The Bandito tattoo is a skeleton with a giant mustache wearing a sombrero with a bandolier and pistol. Before joining The Times in 2016, she reported on crime and policing for the Glendale News-Press and Burbank Leader. 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 Christopher Moore, who was on-duty and assigned to the party, stood by and watched the assault. They were "threatened and bullied in attempts to get them to conform to the corrupt culture or leave the station," the suit alleges. , including the charge that the Banditos named as defendants in the lawsuit attacked fellow deputies at a September 2018 off-duty party, leaving two unconscious and sending them to the hospital. 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. Deputy Zaredini was allegedly left without backup for most of the summer of 2018 under the direction of Munoz, Eldemira Parra, Andrea Villa, and Claudia Perez. It asserts that the special unit members "showed up just in time to kill the perpetrator before he could murder their fellow deputy.". Rosa Gonzalez became the latest target of the Banditos abuses in December 2011, shortly after she arrived at the East LA Station. 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Deputy cliques in L.A. 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The top watchdog for the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department has identified more than 40 alleged members of gang-like groups of deputies that operate out of two sheriffs stations. In March and April 2018, two of the plaintiffs, deputies Louis Granados and Benjamin Zaredini, were "alarmed by the increasingly hostile and violent nature" of the Banditos' activities, the lawsuit states. Sheriff Alex Villanueva has downplayed the issue, saying problems associated with the groups are often the result of drunken deputies getting into fights and taking issue with those who refer to them as deputy gangs. Last month, Villanueva sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Board of Supervisors, demanding that they and others stop using the phrase. Villanueva blamed the situation on "a leadership team that fell asleep at the switch.". 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. Mejia also appears to have lied in the civil suit concerning the killing of Anthony Vargas by stating he only knew about the Banditos gang through media reporting, and that he was unfamiliar with the criminal associations with the word shot caller. Those statements contradicted prior testimony in internal investigations. LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Los Angeles County Inspector General Max Huntsman has accused Sheriff Alex Villanueva of promoting a code of silence'' around secret societies within his department, but Villanueva calls the IG's actions purely politically driven and an attempt to undermine the department.''. Every weekday, you'll get fresh, community-driven stories that catch you up with our independent local news. repeat Patrelli refused to accompany Lopez to the meeting or send any other union representation saying, You should be grateful that Commander Romero is willing to meet with you!. In 2014, L.A. County paid $1.5 million to settle a lawsuit filed by a female deputy who said she was bullied and harassed by Banditos. . The Banditos And Other LA Sheriff's Deputy Groups Are Now Being Investigated By The FBI, East LA Sheriff's Deputies File Suit Claiming Harassment, Violence By 'Banditos' Clique, Authorities ID Man Arrested In Killing Of LA Auxiliary Bishop David O'Connell As Husband Of Housekeeper, Huntington Park Police Shot, Killed Man Who Had Both Legs Amputated: What We Know So Far, LAPD Chief Bans Thin Blue Line Flag From Police Station Lobbies, Patrol Vehicles, And Uniforms, Mayor And City Council Members Express Concerns After LAPD Releases Footage Of Fatal Shootings, New LA Sheriff Says He Thinks Deputies Are Ready For A Stabilizer. 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. Chief Bobby Denham moved to initiate a fake investigation into the attack. They were detaining and taking Grays brother-in-law into custody according to Grays attorney, Olu Orange. Members have gang nicknames and use slang like ese and homes when speaking with each other. 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.. Once she arrived at Century Station, Lopez was assigned to the Youth Activity League, which significantly impacted her career prospects, according to her lawsuit. Attorneys representing a group of Los Angeles County Sheriffs deputies who claimed to have been harassed and brutalized by the Banditos She quickly learned there was a power struggle going on between FTOs Hernandez and Valdez, along with the latters Banditos associates. A new policy is meaningless if you dont actually enforce it, said Miller, the attorney representing the deputies. Today, the station is dominated Banditos. Smith says that current Sheriff Alex Villanueva reached out to Gonzalez after taking office and assisted her with study for the Sergeants exam. His return, along with the elevation of other Banditos associates, solidified the gangs grip on the 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. 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. But after Captain William Jaeger was named in the lawsuit, the write-up was resurrected and escalated to an Internal Affairs investigation. Patrelli instead scheduled a meeting with Lopez and Division Commander Henry Romero, who had been her captain at East LA. The Banditos are at least the third gang to emerge from the East LA Station. At that point, Lopez informed Barsh about the harassment she had been subjected to by the Banditos. The entire leadership of East L.A. station was turned over, Villanueva said in a social media broadcast last fall. 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. Eric Valdez and Veronica De La Rosa were promoted to the rank of sergeant, which they held as recently as 2019. On April 10, 2013, Lopez found a dead rat underneath the drivers side door of her vehicle. LAist.com/radio. Hernandez told investigators the truth. Orange says he doesnt think Lacey was interested in prosecuting police officers. 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. The current undersheriff, Tim Murakami, has a "Cavemen" tattoo, according to the lawsuit. Donate Now One of the deputies approached him and told him to step back and he said, Im nowhere near whats going on. In the face of a drier future, that iconic piece of Americana is on its way out in Southern California. 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. While under oath in a deposition, Rauno confirmed that he sent the message to the group. She'd gone into the pregnancy with a plan, knowing Black mothers like herself were at higher risk. Her doctor placed her on medical leave again. If you're enjoying this article, you'll love my daily morning newsletter, How To LA. 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. 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. 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 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. in a lawsuit Current deputies out of the East Los Angeles station say the existence of gangs within law enforcement has been a problem in the area. His body was recovered near Mount Islip. 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. 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. She had no investigators. But her attorney, Gregory Smith, says the damage was done. 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. 2023 Southern California Public Radio - All Rights Reserved, lawsuit that was first filed two years ago, 18 deputy gangs that have operated within the department, Gangs? 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. 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. She previously covered the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, focusing on accountability stories and writing about failures by officials to comply with transparency laws. Deputies Gregory Rodriguez, Monica Farias, Steven Miller, Alejandro Lomeli, and Marc Elizondo pounced. 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. "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. Lopez spoke with Sergeant Betty Lascono, who placed her on the schedule to return to work the following day. 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. On March 26, 2012, Deputy Zaredini ran Lopezs vehicle off the road. Will Orange County's Fledgling Clean Power Agency Survive? 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. 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. 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. 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 patrol, they operated in the gray areas of law enforcement. 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. Lieutenant Eric Simpson allegedly buried the memo under the orders of Chief Bobby Denham. It was never used on the department at all. "We haven't confirmed or denied any investigation," FBI Spokeswoman Laura Eimiller told LAist. Once she was out, Wargo began screaming at her. 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. Her daughter was born by emergency C-section. Thirty-one of these allegedly are themselves Banditos, associates, or prospects for the gang, he said. The Top 5 newsletter catches you up with LAs top 5 stories in just 3 minutes. Villanueva did not respond to questions about the discrepancies. Is that an incorrect statement by Sheriff Villanueva that he transferred 36 people? Miller asked. 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. It says about 30 members and prospects work at the East L.A. station, adding the others work elsewhere or have retired. If she didnt comply, she wouldnt pass her probationary period and it could be extended indefinitely. Christopher Gray, who is Black, is originally from Idaho. Banditos "intentionally fail to provide back-up during emergency situations and other dangerous calls to purposely place deputies in dangerous circumstances," the suit says. 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. Forty-seven Los Angeles County Sheriffs officials were added Monday as named defendants Chavez said he left East L.A. station in November 2019 after his promotion to commander. '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.. Lopez told Patrelli that she would go anywhere except for East LA. 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. Sanchez continued to harass her saying, I dont understand why you dont want to meet up, are you worried about your reputation? When Lopez saw Sanchez two days later, he swore at her again for not going to meet up with him alone. Sgt. When Zaredini did not follow the Banditos orders to pressure Gonzalez to leave the station, Mendoza knocked him unconscious behind the East LA Station. Terms of Use No one had any knowledge of that name, Villanueva said. is investigating the Banditos In August, Villanueva announced a zero tolerance policy on deputy cliques/subgroups engaging in misconduct, according to the statement. Mejia later lied in a deposition and claimed he didnt see the letter until 2019. In all, eight deputies are demanding $60 million in a new lawsuit against Los Angeles County and four fellow deputies they say are members of the "Banditos" deputy gang. Twenty-four are currently stationed in East L.A. The pair demanded she immediately resign from her mentoring position, and she was removed the following day. But new court documents that include sworn testimony from Chavez raise questions about and at times, contradict the sheriffs claims. The Banditos now ran East LA. To make sure you get our coverage: People familiar with the schism described it to Knock LA as similar to the movie American Me (1992), which depicts the creation of the Mexican Mafia: Valdez was pushed out of the gang by younger, more aggressive deputies. Valdez appears to currently work as a sergeant at a different station. In an interview with KPCC/LAist, Murakami denied that he's a member of the group. Those tactics were immortalized in a mural of the logo in the East LA Station floor. In May 2019, Contreras was denied backup by Deputies Nikolis Perez and Jonathan Rojas, both Banditos. Content Warning: This series explicitly details acts of violence (including murder) carried out by law enforcement officials. Just a few days later she was summoned into the Watch Commanders Office by Sergeants Hish and Florence, who were not her supervisors. The next time she heard from Patrelli, she informed Lopez that Wolak wouldnt be sending her to the hospital location after all. 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. The incident was never investigated, despite it being reported, according to the complaint. Pushed him up against the police car. The charges were dismissed at a pre-trial hearing by the prosecutor after reviewing the cell phone video of Grays arrest. SEE MORE OF OUR COVERAGE ON LA'S DEPUTY GANGS: Our news is free on LAist. 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 Banditos gang has controlled the East Los Angeles station like inmates running a prison yard, the lawsuit says. Sign up for our daily newsletters 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. Members of the Banditos can be identified by their signature tattoos of a skeleton wearing a sombrero, bandolier, and pistol. Instead of investigating her claim, the department began investigating her. 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. For the latest national news from NPR and our live radio broadcast, visit He slammed his hands on the side of the vehicle and said, What the fuck is wrong with you? At at Civilian Oversight Commission meeting in May, Villanueva said the Banditos clique no longer exists at East L.A. station. 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