More LA Sheriffs Officials Accused of Misconduct in Banditos Traditionally, once deputy gang membership reaches 100, a new group is introduced. The station has been home to several deputy gangs, including the Little Devils, Cavemen, and newest addition, the Banditos. Despite Gonzalezs high test performance in the Sergeants promotional exam, she was repeatedly passed over for the promotion. 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 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. The lawsuit Gray is visible on the tape observing the arrest from a distance. It asserts that the special unit members "showed up just in time to kill the perpetrator before he could murder their fellow deputy.". Deputy Woodrow Kim, who was listed as a witness, stated Saavedra was lying about the claim in the IA investigation. Her case settled for $1 million in 2019. Before joining The Times in 2016, she reported on crime and policing for the Glendale News-Press and Burbank Leader. 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. As she was completing a victim interview, Hernandez began cursing at her. When Zaredini did not follow the Banditos orders to pressure Gonzalez to leave the station, Mendoza knocked him unconscious behind the East LA Station. "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. It says about 30 members and prospects work at the East L.A. station, adding the others work elsewhere or have retired. 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. Deputies who are members have adopted gang expressions, the lawsuit says. Aceituno recently did the same thing again and received no consequences from East LA Captain Richard Mejia, according to the complaint. 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. A deputy came to his home as Gray was moving a car into his driveway. 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. Los Banditos East LA Station has been a notorious LASD gang hub for decades, but not every deputy is welcome. No one had any knowledge of that name, Villanueva said. The memo included an anonymous letter detailing the Banditos wrongdoings. Mejia later lied in a deposition and claimed he didnt see the letter until 2019. is investigating the Banditos The group embraces the tradition of violence passed down by the gangs that came before them and turns on anyone who questions them. 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. He says that Lopez left California altogether in an attempt to leave the trauma behind. 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.. Before joining The Times in 2016, she reported on crime and policing for the Glendale News-Press and Burbank Leader. Instead of investigating her claim, the department began investigating her. Casas also says he received several intimidating messages from the Banditos, including demands to stop working at the station and threats of assault. , and previously named only four former deputies and Los Angeles County. But new court documents that include sworn testimony from Chavez raise questions about and at times, contradict the sheriffs claims. Granados reported this to Woodwards supervisor, Sergeant Albert Maldonado, who initially discarded the write-up. 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. Members typically get matching tattoos and go by names such as the Grim Reapers and Jump Out Boys. Alene Tchekmedyian is an investigative reporter at the Los Angeles Times. On August 8, 2013, Lopez was taken off of disability leave and cleared to return to work. And that was on purpose because they had failed in their job to lead the station.. The sheriffs department declined to comment on the allegations. Those 36 individuals would simply reflect general transfers, Chavez responded. 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). "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. Theyve been called "gangs" because they wear matching tattoos, operate in secrecy, and have initiation rituals. The charges were dismissed at a pre-trial hearing by the prosecutor after reviewing the cell phone video of Grays arrest. 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. 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. Following her complaint to Chavez, Internal Affairs opened an investigation into the matter, resulting in a two-day suspension. The deputies who filed the lawsuit include seven men and one woman. Mismanagement, Sloppy Hiring Practices, Lack Of Transparency. 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. Several neighbors came out of their houses and filmed the incident. 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. 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 Lemus supervisor, Hugo Reynaga, initially marked the matter as resolved. Gregory Rodriguez would also allegedly advise the younger deputies to carry a bag with them to plant evidence on suspects. Patrelli contacted her again and told her that she would actually be going to the County Services Bureau USC Hospital location. In this role, the FTOs are able to abuse their trainees without any accountability. Its author Professor Sean Kennedy said at least seven remain active. The Banditos control the East Los Angeles station "like inmates running a prison yard," the lawsuit alleges. Youve got people who rigged internal affairs bureau investigations, Miller told LAist. The Banditos of the East Los Angeles Sheriffs Station seemed not only to embrace the tradition of terrorizing surrounding communities, but celebrate the 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 said he did not know how many deputies were identified as having tattoos and said the name Executioners was coined by an attorney. 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. 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. However, the claim states the memo only focused on Munozs harassment and intentionally downplayed the role of the gang in the stations operation. Lopez spoke with Sergeant Betty Lascono, who placed her on the schedule to return to work the following day. 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." He met his wife and the mother of his children in LA. Based on the information that I have, that is incorrect. Denham was later promoted to assistant sheriff by Sheriff Villanueva, and retired in 2019. 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. They were treating her like a housewife, says Gregory Smith, Lopezs attorney. Villanueva has generally downplayed the problem, saying cliques are nothing more than "hazing run amok" and "intergenerational rivalry. Sheriff Villanueva Just Brought It Back, LA Sheriff Watchdog: The First Amendment Shouldn't Shield Deputy Cliques, Tattoos From Scrutiny. 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. Contreras and the other plaintiffs requested transfers out of the station, which were denied without explanation for weeks. Leaders, known as "shot-callers," determined deputies' hours, promotions, even days off. Took his hands and bent them up so far behind his back that you could see his fingers behind his ears and he tore his shoulder. The report falsely described Gray as trying to open the door of the patrol vehicle. When she tried to get away by getting back into the patrol car, Wargo blocked her path and said You are a product of Valdez, and he is God at East LA Station, and if you dont submit to the program, you will have problems here! In January 2012, Lopez ran into Deputy Andrew Hernandez again on another call. Just a few months later, Deputy Gregory Rodriguez made one final attempt to recruit Deputy Mario Contreras to the gang. lawsuit that was first filed two years ago The suit also claims Banditos encourage deputies to increase their arrest numbers by planting evidence on suspects. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva says he is working to rebuild the leadership team at the East L.A. Sheriffs station and address denounced rogue activity by a deputy clique called Los Banditos. According to KABC 7, a new captain at the East LA station aims to hold supervisors accountable for behavior that is out of policy. Between 2019 and 2020, Sheriff Villanueva lied when he repeatedly claimed he transferred 36 Banditos out of the East LA Station and directed the Captain to investigate the gang. Gonzalez filed a lawsuit against the County in April 2016. 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. In an interview with KPCC/LAist, Murakami denied that he's a member of the group. 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. A second investigation into the Kennedy Hall incident initiated by Sheriff Villanueva resulted in the termination of Deputies Gregory Rodriguez, David Silverio, and Sergeant Michael Hernandez, all members of the Banditos. 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. Deputy Lemus was overloaded with calls by the alleged morning Banditos shot caller, Raymond Mendoza. The gang also denied Zaredini and Lemus backup. It was never used on the department at all. 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. "They see who is eager to belong, who they can manipulate, who they can control easily," he said. The Banditos extract "taxes" from young Latino deputies for clique members' parties and travel, one of the deputies who filed the lawsuit told LAist. Just a few days later she was summoned into the Watch Commanders Office by Sergeants Hish and Florence, who were not her supervisors. The list includes 11 deputies allegedly belonging to the Banditos and operating out of the East LA sheriff's station. I dont know who the Banditos are, Chavez, who is now a commander, said under oath in March. Deputy Louis Granados claims that his number of calls went up in 2018 after he blew the whistle on the Banditos with Deputy Zaredini. Lieutenant Eric Simpson allegedly buried the memo under the orders of Chief Bobby Denham. Patrelli instead scheduled a meeting with Lopez and Division Commander Henry Romero, who had been her captain at East LA. The lawsuit estimates 15-20% of the department's more than 9,000 sworn personnel are members of these cliques. Thirty-one of these allegedly are themselves Banditos, associates, or prospects for the gang, he said. 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. She even contends that Hish manipulated her score in order to keep her from moving up in rank. . 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 Sheriff's Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 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. Joshua Smilor, Benjamin Zaredini, Andrew Hernandez, Eduardo Sanchez, and Troy Krautkramer were deputies as of 2019. None of them appear to have been disciplined for the shootings. The FBI 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?. When she asked Wargo what was going on, she was told that she was a trainee and to mind her business. and Gang culture is reinforced by older employees who reward newer recruits who subscribe to it. Pushed him up against the police car. Lopez also believed that she would be subjected to further harassment if she went to another area. 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. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. 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. 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. The complaint alleges that the Banditos have controlled scheduling, assignments, and promotions at the East Los Angeles Station until relatively recently. The claim charges that Mejia admitted the action was improper, and that Commander (then Captain) Ernie Chavez and Commander Eli Vera (a candidate for sheriff) stated the action was retaliatory. Deputy Christopher Wargo drove to the location and blocked Lopezs patrol car so she could not move and ordered her out of the vehicle. At the end of the call he followed Lopez to her car. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Deputy cliques in L.A. 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We had a captain that was gracious enough to take her in [his unit] and she just hid, says Gonzalezs attorney, Gregory Smith. When Contreras reported this to Captain Mejia, he instead suggested that Contreras ride with Deputy Juan Sanchez instead, who is allegedly affiliated with a street gang, as well as being an inked Banditos member. 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. LASD does not appear to have disciplined anyone for the text exchange. 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. 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. "Other taxes take the form of sexual favors from female deputies," according to the complaint. If you're enjoying this article, you'll love my daily morning newsletter, How To LA. 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 In September 2018, two deputies were knocked unconscious at a department party at an event space called Kennedy Hall, the lawsuit says. 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. Escobedo was unable to work for a week afterwards, according to the suit. If you're enjoying this article, you'll love my daily morning newsletter, How To LA. Once she arrived at Century Station, Lopez was assigned to the Youth Activity League, which significantly impacted her career prospects, according to her lawsuit. 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. 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. This should be emblematic that policies that allegedly ban deputies from joining gangs will not fix this problem., Solis added that these deputies "cause havoc and harm" and only traumatize the community instead of helping and serving it. The Top 5 newsletter catches you up with LAs top 5 stories in just 3 minutes. Zaredinis partner worked 12-14 hour shifts because he feared what would happen to Zaredini alone. LASD has never thoroughly investigated allegations of gang corruption, and this case is no exception, Huntsman told The Times. The Cavemen preceded the Banditos at the East L.A. Station. 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. The FBI is investigating a secret society of tattooed deputies in East Los Angeles as well as similar gang-like groups elsewhere within the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, multiple people familiar with the inquiry said. 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. Banditos prospects Rojas, Perez, and Saavedra were allegedly given membership tattoos following the shooting deaths of Vargas and Rea. A look at years past when snows creeped into our citified neighborhoods, away from the mountains and foothills. Lemus, Contreras, Hernandez, and Escobedo were told they could move to another gang-dominated station, or a station far from their homes. The Banditos gang has controlled the East Los Angeles station like inmates running a prison yard, the lawsuit says. She was not in a good way. Many of the people who violently harassed Lopez are still with the department. 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. Valdez appears to currently work as a sergeant at a different station. The Countys deputy gangs also subjected him to an experience that left him traumatized. The money has been used for legal fees for some defendants in the claim and vacations for Banditos members to Thailand. Banditos "intentionally fail to provide back-up during emergency situations and other dangerous calls to purposely place deputies in dangerous circumstances," the suit says. The Banditos are said to operate out of the sheriffs East L.A. station, and sport tattoos of gun-wielding skeletons wearing sombreros. She was very damaged by what happened, he tells Knock LA. Eric Valdez and Veronica De La Rosa were promoted to the rank of sergeant, which they held as recently as 2019. Despite ongoing litigation related to the Banditos, the gang appears confident that they can operate with impunity, and multiply. Rafael Munoz approached Casas on at least two occasions to ask him to be his eyes and ears in the southern part of the precinct. 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. Orange says that Gray told himhe was beaten by several deputies. 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. Saavedra also attempted to have Gonzalez investigated for wrongfully sitting in a car with a victim, a claim that the complaint alleges to be completely fabricated. Mejia opened an inquiry into Munoz and reported it to Lieutenant Eric Smitson and Captain Chris Perez. The IG's report on a deputy group However, he was found not guilty by a jury. She previously covered the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, focusing on accountability stories and writing about failures by officials to comply with transparency laws. She said it's time the department take the elimination of deputy gang membership seriously.. They use word on the yard, a phrase used to explain what is being said among people in prison, according to the lawsuit. 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