We are dedicated to providing independent journalism and telling the real story of LA. On October 25, 2012, her car was vandalized while parked at the East LA Station. The lawsuit also charges that Banditos shot caller Manny Navaro was hired to be Villanuevas driver, and that Bandito Joe Mendoza was promoted to Commander of LASD Media Relations., The Banditos grip on the station tightened in the months following Villanuevas swearing in. Lopez spoke with Sergeant Betty Lascono, who placed her on the schedule to return to work the following day. 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. Member activities allegedly include leaving dead rats for enemies and killing teenagers. He slammed his hands on the side of the vehicle and said, What the fuck is wrong with you? Thank you for investing in your neighborhood. She previously covered the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, focusing on accountability stories and writing about failures by officials to comply with transparency laws. Members have gang nicknames and use slang like ese and homes when speaking with each other. The IG's report on a deputy group Vincent Miller, an attorney for the whistleblower deputies, says that the gang was looking for Gonzalez, but didnt hesitate to beat up other deputies as well, including: Deputies Jose Fuentes, Art Hernandez, Oscar Escobedo, and David Casas. 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. 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. The Banditos gang has controlled the East Los Angeles station like inmates running a prison yard, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit also alleges that the plaintiff deputies have been continually harassed through the filing of the amendment. . 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. Did you investigate the Banditos? asked Vincent Miller, an attorney representing the eight deputies, according to a transcript of the deposition excerpts. Please exercise self-care and check in with yourself before choosing to read. Theyve been called "gangs" because they wear matching tattoos, operate in secrecy, and have initiation rituals. Decisions such as station fundraisers and events must be roundtabled at the home of Noel Crook Lopez or Marc Elizondo. "The Pink Hand's dominance of the management at the East Los Angeles Station was so strong, she was also nicknamed 'the Red Queen,'" the suit contends. 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. lawsuit that was first filed two years ago Members of the gang are given special privileges, like preferred parking spaces. 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. At East L.A., Gonzalez discovered, there was a shadow government: a secretive group of sheriffs deputies known as the Banditos. 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. A CBS News investigation has uncovered allegations of gangs existing within the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, possibly for decades. LA Sheriff Villanueva Toughens His Policy On Deputy Cliques. Gray filed a lawsuit against the County, and accepted a settlement of $549,000, which taxpayers financed. Mejia also claimed to have forgotten texts and phone calls he received from Deputy Oscar Escobedo reporting the hostile work environment. Deputies who are members have We are dedicated to providing independent journalism and telling the real story of LA. 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 money has been used for legal fees for some defendants in the claim and vacations for Banditos members to Thailand. On April 10, 2013, Lopez found a dead rat underneath the drivers side door of her vehicle. Current leaders include Rafael Rene Munoz AKA Big Listo, Gregory G-Rod Rodriguez, David Silver Silverio, Michael Bam Bam Hernandez, Silvano Cholo Garcia, Vincent Moran, and Raymond Mendoza, who call themselves shot callers. One deputy alleges in a complaint against the County that activities like fundraisers, training parties, and staff barbecues at the East LA station must be roundtabled by the Banditos. Granados and Zaredini both suffered retaliation for blowing the whistle, according to the complaint. Los Banditos East LA Station has been a notorious LASD gang hub for decades, but not every deputy is welcome. LASD does not appear to have disciplined anyone for the text exchange. 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. Despite ongoing litigation related to the Banditos, the gang appears confident that they can operate with impunity, and multiply. According to court documents, Villanueva also reinstated Danny Batman Batanero, one of the original 10 Banditos, and made him head of his security detail. 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. Based on the information that I have, that is incorrect. The Banditos logo (Courtesy of Vincent Miller). 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. 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. The group embraces the tradition of violence passed down by the gangs that came before them and turns on anyone who questions them. 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. He was elected in 2018 after running as a progressive Democrat who would reform the department. No one had any knowledge of that name, Villanueva said. She was not in a good way. Many of the people who violently harassed Lopez are still with the department. A deputy came to his home as Gray was moving a car into his driveway. Lopez went to Area Command to request a copy of the paperwork and discovered it had never been filed. 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. 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. Rosa Gonzalez, a deputy who later sued the station, said under oath that she heard Lopez referred to as The Glob.. For the latest national news from NPR and our live radio broadcast, visit Those who are not Banditos allegedly fail to stop them, according to Miller, or engage in covering up their wrongdoing. This is America, Orange recounts. And as I understand it, she really would have liked to have all of those things.. Christopher Gray, who is Black, is originally from Idaho. Rodriguez was discharged from the department as a result of the charges, but later was given his job back and returned to the department. 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. '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.. Valdez appears to currently work as a sergeant at a different station. Several neighbors came out of their houses and filmed the incident. did not have an immediate response. He wrote that the list is based on information gleaned from investigations conducted by the Sheriffs Department. Other new Latino deputies have faced similar treatment court documents allege Bandito member Jose Aceituno shoulder checked another employee inside the East LA station. 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. The incident was never investigated, despite it being reported, according to the complaint. The suit also claims Banditos encourage deputies to increase their arrest numbers by planting evidence on suspects. 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. 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 Banditos, which operate out of the East L.A. sheriffs station, and 30 alleged Executioners from the Compton sheriffs station. Inspector General Max Huntsman said that the investigation almost completely ignored evidence of the involvement of the Banditos which led to the assaultive conduct at Kennedy Hall, and that the investigation into the Banditos was a cover up by the sheriff and LASD. The next evening, LASD held a department-sponsored party at Kennedy Hall. What has previously been known about the groups has often been stitched together from allegations and testimony in lawsuits. 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.. As she was completing a victim interview, Hernandez began cursing at her. Deputies Gregory Rodriguez, Monica Farias, Steven Miller, Alejandro Lomeli, and Marc Elizondo pounced. Eric Valdez and Veronica De La Rosa were promoted to the rank of sergeant, which they held as recently as 2019. 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. Commander Ernie Chavez has admitted Villanueva did not transfer any Banditos, nor ask Chavez to investigate. ", Villanueva did Knock LA is a nonprofit community journalism project, originally conceived by Ground Game LA. 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. It describes members of the group as maintaining control by intimidation of other deputies and control of key positions, including dispatcher, scheduling deputy and training officer. However, the inquiry did not examine the allegations of withholding backup, according to the complaint. Cerise Castle | April 1, 2021 Part of A 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. When she asked Wargo what was going on, she was told that she was a trainee and to mind her business. repeat The new court filing does not attach specific allegations to each new defendant. 3:20 p.m.: This article was updated to note that the Sheriff's Dept. The lawsuit We believe when reliable local reporting is widely available, the entire community benefits. The same crew also allegedly hatched a plan to overload deputies who did not obey the Banditos with emergency calls. 4 min read. Patrelli instead scheduled a meeting with Lopez and Division Commander Henry Romero, who had been her captain at East LA. She was also regularly sent on calls with just a few minutes left on her shift. The Banditos only recruit young Latino deputies, said the plaintiff who spoke to LAist. is investigating the Banditos 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. Its just smoke and mirrors, its just a pretend at reform.. 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. Mismanagement, Sloppy Hiring Practices, Lack Of Transparency. Aceituno recently did the same thing again and received no consequences from East LA Captain Richard Mejia, according to the complaint. The claim states that Captain Mejia wrote a memo in June of 2018 to the County recommending an investigation into the Banditos. LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network. In September 2018, two deputies were knocked unconscious at a department party at an event space called Kennedy Hall, the lawsuit says. Those 36 individuals would simply reflect general transfers, Chavez responded. 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. 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. The Executioners were 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. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has repeatedly touted what he says was his first act in office in December 2018: removing the captain of East L.A. station, where a group of tattooed deputies known as the Banditos ran roughshod and dictated where deputies would be assigned. 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. In June, Villanueva acknowledged that the Banditos had amassed too much power and influence at the station. She'd gone into the pregnancy with a plan, knowing Black mothers like herself were at higher risk. The next day, eggs were thrown at her car and someone wrote fuck you on the rear window. Soon afterwards, Zaredini was removed as an FTO and lost his bonus pay. Lopez attempted to come back to work just over a month later, but was met with the same harassment as before. Those who do not are pushed out. Several videos taken at the scene show him standing several feet away from the car until he is arrested and taken into custody. 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. Anthony Lowe was shot and killed by Huntington Park police on Jan. 26. Following her complaint to Chavez, Internal Affairs opened an investigation into the matter, resulting in a two-day suspension. Gregory Rodriguez was charged with perjury by the office of then District Attorney Jackie Lacey for lying in his report. Rosa Gonzalez became the latest target of the Banditos abuses in December 2011, shortly after she arrived at the East LA Station. Many who are not recruited go along with the gangs requirements for fear of retaliation. I went to the trial for a day or two and the Deputy DA who was trying the case had no partner. 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. The DAs office didnt put adequate resources into prosecuting the case. In the face of a drier future, that iconic piece of Americana is on its way out in Southern California. Gonzalez was transferred to the Norwalk Station, but no action was taken against the sergeants. Gonzalez filed a lawsuit against the County in April 2016. Bandito godfather Sergeant Eric Valdez told Hernandez to tell the truth, as he was horrified with the gangs behavior. The Sheriffs Department cited pending litigation and declined to comment other than to say Villanueva has done more to address organizational culture issues than all of his predecessors combined.. The suit accuses all four of being involved in the September 2018 attack on some of the plaintiffs. Its author Professor Sean Kennedy said at least seven remain active. Villanueva did not respond to questions about the discrepancies. Those tactics were immortalized in a mural of the logo in the East LA Station floor. Escobedo and Hernandez were treated at a local hospital, Escobedo for "severe neck pain and strain, dizziness, and nausea due to lack of oxygen from being choked out," and Hernandez for a concussion and cuts that required sutures, the complaint alleges. Terms of Use His return, along with the elevation of other Banditos associates, solidified the gangs grip on the station. But new court documents that include sworn testimony from Chavez raise questions about and at times, contradict the sheriffs claims. Hernandez pointed at her body and turned to another male deputy saying, Look at these! and, What do you think, bro? He said to Lopez, What are you going to do about it? Is that an incorrect statement by Sheriff Villanueva that he transferred 36 people? Miller asked. 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 federal probe follows allegations of beatings and harassment by members of the Banditos, a group of deputies assigned to the Sheriffs Departments East L.A. station who brand themselves with matching tattoos of a skeleton outfitted with a sombrero, bandolier and pistol. 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. Bob Gregory, 62, went missing the same day as Sands. In 2016, Munoz, Deputies David Silver Silverio, Vincent Moran, Anthony Pacheco, Leo Sanchez, and associate Andrea Villa forced Casas to pay taxes to the gang a scheme allegedly cooked up by Noel Lopez, Mark Elizondo, Munoz, Rodriguez, and Silverio. With Sergeant Betty Lascono, who had been her Captain at East L.A., Gonzalez,... 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