LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network. Today, the station is dominated Banditos. Lopez went to Area Command to request a copy of the paperwork and discovered it had never been filed. 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. Munoz, Moran, and Rodriguez cornered Gonzalez and pressured him to leave the station. The Countys deputy gangs also subjected him to an experience that left him traumatized. Lopez was also subjected to intimidation: Deputy Benjamin Zaredini once followed Lopez into the garage area at the East LA station. 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.. . Decisions such as station fundraisers and events must be roundtabled at the home of Noel Crook Lopez or Marc Elizondo. David Infante was a lieutenant as recently as 2019. The Bandito tattoo is a skeleton with a giant mustache wearing a sombrero with a bandolier and pistol. Instead, the defendants face the allegations previously laid out in the lawsuit. Members of the Banditos can be identified by their signature tattoos of a skeleton wearing a sombrero, bandolier, and pistol. The plaintiffs originally filed claims in 2019, stating they had been attacked, beaten, and denied backup as a result of refusing to cooperate with the gang. It was never used on the department at all. On social media, the deputies have been mocked as rats.. The Banditos are a group of nearly 100 deputies who wear matching tattoos of a skeleton with a thick mustache, sombrero, pistol and bandolier, according to the suit. 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. If you're enjoying this article, you'll love my daily morning newsletter, How To LA. Villanueva blamed the situation on "a leadership team that fell asleep at the switch.". Smith says that current Sheriff Alex Villanueva reached out to Gonzalez after taking office and assisted her with study for the Sergeants exam. The other plaintiff deputies would provide assistance, despite the fact they would have to go outside of their respective areas of service. We are dedicated to providing independent journalism and telling the real story of LA. Guadalupe Lopez started her career at LASD in 2003. But after Captain William Jaeger was named in the lawsuit, the write-up was resurrected and escalated to an Internal Affairs investigation. Attorneys representing a group of Los Angeles County Sheriffs deputies who claimed to have been harassed and brutalized by the Banditos 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. 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. In early March 2012, someone posted a phony Department Personnel Transfer Request at the East LA station with Lopezs name on it. No one had any knowledge of that name, Villanueva said. Lopez filed a complaint against LA County in 2014 and eventually settled for $1.5 million, funded by taxpayers. Chavez said he left East L.A. station in November 2019 after his promotion to commander. Gonzalez developed high blood pressure and a heart condition which led to her removal from the field. lawsuit that was first filed two years ago She was placed on medical leave. Will It Solve The Problem? 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 December 2018, Banditos "secretly removed the bullets from Deputy Zaredini's shotgun," the lawsuit claims. Im not bothering anybody. 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 inquiry did not examine the allegations of withholding backup, according to the complaint. The department did not respond to LAist's inquiry as to whether the policy has been formally adopted. 18 deputy gangs that have operated within the department Chief Bobby Denham moved to initiate a fake investigation into the attack. The Banditos of the East Los Angeles Sheriffs Station seemed not only to embrace the tradition of terrorizing surrounding communities, but celebrate the More LA Sheriffs Officials Accused of Misconduct in Banditos and Her case settled for $1 million in 2019. 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. Instead of investigating her claim, the department began investigating her. But new court documents that include sworn testimony from Chavez raise questions about and at times, contradict the sheriffs claims. His return, along with the elevation of other Banditos associates, solidified the gangs grip on the station. Hernandezs former FTO Marcelo Reaper Ortega and Contreras former FTO Elizondo also told him not to speak about what had happened. What has previously been known about the groups has often been stitched together from allegations and testimony in lawsuits. The Banditos now ran East LA. Pushed him up against the police car. 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. 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 Privacy Policy. Members of the gang are given special privileges, like preferred parking spaces. , and previously named only four former deputies and Los Angeles County. A deputy grabbed him and cuffed him. She quickly learned there was a power struggle going on between FTOs Hernandez and Valdez, along with the latters Banditos associates. She was able to maintain control of the weapon but fell backwards into a wall, hitting the back of her head. And any time youre a Black man, somebody calling you a monkey, in my book, thats racism, Orange tells Knock LA. 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. The charges were dismissed at a pre-trial hearing by the prosecutor after reviewing the cell phone video of Grays arrest. They were detaining and taking Grays brother-in-law into custody according to Grays attorney, Olu Orange. She'd gone into the pregnancy with a plan, knowing Black mothers like herself were at higher risk. "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. Knock LA is a nonprofit community journalism project, originally conceived by Ground Game LA. 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. The lawsuit estimates 15-20% of the department's more than 9,000 sworn personnel are members of these cliques. 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 refusal to provide backup created "close calls" that almost got deputies killed, according to the suit. Many of those men were also members of the Banditos. Will Orange County's Fledgling Clean Power Agency Survive? 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.". In August, Villanueva announced a zero tolerance policy on deputy cliques/subgroups engaging in misconduct, according to the statement. 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. . Bandito FTOs would demand taxes, handing their trainees empty envelopes and telling them to fill them with money, sometimes up to $2,000, by the end of the day. Will Orange County's Fledgling Clean Power Agency Survive? She was also regularly sent on calls with just a few minutes left on her shift. 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. L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis, who represents East L.A., said in an emailed statement: "It is shameful to learn that the number of deputy gang members, specifically from the Banditos, have increased and now include those who have enabled and hid their misconduct. 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. Denham was later promoted to assistant sheriff by Sheriff Villanueva, and retired in 2019. The Banditos have existed for at least a decade at the East L.A. station, according to Kennedy. LASD has never thoroughly investigated allegations of gang corruption, and this case is no exception, Huntsman told The Times. And that was on purpose because they had failed in their job to lead the station.. Did you investigate the Banditos? asked Vincent Miller, an attorney representing the eight deputies, according to a transcript of the deposition excerpts. 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. Union Says It'll 'Wait And See', A Look Back At LA Sheriff Alex Villanueva's Tumultuous 4 Years, A Los Angeles Family Seeks Answers And Accountability After Black Mom Dies In Childbirth. 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. Gray was charged and prosecuted for intentionally obstructing a law enforcement officer from performing their duties. 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. Theyve been called "gangs" because they wear matching tattoos, operate in secrecy, and have initiation rituals. Sign up for our daily newsletters The Sheriff's Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Just a few months later, Deputy Gregory Rodriguez made one final attempt to recruit Deputy Mario Contreras to the gang. They were "threatened and bullied in attempts to get them to conform to the corrupt culture or leave the station," the suit alleges. 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. 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. The incident was never investigated, despite it being reported, according to the complaint. Zaredini did not report the incident for fear of retaliation by the gang. 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. Banditos groom young deputies they are considering for membership in the group, assigning them mentors, the deputy said. Deputy gangs have existed within the LASD for at least 50 years. Hernandez told investigators the truth. The Sheriffs Department has long faced allegations that the groups run roughshod over several stations, controlling commanders and glorifying aggressive policing tactics. Gregory Rodriguez would also allegedly advise the younger deputies to carry a bag with them to plant evidence on suspects. Youve got people who rigged internal affairs bureau investigations, Miller told LAist. His body was recovered near Mount Islip. Over the past 30 years, litigation related to deputy gangs at the East LA Station has cost taxpayers more than $36 million. Lopez attempted to come back to work just over a month later, but was met with the same harassment as before. did not have an immediate response. Villanueva told ABC7 on Tuesday, May 24, that the hearing was a political stunt that allowed witnesses to testify without cross-examination. Prospects like Deputy Hector Little Listo Saavedra sent texts laughing about the 245 (assault and battery) and advised others to burn and destroy evidence. She was contacted by Lascono again, who told Lopez to report to work on August 11. Leaders, known as "shot-callers," determined deputies' hours, promotions, even days off. The Banditos initially attempted to recruit some of the plaintiffs. But eight deputies now accuse Sheriff Villanueva of allowing a violent group, the Banditos, to thrive in his department's ranks. 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 new defendants represent a significant expansion of the civil rights and workplace harassment 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. She said it's time the department take the elimination of deputy gang membership seriously.. Angelica Estrada, one of the few female associates of the Banditos and a woman who wielded tremendous influence at the station, "went over Mejia's head" to the captain at the time and then-Chief Bob Denham to block any discipline of the Banditos. 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 Banditos extract "taxes" from young Latino deputies for clique members' parties and travel, one of the deputies who filed the lawsuit told LAist. Moore allegedly reported the attack directly to Banditos shot caller Raymond Mendoza. 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. One of the deputies approached him and told him to step back and he said, Im nowhere near whats going on. Rosa Gonzalez, a deputy who later sued the station, said under oath that she heard Lopez referred to as The Glob.. Lemus supervisor, Hugo Reynaga, initially marked the matter as resolved. April Valentine died at Centinela Hospital. Lopez was informed by other women in the department that Valdez expected female trainees to submit to male training officers, meaning she had to drink, party, and provide sexual favors upon request. 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. Lopezs lawsuit states that the harassment continued after she complained. Cerise Castle | April 1, 2021 Part of A 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. According to a complaint, Lopez wasnt given adequate time to prepare administrative paperwork, supervisors at the East LA station refused to sign off on her reports, and detectives didnt file or investigate her cases. He ended up fiercely resisting oversight and clashing with watchdogs and the rest of the countys political establishment. 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. 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.. 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.. . 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. 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. The Top 5 newsletter catches you up with LAs top 5 stories in just 3 minutes. When the Internal Affairs Bureau initiated an investigation into the Banditos, lead investigator Jeff Hamil allegedly followed Villanuevas orders to complete a fake investigation. Deputy Woodrow Kim, who was listed as a witness, stated Saavedra was lying about the claim in the IA investigation. The Sheriffs Department may not refuse to produce the records requested below by unilaterally declaring that no deputy sheriff is a member of a law enforcement gang, Huntsman wrote, adding that the Banditos and Executioners may fall within the states definition of such a gang. repeat 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. Lieutenant Eric Simpson allegedly buried the memo under the orders of Chief Bobby Denham. Zaredinis partner worked 12-14 hour shifts because he feared what would happen to Zaredini alone. Villanueva has said hes the first sheriff to have implemented a policy that prohibits membership in illicit groups. Deputies who are members have adopted gang expressions, the lawsuit says. 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. 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. 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. 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 station has been home to several deputy gangs, including the Little Devils, Cavemen, and newest addition, the Banditos. 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. Soon afterwards, Zaredini was removed as an FTO and lost his bonus pay. The deputies who filed the lawsuit include seven men and one woman. The Cavemen preceded the Banditos at the East L.A. Station. The lawsuit describes in detail how members of the "Banditos" clique allegedly control station operations. '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.. We believe when reliable local reporting is widely available, the entire community benefits. 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. Just a few days later she was summoned into the Watch Commanders Office by Sergeants Hish and Florence, who were not her supervisors. On Sept. 19, 2018, just nine days before the attack at the party, two East L.A. deputies were shot, "coming close to being murdered, because of the intentional failure of the Banditos to provide back up," the suit claims. In September 2018, two deputies were knocked unconscious at a department party at an event space called Kennedy Hall, the lawsuit says. Immediately afterwards, then Banditos prospect Hector Little Listo Saavedra allegedly claimed Zaredini called him a homophobic slur over one year prior. . LAist.com/radio. Mejia opened an inquiry into Munoz and reported it to Lieutenant Eric Smitson and Captain Chris Perez. The lawsuit also alleges that the plaintiff deputies have been continually harassed through the filing of the amendment. Tanaka is serving a five-year prison term for trying to cover up jailhouse beatings. 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. alleging the existence of a criminal gang of deputies called the Banditos at the departments East L.A. Station. 2023 Southern California Public Radio - All Rights Reserved, assertions made in legal claims filed in March and May, A Los Angeles Family Seeks Answers And Accountability After Black Mom Dies In Childbirth, A Brief History Of Why It Does Occasionally Snow In LA. He slammed his hands on the side of the vehicle and said, What the fuck is wrong with you? The memo included an anonymous letter detailing the Banditos wrongdoings. There are 30 alleged members of the Executioners operating from the Compton station. Escobedo was unable to work for a week afterwards, according to the suit. At that point, Lopez informed Barsh about the harassment she had been subjected to by the Banditos. 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.. . Deputies Christopher Wargo, Benjamin Zaredini, Andrew Hernandez, and Eduardo Sanchez, who were also mentioned, were loaned out to other stations. 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. But the eight deputies this week filed an updated lawsuit with new allegations, including that the Banditos recently had an inking party where 10 deputies were tattooed, raising the total number of members to 100. "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. 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." Cliques? A CBS News investigation has uncovered allegations of gangs existing within the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, possibly for decades. 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