In addition to Colon and his wife, others charged in the indictment for drug conspiracy were Chicago-area residents: Jorge D. Martinez, 32; Wilfredo Escobar, 35; The case against Colon, who grew up in Humboldt Park and as a teenager was one of the founding members of the Latin Kings, rides largely on hundreds of hours of taped conversations in which Colon is alleged to talk about drug sales and other gang business using prison telephones. All have been convicted and sentenced except for a few defendants who remain fugitives. The sentence was announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Robert J. Holley, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Carl Vasilko, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report. Three other high-ranking leaders of the Latin Kings street gang were also convicted at trial of charges involving narcotics trafficking and related violence that plagued numerous neighborhoods across the city. 219 S. Dearborn St., 5th Floor U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois, Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (LECC), Latin Kings Second-In-Command Sentenced To 40 Years In Prison For RICO Conspiracy And Related Gang Crimes. / CBS Chicago. Detectives investigating Rangels death learned of an informant being used by the police departments Organized Crime Division whod recorded conversations with Nunnery in which he implicated himself in the shooting. CHICAGO Before gentrification changed the face of Wicker Park, swaths of the neighborhood were claimed by a handful of street gangs. Rockford, IL 61101, Chicago: (312) 353-5300 (Source: Sun-Times Media Wire Chicago Sun-Times 2013. The RICO conspiracy count included evidence that Zambrano and several co-defendants conspired to demand and receive payment from the organization by illegally selling fraudulent immigration documents in Little Village by threatening and using violence against members of that organization unless the defendant received regular cash payments, the release said. | Chicago Police Department. WebThe Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (ALKQN, ALKN, LKN) the largest and most organized Hispanic street gang in the United States of America, which has its roots dating Ware and Nunnery were brought in on Nov. 14, and Simmons was arrested eight days later, initially in a separate incident. Prison sources say that Colon was awakened at 4:15 a.m. Thursday by prison officials, who handcuffed him and then escorted him out of the prison, where he was handed over to federal agents. Donell states that Bro Man told Donell that he wanted Donell to pop him. A Latin King leader explains the history and aims of his organization in an talk for the Chicago Gang History Project. But the indictment underscores how the narcotics trade remains the financial life blood of all of Chicago's major gangs. "The point was that he would never be free.". All Rights Reserved. The Illinois Appellate Court would later say of Colons actions: Far from displaying any reluctance or visible effects of intimidation, the defendant fairly reveled in the execution of his victim. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. According to the indictment, Colon was the gang's "policymaker": He directed the gang's operations primarily on the North Side. Nunnery figured the jewelry was worth at least $240,000. Born in The gang subunits were found at each intersection along 26th Street from Fairfield Avenue west to Millard Avenue, according to the U.S. Attorney's office. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. CHICAGO A high-ranking leader of the Latin Kings street gang was sentenced today to 35 years in federal prison after being convicted of racketeering NunneryStatement-1 by The Watchdogs on Scribd. Simmons had been paroled just months before. Please enter valid email address to continue. Law enforcement officials do not know the location of Nieves and Sanchez. Zamnbrano was identified at trial as the "Corona," which means he was the highest leader of the gang nationwide, and responsible for oversight about 10,000 Latin Kings gang members in Illinois alone, and many more in other states, according to the release. Vargas said he tried to get out of the gang twice, but he was threatened with harm both times. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. In late 2006, ATF agents led an investigation that resulted in federal drug trafficking and firearms charges against 38 Latin Kings members and associates. In 2008, the FBI led an investigation that resulted in state and federal charges against 40 Latin Kings members and associates, including Zambrano and numerous co-defendants. Later that month, a grand jury approved charges against all four men of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery, aggravated battery with a firearm, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and attempted armed robbery. [2] However, the appellate court recognized that federal statutes generally allow only the attorney general, through the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to determine the conditions of confinement imposed on federal prisoners,[3] but that other statutes,[4] allow district courts to set special conditions of confinement on defendants convicted of racketeering. Gary Marx and Mark S. Warnick and Tribune Staff Writers. ), First published on November 8, 2013 / 6:28 AM. He put the gun to her head and pulled the trigger, but it didnt fire. Rockford: (815) 987-4444. The officers would confiscate any drugs, guns or cash found and turn them over to the Latin Kings. During the five-week trial, prosecutors alleged the Latin Kings originated in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood, but laterstarted branches in other states. 327 S. Church Street, Room 3300 Based on those records, this is the story of the killing of Rudy Kato Rangel Jr. Born on Thanksgiving Day 1972, Rangel grew up in LeClaire Courts on the Southwest Side but ended up traveling in lofty circles in two worlds: crime and rap music. Fifty years ago this week June 27, 1971 Gustavo Colon, a teen Latin King, shot and killed Glenn Burr, a teen Vice Lord, at the intersection of Potomac Avenue and Leavitt Street. That investigation dubbed Operation 5K for Fifth Avenue and Karlov, where Spann lived led to dozens of murder convictions. The Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administrations Tampa office worked together on the investigation, dubbed Operation Checkmate, that led to the search of five homes in the Wimauma area last week, Sheriff Chad Chronister said at a news conference. Its not clear when the judge overseeing the case will issue a ruling. Alphonso Chavez, 26, the alleged leader of the gang's At the start of his interview, Mr. He had a tattoo on his chest for her: Destined Forever My Queen Valerie. Soon after Rangels killing, though, Gaytan took up with Margarito Flores. It would be more than five months before arrests were made. The gang leaders also kept their victims in fear by enforcing what was called an "SOS" "shoot on sight" or "smash on sight" against any Latin Kings member who cooperated with law enforcement, according to the U.S. Attorney's office. From its origin and base in the west side Little Village community, the Latin Kings spread throughout Chicago and Illinois and established branches in other states, where local leaders acted with some autonomy but adhered to the rules and hierarchy of the Chicago gang, according to the evidence in the five-week federal trial. Three co-defendants were convicted with Zambrano, as well. Augustin Zambrano, 51, was convicted of racketeering conspiracy and related charges involving narcotics trafficking and violence. Although law enforcement officials say the indictment is likely to cause disarray in the gang's North Side operations, it will have little impact on the gang's operations on the South Side, which is allegedly run by another gang leader, who is a longtime rival of Colon's. Two other co-defendants convicted at the same trial also received substantial prison terms. Rangel was headed somewhere else that day when he called a friend from prison who told him he was at Nationwide for a haircut. Outside, a 21-year-old, recently paroled ex-con named Donell Squeaky Simmons walked through the alley to the shop, a red, white and blue Nets cap on his head and a pistol at his waist. In 2000, a federal judge sentenced Colon to life. A man who authorities said was second in commandofone of the country'slargest street gangs has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for organizing a violent criminal enterprise that plagued neighborhoods in Chicago and beyond, prosecutors said. Nunnery said his job was to locate Rangel, and Spanns was to get someone to rob him. Let me get by, Simmons told them. Among them were the Latin Kings, still one of the largest criminal organizations in the city and suburbs. Colon's wife, Marisol Colon, 31, was named in the indictment along with two other people for allegedly serving as the gang's top street administrators. Also known as "BigTino,""Tino," "Old Man" and "Viejo," Zambrano is responsible for managing all illegal activities of the gang with some 10,000 members in Illinois alone. Even while held at the Cook County Jail, Spann who has used a wheelchair since being shot more than 15 years ago has found himself in trouble. The searches yielded nearly $1 million worth of drugs including 5 kilograms, or roughly 11 pounds, of fentanyl; 2 kilograms, or more than 4 pounds, each of cocaine and methamphetamine; a kilogram of heroin; and 2 pounds of marijuana, according to the sheriffs office. His brother, Jose Vargas, who was not in a gang, was gunned down by the Latin Dragons in 2006, so Vargas directed his vengeance toward that gang, including ordering the 2007 murders of Latin Dragons leaders Joe Walsh and Gonzalo Diaz as they left a Griffith restaurant. We got you, the prosecutor wrote after an interview with Simmons. This sentence holds Garcia accountable for the barbaric enterprise known as the Latin Kings and his role in murder, attempted murder, shootings, beatings, drug trafficking, and other crimes, said Gary S. Shapiro, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. In addition to RICO conspiracy, Garcia was convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon and using a firearm during a violent crime. These sentences hold these defendants accountable for the barbaric enterprise known as the Latin Kings and for their roles in murder, attempted murder, shootings, beatings, drug trafficking, and other crimes, said Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. He was sentencing Latin Kings leader Alexander Vargas, who had ordered two murders and been involved in drug trafficking, while taking into account his cooperation with the government, which aided in the conviction and guilty pleas of several other gang members. Herrera was able to lose the officers, but later was captured as he approached his home in Westchester. Vicente Garcia Jr., 35, was convicted in 2011 of racketeering conspiracy and other charges related to drug trafficking and murder after federal prosecutors alleged he oversaw the activities of some 10,000 Latin Kings members in Illinois, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a news release. Man, Shorty, dont miss him, Nunnery said. 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