Gangs Assignment #1

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2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 1

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(U) The 2015 National Gang Report (NGR) presents an overview of current gang activities and trends in the United States. Intelligence in this report is derived primarily from a survey administered by the National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations (NAGIA) and from a second survey on Safe Streets and Gang Task Forces administered by the FBI Safe Streets and Gang Unit (SSGU). The quantitative data herein is supplemented by qualitative open source reports and reporting from federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement from across the nation.

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2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 3

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• Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

• Membership and Recruitment . . . . . . . . . . 23

• Criminal Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

• Trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

• Gangs and the Southwest Border . . . . . . . . . . 28

• Gangs and Extremist Groups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

• Black Separatist Extremists . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

• White Supremacist Extremists . . . . . . . . . . 31

• Anti-Government Indoctrination . . . . . . . 31

• Gangs in the Military and

Government Institutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

• Gang Involvement in Sex

Tra!cking and Prostitution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

• Gangs and Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

• Recruitment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

• Communication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

• Targeting Rivals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

• Criminal Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

• Thwart Law Enforcement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

• Law Enforcement Actions and Resources . . . 45

• Outlook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

• Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

• Appendices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

• A. Map of Respondents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

• B. Map of Safe Streets Task

Force Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

• Endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

• Preface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

• Scope and Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

• National Gang Intelligence Center . . . . . . . . . . 6

• National Alliance of Gang

Investigators’ Associations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

• Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

• Key Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

• Street Gangs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

• Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

• Criminal Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

• Drug Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

• Intimidation/Threats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

• Financial Crimes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

• Alliances and Rivalries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

• Trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

• Threats to Law Enforcement . . . . . . . . . . 13

• Prison Gangs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

• Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

• Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

• Criminal Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

• Smuggling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

• Drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

• Trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

• Corruption of Prison Sta" . . . . . . . . . . . 19

• Measures of Open Concealment . . . . . 21

• Female Prison Representation . . . . . . . 21

(U) TABLE OF CONTENTS

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(U) PREFACE

(U) The National Gang Intelligence Center (NGIC) prepared the 2015 NGR to examine the threat violent gangs pose to the United States. A gang is de#ned by the US Department of Justice as:

(1) an association of three or more individuals; (2) whose members collectively identify themselves by adopting a group identity, which they use to create an atmosphere of fear or intimidation frequently by employing one or more of the following: a common name, slogan, identifying sign, symbol, tattoo or other physical marking, style or color of clothing, hairstyle, hand sign or gra!ti; (3) the association’s purpose, in part, is to engage in criminal activity and the association uses violence or intimidation to further its criminal objectives; (4) its members engage in criminal activity, or acts of juvenile delinquency that if committed by an adult would be crimes; (5) with the intent to enhance or preserve the association’s power, reputation, or economic resources; (6) the association may also possess some of the following characteristics: (a) the members employ rules for joining and operating within the association; (b) the members meet on a recurring basis; (c) the association provides physical protection of its members from other criminals and gangs; (d) the association seeks to exercise control over a particular location or region, or it may simply defend its perceived interests against rivals; or (e) the association has an identi#able structure; (7) this de#nition is not intended to include traditional organized crime groups, such as La Cosa Nostra, groups that fall within the Department’s de#nition of “international organized crime,” drug tra!cking organizations or terrorist organizations.

(U) This report centers on the analysis of gang trends that threaten national security, public safety, economic interests, and law enforcement operations. The 2015 NGR is not an extension of the 2013 or 2011 installments. Rather, it is an independent overview of data obtained between 2013 and 2015. The 2015 NGR ensures compliance with Public Law 109-162, Title XI, Section 1107 (c) and supports US Department of Justice Goal 2.1 (combat the threat, incidence, and prevalence of violent crime) set forth in the US Department of Justice Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2014 – 2018.

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(U) SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY

(U) The purpose of the 2015 NGR is to provide a national overview of the current gang threat in the United States by collecting, analyzing, and synthesizing data obtained from law enforcement agencies across the nation. The assessments contained herein were derived from data provided by law enforcement through the 2014 FBI Safe Streets and Gang Task Force Survey, the NAGIA 2015 National Gang Report Survey, law enforcement reporting, and open source information.

(U) One hundred and nine respondents completed the 2014 FBI Safe Streets and Gang Task Force Survey to create a representative sample of the #ve Safe Streets and Gang Task Force geographic regions. Combining data from the Safe Streets and Gang Task Forces allowed the NGIC to incorporate data from our partner agencies who participate on task forces, but did not complete the NAGIA 2015 National Gang Report Survey. Thus, data from the 2014 FBI Safe Streets and Gang Task Force Survey was combined with 569 responses from the four components of the NAGIA 2015 National Gang Report Survey, law enforcement reporting, and open source information to develop a holistic picture of current gang activity across the country.

(U) The NAGIA 2015 National Gang Report Survey consisted of four components: a street gang survey; a prison gang survey; an outlaw motorcycle gang (OMG) survey; and a survey on gang activity related to US borders. The street gang survey was distributed to US gang investigators at every level across jurisdictions nationwide, while the prison gang survey was released to jails, prisons, and detention centers. The OMG survey was sent to members of the International Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Investigator’s Association. A fourth survey was primarily distributed to gang investigators along the southwest border to collect data on gang activity related to US borders. Using the four-component methodology enabled the NGIC to collect more robust data on each speci#c topic. Dividing the survey into four parts allowed for the inclusion of more questions on each topic and facilitated completion by gang investigators working each speci#c topic. With this methodology, respondents were able to focus on their area of expertise. By contrast, the 2013 NGR relied on data from only one general survey that was disseminated to all gang investigators across all jurisdictions.

(U) Due to the utilization of a new survey methodology – using four targeted surveys as opposed to one universal survey – the 2015 NGR does not compare to either the 2013 NGR or the 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment. All longitudinal assessments herein are based entirely on data from the 2015 survey. One drawback to the 2015 methodology was crossover reporting that resulted in a higher margin of error when compiling such quantitative data as numbers and percentages. Due to this crossover, plus the voluntary nature of the survey, results herein lack representation from every jurisdiction. Thus, the NGIC recommends contacting state and local law enforcement agencies directly for more information on gang activity or gang membership numbers in a speci#c jurisdiction.

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(U) One of the NGIC’s primary resources is NGIC Online. A web-based information system, NGIC Online supplies state, local, federal, and international law enforcement partners with an array of tools designed to facilitate research on gang-related intelligence. NGIC Online is available through the Law Enforcement Enterprise Portal (LEEP). To access NGIC Online, law enforcement o!cers must #rst authenticate their credentials through the LEEP website, www.cjis.gov. Users can then connect directly to NGIC Online and employ its resources to obtain intelligence on a stream of matters relevant to gang populations and activities across the nation. A digital warehouse of data, NGIC Online contains a Gang Encyclopedia; Signs, Symbols, and Tattoos Database; Gang Terms Dictionary; Intelligence Library; and a Gang Training and Events Calendar, all of which are fully searchable and provide users with a vast collection of intelligence products; images; announcements; o!cer safety alerts; and other materials aimed to promote gang awareness and to assist gang investigations at state, local, and federal levels. NGIC Online also features two communication platforms – a Discussion Board and a Request for Information portal – that allow users to solicit analytical assistance from the NGIC and to communicate with the NGIC’s network of gang subject matter experts. The NGIC encourages NGIC Online users to post announcements, share comments and suggestions, and contribute intelligence.

(U) For further information, the NGIC may be contacted via email at [email protected] or by telephone at 1-800-366-9501.

(U) The NGIC was established by Congress in 2005 in order to support law enforcement agencies through timely and accurate information sharing and to provide strategic and tactical analysis to federal, state, and local law enforcement. A multi-agency fusion center, the NGIC integrates its resources to investigate and study the growth, migration, and criminal networks of gangs that pose a signi#cant threat to communities throughout the United States. The NGIC is comprised of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP); United States Marshals Service (USMS); US Department of Defense (DOD); and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

(U) A key function of the NGIC is to educate the law enforcement community on all matters relevant to gangs. In its mission to educate law enforcement, NGIC analysts use their subject matter expertise to train state, local, federal, and international gang investigators. The NGIC further educates law enforcement by integrating its resources to create and disseminate intelligence products that ultimately widen awareness and promote o!cer safety.

(U) NATIONAL GANG INTELLIGENCE CENTER

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(U) NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF GANG INVESTIGATORS’ ASSOCIATIONS

(U) The National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations (NAGIA) is a cooperative organization formed in 1998. With more than 20,000 members representing 23 state and regional gang investigator associations across the country, the NAGIA integrates the expertise of gang investigators nationwide, and combines multiple resources to combat the threat gangs pose to national security.

(U) The NAGIA works to ensure public safety and to ful#ll the national need for a coordinated response to violence, drugs, and other gang- related crimes that adversely impact the quality of life within our communities. A unique alliance of criminal justice professionals, the NAGIA dedicates its e"orts to the promotion and coordination of anti-gang strategies and provides leadership in the development and recommendation of programs designed to control gang crime.

(U) As part of its function, the NAGIA consolidates and distributes intelligence; advocates standardized training; provides professional training; establishes uniform gang de#nitions; advises policymakers; maintains

partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement; aids communities with emergent gang problems; assists criminal justice professionals and public #gures in identifying gang members, tracking gangs, and battling gang crime worldwide.

(U) The NAGIA does not serve to replace or duplicate services provided by other entities, but rather drives federal, state, and local anti-gang initiatives and provides support to regional gang investigator associations and the Regional Information Sharing Systems (RISS) Program.

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(U) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

(U) Results of the 2015 NGR indicate that gangs of all types remain steadfast in their objectives to generate revenue and gain control of the territories they inhabit; and in their dedication to these objectives, gangs continue to grow in numbers and expand in their criminal activities. As the 2015 NGR reveals, progressions in membership and criminality stem from how $uidly gangs adapt to shifting circumstances so as to protect their interests; ultimately, gangs evolve by consistently adjusting their behaviors to meet their in$exible goals. Gangs thereby emerge as ever-changing, unpredictable organizations that vary from one jurisdiction to the next and thus continue to threaten communities nationwide.

(U) The 2015 NGR examines gangs by categories of street gangs, prison gangs, and OMGs. Intelligence herein explores how all three gang types pursue the same objectives – and commit the same crimes in those pursuits – yet diverge in how they operate. As this report demonstrates, the divergence is due to the fact that each gang is a product of its environment with its own rules of conduct and methods of operation; thus, street gangs di"er from prison gangs, while prison and street gangs both di"er from OMGs. Understanding the speci#c mentality of each gang type is integral to disruption and dismantlement. For that reason, the 2015 NGR designates separate sections for street gangs, prison gangs, and OMGs. Each section details the basic characteristics, functions, and partnerships of each gang type and thereby illustrates how each gang type poses a unique threat to the nation.

(U) The 2015 NGR focuses on gang trends from a national standpoint and explains how all gang types partake in criminal endeavors that serve to spread their ideology, widen their networks, produce illicit funds, and secure power. Findings herein reveal that gangs continue to engage in a range of activities in order to meet one or all of these ends. To meet their primary objective – to make money – gangs are increasing their involvement in the high-pro#t crimes of sex tra!cking and prostitution. As a means of securing power, gangs continue to seek employment within the military and within government institutions and law enforcement agencies. Gangs also continue to form partnerships with other criminal organizations in order to widen their networks; thus, gangs have connected with Mexican Transnational Criminal Organizations (MTCOs), sex tra!cking rings, and extremist groups. Gangs are also increasing their use of technology – social media in particular – in order to spread their message and recruit new members. Every criminal avenue gangs pursue perpetuates the cycle of securing power, which translates to money, and vice versa.

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prison gangs most commonly smuggle. Prison gangs engage in a host of other crimes to further their criminal objectives. The most commonly reported crimes include smuggling of contraband, assault, racketeering, extortion, murder, robbery, witness intimidation, and prostitution. Prison gangs also exploit Freedom of Religion rights and rely on female counterparts to facilitate gang activity.

• (U) Larger OMGs have established new chapters and have attracted many new members. The surge in membership has incited clashes for geographic dominance, which has created higher levels of violence. OMGs continue to engage in all types of violent crimes to include: weapons possession, threats and intimidation, assault, arson, extortion, and drug tra!cking. OMGs have a notorious reputation for their use of violence and often employ brute force to exact punishment on rival gangs and on their own members. OMGs mainly recruit motorcycle enthusiasts and members of the US biker community. Some larger OMGs require smaller motorcycle gangs or sport bike clubs to wear a support patch and demand monthly payments in exchange for the patch. OMGs rely on support clubs for recruitment purposes, #nancial support, and to counter rival gangs.

• (U) Gangs continue to foster partnerships with MTCOs. Survey respondents identi#ed more than 96 gangs involved in cross- border crimes. Sureños, Barrio Azteca, and Tango Blast rank as the top three most criminally active gangs along the US/Mexico

(U) KEY FINDINGS

(U) Based on survey analysis and reporting from federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement over the past two years, the NGIC provides the following assessments:

• (U) Approximately half of respondents report street gang membership and gang- related crime increased in their jurisdictions. The most prevalent crimes street gangs commit are street-level drug tra!cking, large-scale drug tra!cking, assault, threats and intimidation, and robbery. Street gangs exhibit few indicators of decreasing membership or criminal activity. Neighborhood-based gangs remain the most signi#cant threat, while national- level street gangs have a moderate-to-high impact in approximately half of reporting jurisdictions.

• (U) Approximately one-third of jurisdictions report an increase in threats to law enforcement. The attacks that were carried out against law enforcement and judicial o!cials over the past two years were violent and brazen. However, the number of actual attacks against law enforcement remained relatively stable.

• (U) Over 68 percent of survey respondents indicate prison gang membership has increased over the past two years. The greatest threat of prison gangs lies in their nexus to street gangs and in their ability to corrupt prison o!cials. Corruption of prison sta" threatens various prison systems by facilitating the smuggling practices of inmates. Respondents rate drugs, cell phones, and weapons as the contraband

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or fear; and misclassi#cation of gang- involved cases, where the o"ense is cited as prostitution, as opposed to sex tra!cking. Gangs that partake in sex tra!cking and prostitution crimes typically collaborate with other criminal organizations in order to maximize pro#t and evade detection from law enforcement.

• (U) Social media and other forms of technology play an essential role in the illicit activities of gang members. Gangs use a number of sites, applications, and platforms to recruit prospects, facilitate communication, target rivals, and to thwart law enforcement e"orts. Over the past two years, gang members’ utilization of technology, social media in particular, has risen signi#cantly, enabling gangs to more readily further their criminal objectives. Nearly all jurisdictions report gang member use of technology, most frequently citing Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter. Technology is also playing an increasingly pivotal role in police investigations and anti- gang e"orts. Over 54 percent of agencies report integrating social media into their gang investigations within the past two years.

Border, while the Sinaloa Cartel emerges as the MTCO with the most gang ties. Despite intelligence to support gang/ MTCO partnerships, the exact nature of these relationships remains unclear. Drug tra!cking is the cross-border crime gangs most frequently commit.

• (U) Approximately 26 percent of jurisdictions and 44 percent of prison facilities report that gang members joined domestic extremist groups. A mutually bene#cial arrangement, extremists use gangs to spread their doctrine, while gangs turn to extremists to increase membership and facilitate collaboration with other criminal organizations. Gangs also refer to extremist ideology to respond to perceived injustices and to enact social change.

• (U) Survey respondents indicate that over the past two years known or suspected gang members from over 100 jurisdictions have applied for positions or gained employment with the US military, law enforcement agencies, corrections facilities, and within the judiciary. Employment with the US military ranked as the most common, followed by corrections, law enforcement, and the judiciary.

• (U) Approximately 15 percent of respondents report that gangs in their jurisdiction engage in human tra!cking. According to law enforcement reporting, gang involvement in sex tra!cking has increased over the past two years. This is likely a signi#cant underestimation, as sex tra!cking is often underreported for two reasons: victims fail to report due to shame

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(U) Neighborhood-based gangs and national- level street gangs vary in membership, racial composition, and structure, but are present throughout the United States and continue to pose a signi#cant threat. Neighborhood- based gangs are reported to be the highest threat, perpetuating violence, drug distribution, and opportunistic crimes, such as robbery, in communities throughout the country.1 National-level street gangs have a high or moderate impact in approximately half of jurisdictions.2

(U) MEMBERSHIP

(U) Street gangs continue to impact communities across the United States and do not show signs of decreasing membership nor declining criminal activity.a

(U) STREET GANGS

(U) De!nition: Street gangs are criminal organizations that formed on the street and operate in neighborhoods throughout the United States. Neighborhood-based gangs are con!ned to speci!c neighborhoods and jurisdictions, with no known leadership beyond their communities. National-level gangs have a presence in multiple jurisdictions.

• (U) According to survey respondents, street gang membership increased in approximately 49 percent of jurisdictions over the past two years, stayed the same in 43 percent, and decreased in about eight percent of jurisdictions.3

• (U) Half of survey respondents indicate gang-related crime in their jurisdiction increased over the past two years, while an additional 36 percent indicate crime rates stayed the same.4 Gang-related criminal activity decreased in fewer than 14 percent of jurisdictions.

(U) Source: NAGIA Survey Data.

Street Gang Membership Change Over

the Past Two Years

Increased

Stayed the same

Decreased

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(U) Source: NAGIA Survey Data.

Increased significantly

Increased slightly

Stayed the same

Decreased slightly

Decreased significantly

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Gang-Related Activity Over the Past Two Years

a (U) For detailed information on membership numbers, the NGIC recommends contacting state and local law enforcement agencies directly.

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testifying against UBN members who tried to rob their mattress store.9

(U) FINANCIAL CRIMES (U) Survey results indicate that – although to a lesser extent than violent crime – street gangs continue to engage in #nancial crimes, such as identity theft, credit card fraud, prescription drug fraud, counterfeiting, check fraud, fencing stolen goods, money laundering, mortgage fraud, social security fraud, and tax fraud. Over the last few years, street gangs have become more involved in white-collar crimes due to weaker sentencing guidelines and the ease of making money.

(U) ALLIANCES AND RIVALRIES (U) Gangs are $exible organizations that form alliances and rivalries based on race, geography, protection, resources, and control. These alliances and rivalries are formed to attain as much money and power as possible. Ultimately, a gang will feud with any organization that interferes with its objectives and will align with any organization that will advance its objectives.

(U) Collaboration among street gangs has increased, with approximately 43 percent of jurisdictions reporting that rival gangs formed alliances over the past two years.10 Multiple jurisdictions report gangs in their jurisdiction merged or formed hybrid gangs to thwart law enforcement e"orts through their use of unknown names and symbols. However, the most common reason survey respondents cite for these alliances is mutual bene#t, particularly to maximize pro#ts from drug activities.11

• (U) In San Diego, California, the Black MOB, Skanless, Neighborhood Crips, Lincoln Park,

(U) CRIMINAL ACTIVITY

(U) Street gang activity continues to be oriented toward violent crimes, such as assault, drug tra!cking, home invasions, homicide, intimidation, threats, weapons tra!cking, and sex tra!cking. Respondents report the most prevalent gang-related criminal activities are street-level drug tra!cking, assault, threats and intimidation, robbery, and large-scale drug tra!cking.5 Below are illustrative examples of these crimes occurring throughout the country.

(U) DRUG DISTRIBUTION • (U) According to 2014 FBI Safe Streets and

Gang Task Force Survey respondents, the top reported drugs by region are as follows: West: methamphetamine; North Central: cocaine; Northeast: heroin; South Central: cocaine; Southeast: heroin.6

• (U) As of August 2014, Taliban and Young N’ Thuggin gang members distributed crack cocaine, powder cocaine, marijuana, liquid codeine and prescription drugs in Minnesota and North Dakota.7

• (U) Open source reporting indicates the Hoover Crips tra!cked approximately $10 million of cocaine and marijuana obtained from MTCOs through Dallas, Texas; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Tulsa, Oklahoma, before going through Ohio to the northeastern United States.8

(U) INTIMIDATION/THREATS • (U) According to open source information,

12 suspected United Blood Nation (UBN) members were charged in the October 2014 murders of a Charlotte, North Carolina, couple in order to prevent the husband from

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and West Coast Crips gangs worked together to tra!c females in 46 cities across 23 states.12

(U) Despite increased collaboration for mutual pro#t, street gangs continue to feud and form rivalries. These con$icts often arise over drugs, money, and territory.

(U) TRENDS

(U) THREATS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT (U) While the relationship between law enforcement and gangs has always been tumultuous and threats of harm from numerous gangs have been documented against law enforcement, recent reporting indicates that gangs are becoming bolder in both their threats and actions toward law enforcement. Approximately one-third of jurisdictions report an increase in threats to law enforcement. The attacks that were carried out against law enforcement and judicial o!cials were violent and brazen. However, the actual number of attacks against law enforcement has remained relatively stable.

• (U) On 24 May 2014, a police o!cer of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community in Arizona was murdered by members of the East Side Los Guada Bloods in response to a racketeering case against the gang. Furthermore, the East Valley Gang and Criminal Information Fusion Center indicated that leaders of the Warrior Society gang encouraged members to target law enforcement o!cers, speci#cally o!cers from tribal agencies.13

• (U) On 5 April 2014, the father of a Wake County, North Carolina, Assistant District Attorney (ADA) was kidnapped by known UBN gang members under the direction

of the incarcerated godfather of the 183 Blood set. The original plot was to kidnap and murder the ADA in retaliation for prosecuting the leader. The ADA’s father was rescued.14

(U) Threats against law enforcement are delivered in numerous ways: in person; through social media; via text messages, phone calls, and e-mail; by items left at an o!cer’s home or o!ce; and through gra!ti. Of these methods, threats through social media are most often utilized, followed by in-person threats, and gra!ti.15

• (U) In early 2014, a Detroit, Michigan, gang member used social media to openly threaten the Detroit Police Chief.16

• (U) In December 2014, MS-13 members communicated a threat to Arkansas law

enforcement by placing gra!ti on the wall of a gas station in Rogers, Arkansas.17

(U) Source: KFSM.

(U) MS-13 gra!ti threatening law enforcement.

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(U) Source: NAGIA Survey Data.

(U) The survey question asked respondents to indicate the level of street gang involvement in various criminal activities. The choices were High, Moderate, Low, Unknown, and None. The graphic depicts the percent of jurisdictions reporting High, Moderate, and Low gang involvement for each criminal activity.

Trafficking

Threats/Intimidation

Tax Fraud

Social Security Fraud

Robbery

Prostitution

Prescription Fraud

Motor Vehicle Theft

Mortgage Fraud

Money Laundering

Larceny/Theft

Identity Theft

Human Trafficking

Homicide

Hate Crimes/Civil Rights Violations

Fencing Stolen Goods

Extortion

Street-Level Drug Sales

Large-Scale Drug Distribution

Credit Card Fraud

Counterfeiting

Child Sex Trafficking

Check Fraud

Burglary

Assault

Alien Smuggling

W eapons

High

Moderate

Low

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Percent of Jurisdictions

(U) STREET GANG INVOLVEMENT IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY

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one institution to another and from one system to another due to inmate transfers, inmate releases, and the introduction of existing gang members to the population.

• (U) Overall, 68 percent of survey respondents indicate prison gang membership has increased in the past two years.21

• (U) Individually, 75 percent of BOP survey participants, 79 percent of state participants, and 100 percent of local participants marked a notable increase in membership.22

(U) PRISON GANGS

(U) De!nition: A prison gang is a criminal organization that originates in the penal system and continues to operate within correctional facilities throughout the United States. Prison gangs are self-perpetuating criminal entities that also continue their operations outside of prison.

(U) Much of the threat of prison gangs stems from their nexus to street gangs. Though not visible to the outside world, prison gangs impact communities nationwide through their control over their street subordinates. Street gang members commit crimes at the behest of incarcerated members and then forward revenue and contraband gained from the commission of their crimes into prison. In exchange, incarcerated gang members provide protection to the street gang members when they are incarcerated.

(U) MEMBERSHIP

(U) Prison gangs most often form along racial or ethnic lines.18 This can be observed in state and federal facilities across the country.

• (U) According to survey #ndings, Bloods, Crips, Sureños, Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation, and Gangster Disciples rank as the #ve most commonly reported gangs within state facilities.19

(U) Survey results show that prison gang membership has increased steadily in correctional systems at federal, state, and local levels.20 Prison gang numbers $uctuate from (U) Source: NAGIA Survey Data.

Increased

Stayed the same

Decreased

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Prison Gang Membership Changes

Over the Past Two Years

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intelligence reveals reversals of power and opposite methods of operations in street/ prison arrangements. While the power structure in these instances is not one of prison leadership and street subordination, prison gang involvement still contributes to criminal activities outside correctional facilities and can elevate the threat to communities.

(U) CRIMINAL ACTIVITY

(U) Prison gangs commit a wide spectrum of crimes, from minor transgressions to acts of extreme violence that claim multiple victims. Not every prison gang commits every type of crime, as gangs vary by sophistication, size, and other factors that in$uence criminal potential. However, prison gangs will engage in any illicit activity that will further their objectives to generate money, control territory, and secure power.

(U) STRUCTURE

(U) Many street and prison gangs organize into a single structure that divides into two primary categories: leadership and soldiers. Leadership roles of incarcerated members extend from prison activities to street operations.

• (U) In Hispanic gang culture, particularly in California, prison gangs strictly oversee street gangs. The two lead Hispanic prison gangs in California – the Mexican Ma#a and the Nuestra Familia – and their respective subordinates – Sureñosb and Norteños – maintain structures wherein incarcerated members direct their street partners. In the Mexican Ma#a/Sureño infrastructure, leadership falls exclusively to the Mexican Ma#a, which is comprised almost entirely

of inmates with life sentences. Hispanic gang structure is a parent/subordinate arrangement, whereby Mexican Ma#a and Nuestra Familia leaders appoint shot callers to direct Sureño and Norteño street activity. Appointed Sureño and Norteño shot callers enforce orders from their prison leaders and thereby act as conduits between the street and prison.

(U) The dynamic between street and prison gangs is usually one of prison leadership and street subordination. However, some

b (U) The Mexican Ma#a and Sureños are distinct yet interdependent organizations that function in a parent/subordinate capacity. The Mexican Ma#a is-

sues orders to Sureños that in turn serve as foot soldiers for the Mexican Ma#a. Sureño gangs, to include MS-13, do not hold membership in the Mexican Ma#a and can be categorized into their own distinct gangs.

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(U) Prison Gangs v. Street Gangs

(U) Prison gangs typically consist of a select group of inmates that maintain an organized hierarchy and an established code of conduct. Prison gangs vary in organization – from tightly structured hierarchies – to loosely assembled conglomerations. A prison gang employs rules for joining and operating within its association; meets on a regular basis; provides physical protection to its members; seeks territorial control; defends its interests; and sustains an identi#able structure.

(U) Gang culture in prison parallels that on the streets. Much like street gang practice, prison gang members function under the mentality of uni#cation and adherence to a single ideology. As with street gangs, prison gangs unite under the banner of one name and identify with one set of signs and symbols. The names of most prison gangs are synonymous with their symbols and they use the two interchangeably in their artwork, tattoos, and other forms of communication.

(U) Prison gang objectives mirror street gang priorities to gain as much in$uence and generate as much money as possible. The basic purpose of a prison gang is to engage in criminal activity and use violence and intimidation to further its power, reputation, and resources.

(U) Prison gangs are typically more structured and disciplined than street gangs because they do not have the same mobility; incarcerated members cannot escape their environment and are thereby forced to comply with the regulations of their gangs. Membership is for life in most prison gangs; dropping out is punishable by death, which is easy to enforce given its membership is con#ned to a shared space.

(U) The threat of prison gangs lies largely in their control over street gangs and in their ties to MTCOs. Prison gangs order gang members on the street to conduct crimes on their behalf and thereby function as brokers in the transfer of drugs from MTCOs to street gangs. Both activities render prison gangs proximally responsible for many of the drug crimes that occur in the United States.

(U) Many prison gangs operate almost entirely by reputation and are not visible to the street gang members they control. Likewise, they are not immediately discernible to law enforcement and are hidden from the general public. Thus, the threat of prison gangs is often overlooked, which ultimately allows them to escape law enforcement scrutiny and remain untargeted in gang investigations. Due to their grip on street gangs, prison gangs are able to remain anonymous in their crimes and in their e"ect on national crime rates. The symbiotic relationship between street and prison gangs makes prison gangs a matter of national concern, as street gangs commit crimes and impact communities across the country on behalf of prison gangs.

18 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) SMUGGLING (U) Prison gangs across the nation partake in smuggling activities. The contraband most commonly reported – drugs, weapons, and cell phones – all facilitate gang objectives to increase power, control territory, and produce revenue. Drugs translate to money; weapons generate power; and cell phones enable inmates to readily direct gang members in the territories under their command.

• (U) Drugs are the most common contraband reported inside prisons, accounting for almost half of total contraband. Marijuana and synthetic cannabinoidsc are equally reported, followed by Suboxone, heroin, and methamphetamine.23

• (U) Weapons are the second most reported contraband, with homemade weapons being of greatest concern.24

• (U) Cell phones are the third most common contraband, ranking almost equally with

weapons.25

• (U) Tobacco, alcohol, food, gang-related paraphernalia, and other items comprise the rest of the contraband in survey reports.26

• (U) State facilities report collusion with prison sta" is the primary method gangs use to smuggle cell phones.27 Smuggling occurs through corrupt sta", visitors, and legal mail, such as packages and letters. In some

Contraband Smuggled by Prison Gangs

(U) Source: NAGIA Survey Data.

Drugs

Weapons

Cell Phones

Tobacco

Other

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED (U) Source: BOP.

(U) Cigarettes smuggled into a prison.

c (U) Synthetic cannabinoids, often referred to as “K2” or “spice”, refers to a wide variety of drugs manufactured in laboratories to mimic the e"ects of

controlled substances. When one synthetic cannabinoid becomes scheduled, chemists alter the chemical formula to produce a new substance that is not yet scheduled. Distributors label these drugs as “not for human consumption” in an attempt to avoid enforcement action. They are typically sprayed onto shredded plant material and then smoked.

2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 19

UNCLASSIFIED

cases, contraband is thrown over fences onto prison yards. The high occurrence of cell phone smuggling is due to the fact that communication is paramount to the control prison gangs maintain over street gangs.

(U) DRUGS

(U) State and federal facilities reported drug tra!cking among the top crimes prison gangs commit. Accordingly, drugs provide the number one source of revenue for street and prison gangs and thus the two entities work jointly to secure illicit funds through drug- related crimes and to establish in$uence in the drug trade. (U) Prison gangs do not gravitate toward a speci#c drug type. Drug involvement only requires accessibility. The drugs most readily available in a speci#c region also rank among the highest reported. Since their ultimate objective is to make money, gangs will attempt to capitalize on any drug within reach. For that

reason, law enforcement reporting links gangs to all drug types.28

• (U) According to survey responses from state correction entities, gangs are connected to the following drugs: marijuana, cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, Suboxone, heroin, and synthetic cannabinoids.29

(U) TRENDS

(U) CORRUPTION OF PRISON STAFF

(U) Corruption of prison sta" continues to threaten the US penal system. Many prison gangs target corrections o!cers speci#cally to facilitate their interactions with street gangs and to sustain their criminal operations. Studies implicate o!cers in transgressions, such as smuggling contraband, laundering money, providing sexual favors to gang members, engaging in prostitution activities, issuing orders to street gangs, and assisting communication e"orts between prison and

(U) Source: BOP.

(U) Suboxone hidden in a magazine sent to an inmate. (U) Source: BOP.

(U) Drugs smuggled into a prison.

20 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

in an institution-wide gang operation. By account of court records, for more than a year, at least #ve guards, including the two sergeants in question, smuggled drugs, cigarettes, and cell phones for Bloods and Folk Nation gangs in exchange for thousands of dollars in payment.33

• (U) The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services uncovered a ring of corrupt prison sta" in collusion with the Black Guerilla Family. As of March 2015, 24 correctional o!cers were convicted for their role in the racketeering conspiracy, which included helping the Black Guerilla Family smuggle cell phones, prescription pills, and other contraband into a city jail by means of their hair, shoes, and underwear.34

street members.30 Most often, compromised prison sta" smuggle such contraband as drugs, cigarettes, and cell phones for gang members. These items rank high in smuggling e"orts of corrupt sta", as drugs and cigarettes constitute the backbone of the black-market economy run by gangs and cell phones allow prisoners to communicate within institutions, between prisons, and with their street counterparts.31

• (U) Approximately two-thirds of survey respondents report that sta" members aid inmates in smuggling cell phones into facilities.32

• (U) According to open source reporting, two prison sergeants of the Florida Department of Corrections allegedly ordered an inmate to be killed to protect their involvement

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) Source: Pixabay.com.

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UNCLASSIFIED

• (U) Open source reporting indicates that since 2010, the Mississippi Department of Corrections has referred 63 cases for prosecution of o!cers involved in smuggling contraband into prison. Accordingly, a former corrections o!cer claims some corrupt o!cers make thousands of dollars for smuggling contraband. A former gang leader agrees, stating that many o!cers #nd it di!cult to resist the “easy” money. Reports reveal corrupt o!cers also provided favors, such as allowing gang members in lockdown to move into another area to injure a fellow inmate.35

(U) MEASURES OF OPEN CONCEALMENT

(U) Prison gangs will resort to any means possible to further their objectives. One method gangs use to advance their cause is to exploit their First Amendment rights so they may conduct gang activity openly without detection. In some cases, gang members in#ltrate religious groups to conduct meetings, move and hide contraband, or obtain prohibited material.

(U) FEMALE PRISON REPRESENTATION

(U) Female involvement in prison gangs most often occurs in the form of outside facilitation, presenting females as active yet subsidiary participants that aid and abet crimes led by their male counterparts. Prison gangs rely on female facilitation to further criminal objectives – and in some cases to merely exist – as many prison gangs could not survive without their female partners.36

22 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) Definition: OMGs are ongoing organizations, associations or groups of three or more persons with a common interest or activity characterized by the commission of, or involvement in, a pattern of criminal conduct. Members must possess and be able to operate a motorcycle to achieve and maintain membership within the group.

(U) OUTLAW MOTORCYCLE GANGS

(U) Characteristics of Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs

(U) The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, Pagans, Vagos, Sons of Silence, Outlaws, Bandidos, and Mongols are the largest OMGs. All are classi#ed as “one percent” (1%) clubs. The term 1% originated when the American Motorcycle Association released a statement in response to a riot that occurred on 4 July 1947 at the Dirt Hill Climb motorcycle races in Hollister, California. The American Motorcycle Association spokesperson stated that 99 percent of the motorcycling public was comprised of honest, law-abiding citizens, and that only one percent constituted troublemakers. OMGs took pride in the reference and adopted 1% as its symbol. Not all OMG members boast the symbol; however, OMGs profess to be one percenters or the one percent of bikers who have rejected societal norms and dedicated their lives to their club.

(U) Motorcycle gangs have evolved over the past 67 years from bar room brawlers to sophisticated criminals. OMGs, which were formed in the United States, over the last 50 years have spread internationally and today they are a global phenomenon. The Hells Angels in particular stands out for its international connectivity. Survey respondents identify Hells Angels members, more than any other OMG, as having the most international travel within the last two years.

(U) Ownership of motorcycles has created a growth industry that accommodates thousands of legitimate recreational riders throughout North America. Increasing societal acceptance of motorcycle riders has provided OMGs a way to camou$age their gangs’ nefarious criminal activities. The larger, more sophisticated OMGs, such as the Hells Angels, Iron Horsemen, Outlaws, Bandidos, Mongols, Pagans, Sons of Silence, and the Vagos have adopted the public posture of claiming they are just motorcycle riders who belong to a club. The other part of the subterfuge lies with their claim that the criminal activities of individual members are not directed by the gang. Other gangs claim their violent reputation is due to criminal activities in their past.

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UNCLASSIFIED

(U) MEMBERSHIP AND RECRUITMENT

(U) OMGs recruit mainly from fellow motorcycle enthusiasts and from the US biker community at large. Larger OMGs often have proxy gangs or support clubs, which according to survey results, account for the vast majority of OMG recruits. Some larger OMGs require smaller motorcycle gangs or sport bike clubs to wear support patches. These OMGs demand monthly payments from each motorcycle club or sport bike club member in exchange for their use of support patches. Refusal to wear a support patch results in violence. Accordingly, membership in an OMG is an extremely violent existence marked by frequent assaults by rival gangs and intra-gang aggression.

• (U) OMGs sell support gear to their associates to fundraise for their clubs and to demonstrate the dominance, control, and support the OMG has in that geographic

area. Wearing support gear of one gang into the territory of a rival is seen as an act of disrespect that has resulted in violent confrontations.

(U) Reporting indicates street gangs, prison gangs, and extremist groups serve as signi#cant recruiting pools for OMGs, with approximately equal recruitment from each category. Black OMGs are known to recruit members from street gangs.

• (U) According to a US Department of Justice press release, six leaders and members of the Phantom Motorcycle Club and Vice Lords street gang were convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and other racketeering o"enses, as of March 2015. The Phantom Motorcycle Club National President, National Enforcer, and four other members were found guilty.37

(U) Source: ATF.

(U) Wheels of Soul support patch.

(U) Source: ATF via the Columbus, Ohio, Police Department.

(U) Phantom Motorcycle Club $ag demonstrating connections to the Vice Lords street gang through the inclusion of the top hat and cane emblem.

24 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

• (U) On 17 May 2015, several Texas motorcycle clubs arranged to meet at the Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco, Texas, to discuss and possibly resolve ongoing issues between the Cossacks and Bandidos. An altercation occurred between the Bandidos, Cossacks, and their respective support clubs in which nine individuals were killed and numerous others were injured.38

• (U) In February 2015, members of the Hells Angels and Red Devils, a support club for the Hells Angels, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit a series of violent racketeering crimes, including maiming, assault with a weapon, and assault resulting in serious bodily injury.39

(U) CRIMINAL ACTIVITY

(U) The size of an OMG in$uences its ability to form gang alliances and engage in criminal activities. Over the past two years, larger motorcycle gangs have continued to gain or maintain control of geographic areas and have established new chapters, thereby attracting many new members. This has caused geographic clashes for dominance in overlapping gang-controlled areas. These clashes lead to a cycle of violence in which OMGs seek retribution for actions against the gang or a fellow member. The cycle of violence is often punctuated by periodic truces.

(U) The largest black motorcycle gangs— Chosen Few, Hell’s Lovers, Outcasts, Sin City Deciples, Thunderguards, and Wheels of Soul—have a male only membership. Although primarily African American, the Chosen Few, Hell’s Lovers, Sin City Deciples, Thunderguards, and Wheels of Soul have some non-African American members. Black motorcycle gang violence has historically involved assaults and homicides, which have been directed against smaller motorcycle group members. There does not appear to be a formal alliance among the Black Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs as each gang has had violent encounters. However, some Black Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs have formed informal alliances when advantageous in their geographic region.

(U) Source: The Associated Press by Jerry Larson.

(U) Twin Peaks restaurant, the site of a violent confrontation between the Cossacks and Bandidos in May 2015.

2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 25

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) Source: NAGIA Survey Data.

(U) The survey question asked respondents to indicate the level of OMG involvement in various criminal activities in their jurisdiction. The choices were High, Moderate, Low, Unknown, and None. The graph depicts the number of jurisdictions reporting High, Moderate, and Low OMG involvement for each criminal activity.

(U) OMG Involvement in Criminal Activity

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Number of Jurisdictions

Alien Smuggling

Assault

Bribery

Burglary

Child Sex Trafficking

Counterfeiting

Credit Card Fraud

Street-Level Drug Sales

Large-Scale Drug Distribution

Drug Shipment Protection

Drug Manufacturing

Extortion

Fencing Stolen Goods

Hate Crimes/Civil Rights Violations

Homicide

Human Trafficking

Identity Theft

Insurance Fraud

Larceny/Theft

Money Laundering

Mortgage Fraud

Motor Vehicle Theft

Prostitution

Robbery

Tax Fraud

Threats/Intimidation

Vandalism

Weapons Possession

Weapons Trafficking

Explosives Possession, Manufacturing Trafficking

Low

Moderate

High

UNCLASSIFIED

26 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

• (U) In September 2014, several Outcast Motorcycle Club members arrived at the Showstoppers Motorcycle Club clubhouse in Birmingham, Alabama, and opened #re, killing members of the Wheels of Soul and Showstoppers.40

(U) OMGs have a well-earned reputation for violence, so witnesses are often reluctant to testify for fear of retaliation. Thus, unless an OMG commits a homicide or an assault that requires hospitalization, OMG violence frequently goes unreported to law enforcement.

• (U) In March 2015, members of the Wheels of Soul and Bandidos engaged in a gun#ght at a restaurant in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Although a Wheels of Soul member was shot and sustained non-life-threatening injuries, he was not willing to talk to police about the incident.41

(U) Source: ATF

(U) Support patch for Hells Angels, represented by the number 81, and the Red Devils, represented by the number 184.

• (U) According to open source reporting, in March 2014, two Hells Angels members sought medical treatment for stab wounds sustained during an altercation with Mongols members on a freeway near Temecula, California. The injured Hells Angels members were not willing to cooperate with law enforcement or say who was responsible for their injuries.42

(U) OMGs engage primarily in violent crimes, such as assault, robbery, and homicide. According to survey respondents, weapons possession; threats and intimidation; assault; and drug tra!cking were the most common criminal activities committed by OMGs over the past two years.43 The assaults and robberies were often directed at rival gangs or individuals involved in other criminal activities like drug tra!cking. Methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana ranked respectively as the top three drugs that led to OMG arrests over the past two years.

(U) TRENDS

(U) Over the past several years, there has been reporting of OMG members retaining employment in various white-collar professions. Accordingly, many OMG members are business owners. Most survey responses report that a preponderance of businesses owned by OMG members involve manual labor, which perpetuates the myth that OMGs are typically blue-collar workers. Based on survey responses, businesses owned by motorcycle gang members predominately involve the service industry, such as motorcycle repair shops and tattoo shops.44 In some instances, OMGs use their businesses to facilitate criminal activity.

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UNCLASSIFIED

(U) Source: NAGIA Survey Data.

(U) OMG Member-Owned Businesses

UNCLASSIFIED

Motorcycle Repair

Tattoo Parlor

Automobile Repair

Bar (Owner/Operator)

Construction/General Contractor

Body Guard/Security/Bouncer

Gentlemen's Club (Strip Club)

Bail Bondsman

Trucking/Transportation

All Others

28 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) Survey respondents identi#ed more than 96 gangs conducting cross-border crimes.45 Sureños, Barrio Azteca, and Tango Blast ranked as the top three most criminally active gangs along the US/Mexico border.

(U) According to survey respondents, drug tra!cking is the cross-border crime most frequently conducted by gangs.46 Street- level sales are the most common drug

(U) GANGS AND THE SOUTHWEST BORDER

(U) Cross-border crime remains a signi#cant concern for law enforcement throughout the country, as these crimes directly impact border regions and indirectly impact jurisdictions throughout the country. Drug tra!cking that emanates from the US southwest border a"ects all regions, as gangs #ght to defend their drug distribution territory and distribute harmful drugs to communities throughout the United States.

(U) Source: NAGIA Survey Data.

14%

Sureños

Barrio Azteca

Tango Blast

Mexican Mafia

Paisa

Latin Kings

MS-13

Texas Syndicate

Bloods

Crips

Norteños

Artistas Asesinos

(U) Top Gangs Involved in Cross-Border Crimes

UNCLASSIFIED

2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 29

UNCLASSIFIED

tra!cking activity, more so than drug shipment protection or large-scale transportation. Survey respondents indicate that highd gang involvement in these aspects of drug tra!cking were approximately 73 percent, 41 percent, and 58 percent, respectively.

(U) Gang members utilize a multitude of methods to smuggle drugs into the United States. Respondents identi#ed the following methods: load driver, vehicles with hidden

compartments, tractor trailers, commercial vehicles, passenger vehicles, on-foot/back pack, rail (freight or passenger train), internal cavity concealment, body carry, and even the creation of an alliance with a rival gang to coordinate drug transportation. The means by which a gang attempted to tra!c drugs into the United States depended on its relationship with its supplier and its objectives.

(U) High Involvement by Gangs in Cross-Border Crimes

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) Source: NAGIA Survey Data.

(U) The survey question asked respondents to indicate the level of involvement in various criminal activities. The choices were High, Moderate, Low, Un- known, None. The percentages focus on responses indicating High involvement. “Prostitution,” “Alien Smuggling,” and “Human Tra!cking” are further de#ned in the Gang Involvement in Sex Tra!cking and Prostitution section of this report.

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Street-Level Drug Sales

Large-Scale Drug Transportation

Assault

Theft/Larceny

Burglary

Drug Shipment Protection

Human Trafficking

Alien Smuggling

Homicide

Prostitution

Robbery

Child Sex Trafficking

d (U) The survey questions asked respondents to indicate the level of involvement in various criminal activities. The choices were High,

Moderate, Low, Unknown, None. The percentages focus on responses indicating High involvement.

30 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) Survey respondents across the nation connect their local gangs to MTCOs. However, the vast majority of respondents cannot explain the origins of the connections nor how the organizations interact. 47, 48 On the topic of which gangs maintain relationships with MTCOs, respondents most often cite Barrio Azteca and Sureños. The Sinaloa and Juarez Cartels were most frequently referenced for their ties to gangs. Interestingly, some responses indicate “any available drug tra!cking organization” su!ces.

• (U) According to data from the 2014 Safe Streets and Gang Task Force Survey, gangs in all #ve Safe Streets and Gang Task Force regions are tied to the Sinaloa Cartel.

• (U) Similarly, prison gang survey respondents most commonly pair gangs with the Sinaloa Cartel. According to survey data, Sureños, Mexican Ma#a, Norteños, Tango Blast, Bloods, Aryan Brotherhood, Gangster Disciples, Ghost Face Gangsters,

(U) Source: DEA.

Menace of Destruction, Hermanos de los Pistoleros, and Crips all work with the Sinaloa Cartel.49 However, only 16 percent of respondents indicate knowledge of prison gang and MTCO collaborations.50

2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 31

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) Gangs provide fertile grounds for recruitment by extremist groups, including black separatist extremists,e white supremacist extremists, and sovereign citizen extremists.f Recruiting gang members enables these groups to expand and spread their doctrine. Gangs then use these groups and their teachings for a number of reasons, including the ability to exploit Freedom of Religion rights; to increase membership and collaboration with other criminal organizations; and to respond to perceived injustices by attempting to enact social change, often by engaging in criminal activity.

(U) Approximately one-quarter of jurisdictions and 44 percent of correctional facilities report gang members in their jurisdiction joined extremist groups.51 OMG members, for example, continue to establish and maintain relationships with domestic extremist groups.52 Traditionally all-white OMGs and predominantly African American OMGs were both identi#ed as associating with white supremacist groups and black separatist groups, respectively. Some gang members may also adhere to anti- government ideologies, for example claiming sovereign citizen status to escape criminal charges or indictment.

(U) BLACK SEPARATIST EXTREMISTS

(U) Over the past two years, gangs have increasingly adopted and incorporated black separatist extremist ideologies, using these

(U) GANGS AND EXTREMIST GROUPS

(U) Source: FBI.

(U) Bumper sticker containing sovereign citizen rhetoric.

e (U) Black separatist extremists are individuals or groups who seek a separation from the non-black US population wholly or in part through the use of

force or violence in violation of federal law.

f (U) Sovereign citizen extremists are US citizens who reject their US citizenship and seek to advance their beliefs through force or violence, in violation of

federal law.

teachings to advance the gang, justify criminal activities, or create new organizations.

(U) WHITE SUPREMACIST EXTREMISTS

(U) Driven by their belief in their superiority, white supremacist groups attempt to recruit gang members with similar ideologies. White supremacist groups work with gangs to facilitate illegal activity and to advance their cause.

(U) ANTI-GOVERNMENT INDOCTRINATION

(U) FBI reporting and survey data results reveal some gang members embrace anti- government philosophies and refuse to recognize the authority of the US Government.

32 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

Gang members often learn anti-government tactics while incarcerated. Once released, gang members continue to use the tactics during interactions with law enforcement in attempts to circumvent legal recourse.

2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 33

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) Military-trained gang members pose a serious threat to law enforcement and to the public. They learn combat tactics in the military, then return home to utilize these new skills against rival gangs or law enforcement. Military training of individual gang members could ultimately result in more sophisticated and deadly gangs, as well as deadly assaults on law enforcement o!cers.

(U) Survey respondents indicate that known or suspected gang members from more than 100 jurisdictions applied for positions or gained employment at any level of the US military, law enforcement, corrections, or the judiciary over the past two years.53 Of those, the US military was identi#ed as the most common, followed by corrections, law enforcement, and judiciary.

(U) GANGS IN THE MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS

(U) Source: NAGIA Survey Data.

(U) Law enforcement agencies reporting gang members who have applied or gained employment in the military.

34 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) Gang access to government institutions remains low. However, attempts continue and the potential impact for in#ltration is substantial. In#ltration of government institutions can provide gangs with access to sensitive law enforcement information, including law enforcement techniques and pending investigations. In#ltration can further help shield illicit activity and provide access to compromised police o!cers, which can hamper law enforcement e"orts, and ultimately undermine public con#dence in law enforcement. In#ltration often involves attempts by gang members, gang associates, and their family members to gain access through civilian positions.

• (U) In December 2014, an o!cer of the Memphis, Tennessee, Police Department was investigated for her involvement in a local rapper’s music video that spoke about gang a!liation and chronicled the o!cer and a group of women kidnapping another group of women.57

Additionally, military members’ access to weapons and their perceived ability to move easily across the US border may render them ideal targets for recruitment. Survey responses indicate that members of all gang types have been reported to have military connections or training.

• (U) According to a report by the Virginia Department of Corrections, in March 2015, an inmate with gang membership had been corresponding with other members of his gang in an attempt to recruit and evaluate an Army soldier. The active duty soldier knew the inmate through hometown contacts.54

• (U) According to open source reporting, in December 2014, an Air Force captain was sentenced to 25 years in prison and dismissed from the service after being found guilty of leading a violent street gang that distributed drugs, provided alcohol to teens, and arranged for the exchange of money for sex with underage girls.55

(U) OMGs have strong links to the military.56 OMGs, such as the Hells Angels, Vagos, and Mongols, have successfully gained access to military installations; recruited several active duty military personnel; and associated regularly with active duty military personnel. ATF and other law enforcement agencies report that OMG members have been employed as federal employees and contractors, active duty military, reservists, and National Guardsmen, which enables expansion.

2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 35

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) MCIO Statement

(U) The Military Criminal Investigative Organizations (MCIO) – Air Force O!ce of Special Investigations (AFOSI), Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID), and Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) – have identi#ed military personnel with street gang and OMG membership or a!liation in their respective branches of the US Armed Forces; however, their presence does not appear to be widespread or organized. The AFOSI, CID, and NCIS report that less than one percent of felony investigations conducted in #scal years 2013 and 2014 involved military members who were identi#ed as gang members and their associates.

(U) MCIO participation in this publication helps educate our law enforcement partners about the presence of military members with gang a!liation or membership and encourages reporting to the MCIOs when identi#cation of military members with known or suspected gang membership or a!liation is developed. It also helps formulate a more accurate threat picture as it relates to street gangs and OMGs in the military.

(U) The MCIOs encourage gang o!cers and detectives to reach out to recruiters from all branches of the military in their jurisdiction. This outreach will facilitate coordination and aid recruiters by providing them with an additional resource for tattoo identi#cation and con#rming a recruit’s possible gang a!liation. Local law enforcement has the best knowledge of gangs in their jurisdiction and these contacts will be a valuable addition to their toolbox.

(U) Department Of Defense Instruction (DODI) 1325.06, Handling of Dissident and Protest Activities Among Members of the Armed Forces, dated 22 February 2014, designates extremist group or gang participation as prohibited activities for US Armed Forces personnel and provides commanders the authority to take administrative and disciplinary actions for that participation. Active participation includes, but is not limited to, fundraising; demonstrating or rallying; recruiting, training, organizing, or leading members; distributing material (including posting on-line); knowingly wearing gang colors or clothing; having tattoos or body markings associated with such gangs or organizations; or otherwise engaging in activities in furtherance of the objective of such gangs or organizations that are detrimental to good order, discipline, or mission accomplishment or are incompatible with military service. In short, commanders are not required to wait until a crime occurs; they can take action based solely on evidence of active participation in a gang.

(U) US DOD, http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/132506p.pdf

MCIO Contact Information • AFOSI – [email protected] • CID - [email protected] • NCIS - http://www.ncis.navy.mil/ (Text Tip Web Tool link in the center of the homepage)

36 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

poses and, using their photographs, created online advertisements for commercial sex.58

(U) According to the National Human Tra!cking Resource Center, 3,598 cases of sex tra!cking were reported in 2014 and 973 cases were reported in the #rst three months of 2015.59 However, victims do not frequently report victimization because of shame or fear, and thus this number is likely an underestimation of sex tra!cking cases in the United States. Approximately 15 percent of respondents to the street gang survey stated that gangs in their jurisdiction engage in human tra!cking. This number is also likely an underestimation for two reasons: the aforementioned under reporting, and misclassi#cations whereby gang-involved cases are cited as prostitution, rather than sex tra!cking, when a minor is involved. Law enforcement reporting indicates that gangs have increasingly engaged in sex tra!cking over the past two years.

• (U) According to the Los Angeles, California, District Attorney’s O!ce, a Long Beach gang member engaged in human tra!cking in which the victim was forced to provide sex for money and give all pro#ts to the gang. If the victim did not make $500 a day, she was threatened, beaten, and cut with a knife.60

(U) De!nition: Sex tra"cking occurs when an adult is induced to engage in a commercial sex act as the result of force, fraud, or coercion, or when the person induced to engage in a commercial sex act has not attained 18 years of age. Prostitution is the unlawful promotion of, or participation in, sexual activities for pro!t, including solicitation attempts.

(U) GANG INVOLVEMENT IN SEX TRAFFICKING AND PROSTITUTION

(U) Source: Pixabay.com.

(U) As many gangs target juveniles for recruitment, they also target juveniles to engage in prostitution on behalf of the gang. Because these juveniles are under the age of 18, and therefore cannot legally consent, inducing them to engage in prostitution constitutes sex tra!cking.

• (U) According to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a Thetford Avenue Bu"alos gang member from Dorchester, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 153 months in prison and #ve years of supervised release for sex tra!cking of minors. The gang member photographed a 14- and a 15-year-old girl in suggestive

2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 37

UNCLASSIFIED

• (U) In February 2015, three MS-13 members or associates were arrested for human tra!cking in Fairfax County, Virginia. These arrests are consistent with a reported increase in gang-related human tra!cking in Northern Virginia. Over the past year,

20 percent of the leads for the Fairfax County Police Department’s Human Tra!cking Unit were gang related.61

(U) Prostitution is commercial sex that – while usually illegal under state law – is a

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) Human Tra!cking, Alien Smuggling, and Prostitution

*Under U.S. Law, if a person is under 18 and induced to perform a commercial sex act, then it

is considered tra!cking, regardless of whether fraud, force or coercion is involved.

Source: (U) US Department of State, “Fact Sheet: Distinctions between Human Smuggling and Human Tra!cking 2006”.

UNCLASSIFIED

Human Trafficking Alien Smuggling Prostitution

Victims do not consent to their situation

Participants consent to being smuggled across border

Individuals involved consent to a commercial sexual transaction

Is forced exploitation of a person for labor or services* that the victim cannot or believes he or she cannot leave

Contract ends after border crossing

Contract ends after the sexual act is complete

Tra!cking must have a commercial aspect but does not require movement of the victim

Smugglers must physically move the “customers”

Movement is irrelevant

Can be international or take place in a single country, no requirement to cross border

Is always international Can occur anywhere

Crime against a person Crime against the border

Crime against the state in most areas, legal in some limited areas

38 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

consensual agreement between the two parties. Although prostitution is consensual, prostitution rings run by gangs victimize individuals by taking portions of their proceeds to advance the gang’s objectives. According to survey respondents, gangs in approximately one-third of jurisdictions have moderate-to- high involvement in prostitution.62

• (U) According to a 2014 study conducted by the Urban Institute, four of eight major cities surveyed (Denver, Colorado; San Diego, California; Seattle, Washington; and Washington, DC) showed gangs were involved in sex tra!cking. Six of the eight cities observed gang involvement in underground commercial sex economies in their jurisdiction.63

(U) Survey results indicate that over the past two years, gangs involved in sex tra!cking and prostitution have collaborated with other gangs and criminals to maximize their pro#ts and avoid law enforcement detection. Gangs work together to relocate tra!cking victims and to exchange victims, which o"ers their clients variety in sexual partners and enables maximum pro#t. Victim exchange and relocation also helps gangs avoid law enforcement detection by preventing identi#cation of victims.

• (U) In Denver, Colorado, there has been evidence of collaboration between rival gangs, the Crips and the Bloods, in order to maximize their sex tra!cking and prostitution pro#ts.64

2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 39

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) GANGS AND TECHNOLOGY

(U) Gang use of technology and social media has signi#cantly increased over the past two years. Widely used social media platforms, such as Facebook and YouTube, have become ubiquitous in gang activity. According to survey respondents, the most common social media platforms that street gangs use are Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter.65 Gangs are also discovering and utilizing new platforms and applications on a daily basis. They use various sites, applications, and platforms for a multitude of reasons, including recruitment, communication, targeting rivals, advancing

criminal activities, and thwarting law enforcement.

(U) RECRUITMENT

(U) Social media sites provide gangs with a platform to recruit new members, either through direct communication or indirectly through videos that spread the gang’s brand and boast the bene#ts of the gang lifestyle.

• (U) BMS, a combination of the Black MOB and Skanless gangs in California, used

(U) Social Media Platforms Most Frequently Reported

to be Used by Street Gang Members

100

(U) Source: NAGIA Survey Data.

Facebook YouTube Instagram Twitter Snapchat Google+ Flickr WhatsApp kik

40 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

social media sites like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter to lure unwitting young girls into the gang lifestyle with rap videos and promises of a glamorous life. These girls were then forced into sex tra!cking.66

• (U) A member of a neighborhood-based gang in the Bronx, New York, posted rap videos on YouTube espousing violence and the gang lifestyle. In response, he received text messages containing requests to join the gang. For example, he received a text message stating, “I’m from Queens but I watch all ya videos. Imma trying be down with the WTG Move.” The rapper responded “you can

be WTG under me and b o"cial” in exchange for $125.67

• (U) The BBE 900 gang in Cleveland, Ohio, invested illicit proceeds to create rap videos that were posted on social media sites and used to recruit new members, build the BBE 900 brand, and raise the intimidation factor.68

(U) COMMUNICATION

(U) Gang members are increasingly moving to messaging platforms, such as Snapchat, kik, and WhatsApp to communicate. These technologies provide instantaneous

100

(U) Social Media Platforms Most Frequently Reported

to be Used by Prison Gang Members

(U) Source: NAGIA Survey Data.

Facebook YouTube Twitter Instagram Google+ Snapchat Flickr WhatsApp Mocospace

2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 41

UNCLASSIFIED

• (U) Between the beginning of 2013 and April 2014, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation discovered 14,960 contraband cell phones in prisons.72

• (U) The Mississippi Department of Corrections con#scated 2,257 cell phones across three prisons between the beginning of 2013 and April 2014. The department implemented a variety of preventive measures to reduce the number of cell phones in prisons, such as weekly searches for WiFi Internet signals; installing netting around prison perimeters; and increased searches using Managed Access Systems, Boss Chairs “body cavity detection systems,”

K-9 cell phone detector dogs, hand-wand metal detectors, and walk-through metal detection systems. The Mississippi Department of Corrections donated seized cell phones to non-pro#t groups, such as Cell Phones for Soldiers, crime victims, and domestic violence shelters.73

communication similar to Short Message Service (SMS) text messaging while providing more anonymity.

• (U) According to open source reporting, suspected MS-13 members in Virginia allegedly contacted a middle school student via kik, telling him to join MS-13 and provide names of other middle school students for recruitment.69

(U) Gangs rely on technology to stay connected to their counterparts and to help drive their illicit activities. This is particularly true for prison gangs that seek to obtain cell phones in order to access the outside world. Cell phones and social media platforms enable fast communication and coordination e"orts among street gang members; between gang members in prison; and between prison and street members. In all of these instances, communication serves to enhance criminal operations and further gang objectives.

• (U) Approximately 90 percent of prison gang survey respondents indicate inmates in their facilities use at least one social media platform – Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or Twitter – with Facebook being the most popular.70

• (U) According to a 2015 report, the Georgia Department of Corrections has reportedly con#scated 13,500 cell phones since 2012. The report claims that to combat the issue, Georgia Department of Corrections installed equipment to scan visitors for cell phones and other electronics. However, most of these cell phones were smuggled in by prison sta" in exchange for cash or sex.71

(U) Source: $ickr.com

42 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) TARGETING RIVALS

(U) Traditionally, gangs have demarcated their territory by spray painting their name, signs, and symbols on structures throughout their communities. As social media grows, gangs are using platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, as “electronic gra!ti walls.” Messages and pictures posted on these electronic gra!ti walls provide gangs new avenues to mark their territory and communicate messages to rivals while spreading the gang’s name.

• (U) According to March 2015 open source reporting, a photo taken inside of a Georgia correctional facility showing a badly beaten inmate with a leash around his neck was

uploaded to Facebook. The caption on the photo read, “When you disrespect the Nation, it brings nothing but pain and su"ering.”74

• (U) According to open source reporting, as of February 2015, the Nike and Jordan gangs in Omaha, Nebraska, used YouTube to create and post rap videos that disrespected each other. Depicted in the videos, gang members used gang signs, counted drug money, and brandished guns. At the end of some videos, they encouraged viewers to add them as friends on Facebook and followers on Twitter.75

(U) Source: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

(U) Con#scated contraband cell phones.

2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 43

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) Examples of Cell Phone Applications Exploited by Gang Members

(U) Kik Instant Messenger is a free interactive communication application that allows users to share text messages, photographs, or videos. The application is similar to a texting feature on a phone; however, it only communicates over the Internet and uses usernames instead of phone numbers.

(U) Mobile Patrol is a free public safety application that connects a mobile telephone user to important safety information, news, and critical alerts. Users can receive tra!c alerts, share crime tips, and access information about missing children and sex o"enders.

(U) Rounds is a free social platform application that allows users to simultaneously video chat with up to 12 friends. Users can interactively watch YouTube videos, play interactive games, draw on whiteboards, and share photos.

(U) Glide is a free private messaging service where users can send video messages to several individuals simultaneously and the recipients can view the message instantly or at a later time. The video is transmitted to the end user the moment the video starts recording and can be streamed in almost real-time.

(U) OkHello is a free video chat service that allows users to create virtual rooms with friends. Users can share various types of media including photos and videos.

(U) Snapchat is a free media sharing application that allows users to take a picture or video, add a text caption, and send it to a friend. The picture or video will automatically be deleted from the server once viewed, but the recipient can take a screen shot and save the media to their phone.

(U) Source: Google Play Store.

44 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

• (U) In late 2013, a senior member of the New Jersey Grape Street Crips used a social media account to identify a suspected cooperator in an Essex County, New Jersey, murder investigation. Several days after that social media post, members of the Grape Street Crips repeatedly shot and nearly killed the individual.76

(U) CRIMINAL ACTIVITY

(U) Advancements in technology provide gangs new opportunities to target victims and carry out criminal activity.

• (U) The Georgia Department of Corrections reported that prison gangs are using cell phones as a new extortion tool and to plan crimes outside of prison, as well as to incite violence and extort family members of incarcerated rivals. Gang members allegedly text pictures of tortured inmates to family members and demand money in exchange for mercy.77

(U) THWART LAW ENFORCEMENT

(U) Gangs exploit new technologies largely for the anonymity that messaging applications a"ord and for the pseudo-anonymity that comes with the use of aliases on social media. However, they also rely on these technologies to thwart law enforcement e"orts.

• (U) Gang members are using advanced video messaging applications to communicate and possibly further their illegal activity. These video messaging applications are problematic and di!cult for law enforcement to monitor because

they enable ambiguity; transmit via the Internet; leave no record of transmission on the device; and allow users to save videos in cloud data storage. These applications are available to download for free on both the Apple App Store and the Android Google Play Store.

2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 45

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS AND RESOURCES

(U) Investigative entities and intelligence units have long been vital in mitigating gang activity. Agencies at every level of law enforcement continue to join forces to combat gang violence, and remain committed to combating gangs, as gang activity continues to threaten communities nationwide.

(U) Technology is increasingly playing a pivotal role in police investigations and anti-gang e"orts. Most police agencies today maintain gang databases whereby gang intelligence and gang-related crime statistics can be shared with law enforcement partners in other jurisdictions. Also, as gang members continue to exploit the Internet for criminal purposes, a growing number of law enforcement agencies are incorporating social media into their gang

(U) Integration of Social Media Into Gang Investigations

UNCLASSIFIED

Incorporated Social Media Within The Past Two Years

Did Not Incorporate Social Media

Agency Has Been Using Social Media for Longer Than Two Years

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) Source: NAGIA Survey Data.

investigations, speci#cally to identify gang members and monitor their criminal activity.

• (U) Approximately 65 percent of street gang survey respondents report that their agencies maintain gang databases, 45 percent of which are available to law enforcement partners.

• (U) Approximately 54 percent of agencies surveyed report that over the past two years, their organizations have integrated social media into their gang investigations. An additional 35 percent of respondents claim they have used social media for more than two years.

46 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) Due to e"orts in gang suppression, intervention, and incarceration, violent and in$uential gang members have been removed from communities and incarcerated within state and federal correctional facilities, where many continue to direct criminal gang operations. While in prison, gang members form associations with other gang members and criminal enterprises in order to exploit opportunities for pro#t, expand their control, and establish communication networks which they use to conduct gang business. Consequently, investigators must keep pace with incarcerated gang members’ growing sophistication and expanding criminal networks in order to e"ectively mitigate the threat; such e"orts must include inter and intra- agency information sharing and policy updates, speci#cally those pertaining to prison security.

• (U) Over 90 percent of correctional agencies report that their agencies maintain gang databases, nearly 46 percent of which are accessible to law enforcement partners.

(U) The introduction of such contraband as drugs and cell phones remains a central issue in correctional institutions. Smuggling activities compromise the safety of both inmates and sta" and can negatively impact communities in circumstances when gang members reach out to their street counterparts and direct criminal activity. As such, many facilities have used legislation or cell phone jamming technology to help prevent the introduction of cell phones.

• (U) Approximately 72 percent of survey respondents report having legislation in place designed to prohibit the introduction

(U) Jurisdictions With Legislation Prohibiting Cell Phones

in Correctional Facilities

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) Source: NAGIA Survey Data.

None

Yes, Categorizing it as a Misdemeanor

Yes, Categorizing it as a Felony

2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 47

UNCLASSIFIED

of cell phones into a correctional facility. Most of the jurisdictions categorize the o"ense as a felony.

(U) The FBI has employed strategies to combat violent gangs on a national level since 1993. Currently, the FBI operates 164 FBI Violent Gang Safe Streets Task Forces across the United States. The FBI also maintains a Violent Gang Program that utilizes collection capabilities through multiple joint initiatives, such as the Correctional Intelligence Task Force and the Safe Streets Violent Crime Initiative. Additionally, the NGIC promotes multi-agency collaboration e"orts to disrupt prison gang activity through information-sharing initiatives, such as the Joint Intelligence Sharing Initiative (JISI). JISI is a cooperative e"ort between the NGIC and BOP to develop and share intelligence that aids in the identi#cation of criminal elements for prosecution. The NGIC also works closely with the Safe Streets and Gang Unit to provide direct case support to gang investigators and to assist FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Forces o!ces across the country.

(U) Correctional Intelligence

Task Force

(U) The Correctional Intelligence Task Force (CITF) is a joint task force comprised of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), and Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) that provides direct access to intelligence and information within CDCR and BOP for e!cient collection, analysis, and dissemination of prison derived criminal activity. The mission is to systematically integrate intelligence and operations to initiate and enhance law enforcement suppression e"orts through the identi#cation, exploitation, and dissemination of cross-programmatic intelligence derived from correctional facilities.

48 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) OUTLOOK

gangs. Gang involvement in drug tra!cking activities would diminish in the unlikely event that drug routes between the US and Mexico shut down, thereby restricting accessibility into the United States.

(U) In order to increase pro#t and widen their reach, gangs will strive to strengthen recruitment e"orts; develop new methods to target rivals; and devise di"erent techniques to thwart gang investigations. Formulating measures to target rivals and hinder law enforcement e"orts could potentially lead to rival gangs joining forces; feasibly, collaborations may rise between gangs and other criminal organizations. Recruitment endeavors will inevitably compel gangs to keep spreading their ideology through such channels as the Internet.

(U) Street gangs will advance on pace with technology as members continue to exploit mechanisms that a"ord anonymity and instant communication, such as SGP Technologies’ Blackphoneg and Apple and Google cell phone systems that function to encrypt data. As social media sites, cell phone applications, and various other technological platforms progress, gangs will employ these methods to commit crimes without detection. 78,79 Gang utilization of evolving technology presents unique challenges for law enforcement.

(U) The long-standing culture of prison gangs will endure as incarcerated leaders continue to direct street crimes. The cycle between

(U) Gangs of all types will persist in their objectives to generate illicit funds and control territory. And wherever they may fall short of their goals, gangs on a whole have the resources and motivations to #nd alternative avenues to meet their pursuits. Thus, gangs will continue to proliferate, evolve in their criminal abilities, and develop new tradecrafts to ensure their survival. Gangs will search relentlessly to increase their involvement in such lucrative crimes as prostitution and sex tra!cking and will continue to explore opportunities to secure more territory.

(U) Gang leaders rely primarily on intimidation, assault, homicide, and other violent measures to dominate their subordinates and maintain territorial control. Most gangs employ aggressive tactics in order to protect their interests, as brute force is an e"ective means to their end. For that reason, gangs will remain driven by violence and will continue to compromise the safety of the communities they inhabit.

(U) Due to the violent and territorial nature of gangs, as well as their deep-rooted involvement in drug crimes, gangs will naturally continue to foster relationships with MTCOs and, wherever possible, will seek to heighten their role in drug tra!cking. MTCO partnerships are integral to gang objectives as MTCOs supply gangs with access to corridors along the US/Mexico border and extend advantage in the illicit drug industry, all of which translates to money and power, the two primary objectives of

g (U) The Blackphone is a smart phone developed by SGP Technologies that provides encryption, as well as other security privacy features for phone

calls, e-mails, texts, and Internet browsing by accessing the Internet through a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 49

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) Predictive analysis is not a viable mitigation strategy due to the erratic and volatile nature of gangs. In order to successfully mitigate the threat, law enforcement entities may require surges in investigative activity and intelligence collection e"orts. Flexibility and innovations in strategy are therefore critical; no single initiative, investigative technique, statute, or preventive measure will necessarily be the most e"ective. For this reason, law enforcement must combine resources and techniques.

(U) Success in mitigation further requires an unprecedented level of collaboration and partnerships between all levels of law enforcement and community associates. Extensive liaising between street and corrections o!cials is essential to expand investigations, as is building cooperating witnesses; recruiting potential witnesses; and collecting intelligence to address the growing threat gangs pose at regional and national levels.

prison and street practices will persist in that street gangs will keep #nancially supporting prison leaders in exchange for protection and education upon incarceration. As part of this succession, gang connections to drug suppliers and other criminal associations will continue to circulate from prison onto the streets and vice versa. Gang members – in prison and on the street – are criminals of opportunity and they will pursue every avenue to gain advantage in their illicit activities. Thus, street and prison gangs will keep working together to improve smuggling techniques, enhance communication e"orts, and in any other capacity that will better enable them to meet their objectives. Law enforcement can expect to see a continuation in the relationship between street and prison gangs.

(U) Extremist behaviors and radicalization of incarcerated gang members will likely continue – and may even escalate – which could potentially increase violence in prison. The extreme rhetoric behind radicalization could spread to the streets and lead to a rise in animosity toward law enforcement and other government o!cials.

(U) Due to their unwavering motivation and ongoing access to various resources, gangs are not only postured to sustain their objectives, but hold tremendous potential to continue evolving and impacting streets and prisons across the nation. Gangs essentially pose a signi#cant threat to law enforcement and to the communities in which they operate, and they show no signs of diminishing.

50 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

(U) The NGIC and NAGIA thank the below federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners for completing the 2015 National Gang Report Survey.

Federal

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives

Department of Homeland Security, O!ce for Bombing

Prevention

Drug Enforcement Administration

El Paso Intelligence Center

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Federal Bureau of Prisons

Homeland Security Investigations

US Border Patrol

US Customs and Border Protection

US Department of State

US Marshals Service

US Probation O!ce

Alabama

Alabama Department of Corrections

Je"erson County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Northport Police Department

Arizona

Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections

Arizona Department of Public Safety

Arizona Gang and Immigration Intelligence Team

Enforcement Mission Gang Task Force

Arizona State Prison Complex Kingman

Central Arizona Detention Center - Corrections Corporation

of America

Chandler Police Department

Cochise County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Florence Correctional Center - Corrections Corporation of

America

Glendale Police Department

Juvenile Superior Court Durango

Lake Havasu City Police Department

Maricopa County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Mesa Police Department

Phoenix Police Department

Pima County Sheri" ’s Department - Corrections Bureau

Prescott Valley Police Department

Scottsdale Police Department

Tempe Police Department

Tucson Police Department

Yavapai County Juvenile Detention Center

Yuma Police Department

Arkansas

Arkansas Department of Correction

Benton County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Ozark Police Department

Russellville Police Department

Washington County Sheri" ’s O!ce

California

Alameda County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Alameda Police Department

Anaheim Police Department

Bakers#eld Police Department

Berkeley Police Department

Butte County Probation Department

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

Chico Police Department

City of South Gate

Concord Police Department

Eureka Police Department

Fresno Sheri" ’s O!ce

Fullerton Police Department

Imperial County Narcotics Task Force Gang Unit

Lake County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Long Beach Police Department

Los Angeles County District Attorney

Los Angeles County Probation

Los Angeles County Sheri" ’s Department

Los Angeles Police Department

Monterey Police Department

Morgan Hill Police Department

Napa County Probation

National City Police Department

Orange County Probation Department

Oxnard Police Department

Petaluma Police Department

Riverside County Sheri" ’s Department

Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety

Sacramento Sheri" ’s Department

San Benito County Probation Department

San Bernardino County Sheri" ’s Department

2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 51

UNCLASSIFIED

San Diego County Sheri" ’s Department

San Leandro Police Department

San Luis Obispo County Sheri" ’s O!ce Gang Task Force

Santa Ana Police Department

Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Team

Santa Maria Police Department

Shasta County Probation Department

Sonoma County Sheri" ’s O!ce

South Lake Tahoe Police Department

Sutter County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Vallejo Police Department

West Sacramento Police Department

Whittier Police Department

Colorado

Arvada Police Department

Aurora Police Department

Colorado Department of Corrections

Colorado Department of Corrections - Division of

Adult Parole

Denver Police Department

Fort Collins Police Services

Greeley Police Department

Lakewood Police Department

Longmont Police Department

Mesa County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Connecticut

Connecticut Department of Corrections

Connecticut State Police

Coventry Police

Delaware

Delaware Department of Correction

New Castle County Police Department

District of Columbia

Metropolitan Police Department

Florida

Bradenton Police Department

Brevard County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Florida Department of Corrections

Geo Group, Inc Corrections

Graceville Correctional Facility - GEO

Haines City Police Department

Hillsborough County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Jacksonville Beach Police Department

Lakeland Police Department

Leon County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Miramar Police Department

Okeechobee County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Sarasota County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Volusia County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Georgia

Atlanta Police Department

Chamblee Police Department

Coweta County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Dekalb Schools Department of Public Safety

Department of Juvenile Justice

Douglasville Police Department

Dublin Police Departent

Georgia Department of Corrections

Henry County Police Department

Jones County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Monroe Police Department

O!ce of the District Attorney, Middle Judicial Circuit

Rincon Police Department

Rockdale County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Social Circle Police Department

Spalding County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Hawaii

Hawaii Department of Public Safety

Idaho

Ada County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Idaho Department of Correction

Pocatello Police Department

Illinois

Champaign County State’s Attorney

Chicago Police Department

Crawford County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Granite City Police Department

Jo Daviess County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Metropolitan Correctional Center, Chicago

Schaumburg Police Department

Indiana

Anderson Police Department

Boone County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Branchville Correctional Facility

Charlestown Police Department

Evansville Police Department

Indiana Department of Correction – Pendleton

Correctional Facility

Indiana State Police

Lake County High Intensity Drug Tra!cking Area

52 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

Porter County Sheri" ’s Department

South Bend Police Department

Iowa

Davenport Police Department

Dubuque County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Dubuque Police Department

Iowa Department of Corrections

Waterloo Police Department

Kansas

Wichita Police Department

Kentucky

Kentucky State Police

Marshall County Sheri" ’s O!ce

McCracken County Regional Jail

Louisiana

Calcasieu Parish Sheri" ’s O!ce

Louisiana Department of Corrections

Mandeville Police Department

O!ce of Juvenile Justice

Maine

Maine Department of Corrections

Maine Information and Analysis Center

Maryland

Berlin Police Department

Charles County Sheri" ’s O!ce

City of Takoma Park Police Department

Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services

Eastern Correctional Institution

Frederick County Detention Center

Frederick County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Frederick Police Department

Harford County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center

Maryland State Police

Washington County Narcotics Task Force

Wicomico County Department of Corrections

Massachusetts

Bristol County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Chicopee Police Department

Hampden County Sheri" ’s Department

Massachusetts Department of Correction

Spring#eld Massachusetts Police Department

Worcester County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Worcester Police Department

Michigan

Holland Department of Public Safety

Leelanau County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Michigan Department of Corrections - Ann Arbor Parole

Michigan State Police

Midland County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Troy Police Department

Unadilla Township Police Department

Minnesota

Coon Rapids Police Department

Minnesota Department of Corrections

St. Paul Police Department

Mississippi

Biloxi Police Department

Columbia Police Department

D’Iberville Police Department

Gulfport Police Department

Marion County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Mississippi Alcoholic Beverage Control

Mississippi Department of Corrections

Shannon Police Department

Missouri

Clay County Missouri Sheri" ’s O!ce

Columbia Police Department

Grain Valley Police Department

Kansas City Police Department

Missouri Board of Probation and Parole

Spring#eld Missouri Police Department

St. Louis County Police Department

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department

Montana

Laurel Police Department

Montana Department of Corrections

Montana Department of Justice - Division of Criminal

Investigation

Nebraska

Nebraska Department of Corrections

Omaha Police Department

Washoe County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Nevada

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

New Hampshire

Belknap County Sheri" ’s Department

Keene Police Department

2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 53

UNCLASSIFIED

Merrimack County Department of Correction

Nashua Police Department

New Hampshire Department of Corrections

New Jersey

Bergen County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Burlington County Prosecutor’s O!ce

Fairview Police Department

Kenilworth Police Department

Lawrence Township Police Department

Monmouth County Sheri" ’s O!ce - Corrections Division

Morris County Prosecutor’s O!ce

Morris County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Old Bridge Township

Salem City Police Department

Salem County Sheri" ’s Department

Vineland Police Department

Voorhees Township Police Department

Winslow Township Police Department

New Mexico

Albuquerque Police Department

Farmington Police Department

Las Cruces Police Department

New Mexico Corrections Department

New Mexico High-Intensity Drug Tra!cking Area

Investigative Support Center

New York

Depew Police Department

Dutchess County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Monroe County Sheri" ’s O!ce

New York State Police

Newark Police Department

Oneida County Correctional Facility

Orange County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Rockville Centre Police Department

North Carolina

Alamance City County Gang Task Force

Cary Police Department

Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department

Cumberland County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Duplin County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Forsyth County Sheri" ’s O!ce, Detention Division

Hickory Police Department

High Point Police Department

Kill Devil Hills Police Department

North Carolina Central University Police Department

North Carolina Department of Public Safety

North Carolina State Highway Patrol

Randleman Police Department

Shelby Police Department

Wilson Police Department

Winston-Salem Police Department

North Dakota

Fargo Police Department

North Dakota State and Local Intelligence Center

Ohio

Canton Police Department

Cincinnati Police Department

Cleveland Police Department

Dayton Police Department

Golf Manor Police Department

Great Parks of Hamilton County Rangers

Ottawa County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Wintersville Police Department

Oklahoma

Lawton Police Department

Oklahoma City Police Department

Oklahoma Department of Corrections

Oregon

City of Gresham

Corvallis Police Department

Forest Grove Police Department

Oregon Department of Corrections

Portland Police Bureau

Pennsylvania

Abington Township Police Department

Allentown Police Department

Berks County Jail System

Bern Township Police Department

Bethlehem City

Bristol Township

Brookville Police Department

Chester Township Police

City of Coatesville

Columbia Borough Police Department

Coopersburg Police Department

Cornwall Borough Police Department

Cumberland County District Attorney Drug Task Force

Cumberland County Prison

East Norriton Township Police Department

East Pennsboro Township

54 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

Wilkes-Barre City Police Department

Rhode Island

Rhode Island State Police

South Carolina

Conway Police Department

Darlington County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Perry Police Department

Rock Hill Police Department

South Carolina Department of Corrections

South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon

Services

Spartanburg County Sheri" ’s O!ce

West Columbia Police Department

South Dakota

South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation

Tennessee

Bristol Tennessee Police Department

Haywood County Sheri" ’s Department

Knox County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Knoxville Police Department

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation

Tennessee Department of Correction

Texas

34th Judicial District Attorney’s O!ce

Arlington Police Department

Baytown Police Department

Carrollton Police Department

Coastal Bend Detention Center

Corpus Christi Police Department

Dallas Independent School District Police Department

Dallas Police Department

Directorate of Emergency Services, Fort Bliss Texas

El Paso County Sheri" ’s O!ce

El Paso Police Department

Fort Worth Police Department

Guadalupe County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Hood County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Houston Police Department

Irving Police Department

Longview Police Department

Mans#eld Police Department

Nacogdoches County Sheri" Department

Nacogdoches Police Department

San Marcos Police Department

Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission

Ephrata Police Department

Hampden Township Police Department

Kennett Square Police Department

Kiskiminetas Township Police Department

Lancaster City Bureau of Police

Lancaster County Adult Probation and Parole

Lancaster County District Attorney

Lehigh County Gang Task Force

Lehighton Borough Police

Lock Haven City Police Department

Lower Allen Township Police Department

Lower Swatara Township Police Department

Luzerne County Adult Probation and Parole

Luzerne County Correctional Facility

Mahoning Township Police Department

Mechanicsburg Police Department

Mercer County Juvenile Probation Department

Montgomery County Adult Probation and Parole

Montgomery County Detective Bureau

New Holland Police Department

Norristown Police Department

Northampton County Department of Corrections

Northampton County Prison

Northumberland Borough Police Department

Northwest Lancaster County Regional Police Department

Parkesburg Borough Police Department

Patterson Township Police Department

Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole

Pennsylvania Department of Corrections

Pennsylvania State Police

Philadelphia Police Department

Pittsburgh Bureau of Police

Prince Gallitzin State Park

Quakertown Borough

Shenandoah Police Department

Sinking Spring Police Department

Solebury Township Police Department

Sullivan County Probation and Parole Department

Swarthmore Borough Police Department

Upper Allen Township Police Department

Upper Moreland Township Police Department

West Caln Township Police Department

West Grove Borough Police Department

West Pottsgrove Township Police Department

West Reading Police Department

West Sadsbury Township Police Department

West York Borough Police Department

2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 55

UNCLASSIFIED

Texas Department of Criminal Justice - O!ce of the

Inspector General

Texas Department of Public Safety

Utah

Utah Department of Public Safety

Vermont

Barre Probation and Parole

Bennington Probation and Parole

Brattleboro Probation and Parole

Newport Probation and Parole

Northeast Correctional Complex

Northern State Correctional Facility

Northwest State Correctional Facility

Rutland Probation and Parole

Southeast State Correctional Facility

Spring#eld Probation and Parole

St. Johnsbury Probation and Parole

Vermont Department of Corrections

Virginia

Abingdon Police Department

Chesapeake Police Department

City of Alexandria Police

Danville Police Department

Fairfax County Police Department

Halifax/South Boston Narcotics and Gang Task Force

Hampton Police Division

Harrisonburg Police Department

Henrico County Police Division

Loudoun County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Newport News Police Department

Portsmouth Police Department

Prince William County Police Department

Richmond Police Department

Spotsylvania County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Virginia Department of Corrections

Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice

Virginia State Police

York Poquoson Sheri" ’s O!ce

Washington

City of Burlington

Everett Police Department

Grant County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Lynnwood Police Department

Northwest Detention Center--Geo Group

Puyallup Police Department

Seattle Police Department

Spokane County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Spokane Regional Safe Streets Task Force

Tacoma Police Department

Walla Walla Police Department

Washington State Department of Corrections

West Virginia

Martinsburg Police Department

Philippi Police Department

West Virginia Fugitive Task Force

Wisconsin

Blair Police Department

City of Madison Police Department

Grand Chute Police Department

Green Bay Police Department

Janesville Police Department

La Crosse Police Department

Newburg Police Department

Phillips Police Department

Seymour Police Department

Sheboygan County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Sun Prairie Police Department

Village of Pepin Police Department

Wisconsin Department of Corrections

Wyoming

Cheyenne Police Department

Torrington Police Department

Weston County Detention Center

Weston County Sheri" ’s O!ce

Wyoming Department of Corrections

Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation

Wyoming Highway Patrol

56 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

Central Alabama Safe Streets Task Force

Corpus Christi Violent Crimes Task Force

El Paso Safe Streets and Prison Gang Task Force

Houston Coastal Safe Streets Task Force

Jackson Safe Streets Task Force

Metrock Safe Streets Task Force

Mobile Safe Streets Task Force

Multi-Agency Gang Task Force

Nashville Violent Crime Gang Task Force

North Alabama Safe Streets Task Force

Northwest Louisiana Violent Crime Task Force

Oklahoma City Metropolitan Gang Task Force

Rio Grande Valley Violent Crime Task Force

San Antonio Safe Streets Task Force

South Central Louisiana Gang Task Force

Southeast Mississippi Safe Streets Task Force

SSCH Chattanooga Safe Streets Task Force

Violent Crimes, Major O"enders, & Gang Task Force (Dallas)

West Texas Area Major O"enders Task Force

Southeast Region

Atlanta Criminal Enterprise Task Force

Charlotte Safe Streets Task Force

Columbia Violent Gang Task Force

Conasauga Safe Streets Task Force

Criminal Enterprise Investigative Task Force,

Jacksonville Division

Cross Border Task Force - Safe Streets (Prince George’s

County, Maryland)

Delaware Violent Crime Safe Streets Task Force

Fajardo Regional Enforcement Team

FBI/MPD Safe Street Task Force

Metro Orlando Safe Street Gang Task Force

NW Georgia Criminal Enterprise Task Force

Pee Dee Gang and Violent Crime Task Force

Philadelphia Violent Gang Task Force

Piedmont Triad Safe Streets Task Force

Raleigh-Durham Safe Streets Task Force

Richmond Area Violent Enterprise

San Juan Safe Streets Task Force

South Florida Street Gangs and Criminal Organization

Task Force

(U) The NGIC and NAGIA thank the below Safe Streets and Gang Task Forces for completing the 2014 FBI Safe Streets and Gang Task Force Survey.

North Central Region

Joint Task Force on Gangs (Chicago)

Canton Resident Agency Safe Streets Task Force

Detroit Violent Gang Task Force

Eastern Illinois Safe Streets Task Force

Genesee County Safe Streets Task Force

Greater Omaha Safe Streets Task Force

Greater Racine Gang Task Force

Kansas City Metropolitan Gang Task Force

Kentucky Safe Streets Task Force

Peoria Area Safe Streets Task Force

Quad Cities Federal Gang Task Force

Southern Ohio Safe Streets Task Force

Twin Cities Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force

Violent Gang Safe Streets Task Force (St. Louis)

Wabash Valley Safe Streets Task Force

Northeast Region

Capital District Safe Streets Gang Task Force

Bridgeport Safe Streets Gang Violent Crime Task Force

Eastern Panhandle and Potomac Highlands Safe Streets Task

Force

Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force

Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force

New Hampshire Safe Streets Gang Task Force

New Haven Safe Streets Task Force

New York City Metro Gang Task Force

Newark Violent Crime Criminal Enterprise Task Force

North Shore Gang Task Force

Northern Connecticut Violent Crime Gang Task Force

Rhode Island Violent Crime Gang Task Force

Safe Streets Task Force (Bu"alo)

South Jersey Violent Incident/Gang Task Force

Southeastern Massachusetts Safe Streets Gang Task Force

Southern Maine Gang Safe Streets Task Force

Southwest Pennsylvania Safe Streets Task Force

Violent Crimes Incident Task Force

Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force

Western Massachusetts Safe Streets Gang Task Force

South Central Region

Austin Safe Streets Task Force

Capitol Area Task Force

2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 57

UNCLASSIFIED

Tampa Bay Safe Streets Gang Task Force

Tidewater Violent Crimes Task Force

Wilmington Safe Streets Task Force

West Region

Albuquerque Safe Streets HIDTA Gang Task Force

Big Sky Safe Streets Task Force

Central Coast Safe Streets Task Force

Denver Metro Gang Safe Streets Task Force

East County Regional Gang Task Force

Hawaii Safe Streets Task Force

Las Vegas Safe Streets Gang Task Force

Los Angeles Metropolitan Task Force on Violent Gangs

North Bay Regional Gang Task Force

North Central Coast Gang Task Force

North County Regional Gang Task Force

Northern Utah Criminal Apprehension Team

Riverside Resident Agency Gang Impact Team

Sacramento Valley Gang Suppression Team

Safe Streets Task Force (Anchorage)

Safe Streets Task Force East Bay

Santa Clara County Violent Gang Task Force

Seattle Safe Streets Task Force

South Los Angeles County Violent Crime Task Force

South Sound Gang Task Force

Southern Colorado Violent Gang Safe Streets Task Force

Southern New Mexico Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force

Southwest Arizona Safe Streets Task Force

Stockton Violent Crime Gang Task Force

Violent Crimes Task Force - Gang Group (San Diego)

Violent Gang Safe Streets Task Force (Portland)

Violent Street Gang Task Force (Phoenix)

58 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

* Respondents mapped using each unique address provided.

(U) APPENDIX A

(U) Map of NAGIA’s 2015 National Gang Report Survey Respondents

2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 59

UNCLASSIFIED

Map of NAGIA’s 2015 National Gang Report Survey Respondents

60 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) APPENDIX B

(U) Map of Safe Streets and Gang Task Force Regions

2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 61

UNCLASSIFIED

Map of Safe Streets and Gang Task Force Regions

62 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

(U) ENDNOTES

1 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Street Gangs Survey, question 12. 2 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Street Gangs Survey, question 12. 3 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Street Gangs Survey, question 11. 4 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Street Gangs Survey, question 14. 5 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Street Gangs Survey, question 15. 6 (U) Federal Bureau of Investigation; 2014 FBI Safe Streets and Gang Task Force Survey. 7 (U) Press Release; US Attorney’s O!ce, District of Minnesota; 4 March 2015; “Seven Members of Minneapolis-Based Gang Charged in

31-Count Indictment with Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine Throughout Minnesota;” available at http://www.fbi.gov/minneapolis/

press-releases/2015/seven-members-of-minneapolis-based-gang-charged-in-31-count-indictment-with-conspiracy-to-distribute-crack-

cocaine-throughout-minnesota. 8 (U) Online Article; “Gang Brought $10 Million in Drugs through Tulsa, Feds Say;” 20 August 2014; available at www.tulsaworld.com. 9 (U) Press Release; US Attorney’s O!ce, Western District of North Carolina; 22 April 2015; “Federal Indictment Charges 12 United Blood

Nation Gang Members with Racketeering Conspiracy;” available at https://www.fbi.gov/charlotte/press-releases/2015/federal-

indictment-charges-12-united-blood-nation-gang-members-with-racketeering-conspiracy. 10 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Street Gangs Survey, question 21. 11 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Street Gangs Survey, question 22. 12 (U) Press Release; US Attorney’s O!ce, Southern District of California; 08 January 2014; “North Park Gang Members Indicted in

Racketeering Conspiracy;” available at http://www.fbi.gov/sandiego/press-releases/2014/north-park-gang-members-indicted-in-

racketeering-conspiracy. 13 (U) Online News Article; “PD: Gang may have targeted Salt River o!cer in deadly shooting;” 13 June 2014; available at

http://www.kpho.com/story/25654490/pd-gang-targeted-salt-river-o!cer-in-deadly-shooting. 14 (U) Online News Article; “Prosecutor’s Dad Kidnapped in Elaborate Plot FBI Rescues Him;” 11 April 2014; available at

http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/10/justice/kidnap-fbi-atlanta/. 15 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Street Gangs Survey, question 18. 16 (U) Online News Article; “Detroit Police Chief Answers Gang Member’s Death Threat;” 24 February 2014; available at

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/02/24/detroit-police-chief-death-threat/5772937/. 17 (U) Online News Article; “Threat States Rogers “Cop Will Be Killed” On New Year’s Eve;” 29 December 2014; available at

http://5newsonline.com/2014/12/29/threat-states-rogers-cop-will-be-killed-on-new-years-eve/. 18 (U) Internet Site; US Department of Justice; Prison Gangs: Prison Gangs and Photos; 18 April 2013; available at

http://www.justice.gov/criminal/ocgs/gangs/prison.html. 19 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Prison Gangs Survey, question 12. 20 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Prison Gangs Survey, question 11. 21 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Prison Gangs Survey, question 11. 22 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Prison Gangs Survey, question 11. 23 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Prison Gangs Survey, question 18. 24 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Prison Gangs Survey, question 18. 25 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Prison Gangs Survey, question 18. 26 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Prison Gangs Survey, question 18. 27 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Prison Gangs Survey, question 19. 28 (U) Federal Bureau of Investigation; 2014 FBI Safe Streets and Gang Task Force Survey. 29 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Prison Gangs Survey, question 18. 30 (U) Online News Article; “Jail Corruption Case Appears Similar to Gang In#ltration in Prison in 2009;” 25 April 2013; available at

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/jail-corruption-case-appears-similar-to-gang-in#ltration-in-prison-in-2009/2013/04/25/6efb61d2-

add9-11e2-a986-eec837b1888b_story.html. 31 (U) Online News Article; “Insiders Say Prison Gangs and Crooked Guards Corrupting State’s Prisons;” 24 September 2014; available at

http://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2014/09/24/insiders-say-prison-gangs-and-crooked-guards-corrupting-states-prisons. 32 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Prison Gangs Survey, question 19. 33 (U) Online News Article; “Insiders Say Prison Gangs and Crooked Guards Corrupting State’s Prisons;” 24 September 2014; available at

http://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2014/09/24/insiders-say-prison-gangs-and-crooked-guards-corrupting-states-prisons. 34 (U) Press Release; US Attorney’s O!ce, District of Maryland; “Two Former Correctional O!cers Sentenced to Prison for a

Racketeering Conspiracy;” 12 March 2015; available at https://www.fbi.gov/baltimore/press-releases/2015/two-former-correctional-

o!cers-sentenced-to-prison-for-a-racketeering-conspiracy. 35 (U) Online News Article; “Mississippi Prisons: Guards, Low Pay, and Corruption;” 6 October 2014; available at

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2014/10/05/miss-prisons-guards-low-pay-corruption/16789393/. 36 (U) Federal Bureau of Investigation; 2014 FBI Safe Streets and Gang Task Force Survey.

2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 63

UNCLASSIFIED

37 (U) Press Release; US Department of Justice; “Six Leaders and Members of Phantom Outlaw Motorcycle Club and Vice Lords

Street Gang Convicted of Violent Racketeering-related Crimes;” 16 March 2015; available at http://www.fbi.gov/detroit/press-

releases/2015/six-leaders-and-members-of-phantom-outlaw-motorcycle-club-and-vice-lords-street-gang-convicted-of-violent-

racketeering-related-crimes. 38 (U) Online News Article; “Nine dead in Waco, Texas biker brawl;” 17 May 2015; available at http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/17/us/texas-

shooting/index.html. 39 (U) Press Release; US Department of Justice; “Leader of Salem Hells Angels Pleads Guilty to Federal Crimes in Connection with

Brutal Assault;” 13 February 2015; available at http://www.fbi.gov/boston/press-releases/2015/leader-of-salem-hells-angels-pleads-

guilty-to-federal-crimes-in-connection-with-brutal-assault. 40 (U) Online News Article; “Georgia man arrested in deadly Birmingham biker club shooting;” 31 August 2014; available at

http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2014/09/arrest_made_in_birmingham_bike.html. 41 (U) Online News Article; “Uncooperative Witnesses In Applebee’s Shooting Impede Police Investigation;” 31 March 2015; available at

http://www.kob.com/article/stories/s3751395.shtml. 42 (U) Online News Article; “TEMECULA: No Arrests in Bloody Biker Brawl on I-15,” 7 April 2014; available at http://www.pe.com/articles/

hells-693535-angels-motorcycle.html. 43 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs Survey, question 13. 44 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs Survey, question 7. 45 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Border Gangs Survey. 46 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Border Gangs Survey. 47 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Street Gangs Survey, question 27, Prison

Gangs Survey, questions 13, 15, and 16, Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Survey, question 16 and Border Gangs Survey, question 9. 48 (U) Federal Bureau of Investigation; 2014 FBI Safe Streets and Gang Task Force Survey. 49 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Prison Gangs Survey, questions 13, 15, and 16. 50 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Prison Gangs Survey, questions 13, 15, and 16. 51 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Street Gangs Survey, question 29 and Prison

Gangs Survey, question 17. 52 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs Survey, question 17. 53 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Prison Gangs Survey, question 30 and Outlaw

Motorcycle Gangs Survey, question 21. 54 (U) Virginia Department of Corrections; Gang and Security Threat Group; Electronic Communication, 25 March 15. 55 (U) Online News Article; “Air Force captain convicted of leading violent street gang;” 02 February 2015; available at

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/02/02/airforcecaptain-sentenced/22762041. 56 (U) Online News Article; “Outlaw Biker Gangs Prize U.S. Soldiers, Feds Say;” 26 May 2015; available at

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/omg-motorcycle-gangs-recruit-military-soldiers-n364731. 57 (U) Online News Article; “Memphis police o!cer appears in controversial music video;” 01 December 2014; available at

http://www.wmcactionnews5.com/story/27520849/memphis-police-o!cer-appears-in-controversial-music-video. 58 (U) News Release; US Immigration and Customs Enforcement; “Dorchester Gang Member Sentenced to Over 12 Years in Prison for Sex

Tra!cking Minors;” 11 May 2015; available at http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/dorchester-gang-member-sentenced-over-12-years-

prison-sex-tra!cking-minors. 59 (U) Internet Site; National Human Tra!cking Resource Center; “Sex Tra!cking;” 26 June 2015; available at

http://www.tra!ckingresourcecenter.org/type-tra!cking/sex-tra!cking. 60 (U) Press Release; Long Beach Police Department; “Specialized Program Leads to Arrest of Human Tra!cking Suspect;” 28 May 2015;

available at http://www.longbeach.gov/Police/Press-Releases/SPECIALIZED-PROGRAM-LEADS-TO-ARREST-OF-HUMAN-

TRAFFICKING-SUSPECT/. 61 (U) Online News Article; “Reston Gang Members Charged with Human Tra!cking;” 11 March 2015; available at http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/

article/20150311/NEWS/150319743/reston-gang-members-charged-with-human-tra!cking&template=fairfaxTimes. 62 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Street Gangs Survey, question 15. 63 (U) The Urban Institute; Research Report; “Estimating the Size and Structure of the Underground Commercial Sex Economy in Eight

Major US Cities;” March 2014; available at http://www.urban.org/sites/default/#les/alfresco/publication-pdfs/413047-Estimating-the-Size-

and-Structure-of-the-Underground-Commercial-Sex-Economy-in-Eight-Major-US-Cities.PDF. 64 (U) The Urban Institute; Research Report; “Estimating the Size and Structure of the Underground Commercial Sex Economy in Eight Major

US Cities;” March 2014; available at http://www.urban.org/sites/default/#les/alfresco/publication-pdfs/413047-Estimating-the-Size-and-

Structure-of-the-Underground-Commercial-Sex-Economy-in-Eight-Major-US-Cities.PDF. 65 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Associations; 2015 National Gang Survey; Street Gangs Survey, question 35. 66 (U) Press Release; US Attorney’s O!ce, Southern District of California; 08 January 2014; “North Park Gang Members Indicted in

Racketeering Conspiracy;” available at http://www.fbi.gov/sandiego/press-releases/2014/north-park-gang-members-indicted-in-

racketeering-conspiracy.

64 National Gang Intelligence Center

UNCLASSIFIED

67 (U) Online News Article; “Seeking Clues to Gangs and Crime, Detectives Monitor Internet Rap Videos;” 07 January 2014; available at

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/08/nyregion/seeking-clues-to-gangs-and-crime-detectives-monitor-internet-rap-videos.html?_r=0. 68 (U) Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s O!ce; Statement by First Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Duane Deskins on Law Enforcement’s

Targeting of the BBE 900 Gang; 29 October 2014; available at http://prosecutor.cuyahogacounty.us/en-US/2014-10-29-pr-statement-

on-targeting-bbe-900-gang.aspx. 69 (U) Online News Article; “Possible Gang Members Attempt Recruitment of Sterling Middle Students;” 01 May 2015; available

http://www.loudountimes.com/news/article/possible_gang_members_attempt_recruitment_of_sterling_middle_students323. 70 (U) National Alliance of Gang Investigators’ Association; 2015 National Gang Survey; Prison Gangs Survey, question 25 71 (U) Online News Article; “New Trend Alert: Prison Culture Exposed Through Cell Phone Extortion;” 01 April 2015; available at

http://www.ebengregory.com/2015/04/01/new-trend-alert-prison-culture-exposed-cell-phone-extortion-pic/. 72 (U) California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; Fact Sheet; “Contraband Cell Phones in CDCR Prisons and Conservation

Camps;” April 2014; available at http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Contraband-Cell-Phones/docs/Contraband-Cell-Phone-Fact-Sheet-April-2014.pdf. 73 (U) Press Release; Mississippi Department of Corrections; “MDOC Makes Good Use of Contraband Cell Phones;” 11 April 2014; available

at http://www.mdoc.state.ms.us/PressReleases/2014NewsReleases/MDOC%20MakesGoodUseOfContraband.pdf. 74 (U) Online News Article; “Mom’s fury as ten men launch gang attack on her son, 18, in a prison cell-then tie a LEASH round his neck

and pose for a Facebook photo despite being behind bars;”31 March 2015; available at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3020842/

Mom-horri#ed-Facebook-photo-emerges-beaten-18-year-old-son-prison-cell-eye-swollen-shut-lead-two-men-standing-him.html. 75 (U) Online News Article; “Gang Violence Fueled by Gang Members by Clicks on Social Media,” 02 February 2015; available at

http://www.omaha.com/news/crime/gang-violence-fueled-by-clicks-on-social-media/article_b7da3145-b853-5ea3-9b52-6cda881a5c1a.html. 76 (U) Press Release; US Department of Justice; “Seventy-One Defendants Charged in Long-Running Investigation of Grape Street

Crips Street Gang;” 20 May 2015; available at http://www.fbi.gov/newark/press-releases/2015/seventy-one-defendants-charged-in-long-

running-investigation-of-grape-street-crips-street-gang. 77 (U) Online News Article; “New Trend Alert: Prison Culture Exposed Through Cell Phone Extortion;” 01 April 2015; available at

http://www.ebengregory.com/2015/04/01/new-trend-alert-prison-culture-exposed-cell-phone-extortion-pic/. 78 (U) Online News Article; “New Level of Smartphone Encryption Alarms Law Enforcement;” 22 September 2014; available at

http://www.wsj.com/articles/new-level-of-smartphone-encryption-alarms-law-enforcement-1411420341. 79 (U) Online Article; “Could The Highly-Encrypted & Tap-Proof ‘Blackphone’ Be Used By Criminals?;” available at

http://vanityleague.com/highly-encrypted-blackphone/.

2015 NATIONAL GANG REPORT 65

UNCLASSIFIED