She began training with Field Training Officer Eric Valdez, who deputies called the Godfather of East LA.. The other plaintiff deputies continued to face harassment from Banditos associates. 3:20 p.m.: This article was updated to note that the Sheriff's Dept. In June, Villanueva acknowledged that the Banditos had amassed too much power and influence at the station. Over the past 30 years, litigation related to deputy gangs at the East LA Station has cost taxpayers more than $36 million. The Executioners were She had no assistants trying this case. Cliques? Gregory Rodriguez would also allegedly advise the younger deputies to carry a bag with them to plant evidence on suspects. Deputies who don't follow the Banditos' orders are subject to retaliation that can include getting overloaded with excessive calls, being sent out for extra calls at the end of their shift and being told routine calls are emergencies, according to the suit. For the latest national news from NPR and our live radio broadcast, visit Internal Affairs investigator Eric Barron, allegedly a member of the Regulators, argued with plaintiff Deputy Mario Contreras counsel that the Banditos conduct did not constitute racial discrimination, because Latinos were targeting other Latinos. Mismanagement, Sloppy Hiring Practices, Lack Of Transparency. The lawsuit Mejia later lied in a deposition and claimed he didnt see the letter until 2019. 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. 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.". LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Los Angeles County Inspector General Max Huntsman has accused Sheriff Alex Villanueva of promoting a code of silence'' around secret societies within his department, but Villanueva calls the IG's actions purely politically driven and an attempt to undermine the department.''. LAist reported in July that Even Near The Hollywood Sign, Authorities ID Man Arrested In Killing Of LA Auxiliary Bishop David O'Connell As Husband Of Housekeeper, Another Missing Hiker Has Been Found Dead In San Gabriels As Search For Actor Julian Sands Continues, LA Explained: How To Live Safely With Our Coyote Neighbors. Leaders, known as "shot-callers," determined deputies' hours, promotions, even days off. Lemus supervisor, Hugo Reynaga, initially marked the matter as resolved. Your tax-deductible financial support keeps our stories free to read, instead of hidden behind paywalls. At the time, then-interim Sheriff John Scott announced he would share the results of an investigation into claims of bullying by the Banditos, yet the probe has He slammed his hands on the side of the vehicle and said, What the fuck is wrong with you? But new court documents that include sworn testimony from Chavez raise questions about and at times, contradict the sheriffs claims. According to Lopezs complaint, the employees who had been moved as a result of her complaint were returned to the East LA station on December 27, 2012, without her receiving prior notification. 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. It says Banditos denied them backup, Granados was denied a promotion he had earned and Zaredini was stripped for a time of his position as a training officer. 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. 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. The gang also denied Zaredini and Lemus backup. The L.A. County Sheriffs Department Inspector General has identified dozens of deputies who are allegedly members of gang-like groups that operate out of the East L.A. and Compton stations. 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. She was very damaged by what happened, he tells Knock LA. 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. When Sheriff Villanueva took over the department in December of 2018, he made it a priority to reinstate former employees with ties to deputy gangs, including Undersheriff Murakami and Caren Carl Mandoyan, a Grim Reaper. Zaredinis partner worked 12-14 hour shifts because he feared what would happen to Zaredini alone. 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. The sheriffs department declined to comment on the allegations. In this role, the FTOs are able to abuse their trainees without any accountability. According to the complaint, Mendoza also conducted personal business while on duty and ordered her to do his work. READ NEXT: The Pink Hand, Big Listo, and Crook. None of them appear to have been disciplined for the shootings. He kicked over a garbage can in front of incarcerated people working there and yelled to Lopez, Hey trainee, why dont you come over here and clean up the fucking mess you made?. Just a few months later, Deputy Gregory Rodriguez made one final attempt to recruit Deputy Mario Contreras to the gang. 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. 18 deputy gangs that have operated within the department is investigating the Banditos Theyve been called "gangs" because they wear matching tattoos, operate in secrecy, and have initiation rituals. The Banditos consist primarily of Latinx LASD personnel, and allegedly do not allow women to become full-fledged members. lawsuit that was first filed two years ago Deputy Woodrow Kim, who was listed as a witness, stated Saavedra was lying about the claim in the IA investigation. Valdez appears to currently work as a sergeant at a different station. But her attorney, Gregory Smith, says the damage was done. 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. He was a nuclear physics major in college and relocated to Los Angeles to work on some construction projects. Current deputies out of the East Los Angeles station say the existence of gangs within law enforcement has been a problem in the area. 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. Gray was detained again on October 15, 2012. On patrol, they operated in the gray areas of law enforcement. Following her complaint to Chavez, Internal Affairs opened an investigation into the matter, resulting in a two-day suspension. She signed up to take the sergeants exam to seek a promotion in July 2013, but was unable to take it because of continued harassment, despite her not coming into the station regularly. Instead, the defendants face the allegations previously laid out in the lawsuit. According to the lawsuit, the deputy detained, battered, and searched Gray without reasonable suspicion or probable cause. When she asked Wargo what was going on, she was told that she was a trainee and to mind her business. Members have gang nicknames and use slang like ese and homes when speaking with each other. At East L.A., Gonzalez discovered, there was a shadow government: a secretive group of sheriffs deputies known as the Banditos. Lopez filed a complaint against LA County in 2014 and eventually settled for $1.5 million, funded by taxpayers. . A CBS News investigation has uncovered allegations of gangs existing within the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, possibly for decades. Lopez also believed that she would be subjected to further harassment if she went to another area. Is that an incorrect statement by Sheriff Villanueva that he transferred 36 people? Miller asked. Villanueva has said he transferred 36 people out and brought a new captain, Ernie Chavez, to the helm of the station to quell the Banditos problem. There are 30 alleged members of the Executioners operating from the Compton station. Content Warning: This series explicitly details acts of violence (including murder) carried out by law enforcement officials. In August, Villanueva announced a zero tolerance policy on deputy cliques/subgroups engaging in misconduct, according to the statement. 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. Despite Gonzalezs high test performance in the Sergeants promotional exam, she was repeatedly passed over for the promotion. And any time youre a Black man, somebody calling you a monkey, in my book, thats racism, Orange tells Knock LA. Immediately afterwards, then Banditos prospect Hector Little Listo Saavedra allegedly claimed Zaredini called him a homophobic slur over one year prior. His return, along with the elevation of other Banditos associates, solidified the gangs grip on the station. 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. . The Cavemen preceded the Banditos at the East L.A. Station. It says this has happened "dozens" of times over the last three years. Will It Solve The Problem? However, the claim states the memo only focused on Munozs harassment and intentionally downplayed the role of the gang in the stations operation. Aceituno recently did the same thing again and received no consequences from East LA Captain Richard Mejia, according to the complaint. In all, eight deputies are demanding $60 million in a new lawsuit against Los Angeles County and four fellow deputies they say are members of the "Banditos" deputy gang. Twenty-four are currently stationed in East L.A. They have been broken up in accordance to the law, and constitutionally permissibly, he said. 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. 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 claim states that it is easy for deputies to record that they provided backup when they did not, by manually inputting the data into the Mobile Digital Computer inside their patrol vehicle. I dont know who the Banditos are, Chavez, who is now a commander, said under oath in March. In May 2019, Contreras was denied backup by Deputies Nikolis Perez and Jonathan Rojas, both Banditos. We believe when reliable local reporting is widely available, the entire community benefits. Subgroups? 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. Bob Gregory, 62, went missing the same day as Sands. Those who do not are pushed out. But after Captain William Jaeger was named in the lawsuit, the write-up was resurrected and escalated to an Internal Affairs investigation. But I dont think she had a choice on this one because the video and the report were all over the news and the internet [she] wasnt interested in winning the case in my opinion. The pair demanded she immediately resign from her mentoring position, and she was removed the following day. The deputies who filed the lawsuit include seven men and one woman. On October 25, 2012, her car was vandalized while parked at the East LA Station. The lawsuit claims the department is "permeated by criminal gang culture" beyond the Banditos. The deputy kept hitting him in his testicles and calling him a monkey. Many who are not recruited go along with the gangs requirements for fear of retaliation. April Valentine died at Centinela Hospital. Every weekday, you'll get fresh, community-driven stories that catch you up with our independent local news. Anthony Lowe was shot and killed by Huntington Park police on Jan. 26. He wrote that the list is based on information gleaned from investigations conducted by the Sheriffs Department. The money has been used for legal fees for some defendants in the claim and vacations for Banditos members to Thailand. 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 Bandidos emblem is a skeleton with a sombrero and a handlebar mustache holding a smoking revolver. Escobedo was unable to work for a week afterwards, according to the suit. Deputy Lemus was stormed by Bandito associate Rebecca Cortez at a County detention facility. Prospects like Deputy Hector Little Listo Saavedra sent texts laughing about the 245 (assault and battery) and advised others to burn and destroy evidence. The incident was never investigated, despite it being reported, according to the complaint. 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. For the latest national news from NPR and our live radio broadcast, visit I went to the trial for a day or two and the Deputy DA who was trying the case had no partner. Deputy Louis Granados claims that his number of calls went up in 2018 after he blew the whistle on the Banditos with Deputy Zaredini. Deputies Gregory Rodriguez, Monica Farias, Steven Miller, Alejandro Lomeli, and Marc Elizondo pounced. "Pretty much they were calling the shots, they were dictating the decisions of the station and that has a very bad outcome obviously," he said. Cerise Castle | April 1, 2021 Part of A Art Hernandezs lawsuit charges that there is a video which shows members of the Banditos gathered at the station following the fight, preparing a cover story together. She attempted to contact Romero about the status of her transfer request, but he was allegedly unavailable. Lopez attempted to come back to work just over a month later, but was met with the same harassment as before. 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 in a lawsuit The updated lawsuit cites text messages between a group of deputies after the incident in which one jokes about the 245 at the party, referring to the penal code section for assault. He was elected in 2018 after running as a progressive Democrat who would reform the department. Rodriguez was discharged from the department as a result of the charges, but later was given his job back and returned to the department. 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. 4 min read. Zaredini did not report the incident for fear of retaliation by the gang. The Banditos gang has controlled the East Los Angeles station like inmates running a prison yard, the lawsuit says. 'Thank goodness that were in the era of videos,' said the family attorney as they file a federal civil rights lawsuit, In a memo, Chief Michel Moore said extremist groups have hijacked the use of the Thin Blue Line Flag to symbolize their undemocratic, racist, and bigoted views.. The new defendants include two commanders, three captains, two lieutenants and 41 deputies, according to plaintiffs attorney Vincent Miller. Members typically get matching tattoos and go by names such as the Grim Reapers and Jump Out Boys. 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. On August 23, 2012, LASD personnel descended upon the 1300 block of South Marianna Avenue in East Los Angeles. The new defendants represent a significant expansion of the civil rights and workplace harassment 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. The suit also claims Banditos encourage deputies to increase their arrest numbers by planting evidence on suspects. Romero offered Lopez a transfer in response, which she didnt think she deserved as she had done no wrong. Smith says that current Sheriff Alex Villanueva reached out to Gonzalez after taking office and assisted her with study for the Sergeants exam. Denham was later promoted to assistant sheriff by Sheriff Villanueva, and retired in 2019. Gray was charged and prosecuted for intentionally obstructing a law enforcement officer from performing their duties. Its author Professor Sean Kennedy said at least seven remain active. She's In an interview with KPCC/LAist, Murakami denied that he's a member of the group. She had no investigators. The incident was the focus of two internal Sheriffs Department investigations one of which Villanueva has said led to the discipline of 26 employees as well as a report by the Office of Inspector General. Granados and Zaredini both suffered retaliation for blowing the whistle, according to the complaint. Contreras and the other plaintiffs requested transfers out of the station, which were denied without explanation for weeks. They were detaining and taking Grays brother-in-law into custody according to Grays attorney, Olu Orange. "They see who is eager to belong, who they can manipulate, who they can control easily," he said. Member activities allegedly include leaving dead rats for enemies and killing teenagers. Despite ongoing litigation related to the Banditos, the gang appears confident that they can operate with impunity, and multiply. Rosa Gonzalez became the latest target of the Banditos abuses in December 2011, shortly after she arrived at the East LA Station. 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 Banditos only recruit young Latino deputies, said the plaintiff who spoke to LAist. Decisions such as station fundraisers and events must be roundtabled at the home of Noel Crook Lopez or Marc Elizondo. . Did you investigate the Banditos? asked Vincent Miller, an attorney representing the eight deputies, according to a transcript of the deposition excerpts. Patrelli instead scheduled a meeting with Lopez and Division Commander Henry Romero, who had been her captain at East LA. Will Orange County's Fledgling Clean Power Agency Survive? The Top 5 newsletter catches you up with LAs top 5 stories in just 3 minutes. 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. The Top 5 newsletter catches you up with LAs top 5 stories in just 3 minutes. LOS ANGELES A Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy received an alleged "Banditos" tattoo six months after a new policy banned cliques in the Part of A Tradition of Violence, an extensive investigation into more than five decades of abuse, terror, and murder carried out by gangs within the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. The Banditos are at least the third gang to emerge from the East LA Station. She was able to maintain control of the weapon but fell backwards into a wall, hitting the back of her head. This method of punishment is known as freeway therapy. Zaredinis transfer was allegedly denied in order to initiate another investigation into him for being stern with the trainee of Regulators associate Deputy Karla Sepulveda, resulting in a two-day suspension. A new policy is meaningless if you dont actually enforce it, said Miller, the attorney representing the deputies. A spokesperson for the Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, which represents some of the defendants, declined to comment until he saw the new court documents. In December 2013, Lopez was informed that if she didnt immediately request a transfer to Century Station, she would have to return to East LA. Granados reported this to Woodwards supervisor, Sergeant Albert Maldonado, who initially discarded the write-up. draft a policy regarding cliques FTO Hernandez brought the fake request to Sergeant Jennifer Barsh, who ordered Lopez back to the station. 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.. LAPD Chief Moore also questioned officers' actions in the fatal shooting of Takar Smith, although not in two other fatal incidents. Lieutenant Eric Simpson allegedly buried the memo under the orders of Chief Bobby Denham. 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On April 10, 2013, Lopez found a dead rat underneath the drivers side door of her vehicle. Villanueva has said hes the first sheriff to have implemented a policy that prohibits membership in illicit groups. WebThe East Los Angeles Sheriffs station has the most documented history of deputy gangs. Instead of assisting Contreras, Perez and Rojas drove by and mocked him, according to the complaint. Banditos groom young deputies they are considering for membership in the group, assigning them mentors, the deputy said. assertions made in legal claims filed in March and May Villanueva did not respond to questions about the discrepancies. Mejia opened an inquiry into Munoz and reported it to Lieutenant Eric Smitson and Captain Chris Perez. According to a lawsuit filed by eight East L.A. deputies and the A.C.L.U., the Banditos gang "controls the East Los Angeles station like inmates running a prison yard." Its just smoke and mirrors, its just a pretend at reform.. 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. One of the new named defendants is Sheriff Alex Villanuevas chief of security, and another is his driver, according to Miller. If you're enjoying this article, you'll love my daily morning newsletter, How To LA. Bandito godfather Sergeant Eric Valdez told Hernandez to tell the truth, as he was horrified with the gangs behavior. Orange says that Gray told himhe was beaten by several deputies. Deputies Garcia, Rodriguez, Munoz, and Silverio fled the scene in Garcias car and drove to the East LA Station. On March 8, 2012, Barsh filed a Policy of Equity (POE), a practice that prohibits discrimination against County employees on a variety of bases, on Lopezs behalf and told Captain Henry Romero about the Banditos threats and harassment. They met with station Lt. Richard Mejia, who initiated an investigation into the Banditos gang and interviewed about 20 deputies who acknowledged the Banditos problem, according to the suit. The same crew also allegedly hatched a plan to overload deputies who did not obey the Banditos with emergency calls. Those tactics were immortalized in a mural of the logo in the East LA Station floor. Sanchez continued to harass her saying, I dont understand why you dont want to meet up, are you worried about your reputation? When Lopez saw Sanchez two days later, he swore at her again for not going to meet up with him alone. 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). 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. 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. LAist.com/radio. 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. LASD has never thoroughly investigated allegations of gang corruption, and this case is no exception, Huntsman told The Times. His body was recovered near Mount Islip. 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. Gonzalez was transferred to the Norwalk Station, but no action was taken against the sergeants. 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 He showed her a transfer request form with two choices: San Dimas or Walnut Stations. Every weekday, you'll get fresh, community-driven stories that catch you up with our independent local news. 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. July 19, 2021. One of the deputies who filed the lawsuit said federal agents interviewed him but declined to provide details. . Deputy Joshua Smilor, a Banditos associate, told her that she needed to call Valdez, Daddy and that she needed to submit to the program of his kids. Deputy Ortega informed her that there were were explicit photos of other women in the department having oral sex with Banditos members working as training officers. When Lemus went to Captain Chavez with a complaint, Chavez told her he liked how Mendoza controlled the line. Afterwards, he and Lieutenant Anthony Easter reopened a citizen complaint against Lemus where a victim charged she had taken too long to take him to the hospital. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. the F.B.I. Mismanagement, Sloppy Hiring Practices, Lack Of Transparency. alleging the existence of a criminal gang of deputies called the Banditos at the departments East L.A. Station. Banditos "intentionally fail to provide back-up during emergency situations and other dangerous calls to purposely place deputies in dangerous circumstances," the suit says. Has said hes the first Sheriff to have been disciplined for the promotion is skeleton. Of Chief Bobby denham Villanueva reached out to Gonzalez after taking office and assisted east la sheriff banditos study... Weapon but fell backwards into a wall, hitting the back of her transfer,. 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