- Texas Syndicate
The Texas Syndicate or Syndicato tejano (Texas 7) is a mostly Texas-based
prison gang that includes mostlyHispanic members, and no longer allowswhite /Caucasian members. The Texas Syndicate, more than La Eme orNuestra Familia , has been more associated or allied with Mexican immigrant prisoners, such as the "Border Brothers", while La Eme and the NF tend to be more composed of US-born/raised Hispanics.It was established in direct response to the other California prison gangs (notably the
Aryan Brotherhood andMexican Mafia ), which were attempting to prey on native Texas inmates.Membership
As of 2000, the Texas Syndicate had about 1,000 members in prisons and jails state-wide, with many more on the outside. 826 Hispanic members operate across Texas, including specific reportings in the Coffield Unit, about 60 miles southwest of Tyler, and at the Allred prison unit outside of Wichita Falls. However, they still maintain their headquarters in California, where their national president resides, and their numbers continue to reach into state and federal prisons across the US. They have been reported in the Federal Correctional Institute at Oakdale, Louisiana, and in San Quentin, California, with frequency. As a street gang, heavy activity has been reported in Austin, Texas, Corpus Christi,Texas, and the Rio Grande Valley.
Enemies
Rivals of the Texas Syndicate have included or presently include:
*Vallucos
*Aryan Brotherhood
*Nuestra Familia
*Mexican Mafia
*Mexikanemi
*Mandingo Warriors
*south side mexicansAllies
*Texas Mafia
*Dirty White BoysDevelopment
Development of the Texas Syndicate was initially motivated by self-protection against the historical "building tenders" in prison. After building tenders disappeared, the Syndicate's activities turned to drug trafficking, extortion, prostitution, protection, gambling, and contract murder. Released or parole members who generate money for the Texas Syndicate must surrender a 10% tax of all proceeds toward the gang in prison. TS has a paramilitary structure, headed by a president and vice president elected by the general member population. Each prison unit is controlled by a chairman, who oversees a vice chairman, captain, lieutenant, sergeant of arms, and numerous soldiers. Ranking members in prison are automatically demoted to the level of soldier upon institutional reclassification.
Gang Rules
Texas Syndicate members are required to follow a "Constitution," stipulating that members:
*Be a Texan
*Always remain a member
*Place the Texas Syndicate before anything else
*Understand that the Texas Syndicate is always in the right
*Wear the Texas Syndicate tattoo
*Never let a member down
*Respect other members
*Keep all gang information within the group (Fong 1990)
*Leadership is determined by democratic vote, requiring unanimity. Recruitment is achieved by demonstrating a "homeboy connection," passing a background check to make sure the prospect is not an informer, and receiving a unanimous vote.Propensity for Disruptive Behavior
*There is some representation in the Florida Department of Corrections.
*The TS has been found to be recruiting.
*The history of the group and documented acts of violence in other jurisdictions warrant their certification as a Security Threat Group.
*Receipt of inmates on interstate compact and the current membership in groups with Hispanic and Latino supremacy ideology lend to the threat of an organizing TS within our facilities.
*The main activities of the TS are centered around drug trafficking, extortion, pressure rackets, and internal discipline.Leaders
Hector Soto, a former local leader of the Austin-area Texas Syndicate in prison, sentenced for drug possession in 2000.
Randy Salazar, alleged leader of the Syndicate in
Austin, TX as of 2004.Robert Velez as the leader of the Syndicate's Austin operation.
Victor Barrera Morones, who kept a storehouse of weapons in Austin.
In 1989, Noe Beltran was a leader of the Texas Syndicate prison gang, promoted to captain at Ellis II Unit prison just north of
Hunstville, Texas .In 1983, Eliseo Martinez was alleged unit-leader of the Syndicate in prison at TDC's Ramsey I Unit, who was serving a 20 year sentence in the 80s for a prison-murder.
In 1994, Arnulfo Nino was leader in the federal prison at
Fort Worth, Texas , convicted for possession of more than 800 pounds of cocaine, and distributing more than 80 pounds per week.Frank de la Cruz, Alleged leader, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon in 2001 at the Federal Correctional Institute at Oakdale.
In 1991 Emiliano Gonzalez was sentenced to 5 years for drug pocession hes a former captain since 1989 in Rio Grande City Texas
Communication and Identification
TS members have communicated via:Coded messages, and number-coded letters, where the subtle indication of certain numbers interspersed throughout the letter are combined and decrypted to form a phrase. Number codes change on a periodic basis to prevent counter-codes by law-enforcement. The Texas Syndicate's artistic identification system includes:
*a heart for an executioner
*a trident for an enforcer
*three marks of a bird's footprint for a drug dealer, and
*five marks for a weapons supplier
*Tattoos: Overlapping "TS", or an "S" superimposed over a "T"
*Slang terms: "Babydoll" refers to Mexican Mafia members
*"Charco" refers to Corpus Christi
*"Chuco" refers to El Paso
*"Space City" refers toHouston
*"Big D" refers toDallas .External links
* [http://www.insideprison.com/prison_gang_profile_TS.asp]
* [http://www.gangsorus.com/texsyn.htm]
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