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. Those who are not Banditos allegedly fail to stop them, according to Miller, or engage in covering up their wrongdoing. Los Banditos East LA Station has been a notorious LASD gang hub for decades, but not every deputy is welcome. Member activities allegedly include leaving dead rats for enemies and killing teenagers. July 19, 2021. 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. Prospects like Deputy Hector Little Listo Saavedra sent texts laughing about the 245 (assault and battery) and advised others to burn and destroy evidence. She contacted the Back to Work Unit but was told they could not help her, and advised her to contact the station Director. Casas also says he received several intimidating messages from the Banditos, including demands to stop working at the station and threats of assault. The next day, eggs were thrown at her car and someone wrote fuck you on the rear window. 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 Pushed him up against the police car. Membership for the gang is exclusively Latino: women and Black employees are not allowed to join. The Executioners were She was placed on medical leave. After Casas rejected the Banditos recruitment attempts, he faced harassment. The trainees were reportedly told that if they stole anything from a suspect, they should dispose of it outside of the station. The disciplinary letters stemmed from an internal investigation into an East L.A. Sheriff's Station clique called "The Banditos," accused of operating like a gang. Romero offered Lopez a transfer in response, which she didnt think she deserved as she had done no wrong. Granados reported this to Woodwards supervisor, Sergeant Albert Maldonado, who initially discarded the write-up. Privacy Policy. 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. 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. After Lopezs POE was filed, the harassment escalated. 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 The lawsuit The Banditos are at least the third gang to emerge from the East LA Station. We are dedicated to providing independent journalism and telling the real story of LA. "We haven't confirmed or denied any investigation," FBI Spokeswoman Laura Eimiller told LAist. She was very damaged by what happened, he tells Knock LA. Decisions such as station fundraisers and events must be roundtabled at the home of Noel Crook Lopez or Marc Elizondo. Villanueva blamed the situation on "a leadership team that fell asleep at the switch.". In May 2019, Contreras was denied backup by Deputies Nikolis Perez and Jonathan Rojas, both Banditos. The lawsuit estimates 15-20% of the department's more than 9,000 sworn personnel are members of these cliques. The station has been home to several deputy gangs, including the Little Devils, Cavemen, and newest addition, the Banditos. 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 However, he was found not guilty by a jury. . In screenshots of the messages obtained by The Times, others joke about evidence, advising each other to get rid of it and burn it., The inspector generals report last year said theres substantial evidence that the Banditos are gang-like and their influence has resulted in favoritism, sexism, racism and violence.. Current deputies out of the East Los Angeles station say the existence of gangs within law enforcement has been a problem in the area. The Banditos control the East Los Angeles station "like inmates running a prison yard," the lawsuit alleges. Banditos also pressure deputies "to ignore constitutional protections which require there to be probable cause to stop and arrest civilians," which leads to the "planting and manufacture of evidence and other illegal acts," the complaint claims. But new court documents that include sworn testimony from Chavez raise questions about and at times, contradict the sheriffs claims. LAPD Chief Moore also questioned officers' actions in the fatal shooting of Takar Smith, although not in two other fatal incidents. Mejia also claimed to have forgotten texts and phone calls he received from Deputy Oscar Escobedo reporting the hostile work environment. 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. The expanded lawsuit comes amid increasing scrutiny of how Villanueva, who began his career at the East L.A. Station, has addressed the longstanding problem of deputy subgroups. It asserts that the special unit members "showed up just in time to kill the perpetrator before he could murder their fellow deputy.". Deputy Louis Granados claims that his number of calls went up in 2018 after he blew the whistle on the Banditos with Deputy Zaredini. Gonzalez passed the exam, and Smith says she is currently a Patrol Sergeant. Lieutenant Eric Smitson allegedly confronted Hernandez and pressured him to lie and say the attack at Kennedy Hall had been an isolated, drunken two-way altercation. Sheriff Alex Villanueva also repeated that claim to Captain William Jaeger, Chief Kelly Porowski, and investigators Jeff Chow, Vincent Choi, Jeff Hamil, and Scott Chapman. Zaredini retroactively received the bonus pay, but was denied a promotion by Captain Chavez and Undersheriff Timothy Murakami. GET THE BEST OF LAIST IN YOUR INBOXSign up for our daily newsletter to receive the latest on local politics, food, culture and the absurdities of L.A. life. assertions made in legal claims filed in March and May During her first two weeks of training, Valdez assigned Lopez to work a shift with Deputy Christopher Wargo, who was a prospect or puppy of the Banditos. The next time she heard from Patrelli, she informed Lopez that Wolak wouldnt be sending her to the hospital location after all. , 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. 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.. 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. Content Warning: This series explicitly details acts of violence (including murder) carried out by law enforcement officials. 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. Other new Latino deputies have faced similar treatment court documents allege Bandito member Jose Aceituno shoulder checked another employee inside the East LA station. 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 about 30 members and prospects work at the East L.A. station, adding the others work elsewhere or have retired. Deputies who are members have adopted gang expressions, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit alleges Sgt. One of the deputies who filed the lawsuit said federal agents interviewed him but declined to provide details. Patrelli contacted her again and told her that she would actually be going to the County Services Bureau USC Hospital location. Deputies Gregory Rodriguez, Monica Farias, Steven Miller, Alejandro Lomeli, and Marc Elizondo pounced. Dear reader, we're asking you to help us keep local news available for all. 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. brings new scrutiny to one of the most vexing problems at the nation's largest sheriff's agency: the existence of subgroups that date back decades and whose loyalty is more to the subgroup than law and order. Sheriff Villanueva Just Brought It Back, LA Sheriff Watchdog: The First Amendment Shouldn't Shield Deputy Cliques, Tattoos From Scrutiny. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. 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. , and previously named only four former deputies and Los Angeles County. A new policy is meaningless if you dont actually enforce it, said Miller, the attorney representing the deputies. They have been broken up in accordance to the law, and constitutionally permissibly, he said. This is America, Orange recounts. 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Deputy cliques in L.A. 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She began training with Field Training Officer Eric Valdez, who deputies called the Godfather of East LA.. Former Undersheriff Paul Tanaka was a tattooed member of the Vikings, which a federal judge called a "neo-nazi white supremacist" group. Despite Gonzalezs high test performance in the Sergeants promotional exam, she was repeatedly passed over for the promotion. People familiar with the schism described it to Knock LA as similar to the movie American Me (1992), which depicts the creation of the Mexican Mafia: Valdez was pushed out of the gang by younger, more aggressive deputies. It says they and others savagely beat and kicked Deputy Art Hernandez, leaving him unconscious, and that Deputy Oscar Escobedo was beaten by Munoz and strangled by Silverio, briefly losing consciousness. Traditionally, once deputy gang membership reaches 100, a new group is introduced. 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. Two of the men are veterans with more than a decade on the job. 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. READ NEXT: The Pink Hand, Big Listo, and Crook. The group embraces the tradition of violence passed down by the gangs that came before them and turns on anyone who questions them. Sign up for our daily newsletters She immediately began to experience chest pains and shortness of breath, and was diagnosed with a stress-induced pre-heart attack condition. As she was completing a victim interview, Hernandez began cursing at her. Terms of Use Its author Professor Sean Kennedy said at least seven remain active. The claim states that Captain Mejia wrote a memo in June of 2018 to the County recommending an investigation into the Banditos. A CBS News investigation has uncovered allegations of gangs existing within the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, possibly for decades. The deputies, who do not want to be identified for fear of reprisal, claim the most prevalent are called the Banditos comprised of mostly Latino deputies who 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 deputies who filed the lawsuit include seven men and one woman. 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. Gregory Rodriguez would also allegedly advise the younger deputies to carry a bag with them to plant evidence on suspects. Dear reader, we're asking you to help us keep local news available for all. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, FBI investigating tattooed deputy gangs in Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, Sheriffs deputies sue county, accusing Banditos colleagues of beatings, withholding backup, inspector generals report last year said, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, Dramatic before and after photos from space show epic snow blanketing SoCal mountains, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, The chance of a lifetime: Five friends ski the tallest mountain in Los Angeles, Shocking, impossible gas bills push restaurants to the brink of closures, Review: A reimagined Secret Garden fails to flower anew at the Ahmanson Theatre, Many remain stranded in San Bernardino Mountains as snow blocks roads, threatens roofs, Suspected shooter in attacks on Jewish men was on FBIs radar, LAPD chief says, Caregiver accused in Manhattan Beach child sexual abuse case believed to be in Philippines, Woman in her 70s found stabbed to death in Lake Forest home, Yosemite breaks decades-old snowfall record, closing national park indefinitely. The Banditos have existed for at least a decade at the East L.A. station, according to Kennedy. But after Captain William Jaeger was named in the lawsuit, the write-up was resurrected and escalated to an Internal Affairs investigation. 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. On Sept. 19, 2018, just nine days before the attack at the party, two East L.A. deputies were shot, "coming close to being murdered, because of the intentional failure of the Banditos to provide back up," the suit claims. In a statement posted to Facebook on Tuesday, the Sheriffs Department said Huntsmans letter failed to provide any actual evidence or new information and noted that the agency has provided the inspector general with all legally obtainable information requested., This is another irresponsible attempt from Mr. Huntsman to discredit the organization, through omission and misrepresentation, the department said. ", Villanueva did And that was on purpose because they had failed in their job to lead the station.. Prospects are put on a list and Banditos vote on who becomes a member at "roundtable meetings" held at a Bandito member's home, according to the lawsuit. Mismanagement, Sloppy Hiring Practices, Lack Of Transparency. At that point, Lopez informed Barsh about the harassment she had been subjected to by the Banditos. Instead of investigating her claim, the department began investigating her. LOS ANGELES A Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy received an alleged "Banditos" tattoo six months after a new policy banned cliques in the 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. She was not in a good way. Many of the people who violently harassed Lopez are still with the department. FTO Hernandez brought the fake request to Sergeant Jennifer Barsh, who ordered Lopez back to the station. Deputies based at the East L.A. station "have generated an excessive amount of stops and arrests in the community because of the pressure from the Banditos to inflate numbers, to satisfy illegal arrest quotas," the suit alleges. Please exercise self-care and check in with yourself before choosing to read. The sheriffs department declined to comment on the allegations. LAist reported in July that Some of these goups have been accused of violence and harassment of both residents and colleagues. Lemus supervisor, Hugo Reynaga, initially marked the matter as resolved. 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. Commander Ernie Chavez has admitted Villanueva did not transfer any Banditos, nor ask Chavez to investigate. In the message, he said that Queen FUPA, meaning Fat Upper Pussy Area, was not going to make it to work today because she was going to Hawaii. Subgroups? He says that Lopez left California altogether in an attempt to leave the trauma behind. Before joining The Times in 2016, she reported on crime and policing for the Glendale News-Press and Burbank Leader. She previously covered the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, focusing on accountability stories and writing about failures by officials to comply with transparency laws. 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. A deputy grabbed him and cuffed him. Is that an incorrect statement by Sheriff Villanueva that he transferred 36 people? Miller asked. The Top 5 newsletter catches you up with LAs top 5 stories in just 3 minutes. Gonzalez filed a lawsuit against the County in April 2016. LA Sheriff Villanueva Toughens His Policy On Deputy Cliques. Several neighbors came out of their houses and filmed the incident. 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. A report by Loyola Law School found Members have gang nicknames and use slang like ese and homes when speaking with each other. 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. Deputies Alfred Gonzalez, Oscar Escobedo, Ariela Lemus, Art Hernandez, Mario Contreras, David Casas, Louis Granados, and Benjamin Zaredini filed an internal complaint with Los Angeles County in March of 2019. The complaint alleges that the Banditos have controlled scheduling, assignments, and promotions at the East Los Angeles Station until relatively recently. 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. The Banditos now ran East LA. 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.. 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. You meet up with us when we tell you to! Her answers didnt satisfy him and he told her, Fuck you! and, You are on your own! Around January 16, 2012, Deputy Benjamin Zaredini attempted to knock Lopez to the floor while she was carrying a loaded shotgun. During the August 14, 2013, meeting, Romero asked Lopez where she wanted to go. It forbids department personnel from joining "any group which promotes conduct that violates the rights of employees or members of the public or otherwise encourages conduct that is contrary to department policy.". Sergeant Angelica Pink Hand Estrada and John Soria were able to carry out the Banditos wishes with the blessings of station leadership such as Lieutenant Eric Smitson and Captain Ernie Chavez. No one had any knowledge of that name, Villanueva said. Will Orange County's Fledgling Clean Power Agency Survive? I went to the trial for a day or two and the Deputy DA who was trying the case had no partner. And as I understand it, she really would have liked to have all of those things.. Bob Gregory, 62, went missing the same day as Sands. Patrelli instead scheduled a meeting with Lopez and Division Commander Henry Romero, who had been her captain at East LA. 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. 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. 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.. 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. Even though he's one of the named plaintiffs, he requested anonymity out of fear that Banditos might harass him at his home or his new station because he spoke to the media. Thank you for investing in your neighborhood. 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