Lopez was later contacted by ALADS union representative Julie Patrelli, who told her that East LA Captain James Wolak was willing to send Lopez to Cerritos Station. Knock LA is a nonprofit community journalism project, originally conceived by Ground Game LA. The deputies who filed the lawsuit include seven men and one woman. If you're enjoying this article, you'll love my daily morning newsletter, How To LA. The FBI Rafael Munoz approached Casas on at least two occasions to ask him to be his eyes and ears in the southern part of the precinct. Deputy Christopher Wargo drove to the location and blocked Lopezs patrol car so she could not move and ordered her out of the vehicle. Gray was detained again on October 15, 2012. Even Near The Hollywood Sign, Authorities ID Man Arrested In Killing Of LA Auxiliary Bishop David O'Connell As Husband Of Housekeeper, Another Missing Hiker Has Been Found Dead In San Gabriels As Search For Actor Julian Sands Continues, LA Explained: How To Live Safely With Our Coyote Neighbors. On social media, the deputies have been mocked as rats.. After Casas rejected the Banditos recruitment attempts, he faced harassment. Zaredini did not report the incident for fear of retaliation by the gang. Lieutenant Eric Smitson allegedly confronted Hernandez and pressured him to lie and say the attack at Kennedy Hall had been an isolated, drunken two-way altercation. Sheriff Alex Villanueva also repeated that claim to Captain William Jaeger, Chief Kelly Porowski, and investigators Jeff Chow, Vincent Choi, Jeff Hamil, and Scott Chapman. They were treating her like a housewife, says Gregory Smith, Lopezs attorney. Hernandez told investigators the truth. Those who do not are pushed out. On August 10, 2012, Deputy Troy Krautkramer, who had also been loaned out as a result of Lopezs POE, drove up to her in the rear parking lot of the East LA Station and used his vehicle to spray dirt on Lopez. In May 2019, Contreras was denied backup by Deputies Nikolis Perez and Jonathan Rojas, both Banditos. "The Pink Hand's dominance of the management at the East Los Angeles Station was so strong, she was also nicknamed 'the Red Queen,'" the suit contends. Other new Latino deputies have faced similar treatment court documents allege Bandito member Jose Aceituno shoulder checked another employee inside the East LA station. Escobedo and Hernandez were brutally beaten and went to the emergency room for treatment. His body was recovered near Mount Islip. Jefferson Chow, who has been in the department for 26 years, was tasked with investigating a September 2018 fight between deputies at a department party at Kennedy Hall in East Los Angeles. Here's Why It's Especially Dangerous To Hike SoCal Mountains Right Now, How 4 Words Upended A University's Journalism Program, And Stirred A Reckoning Over Race, What A Popular Yoga Teacher's Descent Into Conspiracy Theories Says About The 'Wellness To QAnon Pipeline', Ancient Lung Disease Strikes Countertop Cutters In LA. Deputy Lemus was overloaded with calls by the alleged morning Banditos shot caller, Raymond Mendoza. Sergeant Angelica Pink Hand Estrada and John Soria were able to carry out the Banditos wishes with the blessings of station leadership such as Lieutenant Eric Smitson and Captain Ernie Chavez. Those tactics were immortalized in a mural of the logo in the East LA Station floor. Gray is visible on the tape observing the arrest from a distance. 'Thank goodness that were in the era of videos,' said the family attorney as they file a federal civil rights lawsuit, In a memo, Chief Michel Moore said extremist groups have hijacked the use of the Thin Blue Line Flag to symbolize their undemocratic, racist, and bigoted views.. Lopez filed a complaint against LA County in 2014 and eventually settled for $1.5 million, funded by taxpayers. Members have a common tattoo on their legs of a skeleton with a bushy mustache wearing a sombrero and bandolier holding a pistol, all of which are sequentially numbered. However, the claim states the memo only focused on Munozs harassment and intentionally downplayed the role of the gang in the stations operation. The Sheriffs Department cited pending litigation and declined to comment other than to say Villanueva has done more to address organizational culture issues than all of his predecessors combined.. Its just smoke and mirrors, its just a pretend at reform.. The Banditos consist primarily of Latinx LASD personnel, and allegedly do not allow women to become full-fledged members. Gray filed a lawsuit against the County, and accepted a settlement of $549,000, which taxpayers financed. The claim states that Captain Mejia wrote a memo in June of 2018 to the County recommending an investigation into the Banditos. But the eight deputies this week filed an updated lawsuit with new allegations, including that the Banditos recently had an inking party where 10 deputies were tattooed, raising the total number of members to 100. In 2014, Gonzalez took the exam to become a Field Training Officer, and in July of that year, Master Field Training Officer Angelica Estrada assigned Gonzalez to be a mentor to new deputies. LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Los Angeles County Inspector General Max Huntsman has accused Sheriff Alex Villanueva of promoting a code of silence'' around secret societies within his department, but Villanueva calls the IG's actions purely politically driven and an attempt to undermine the department.''. Lopez also believed that she would be subjected to further harassment if she went to another area. Casas also says he received several intimidating messages from the Banditos, including demands to stop working at the station and threats of assault. 4 min read. Lopez attempted to come back to work just over a month later, but was met with the same harassment as before. Between 2019 and 2020, Sheriff Villanueva lied when he repeatedly claimed he transferred 36 Banditos out of the East LA Station and directed the Captain to investigate the gang. The new defendants represent a significant expansion of the civil rights and workplace harassment Before joining The Times in 2016, she reported on crime and policing for the Glendale News-Press and Burbank Leader. Chavez said that the two men had been playing a game of chicken, and no investigation appears to have followed. Immediately afterwards, then Banditos prospect Hector Little Listo Saavedra allegedly claimed Zaredini called him a homophobic slur over one year prior. Prospects like Deputy Hector Little Listo Saavedra sent texts laughing about the 245 (assault and battery) and advised others to burn and destroy evidence. She contacted the Back to Work Unit but was told they could not help her, and advised her to contact the station Director. They were "threatened and bullied in attempts to get them to conform to the corrupt culture or leave the station," the suit alleges. He showed her a transfer request form with two choices: San Dimas or Walnut Stations. The incident was never investigated, despite it being reported, according to the complaint. Romero offered Lopez a transfer in response, which she didnt think she deserved as she had done no wrong. At the time, then-interim Sheriff John Scott announced he would share the results of an investigation into claims of bullying by the Banditos, yet the probe has Lemus, Contreras, Hernandez, and Escobedo were told they could move to another gang-dominated station, or a station far from their homes. Inspector General Max Huntsman said that the investigation almost completely ignored evidence of the involvement of the Banditos which led to the assaultive conduct at Kennedy Hall, and that the investigation into the Banditos was a cover up by the sheriff and LASD. Munoz, Moran, and Rodriguez cornered Gonzalez and pressured him to leave the station. Her daughter was born by emergency C-section. The Sheriffs Department may not refuse to produce the records requested below by unilaterally declaring that no deputy sheriff is a member of a law enforcement gang, Huntsman wrote, adding that the Banditos and Executioners may fall within the states definition of such a gang. Banditos groom young deputies they are considering for membership in the group, assigning them mentors, the deputy said. . Munoz, Rodriguez, Silverio and Michael Hernandez were all placed on paid leave. Lemus supervisor, Hugo Reynaga, initially marked the matter as resolved. This is America, Orange recounts. Those who are not Banditos allegedly fail to stop them, according to Miller, or engage in covering up their wrongdoing. The disciplinary letters stemmed from an internal investigation into an East L.A. Sheriff's Station clique called "The Banditos," accused of operating like a gang. April Valentine died at Centinela Hospital. Escobedo was unable to work for a week afterwards, according to the suit. SEE MORE OF OUR COVERAGE ON LA'S DEPUTY GANGS: Our news is free on LAist. At least four secret cliques or gangs of sheriffs deputies with names like the Banditos and the Executioners continue to operate and recruit within the L.A. In a statement posted to Facebook on Tuesday, the Sheriffs Department said Huntsmans letter failed to provide any actual evidence or new information and noted that the agency has provided the inspector general with all legally obtainable information requested., This is another irresponsible attempt from Mr. Huntsman to discredit the organization, through omission and misrepresentation, the department said. Oct. 3, 2019: This article was updated to include Undersheriff Murakami's denial that he is a member of the Cavemen. Deputies Alfred Gonzalez, Oscar Escobedo, Ariela Lemus, Art Hernandez, Mario Contreras, David Casas, Louis Granados, and Benjamin Zaredini filed an internal complaint with Los Angeles County in March of 2019. Rosa Gonzalez became the latest target of the Banditos abuses in December 2011, shortly after she arrived at the East LA Station. The L.A. County Sheriffs Department Inspector General has identified dozens of deputies who are allegedly members of gang-like groups that operate out of the East L.A. and Compton stations. We had a captain that was gracious enough to take her in [his unit] and she just hid, says Gonzalezs attorney, Gregory Smith. The gang also established a culture at the station where deputies work backwards, meaning they arrest civilians then later come up with probable cause by planting and manufacturing evidence. LAPD Chief Moore also questioned officers' actions in the fatal shooting of Takar Smith, although not in two other fatal incidents. Instead of assisting Contreras, Perez and Rojas drove by and mocked him, according to the complaint. The lawsuit contends that even with the new leadership, the Banditos still effectively run the East L.A. station and that it remains a hostile workplace. The Bandidos emblem is a skeleton with a sombrero and a handlebar mustache holding a smoking revolver. In March and April 2018, two of the plaintiffs, deputies Louis Granados and Benjamin Zaredini, were "alarmed by the increasingly hostile and violent nature" of the Banditos' activities, the lawsuit states. One of the new named defendants is Sheriff Alex Villanuevas chief of security, and another is his driver, according to Miller. Soon afterwards, Zaredini was removed as an FTO and lost his bonus pay. A new study finds that 16% of L.A. County Sheriffs deputies and supervisors said in an anonymous survey theyve been asked to join a secret clique. Aceituno recently did the same thing again and received no consequences from East LA Captain Richard Mejia, according to the complaint. Instead, it issued this statement: Sheriff Alex Villanueva was the first sheriff in the history of LASD to implement a strict policy prohibiting cliques and sub-cultures, and he has repeatedly demonstrated his commitment to transparency and accountability.. Over the past 30 years, litigation related to deputy gangs at the East LA Station has cost taxpayers more than $36 million. Gang culture is reinforced by older employees who reward newer recruits who subscribe to it. Saavedra also attempted to have Gonzalez investigated for wrongfully sitting in a car with a victim, a claim that the complaint alleges to be completely fabricated. On Sept. 19, 2018, just nine days before the attack at the party, two East L.A. deputies were shot, "coming close to being murdered, because of the intentional failure of the Banditos to provide back up," the suit claims. Instead, the defendants face the allegations previously laid out in the lawsuit. This method of punishment is known as freeway therapy. Zaredinis transfer was allegedly denied in order to initiate another investigation into him for being stern with the trainee of Regulators associate Deputy Karla Sepulveda, resulting in a two-day suspension. The suit also claims Banditos encourage deputies to increase their arrest numbers by planting evidence on suspects. In this latest filing, the plaintiffs have identified 17 additional alleged associates of the Banditos by name: Undersheriff Timothy Murakami (a tattooed Caveman), Sergeant Hugo Reynaga, Edmundo Torres, Hugo Ramos, Mario Castro, Manny Navarro, Nikki Hanamaki, Vincent Choi, James Wolack, Chris Blasnek, Albert Maldonado, Leo Sanchez, Elizabeth Aguilera, Luis Valle, Bobby Denham, and Anthony Rivera. The Bandito tattoo is a skeleton with a giant mustache wearing a sombrero with a bandolier and pistol. The lawsuit describes in detail how members of the "Banditos" clique allegedly control station operations. Deputies Gregory Rodriguez, Monica Farias, Steven Miller, Alejandro Lomeli, and Marc Elizondo pounced. The Sheriffs Department has long faced allegations that the groups run roughshod over several stations, controlling commanders and glorifying aggressive policing tactics. Once she rejected them, they retaliated against her. In November 2011, Deputy Andrew Hernandez, a Banditos associate, leered at Lopezs breasts in the hallway as she was leaving the womens locker room. The Top 5 newsletter catches you up with LAs top 5 stories in just 3 minutes. Bob Gregory, 62, went missing the same day as Sands. The claim charges that Mejia admitted the action was improper, and that Commander (then Captain) Ernie Chavez and Commander Eli Vera (a candidate for sheriff) stated the action was retaliatory. LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network. At least four secret cliques or gangs of sheriffs deputies with names like the Banditos and the Executioners continue to operate and recruit within the L.A. David Infante was a lieutenant as recently as 2019. He kicked over a garbage can in front of incarcerated people working there and yelled to Lopez, Hey trainee, why dont you come over here and clean up the fucking mess you made?. 2023 Southern California Public Radio - All Rights Reserved, assertions made in legal claims filed in March and May, A Los Angeles Family Seeks Answers And Accountability After Black Mom Dies In Childbirth, A Brief History Of Why It Does Occasionally Snow In LA. After Lopezs POE was filed, the harassment escalated. Anthony Lowe was shot and killed by Huntington Park police on Jan. 26. According to the lawsuit, the deputy detained, battered, and searched Gray without reasonable suspicion or probable cause. 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