Deputies Christopher Wargo, Benjamin Zaredini, Andrew Hernandez, and Eduardo Sanchez, who were also mentioned, were loaned out to other stations. 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. 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. Here's Why It's Especially Dangerous To Hike SoCal Mountains Right Now, How 4 Words Upended A University's Journalism Program, And Stirred A Reckoning Over Race, What A Popular Yoga Teacher's Descent Into Conspiracy Theories Says About The 'Wellness To QAnon Pipeline', Ancient Lung Disease Strikes Countertop Cutters In LA, The Groundbreaking Suicide Squad That Tested Early Rockets And Flirted With The Occult. They were treating her like a housewife, says Gregory Smith, Lopezs attorney. The Banditos are said to operate out of the sheriffs East L.A. station, and sport tattoos of gun-wielding skeletons wearing sombreros. Chavez also said the 36 people moved from the station reflected general transfers, retirements or promotions, not a response to allegations centered around the Banditos. She's In his letter, Huntsman requests that the Sheriffs Department cooperate with his investigation into the groups by providing investigative files and other documents. 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. Deputies Gregory Rodriguez, Monica Farias, Steven Miller, Alejandro Lomeli, and Marc Elizondo pounced. The trainees were reportedly told that if they stole anything from a suspect, they should dispose of it outside of the station. 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. She was very damaged by what happened, he tells Knock LA. Thank you for investing in your neighborhood. Villanueva has generally downplayed the problem, saying cliques are nothing more than "hazing run amok" and "intergenerational rivalry. At East L.A., Gonzalez discovered, there was a shadow government: a secretive group of sheriffs deputies known as the Banditos. 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? 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. Gonzalez filed a lawsuit against the County in April 2016. Alene Tchekmedyian is an investigative reporter at the Los Angeles Times. Lieutenant Eric Simpson allegedly buried the memo under the orders of Chief Bobby Denham. The pair demanded she immediately resign from her mentoring position, and she was removed the following day. 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. 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. Lopez was nervous about returning to a hostile environment, so she contacted the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs (ALADS) who told her they could not help. 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. Decisions such as station fundraisers and events must be roundtabled at the home of Noel Crook Lopez or Marc Elizondo. LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network. 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. Moore allegedly reported the attack directly to Banditos shot caller Raymond Mendoza. She had no investigators. Escobedo was unable to work for a week afterwards, according to the suit. 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 The sheriffs department declined to comment on the allegations. 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. assertions made in legal claims filed in March and May Attorneys representing a group of Los Angeles County Sheriffs deputies who claimed to have been harassed and brutalized by the Banditos Theyve been called "gangs" because they wear matching tattoos, operate in secrecy, and have initiation rituals. 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Excerpts of Chavezs testimony were made public as part of a lawsuit brought by eight deputies who say they were routinely harassed by a gang of predominantly Latino deputies who have matching tattoos of a skeleton outfitted with a sombrero, bandolier and pistol. It also alleges that the Banditos once secretly removed ammunition from another deputys shotgun. Youve got people who were put in leadership positions who were basically there to hide and minimize and cover up the extent of the deputy gang problem.. 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. Deputy gangs have a significant impact on the operation of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, and East Los Angeles Station is the clearest example. A Tradition of Violence is hosted and executive produced by Cerise Castle. If you're enjoying this article, you'll love my daily morning newsletter, How To LA. Munoz, Moran, and Rodriguez cornered Gonzalez and pressured him to leave the station. Villanueva has said hes the first sheriff to have implemented a policy that prohibits membership in illicit groups. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. Will Orange County's Fledgling Clean Power Agency Survive? The Sheriff's Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Rosa Gonzalez, a deputy who later sued the station, said under oath that she heard Lopez referred to as The Glob.. Huntsman did not name the deputies and said his office has identified additional possible members from other sources. ", Villanueva did Aceituno recently did the same thing again and received no consequences from East LA Captain Richard Mejia, according to the complaint. She had no assistants trying this case. They were "threatened and bullied in attempts to get them to conform to the corrupt culture or leave the station," the suit alleges. After taking office in December 2018, Sheriff Alex Villanueva removed the captain and transferred numerous deputies out of the East L.A. station. Call Them What You Will There've Been 18 (Yes, 18) In The LA Sheriff's Department, A Controversial East LA Sheriff's Station Logo Was Banned. The same crew also allegedly hatched a plan to overload deputies who did not obey the Banditos with emergency calls. Rosa Gonzalez became the latest target of the Banditos abuses in December 2011, shortly after she arrived at the East LA Station. 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. None of them appear to have been disciplined for the shootings. Heres everything you need to know about coyotes in Los Angeles County. Sgt. The Sheriffs Department has long faced allegations that the groups run roughshod over several stations, controlling commanders and glorifying aggressive policing tactics. Gregory Rodriguez was charged with perjury by the office of then District Attorney Jackie Lacey for lying in his report. Just a few days later she was summoned into the Watch Commanders Office by Sergeants Hish and Florence, who were not her supervisors. Deputies Alfred Gonzalez, Oscar Escobedo, Ariela Lemus, Art Hernandez, Mario Contreras, David Casas, Louis Granados, and Benjamin Zaredini, the latter of whom was previously accused of being a Bandito, claim to have suffered at the hands of the gang for the past four years. . The FBI The lawsuit also alleges that the plaintiff deputies have been continually harassed through the filing of the amendment. Prospects like Deputy Hector Little Listo Saavedra sent texts laughing about the 245 (assault and battery) and advised others to burn and destroy evidence. Gray filed a lawsuit against the County, and accepted a settlement of $549,000, which taxpayers financed. Rodriguez told Contreras that he was going to be assigned to ride along with Munoz. The department did not respond to LAist's inquiry as to whether the policy has been formally adopted. To make sure you get our coverage: The anonymous employee told the panel a gang known as the Banditos still essentially runs the East Los Angeles station, despite Sheriff Alex Villanuevas previous insistence that he cleaned house at the station. Attorneys representing a group of Los Angeles County Sheriffs deputies who claimed to have been harassed and brutalized by the Banditos deputy gang at the East Los Angeles Station have filed a fifth amended complaint naming 17 additional associates of the group. He informed her that she would be put on loan to Century Station pending the approval of her transfer, but refused to give her a copy of the paperwork. A CBS News investigation has uncovered allegations of gangs existing within the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, possibly for decades. During the course of the investigations, the complaint alleges multiple Banditos members and associates lied about their knowledge of the gang and said they did not see the attacks. The Countys deputy gangs also subjected him to an experience that left him traumatized. Traditionally, once deputy gang membership reaches 100, a new group is introduced. LAist.com/radio. The Executioners were The new defendants include two commanders, three captains, two lieutenants and 41 deputies, according to plaintiffs attorney Vincent Miller. In December 2018, Banditos "secretly removed the bullets from Deputy Zaredini's shotgun," the lawsuit claims. Gray is visible on the tape observing the arrest from a distance. At that point, Lopez informed Barsh about the harassment she had been subjected to by the Banditos. 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. 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.". A report by Loyola Law School found Rodriguez was rehired despite being charged with falsifying the police report concerning the unlawful detainment and beating of Christopher Gray. For the latest national news from NPR and our live radio broadcast, visit The complaint alleges that the Banditos have controlled scheduling, assignments, and promotions at the East Los Angeles Station until relatively recently. Will Orange County's Fledgling Clean Power Agency Survive? Valdez appears to currently work as a sergeant at a different station. Gonzalez was transferred to the Norwalk Station, but no action was taken against the sergeants. A Los Angeles County sheriffs deputy associated with a gang-like group of deputies with matching tattoos testified that he has attended about seven inking parties.. 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. Zaredini retroactively received the bonus pay, but was denied a promotion by Captain Chavez and Undersheriff Timothy Murakami. Will It Solve The Problem? Once she was out, Wargo began screaming at her. Many of those men were also members of the Banditos. The lawsuit describes in detail how members of the "Banditos" clique allegedly control station operations. He showed her a transfer request form with two choices: San Dimas or Walnut Stations. Gray was detained again on October 15, 2012. According to the lawsuit, the deputy detained, battered, and searched Gray without reasonable suspicion or probable cause. He wrote that the list is based on information gleaned from investigations conducted by the Sheriffs Department. But Villanueva limited the investigation into the attack at the party, saying only the actions of individual deputies would be examined -- not the Banditos as a whole. 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. Lopez attempted to come back to work just over a month later, but was met with the same harassment as before. Members of the gang are given special privileges, like preferred parking spaces. Jefferson Chow, who has been in the department for 26 years, was tasked with investigating a September 2018 fight between deputies at a department party at Kennedy Hall in East Los Angeles. Guadalupe Lopez started her career at LASD in 2003. Former Undersheriff Ray Leyva stated in a deposition that Villanueva made a settlement with Deputy Gregory Rodriguez, a Bandito, shortly after Rodriguez was involved in the attack at Kennedy Hall. Granados reported this to Woodwards supervisor, Sergeant Albert Maldonado, who initially discarded the write-up. She immediately began to experience chest pains and shortness of breath, and was diagnosed with a stress-induced pre-heart attack condition. The other plaintiff deputies would provide assistance, despite the fact they would have to go outside of their respective areas of service. Gang culture is reinforced by older employees who reward newer recruits who subscribe to it. Smith says that current Sheriff Alex Villanueva reached out to Gonzalez after taking office and assisted her with study for the Sergeants exam. It was filed on behalf of eight deputies who accused a group of colleagues of being members of a gang that violated the civil rights of deputies who did not support them with a campaign of harassment and physical attacks. Members have a common tattoo on their legs of a skeleton with a bushy mustache wearing a sombrero and bandolier holding a pistol, all of which are sequentially numbered. The refusal to provide backup created "close calls" that almost got deputies killed, according to the suit. 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 Banditos have existed for at least a decade at the East L.A. station, according to Kennedy. Munoz, Eldemira Parra, Andrea Villa, and Claudia Perez controlled the calls through dispatch, and would send Granados and other plaintiffs out at the end of their shifts, forcing them to stay past their work time. 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. 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 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. 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. 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. The Top 5 newsletter catches you up with LAs top 5 stories in just 3 minutes. We had a captain that was gracious enough to take her in [his unit] and she just hid, says Gonzalezs attorney, Gregory Smith. Rodriguez was discharged from the department as a result of the charges, but later was given his job back and returned to the department. 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. Dear reader, we're asking you to help us keep local news available for all. Despite Gonzalezs high test performance in the Sergeants promotional exam, she was repeatedly passed over for the promotion. Several neighbors came out of their houses and filmed the incident. Zaredinis partner worked 12-14 hour shifts because he feared what would happen to Zaredini alone. 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. She was contacted by Lascono again, who told Lopez to report to work on August 11. 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." Lopezs lawsuit states that the harassment continued after she complained. SEE MORE OF OUR COVERAGE ON LA'S DEPUTY GANGS: Our news is free on LAist. She quickly learned there was a power struggle going on between FTOs Hernandez and Valdez, along with the latters Banditos associates. Chavez said he was not told why he was being moved to the station and that he never made an effort to identify who belonged to the Banditos. 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. Gray was charged and prosecuted for intentionally obstructing a law enforcement officer from performing their duties. 17 New Defendants Identified in Ongoing Suit Against the Banditos and LASD, deputy gang at the East Los Angeles Station. A new policy is meaningless if you dont actually enforce it, said Miller, the attorney representing the deputies. Patrelli instead scheduled a meeting with Lopez and Division Commander Henry Romero, who had been her captain at East LA. The list includes 11 deputies allegedly belonging to the Banditos and operating out of the East LA sheriff's station. I went to the trial for a day or two and the Deputy DA who was trying the case had no partner. 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. 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. Bandito godfather Sergeant Eric Valdez told Hernandez to tell the truth, as he was horrified with the gangs behavior. He was elected in 2018 after running as a progressive Democrat who would reform the department. Mejia opened an inquiry into Munoz and reported it to Lieutenant Eric Smitson and Captain Chris Perez. In an interview with KPCC/LAist, Murakami denied that he's a member of the group. Pushed him up against the police car. Deputy Christopher Wargo drove to the location and blocked Lopezs patrol car so she could not move and ordered her out of the vehicle. Casas also says he received several intimidating messages from the Banditos, including demands to stop working at the station and threats of assault. 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. alleging the existence of a criminal gang of deputies called the Banditos at the departments East L.A. Station. In May 2019, Contreras was denied backup by Deputies Nikolis Perez and Jonathan Rojas, both Banditos. The charges were dismissed at a pre-trial hearing by the prosecutor after reviewing the cell phone video of Grays arrest. When Zaredini did not follow the Banditos orders to pressure Gonzalez to leave the station, Mendoza knocked him unconscious behind the East LA Station. Gonzalez developed high blood pressure and a heart condition which led to her removal from the field. 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. "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. On March 26, 2012, Deputy Zaredini ran Lopezs vehicle off the road. 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 IG's report on a deputy group FTO Hernandez brought the fake request to Sergeant Jennifer Barsh, who ordered Lopez back to the station. Lopez spoke with Sergeant Betty Lascono, who placed her on the schedule to return to work the following day. "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. 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. 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. If she didnt comply, she wouldnt pass her probationary period and it could be extended indefinitely. The Fort Apache insignia, which depicts a riot helmet and a boot with the words Low profile and siempre una patada en los pantalones or always a swift kick in the pants, was created at the station during the Chicano Moratorium, when deputies brutalized hundreds of people gathered to protest the Vietnam War. We believe when reliable local reporting is widely available, the entire community benefits. A look at years past when snows creeped into our citified neighborhoods, away from the mountains and foothills. We believe when reliable local reporting is widely available, the entire community benefits. 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. Deputies who are members have adopted gang expressions, the lawsuit says. In fall of 2017, Munoz sent Raymond Mendoza, an alleged Banditos shot caller, to confront Deputy Zaredini about not being hostile enough to Deputy Alfred Gonzalez. 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. Before joining The Times in 2016, she reported on crime and policing for the Glendale News-Press and Burbank Leader. Villanueva blamed the situation on "a leadership team that fell asleep at the switch.". If you're enjoying this article, you'll love my daily morning newsletter, How To LA. 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. April Valentine died at Centinela Hospital. Tanaka is serving a five-year prison term for trying to cover up jailhouse beatings. But new court documents that include sworn testimony from Chavez raise questions about and at times, contradict the sheriffs claims. 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. the F.B.I. Lopez also believed that she would be subjected to further harassment if she went to another area. The gang also denied Zaredini and Lemus backup. She contacted the Back to Work Unit but was told they could not help her, and advised her to contact the station Director. He ended up fiercely resisting oversight and clashing with watchdogs and the rest of the countys political establishment. Sources within LASD told Knock LA that the Banditos recently held an inking party to add 10 new tattooed members to their ranks and take membership to 100. The Banditos of the East Los Angeles Sheriffs Station seemed not only to embrace the tradition of terrorizing surrounding communities, but celebrate the 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. Members have gang nicknames and use slang like ese and homes when speaking with each other. At the end of the call he followed Lopez to her car. The deputies who filed the lawsuit include seven men and one woman. Munoz, Rodriguez, Silverio and Michael Hernandez were all placed on paid leave. His return, along with the elevation of other Banditos associates, solidified the gangs grip on the station. She said it's time the department take the elimination of deputy gang membership seriously.. 4 min read. The deputy kept hitting him in his testicles and calling him a monkey. Detained again on October 15, 2012, deputy Benjamin Zaredini attempted to come back work. 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