 22 2022 Gang Summit Tulare County Sheriff s Department Street Crimes Division amp Visalia Police Department Special Enforcement Bureau PDF Tulare County Sheriff s Department 2007 Archived from the original PDF on November 2 2013 Retrieved February 29 2012 Kinnear Karen L 2008 Gangs A Reference Handbook Contemporary World Issues Santa Barbara Calif ABC CLIO p 192 ISBN 978 1 59884 125 1 a b Bulwa Demian May 27 2005 Sureno gang s threat growing in Bay Area San Francisco Chronicle Retrieved June 13 2009 Barkan S E amp Bryjak G J 2011 Fundamentals of criminal justice A sociological view 2nd ed p 115 Sudbury MA Jones and Barlett Learning a b Herendeen Susan September 20 2007 Gangs thriving in Modesto The Modesto Bee Archived from the original on June 7 2009 Retrieved June 13 2009 Finz Stacy Stannard Matthew B Police shoot Marine dead after local sergeant is slain Liquor store s video surveillance camera recorded shootout from San Francisco Chronicle January 11 2005 New Information About Andres Raya and His Gang Affiliation Archived March 4 2017 at the Wayback Machine press release from City of Ceres January 14 2005 Man accused of gunning down seven at Salinas restaurant may face death penalty Monterey County Weekly External links EditNortenos at Wikipedia s sister projects Definitions from Wiktionary Media from Commons News from Wikinews Quotations from Wikiquote Texts from Wikisource Textbooks from Wikibooks Resources from Wikiversity Data from Wikidata Nuestra Familia Our Family Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nortenos amp oldid 1127897777, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
