Gang War: Bangin' In Little Rock

Let's Talk...

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:06:00 +0000

Click here to visit a great gang forum. Join up. Talk. It's a new day in America, the world really.

Former Gang Leader To Be Pardoned- Leifel Jackson Has Done Good With His Life

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 20:09:00 +0000

Ex-drug dealer among 9 up for Beebe pardon

By Jim Brooks

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Gov. Mike Beebe announced Friday his intention to grant pardons to nine Arkansans, including a man who claimed to have founded Little Rock’s “Original Gangster Crips” in the early 1990s and spent nearly 10 years in prison on drug convictions.

Leifel Jackson, 47, known as “O.G.” during his criminal days, said that during his time in prison, he learned to read and began thinking about the damage his drug dealing had caused.

After his release in 2001, Jackson began working with organizations tackling youth violence, activities that authorities cite in support of his pardon.

Beebe spokesman Matt De-Cample said he knew of no law enforcement agencies that opposed the proposed pardon.

“I can tell you generally that any pardon application that we look through, what the person has done with their life since their conviction and jail time is taken into consideration,” De-Cample said.

Pulaski County Prosecuting Attorney Larry Jegley, who normally objects to pardons for convicted felons, didn’t oppose Jackson’s application.

“Given my track record of raising Cain about clemencies in the past, this is one where I think the power can be exercised properly,” Jegley said.

“I’ve been watching Leifel Jackson since he got out of prison ... and I’ve had several conversations with him.”

Jegley said Jackson has given him some insight into what is happening on the streets.

“He’s not a snitch, don’t get me wrong, but he has a perspective that is helpful,” the prosecutor said.

Jegley said any doubts about Jackson’s sincerity were overtaken by the man’s good intentions since his release.

“At first I was a little skeptical, but I’ve been convinced, not because of anything he’s told me, but because he’s shown me that he has turned his life around,” Jegley said. “I wish more of the people who go through the system could say the same thing.”

Attempts to reach Jackson on Friday were unsuccessful.

Jackson was featured in a pair of HBO documentaries on gangs in Little Rock, the second of which concentrated on his efforts to keep children out of gangs. He founded the group Reaching Our Children and Neighborhoods.

The program works with 60 children between the ages of 6 and 18, giving them a place to gather after school and during the summer to study and play.

“We give them an opportunity to just be kids,” Jackson said, in an October interview with Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc.’s weekly publication Sync. “To be kids and be around other kids.

“We deal with academics, but we deal with behavior as well,” he told the publication. “A lot of kids are not able to be kids today. They have to grow up so fast. ROCAN plays a part in giving them a chance to be a kid long term. It gives them a safe place to be a kid.”

Maumelle Police Chief Sam Williams, who spent more than 20 years with the Little Rock Police Department, several of them as commander of the department’s Special Investigations Division, had a different perspective on Jackson’s proposed pardon.

“If the authorities that are making those decisions feel like he’s eligible for a pardon, I can’t argue,” Williams said. “Maybe he has turned his life around, but I’m always skeptical.

“I do know this - during the course of his life he did a lot of harm, but he would probably be the first or second person to admit that,” Williams said.

“He dealt a lot of dope,” Williams said. “I can tell you that.”

Gang Members Discuss Gang Life and Its Ramifications

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 12:45:00 +0000

This clip is from "Ain't No Deny'n" a documentary produced in 1996. The lessons in it are eternal.

HOHO- WHOOPS- Click Click- Sound of Handcuffs-- HO

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 11:14:00 +0000

Santa photo land two in jail

Orange police say the men were in violation of an active gang injunction when they flashed gang signs in a mall photo with Santa Claus.

By DOUG IRVING

The Orange County Register

ORANGE – Two suspected gang members have landed on the naughty list – and in jail – after police say they posed for a picture with Santa Claus while flashing their gang signs.

Uriel Oliva, 18, of Anaheim, and an unidentified juvenile now face up to 18 months behind bars. Prosecutors have charged each of them with three counts of violating a gang injunction by associating with known gang members and giving gang hand signs.

An officer found the Santa photo in a keychain while searching Oliva during a probation check last week. Police determined that Oliva and five or six other people shown in the photo had posed with Santa at the Village Mall in Orange – a designated safety zone under the gang injunction.

Police are still searching for a juvenile shown in the photo, and are trying to identify the others who were there. Sgt. Dan Adams said police would not release the picture with Santa until they had identified everyone in it.

Oliva was being held on $15,000 bail and an immigration hold, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. Adams described him and the other known suspects as documented gang members who had been served with the gang injunction when it went into force in July.

As for Santa?

“I think he was just doing his job,” Adams said. “When people come to take a picture, he takes a picture… Santas are busy guys right now.”

A Chilling Tale From Chilly Chicago

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 12:33:00 +0000

Pulling the trigger on Violence from the Chicago Sun-Times.

U.S. and Mexico Add 1.4 BILLION to Drug War

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 06:00:00 +0000

According to this CNN story Mexico and the U.S. are gearing up to spend over a billion dollars in the "War on Drugs".

I hope that a big portion of this money is used in Prevention, Intervention and Treatment rather than just the suppression and enforcement side.

Until the use problem is addressed, any money spent will be lost in the abyss of what is currently labeled "The War on Drugs".

Rehab clearly works. It might not work on the first try or even the second or third, but there are a lot of rehab programs that are quite successful, and not just the celebrity kind. Rehab, like most therapy, should be an entire family event.

Even with the slow progress of some addicts, it is much cheaper, and better for our country, than locking them up. I strongly urge everyone reading this to read the book, Gates of Injustice by Alan Elsner. It is an amazing journey into the reality of America's prison system where you will learn facts like; there are more people in prison in the U.S. than occupy the cities of Boston, San Francisco and Washington D.C. combined.

The statistics on the numbers of people in prison for drug crimes is overwhelming...and expensive. You can click here to view the "drug clock" and see how much is being spent on the war on drugs.

Here is PBS' timeline of the war on drugs.

Here are some interesting stats from the Bureau of Justice.

It's time to move on. To change the way we've been doing things. Hopefully the new federal administration will strive to make things different, and better.

What are your thoughts about all of this? Comment or email them to me.

A Football Coach, But Oh So Much More---

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:31:00 +0000

Take 12 minutes of your day and click here to watch a 60 Minutes piece about USC's football coach Pete Carroll.

You might just find inspiration in it. I did.

The JEHT Report and Helpful, Hopeful Weblinks

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 12:19:00 +0000

The State of Arkansas' Division of Youth Services is in the midst of a huge shift in the way they do business.

DYS Director Ron Angel is intent on the Division helping local communities try and deal with their children closer to their own homes in order to help keep families together. The goal is to provide services in several regions across the state. When children are held in facilities so far from their homes, many times families are unable to make routine visits to the child, which is critical to their recovery. DYS is moving to fix that.

A push to help communities with prevention and intervention services as well as creating a better residential environment for those who must be kept in a confined setting is underway.

Some time back, the JEHT Foundation entered a relationship with the State of Arkansas. After months of study, they released the Juvenile Justice Reform in Arkansas report written by Pat Arthur and Tim Roche. Its tenets have been embraced by Mr. Angel and Department of Human Services leaders and the paradigm shift has begun.

We all know the importance of P.I.T. (Prevention-Intervention-Treatment) in addition to strong firm and fair law enforcement in effectively dealing with juvenile issues in any community.

There are many intervention and prevention programs around the country that are doing great things. Seek out some of those in your community and offer your support and assistance.

Here are a few links you may be interested in:

Download the Current Trends and Realities of Gangs Report Written in 2006 here.

Visit the Arkansas Coalition for Juvenile Justice here.

Let Our Violence End is a local Arkansas prevention program and more.

ROCAN is a prevention program run by former gang leader Leifel Jackson.

STEP Ministries is an amazing faith based mentoring program in No. Little Rock, Ar.

New Futures for Youth has been around since 1988.

Youth Bridge is located in the Northwest part of Arkansas.

If you desire more information please feel free to email me or leave a comment on this post.

Here are some interesting news stories for you to check out today:

Police say charter school may bring gangs.

Parents told lack of love strengthens gangs.

And, from South Africa: Cops Vs. Gangs, Who's Winning?

14-88

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:35:00 +0000

Former Binghamton (NY) City Council President Tony Massar points to graffiti found in his city several years ago.

If you remember, the two men who recently were arrested for allegedly making threats on Barack Obama were also going to kill 88 Black Americans and "behead" 14 others in observance of their skinhead belief system. The 88 stands for either Heil Hitler since H is the 8th letter of the alphabet; or the 88 "precepts" of the neo-nazis. The 14 refers to the 14 words supposedly written by David Lane which is a mantra of sorts for hate groups.

Of course, AB stands for Aryan Brotherhood, a hate group mostly found in prisons. For more information, visit www.SPLCenter.org or www.Tolerance.org.

The bottom photo is a picture of suspect Daniel Cowart's car taken when he was arrested by authorities after the Obama plot came to light.

Gangs In the Military

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:30:00 +0000

Click here for an I-Team investigation of gangs in the military.

More here- this one has great video of gang graffiti in Iraq.--

From My YouTube Page

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 14:46:00 +0000

The below comment came from my YouTube site.

You can click on the title of this blog or on the link in the blogroll to get to a group of videos I've posted. The commenter refers to Silver City which is a housing development off of Pike Avenue in North Little Rock.

They frequently use the number 701 and SCC in their graffiti since that is the street address of Silver City.

The top photo was taken at Eastgate which is another housing development several blocks to the east of Silver City and it clearly shows an alliance between the SCC and Eastgate areas since there is no disrespect or "x"ng out occurring. Graffiti still must be removed in a timely fashion after it is recorded and read.

The bottom photo was taken in Silver City a few years ago when the "701" first started appearing in local tags and on school work of students in the school district. It was several months before there was graffiti showing an affiliation with the Folk Nation.

"i remember riding back to lr on a greyhound and some guy started commentin on the bangin on little rock shit like it was a joke, it was way more gritty in the 90s than now and you cant even tell by that hbo shit, most of it wasnt even shot near little rock, rose city maybe, but i dare that motherfucker to walk through silver city courts on a sunday and show some disrepect, same shit that happened then would happen today, alot of motherfuckers in big cities never ever seen a swarm like silver city"

NOTE: IF YOU LIVE IN THE NORTH LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS AREA AND HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT LOCAL GRAFFITI OR GANG ACTIVITY CONTACT YOUR LOCAL POLICE SUB-STATION OR CALL THE NLR PD AT 501-758-1234

Washington DC to Fight Gangs in a Novel Way

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 12:00:00 +0000

The nation's capital has long been plagued with crime and some of that crime is caused by gangs. Of course this is happening all across the U.S. and even beyond our borders. The Washington Post has a story on what the proposal to deal with gangs consists of. Click on the excerpt below to read the full article.

[...]
"With a judge's approval, the government would be allowed to set up neighborhood "safety zones" deemed off-limits as meeting places for those identified as members of the designated gangs. Other restrictions could include a curfew, a prohibition on defacing property with graffiti and a ban on using private property without the written consent of the owner. Gang members who violate the court-imposed prohibitions could be fined up to $1,000 or be jailed for 30 days to one year. People not originally identified as gang members could later be added to the injunction; the boundaries of the safety zone may also be altered with court approval to adjust for gang movement."

Please let me know what you think about this approach by leaving comments. If you know of any good intervention or prevention programs and reentry initiatives for youth from around the country, please leave me a comment about those too. Or you can email me at GangWarSteve@comcast.net Steve

Student in Georgia Suspended for alleged Gang Drawing--

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 14:22:00 +0000

Click here to read the story from Georgia.

What are your thoughts? Leave them in the comments section. Do you think the school and police handled it properly?

Do you think schools in your community deal honestly with gang issues?

(Note: the photo was taken in a small public park in North Little Rock but is representative of the same type of drawing referred to in this story.)

More Shots Fired on a College Campus in Arkansas

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:43:00 +0000

Only a few weeks after a drive-by killing on an Arkansas college campus, there has been another shooting.

This one occurred in Arkadelphia some 70 minutes from Little Rock. Click here to read the local ABC affiliate's report.

A Sad Day In My Life

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 11:20:00 +0000

If you are a pet lover, I just lost a most wonderful friend in my life. You can click here to visit my personal blog to read more about Candy.

Study Links Violence and Gangs

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:54:00 +0000

Crime study finds link between violence and gangs

ASSOCIATED PRESS

6:06 a.m. November 10, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO – A study on crime in San Francisco says a high percentage of the city's homicides can be blamed on gangs and career criminals.

In evaluating the 98 homicides in San Francisco in 2007, researchers with the Berkeley Center for Criminal Justice determined that nearly half the killings can be linked to gangs.

According to the study, 46 of those homicides last year were gang-related.

Researchers also found that nearly three-fourths of the 38 suspects arrested in the killings had criminal records, with the average suspect having 12 previous arrests.

Last year's 98 homicides were the most in San Francisco in 12 years.

Police officials say they've been cracking down on drugs and gangs in five neighborhoods where the violence has been concentrated.

Information from: San Francisco Chronicle, www.sfgate.com/chronicle

Find this article at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20081110-0606-ca-bay-crimestudy.html

Pennsylvania Kids Prefer GANGS to Drugs

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:07:00 +0000

Survey: Less substance abuse, more gangs

HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 7 (UPI) --

Fewer Pennsylvania students in grades six to 12 admit abusing drugs and alcohol but more are involved in gangs, a U.S. survey indicates.

The 2007 Pennsylvania Youth Survey by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency is voluntary and anonymous, and asks students questions about their behaviors and attitudes on drug, alcohol and tobacco use, gang involvement and related issues. More than 16,000 students from schools across Pennsylvania were randomly selected to participate.

The survey finds youth binge drinking is down. In 2001, 20.9 percent of 10th graders surveyed admitted binge drinking, compared to 16.8 percent of students in 2007, while 28.6 percent of 12th graders admit using marijuana, down from 40.5 percent in 2001.

However, in 2007, 7.1 percent of 10th graders said they belonged to a gang, compared to 4.6 percent in 2001.

Fewer youth said they are threatened or attacked on school property. In 2007, 20.7 percent of students said they had been threatened with physical harm at school, compared to 24.7 percent in 2003.

The report is at http://www.pccd.state.pa.us.

Imagine the Numbers

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 06:00:00 +0000

In the previous blog, you learned of the drive-by shooting at an Arkansas college that killed 2, injured 1 and has now put 4 young African-American men behind bars.

What horrible decisions some of these young men made. What sort of hatred drove them to this?

The true facts of the case will come out sooner than later as will justice eventually prevail. But shooting into a group of people on a very busy college campus can not be excused regardless of the motives.

It's hard to imagine the number of people whose lives changed in the short time it took the shooter (s) to shower at least eight shots of flesh cutting mini-missiles into the air, targeting who knows what.

But I know this, bullets have no names on them and it is lucky more people weren't killed or injured. When you pick up a gun in anger you have no idea where the bullet may end up. Watch the attached PSA and think about the young people in your lives the next time you pick up or are around someone who is playing with a gun.

A quick horrible decision to pull a trigger causes us to think of the mothers who will no longer be able to hug their children. Think of the fathers who will never be able to toss a ball around with their son. Think of the brothers and sisters who will never be the same. And also remember each young man's extended family and how an entire community will be changed.

This has been a bad week for Arkansas in the national news. A young and beautiful news reporter was savagely beaten and died. Two lives were snuffed out in a senseless and very terrorizing event at a college and last but not least, a teen from Arkansas was arrested along with a co-conspirator from Tennessee for hatching a half-baked plot to kill more than a hundred blacks culminating with the assassination of Barack Obama. All the while these two were going to wear white tuxedos and top hats. Visit this website for information about hate groups and tolerance.

What is happening to us? If you are the praying sort, send a few extra up for all of those who have been touched by these tragedies. Our part of the world is not feeling well now. We will get better. The road is long...

Fear Grips Campus- From AP

Two Killed in Drive-By Shooting at U.C.A. in Conway

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:18:00 +0000

Ryan Henderson, 18, and Chavares Block, 19, were both shot and killed in a drive-by shooting at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Arkansas. You can click here for a short update or go to www.TheCabin.net for all the news about this horrible event.

While no official word has come from authorities linking it to gangs, the rumor has circulated among many UCA students that it is. Time will tell. It is certainly a "gang" like incident.

UPDATE 2: Click here for the mug shots of the suspects.

UPDATE:

This is from the UCA's website:

In an effort to provide the most comprehensive, reliable and up-to-date information about the shooting incident that occurred during the evening of Sunday, Oct. 26, 2008, on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas, UCA will release as much information as possible on its homepage at www.uca.edu.

UPDATE (Oct. 27, 10:30 p.m.): The UCA Police Department this evening is transferring the four suspects in Sunday's shooting incident to the Faulkner County Detention Center, where they will be detained pending charges.

The Faulkner County Prosecutor is expected to file charges against the suspects by 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 28.

The suspects are:

Kawin Brockton of Conway, Black male, DOB 9-20-89
Kelsey Perry of Morrilton, Black male, DOB 4-14-89
Mario Toney of Little Rock, Black male, DOB 3-24-88
Brandon Wade of Lake Village, Black male, DOB 8-19-88

Perry is the fourth and final suspect to turn himself in to the UCA Police Department.

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 22:15:00 +0000

I tell people all the time that to beat gangs we have to compete with gangs for our children. Here's an article from Brownsville, Texas.

What are your thoughts about this? Do you have any ideas or suggestions about dealing with the prevention and intervention of youth violence and gangs? Do you work in a program practicing intervention or prevention? I'd like to hear from you.

Leave a comment in the comments section or send me an e-mail to GangWarSteve@comcast.net

Regards, Steve

Family key to deter gangs

By Ildefonso Ortiz, The Brownsville Herald

October 25, 2008 - 8:53PM

Thoughts of loud music, flashy cars, baggy clothes and gang violence bring shivers of fear into the heart of Petra Martinez.

The 46 -year-old woman, who lives near Military Highway on the west side of Brownsville, is nervous that her young boys will grow into that lifestyle.

"When I was young I used to live in Houston," Martinez said. "And there it was very ugly, you would see them with their gang signs (graffiti and colors) and their cars. It was scary because they always had guns and would give drugs to the kids in the street."

Martinez now and has two teenage sons whom she meticulously watches over to keep away from bad company. That is why rough-looking men and flashy cars put her on the defensive.

According to Police Sergeant Jimmy Manrrique, Brownsville is not like other cities across the United States that have major gang problems and are forced to devote resources into gang units and task forces.

Therefore, Brownsville's primary prevention comes from good parenting. According to Jim Wright, managing director of Programs for the National Crime Prevention Council, parents are the first line of defense in the fight against gangs. A close relationship with children from a young age can prevent a life of crime.

"We encourage parents to talk as much as possible with their adolescent," Wright said. "To know who their friends are, what they like to do, and where they go."

When there are changes in these factors, there are usually causes for concern, he said.

"We encourage parents to teach their children positive ways of dealing with conflict rather than fighting it out or screaming," Wright said. "We also encourage them to talk to their kids about what friendship is all about, that friends don't endanger other friends, they help each other."

Although Brownsville does not have criminal activity that can be attributed to street gangs, police know of several members of prison gangs in the area, according to Brownsville police.

By definition, street gangs are groups of typically young individuals who gather for a purpose, much like any other club, Wright said. What makes them different is that they engage in criminal behavior.

"Many of the gangs are involved in drugs," Wright said. "So the violence revolves around that, they commit turf wars, retaliate a bad deal and there's always a sense of bravado that goes in with being in gangs that makes them more prone to violence."

There is a clear distinction between street gangs and prison gangs, Manrrique said.

"These people are involved in drug trafficking so they try to keep low, (and) we do see them pop out when they have conflicts amongst themselves," Manrrique said

Cameron County Sheriff Omar Lucio said that prison gangs are criminal enterprises that recruit and train inside jail facilities.

"These individuals are involved with the Mexican drug cartels in the transportation and distribution of drugs," Lucio said. "They are very dangerous because they make a pact in order to join the gang. That pact is for life, inside and outside. When and individual tries to leave the gang, they are likely to get hurt."

Cameron County and the nearby area have members of various prison gangs, mainly the Vallucos, the Tri City Bombers, Mexican Mafia and the Texas Syndicate, said Lucio, who also provided a description of each gang:

-Vallucos operate in both Cameron and Hidalgo Counties. They are identifiable by their tattoos which feature the letter V, palm trees or the number 22 since V is the 22nd letter of the alphabet.

-Tri-City Bombers are predominantly active in the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo area. They derive their name from the three cities in Hidalgo County. Their tattoos usually have a round bomb with a fuse.

-The Mexican Mafia began in California in the 1950's by Mexican immigrants and has slowly moved into the area. They congregate near the Santa Maria area by F.M. 281. They have tattoos with the letter M.

-The Texas Syndicate, which also began in California features tattoos with the letter S and T. They also feature longhorns and other Texas symbols.

According to the sheriff, close to 40 percent of the inmates with gang affiliations that are being housed in the Cameron County jail system are members of the Vallucos. The jail also held 30 members of the Texas Syndicate and 9 members of the Mexican Mafia, he said.

When gangs clash in Brownsville, there is violence but the gangs don't cause a significant increase in the city's overall crime, Manrrique said.

"Three of the murders that we've had in recent years have been associated to prison gangs," he said. "On average, we've had about five murders a year for the past five years, so they are not a big factor here."

On Sept. 29, Daniel Alonso Garza 34, an inmate and believed by police to have been a member of the Texas Syndicate, was stabbed at least 12 times by three other inmates also presumed members of the same gang at the old Cameron County Jail, police said. This incident did not result in a fatality.

On Jan. 14, 2007, Steven Rodriguez, 29, was repeatedly stabbed and the back area and killed. His body was later found in a canal ditch on the 1200 block of Milpa Verde Street in the Southmost Area. Javier Chavez, 28 years old at the time, was charged with the murder. According to Sgt. Manrrique, Chavez had ties with the Mexican Mafia.

On Nov. 23, 2006, then 45-year-old Jose Torrez was gunned down in a drive-by shooting outside an abandoned home on the 3400 block of Gardenia Street. Torrez was hit 11 times. Jerry Perez, Enrique Bazaldu, Juan Carlos Aguilar and Victor Barrera - all known members of the Texas Syndicate - were charged with the crime.

On May 16, 2006, Jose Miguel Vasquez stabbed Port Isabel fisherman George Garza 33 times at Oliveira Park on El Paso Road. Vasquez was convicted in September and sentenced to life in prison. According to police, the murder was part of an initiation into the Texas Syndicate.

Lucio and Wright agree that individuals who are involved in school activities and sports are less likely to be influenced by gang members

"They (teenagers) are usually looking for a sense of belonging," Lucio said. "They may come from broken homes or may not have a positive role model, so they join these gangs to be part of something."

Shattered Lives in Colorado- From the CS Gazette

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 08:02:00 +0000

Gangster gets 70-year term in athlete’s death

DENNIS HUSPENI

October 24, 2008 - 3:02PM

"This is a story of two people. One was headed for fame, and you were clearly headed for infamy. Unfortunately, your two paths crossed."

Fourth Judicial District Judge David Prince said these words to teenager Tyrief Reynolds as he sentenced him to 70 years in prison Friday for gunning down former Wasson High School star running back Diontea Jackson-Forrest, 19, last year.

The 18-year-old gang member and murderer apologized to Jackson-Forrest's family, which packed Prince's courtroom.

Reynolds previously pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and attempted murder in the July 9, 2007, drive-by shooting near Printers Parkway and Airport Road.

Reynolds drove by in a car and fired repeatedly into the car Jackson-Forrest was riding in with his girlfriend Eileen Yakish. Shot in the neck, Jackson-Forrest died in Yakish's arms.

Both men were raised by their grandmothers.

Reynolds, whose parents died when he was a child, joined the Crips street gang and built a criminal record from his days as a youth, including almost killing a man in a mall parking lot, court records show.

Jackson-Forrest, who wore jersey number 22 for the Thunderbirds' football team, helped them get to the playoffs in his senior year and was going to college at Western State in Gunnison. He wanted to be as famous as Emmitt Smith, former Dallas Cowboys running back who wore the same number and has been described as humble and caring to all.

"He took his life," said Jackson-Forrest's grandmother, Mary Forrest. "I want to know why he wanted him dead. Kids don't do that. Why did his grandmother let him do the things he did. ... At 16 and 17 (years old) these kids know right from wrong."

Reynolds, who tried to kill himself in the El Paso County jail, said Jackson-Forrest was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"I wish I could start over," Reynolds said. "Sometimes I wish I was in Diontea's place. ... I will do all I can while in (prison) to make amends for what I've done and try to make it better. I don't know what was going through my head at the time."

Many of Jackson-Forrest's family members and friends talked about what an inspiration he was to them and the pain they feel daily over his murder.

His uncle, James Jackson, said his nephew and Jackson-Forrest's twin younger sisters were taking the family higher because they were going to college.

"We were dancing and laughing and joyous," Jackson said. "We were moving to a different level. Then Tyrief showed up with his marauding crew and all the struggles and sacrifices we made to put that plan in place was dashed away."

The victim's father said he gave his son to his mother to raise because he didn't want him leading the gang life in California.

"I made the right decision to send him to my mother," said Jamison Jackson. "I didn't want him to be like me. I wanted him to be someone better than me."

Reynolds' grandmother chose not to speak. But Reynolds' attorney, Allen Gasper, spoke on her behalf.

"She expresses a deep sorrow to the victim's family. Her heart is broken - broken for their family and broken for hers," Gasper said.

Prince said he thought Reynolds' apology was sincere.

"An old philosophy goes the beating wings of a butterfly can cause a hurricane on the other side of the world," Prince said. "The way Diontea led his life proves that old saying. We're here because Diontea is no longer on this earth. While he's not, the promise of his life is unfulfilled. The promise of the lives he would have touched in the future is extinguished."

A Story About Leifel Jackson

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 11:56:00 +0000

Remember Leifel Jackson? He was a CRIP gang leader who was featured in both of the HBO America Undercover Gang Wars documentaries. (There is a link in the blog roll to a location you can purchase the DVD.)

Leifel has been featured in SYNC Weekly here in Central Arkansas.

Click here to read the story. Click here to visit Leifel's Website.

Photo from SYNC Weekly.

Taggers Turn Violent. From the Bakersfield CA daily

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 11:46:00 +0000

Taggers turning violent and becoming more like gangs, police say

By JORGE BARRIENTOS, Californian staff writer
jbarrientos@bakersfield.com | Saturday, Oct 4 2008 12:00 PM

Last Updated: Monday, Oct 6 2008 7:31 AM

They scribble on street signs, walls and mailboxes in an attempt to gain neighborhood fame. But some taggers, who are usually considered nothing more than a nuisance, are now turning into gangsters.

HOW BIG IS THE PROBLEM?

The city gets about 20 to 30 calls a day to cleanup graffiti. Last year it was at about 65 calls a day, said Sean Cacal, city supervisor for the anti-graffiti program. The county graffiti program has also seen a drop in graffiti, said Rick Ward, who oversees the graffiti program in the county.

The drop, they say, is credit to the collaboration among law enforcement, probation department, the district attorney's office, schools and community's focus on stopping graffiti.

The city allocated about $1.7 million this year to fight graffiti. The county spends about $100,000 annually on paint and material alone.

Ten years ago, Bakersfield Police Department had no officers dedicated specifically to graffiti. There's been as many as four at one point, in 2006, but now there are two in place.

The Kern County Sheriff's Department has one deputy who investigates graffiti cases, but he does that part time.

When graffiti cleanup crews go out, they take digital photos of the tags and submit them to the officers. Officers then catalog them in a computer database categorizing them by nicknames and crew names. The departments are awaiting new surveillance equipment and a better database and mapping systems.

In the meantime, officials say, it’s important for residents to report graffiti to the graffiti hotline, 32-ERASE.

“If you don't buy a lottery ticket, you'll never win,” said graffiti police officer Mitch Galland said. “If you don't call us, we'll never catch them. That kid you see tagging could open up a whole crew for us.”

‘IT’S GOTTEN SERIOUS’

When Moses Ramiro Villegas, 18, was found shot to death Wednesday morning at the base of a Highway 178 pedestrian crossing, the Bakersfield Police graffiti unit, called GHOST, was called out.

Villegas was laying dead on top of graffiti. A partial footprint of blue paint could be seen next to his body.

Officials feared the escalating violence among taggers peaked, and the homicide was tagging related. It would have been the first of its kind in the city, officials said.

Fortunately, officials said, graffiti didn't appear to play a role.

Instead occurring more often these days are assaults among rival taggers. Using bats and chains, they are sometimes almost paralyzing each other, said graffiti police officer Jose Galvan.

“It's gotten serious,” he said.

Officials estimate there are about 30 or more multiple-member tagging crews in Bakersfield. Of those, about half a dozen are considered violent.

Law enforcement refused to identify any of the tagging crews for fear they would gain recognition.

STRIVE FOR FAME

The type of tagging has changed in the last few years, said graffiti police officer Mitch Galland. About 10 years ago, a majority of graffiti came from the “piecers.” They painted murals as a form of expression, and were seen as nonviolent.

A smaller percentage were taggers with no gang affiliation.

Only a few were “tag-bangers,” gang members marking gang territory with tags, or taggers affiliating themselves with gangs.

They all do what they do for the same reason — recognition.

“Most of the guys are driven by that,” Galland said. “They need to be famous.”

Now, the “piecer” population is dwindling. More prevalent now are tagging crews, but they are turning to violence.

Earlier this year, two rival tagging crews began fist fighting at South High School when one grabbed a bat and hit a rival in the head. The victim was sent to the hospital and was nearly paralyzed, officers said. The victim refused to give police information, however.

The full scope of the violence is difficult to measure because tag-bangers prefer to keep it “in house” and don’t go to police, Galvan said.

GANG TIES

The tag-bangers are not considered traditional gang members. They have no territory, and they don't kill each other, at least not yet,” said police Sgt. Steve London.

One tagging-related incident almost turned deadly in July 2003. John Gardenshire, a Bakersfield resident, tried to stop Hector Melgoza from tagging on a sign. Melgoza shot Gardenshire, nearly killing him. He was later sentenced to 28 years in prison.

For now, assaults on rival crews are helping the district attorney's office add a gang enhancement, something new as of this year.

Craig Smith, a prosecutor in the juvenile department within the district attorney's office, said the gang enhancement in addition to vandalism could mean the difference between community service with probation compared to serving time in juvenile hall or jail.

Between July 2006 and 2007, the district attorney's office prosecuted 119 juvenile gang members. From July 2007 to 2008, that number more than doubled to 278. One reason for the increase is because of the attention brought against graffiti.

“Juveniles recognize they are being targeted,” Smith said. “This may not stop all of them, but it may stop some of them.”

Police arrested 19-year-old Noel Reyes Alegria, who goes by Trill, on Thursday. Police identified him as being a part of MOB tagging crew. He is set to be arraigned for two felonies Oct. 17 — vandalism and participating in a street gang. Vandalism, which is attached with graffiti crimes, above $400 is considered a felony.

Jorge Morales, 19, was also caught tagging when he was 17. He served some time in Lerdo Jail for it.

He said he thinks it's unfair that taggers could go to jail because officers consider them as gang members, he said.

“I don't really like it,” Morales said. “Going to jail for writing on the wall?”

Morales said he no longer tags because “it's not worth it.”

That's what officers are hoping other taggers say, London said.

“We won't give up, and eventually they will.”

A Terrible Homicide in Little Rock and Trial Set for Suspects

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 10:52:00 +0000

Update: Kevin Banks of Little Rock was convicted for murder in this case. Two other defendants await trial...more developing.

Brothers set for trial in 6-year-old’s death

Prosecutors expected to cite role of drugs

By John Lynch

Sunday, September 14, 2008

LITTLE ROCK — Nine months after 6-year-old Kamya Weathersby died in her bed in a hail of gunfire, prosecutors are expected to reveal why she was killed.

The three Little Rock brothers accused of killing her are scheduled to stand trial on capital-murder charges this week.

The defendants are Kevin Lawrence Banks, 18; Ricky Dale Smith, 20; and Marqus Tyrell Smith, 21.

Police and prosecutors, spooked by the slaying of a witness, have played their cards close to the vest, revealing only as much evidence in court as the preliminary hearings require.

But what authorities have revealed signals they believe that disputes and feuds in Little Rock’s illegal drug trade played a role.

The trial, which is scheduled to open Wednesday, goes back to the night of Dec. 29, 2007, when Kamya was watching TV in bed with her 3-year-old sister, Jasirae Vick. Gunmen, wielding a rifle and a pistol, opened fire on their home.

The girls’ mother, Lashandria Washington, her boyfriend, 29-year-old Antoine Demetrius “Turtle” Jones, and their 2-month-old daughter, Aria, were asleep in a back bedroom.

When the gunfire broke out, police say, the adults heard the girls scream for help. The gunmen shot Kamya, barely two weeks past her sixth birthday, seven times, once in the head. One bullet grazed Jasirae’s leg.

Investigators collected 132 spent rounds from inside the home and 41 shell casings outside, court filings show. The gunfire almost destroyed the Martin Luther King Boulevard home, a detective has testified, describing the scene as a “war zone.”

Only last week, however, did prosecutors offer a motive for the gunfire. Even then, they qualified it as a partial motive.

In a hearing Thursday, Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney John Johnson told Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza that the assault on Kamya’s homewas provoked after Antoine Jones accused Banks of killing Jones’ friend, 25-year-old Brent Pettus. Pettus had been killed nine days earlier.

Jones was the target of the assault on the house, Johnson said.

Piazza will preside over the brothers’ trial.

Johnson also told the judge that the three brothers and Jones shared “business” interests but didn’t elaborate. Jones has told reporters that he and Banks were friends.

Washington, Kamya’s mother, has said the shootings stemmed from a “misunderstanding.”

On Dec. 20, Pettus was found shot to death inside a still-running 1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass in the 3200 block of Center Street, a couple of blocks from Jones’ mother’s home, court records show. Pettus lived about three blocks from Banks and his co-defendant brothers, Ricky Dale Smith, and Marqus Tyrell Smith.

Arrested on suspicion of Pettus’ slaying three days after Kamya was killed, Banks alone is charged with first-degree murder in Pettus’ death, with his trial scheduled for November. According to an arrest affidavit, Banks told a witness he killed Pettus when Pettus tried to “short” him of marijuana in a drug deal.

Three weeks after his arrest, Banks was charged with capital murder in Kamya’s killing. But a month later, after someone killed a witness in the Pettus case, authorities started sealing arrest warrants to protect the identity of other witnesses in both slayings.

Thomas Steven Okafur, 21, was a witness in Pettus’ case. Okafur was found shot to death Feb. 29 in a city park near Arch Street and Interstate 30. Police believe someone killed Okafur elsewhere then dumped him in the park as a warning to other witnesses. Police haven’t arrested anyone in his death, and prosecutors haven’t revealed what Okafur knew.

In May, police arrested the Smith brothers, half-brothers to Banks, and charged them with capital murder in Kamya’s death. Authorities haven’t disclosed what evidence led them to the pair. The brothers also face four counts of committing a terroristic act, which represents the shots fired at the rest of the family.

Prosecutors are seeking a life sentence for the brothers, whose trial may not start on Wednesday. Their attorney, Lea Ellen Fowler, may seek a separate trial for Ricky Smith, a move prosecutors said they will oppose. A hearing Monday will determine whether the defense is ready for trial.

The two key players in the case, prosecutors say, are Kevin Banks, one of the defendants, and Antoine Jones, who was asleep in the house when Kamya died and who is expected to testify against Banks.

Both defendant and witness have a history of run-ins with the law.

KEVIN BANKS

Court files show Banks was arrested in August 2006, about six weeks before his 17th birthday, after he and an accomplice tried to break into a home on South Center Street, about four blocks north of the place where Pettus later was killed.

According to an arrest report, a neighbor confronted Banks and Wayne Earl Jones Jr., then 18, during the burglary attempt at 2823 S. Center St. Banks and Wayne Jones, both carrying pistols, threatened the neighbor and another person at a home across the street, according to court files.

Police charged Banks with attempted residential burglary, aggravated assault and a misdemeanor gun charge.

Court files show Banks was placed into the custody of the Department of Youth Services in October 2006 and subsequently was incarcerated in the state’s Southeast Arkansas Regional Juvenile Program in Dermott in January 2007.

A February 2007 report from a caseworker shows that Banks “decided to display physical violence on his peers for no reason at all,” and a juvenile pressed charges against Banks, saying he caused bodily harm.

The worker also noted that Banks was “displaying a lot of negative behavior on his own.” A report later that month described Banks as a “very playful” youth who “takes things for a joke.” Banks told the worker that his most important goal was to earn his high school diploma, and he promised practice self-control and thinking before he acted, according to the report.

In March 2007, Banks was transferred to the Dermott juvenile correctional facility after being charged with inciting a riot and first-degree assault. An April 2007 report shows he waived his right to a trial and pleaded guilty to a charge that is not described.

About two weeks after his transfer, according to a June 2007 report, Banks was placed in administrative segregation for putting a broom in another resident’s face, which Banks blamed on boredom and described as “horseplay.” The report indicated this was hislast disciplinary problem while in custody.

The report said Banks would remain in custody until October 2007 but noted the discharge date could change depending on his behavior. The report shows Banks earned his high school diploma and raised his test scores by two grades.

It’s not clear when Banks was released from juvenile custody. Initially charged as an adult, his case was transferred to juvenile court in June 2007 by Circuit Court Judge Willard Proctor Jr.

In March 2007, Wayne Jones, a neighbor of Banks’ on Arch Street, pleaded guilty to all charges - first-degree criminal mischief, attempted residential burglary, two counts of aggravated assault and a misdemeanor weapons count - and was sentenced to five years probation with a $1,000 fine.

ANTOINE JONES

Antoine Jones, not related to Wayne Jones, drew a 10-year federal prison sentence when he was 18 for his role in the robbery of a Hope pharmacy in March 1996 with three other men: Charles Matthew Newsome, Willie Stephens III and Antoine L. Perkins. Jones was released in May 2005 to serve three years on supervised release and had to obtain court permission to move to Little Rock.

Barely a year out of prison, police arrested Jones in June 2006 on a first-degree murder warrant in the Halloween 2005 slaying of Earl “Lil Earl” Williams Jr. of Little Rock.

The 30-year-old Williams was found dead in the 200 block of East 27th Street in the Little Rock housing projects. Someone had shot him five times, including once in the face. He had a fully loaded revolver tucked in his coveralls. According to an arrest affidavit, detectives heard that someone named “Turtle” had killed. A man named Cornelius Chambers had been with him, documents show. Investigators determined Antoine Jones was the man known as Turtle. Both Chambers and Jones said they saw Williams the night he was killed but denied any role in his death.

Detectives moved to arrest Jones eight months later after 26-year-old Christopher Lashawn “Lil Chris” Perkins of Little Rock told them he witnessed the slaying.

Perkins claimed he was in a car with the men when Jones pulled a pistol and shot Williams during an argument about the April 2005 murder of Julian Christopher “Piru” Branch, according to the affidavit.

Perkins knew details about Williams’ slaying that only someone present during the killing wouldknow, according to the affidavit. But prosecutors declined to formally charge Jones in the slaying. They were concerned about building a murder case almost solely on the testimony of Perkins, who has a 12-year criminal history of violence and theft.

Jones’ next scrape with the law was on March 1, 2007, when he was arrested during a raid by Little Rock police and agents of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The raid took place just a couple of houses down from the Martin Luther King Drive home he would later share with Kamya and her mother. The target of the raid was 26-year-old Randall Devone Armstrong, court records show, suspected of drug-dealing after confidential informants reported twice purchasing crack cocaine from Armstrong at the home.

The raid netted three grams of cocaine, a 9mm pistol and a .45-caliber handgun. Armstrong is scheduled to stand trial on charges resulting from the raid Monday.

Jones wasn’t formally charged, but federal prosecutors tried to send him back to prison, arguing that the arrest violated the terms of his supervised release, which was set to expire May 1, 2007. At a hearing, Jones denied criminalwrongdoing in the arrest but acknowledged failing a drug test. The federal judge, James Moody, declined to send him to prison but ordered him to seek drug treatment, court records show.

The arrest would return to haunt Jones in May, when he was arrested on federal weapons charges during a warrants sweep that also nabbed Ricky Smith on a similar charge.

Jones is prohibited from having bullets and guns because heis a convicted felon. According to a federal affidavit, federal agents believe the .45 caliber pistol seized during the March 2007 raid belongs to Jones.

Jones also is accused of illegally possessing ammunition on two occasions: the night Kamya was killed and during a May shooting attempt in North Little Rock that targeted him, Kamya’s mother and their infant daughter. Jones is scheduled to stand trial on those charges in January.

Arkansas, Pages 21, 23 on 09/14/2008

Leifel Jackson Promo

SNawojczyk@gmail.com (Steve Nawojczyk) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:30:00 +0000