Galindo was one of the ranking members of the BA who would receive laundered funds and disperse it within the Texas State prison system to further the criminal goals of the enterprise. According to the testimony of an alleged Barrio Azteca member, gang members torture and kill their victims by digging up holes in the ground, throwing a bunch of mesquite, and then pouring in some gasoline. [18] When drug loads go missing while being smuggled, suspects are kidnapped and taken to Ciudad Jurez. FBI Gang Threat on the Border Get fresh updates on organized crime from across the region delivered to your inbox. Barrio Azteca Leader's Arrest Casts Doubt on Trump Border Rhetoric A murder in Texas drives a huge investigation which often leads to an arrest. The remaining U.S.-based defendant, Ramon Renteria, aka Spooky, took his own life while in prison during his trial. Many of the members are in U.S. and Mexican prisons and. Diplomatic Security Service; the Texas Department of Public Safety; the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; El Paso Police Department; El Paso County Sheriffs Office; El Paso Independent School District Police Department; Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission; New Mexico State Police; Dona Ana County, N.M., Sheriffs Office; Las Cruces, N.M., Police Department; Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility and Otero County Prison Facility New Mexico. Is the Stanley Quencher tumbler worth its TikTok hype? Week 1: Barrio Aztecas U.S.Consulate Murder Trial [64] To prevent officers from understanding their communication network, Barrio Azteca also created a secret language based on Nahuatl. The Barrio Azteca was organized in the El Paso, Texas, County Jail in 1987 from where it moved to the streets and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison system. Besides drug trafficking, they have been charged with a medley of different crimes. These prison sentences send a strong message that even the most powerful and ruthless gangs cannot evade justice. [46] The attack came during a violent weekend across Mexico, were nearly 50 people were killed across the country. Initially formed in El Paso jails in 1986, the Barrio Azteca gang expanded to a transnational criminal organization, allying itself with the Juarez Cartel (pictured). Hector Galindo, 38, aka "Silent," of El Paso, currently serving a 25-year Texas state sentence for murder, was sentenced to life in prison. The group members face charges including drug trafficking and distribution, extortion, money laundering and murder. [68] Barrio Azteca has also authorized the killings of U.S. law enforcement officials for cracking down their criminal operations, offering up to $200,000 U.S. The purpose of the BA-La Linea alliance was to battle the Chapo Guzman Cartel and its allies for control of the drug trafficking routes through Juarez and Chihuahua. [48], The leader of Barrio Azteca, Arturo Gallegos Castrelln, better known for his nickname El Farmero, ordered the execution of two American consulate workers and a Mexican with ties to the agency in Ciudad Jurez on 13 March 2010. Ravelo then ordered the traitor to be sent to the Jurez cartel, and he was never heard from again. Those not in good standing were targeted by the BA for assault or murder. Barrio Azteca gang member gave bone-chilling testimony Monday about his role in the violence that ignited Jurez during the drug cartel wars and left among its victims a U.S. Consulate employee and her husband, an El Paso County jail detention officer. [21] Once they took the guards hostage, Barrio Azteca members went into high-security blocks where the rival members were in, forced the guards to open them, and went about killing the rival inmates. [13] They are alleged by the Mexican authorities to have committed numerous brutal assassinations in the city, although the exact numbers are unknown. [29] As neighbors hid in their houses, some dialed the emergency services but the Mexican military and the Federal police did not arrive until after the killers had left. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. [30] Videos from the crime scene depict a sparsely furnished home with large puddles of blood and taints smeared on the walls; in addition, more than 100 AK-47 bullet casings were found at the crime scene. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( [65] They had a membership of 2,000 strong in Ciudad Jurez alone that year. Evidence was presented that Gonzales and Garcia were BA soldiers, whose duties included distributing drugs, picking up money from dealers and enforcement operations within their area of responsibility. The Barrio Azteca ( Spanish pronunciation: [barjo asteka] ), or Los Aztecas ( pronounced [los astekas] ), is a Mexican-American street, and prison gang originally based in El Paso, Texas. [12] In addition, Barrio Azteca controls most of the drug sales for the Jurez Cartel in Ciudad Jurez's streets and prisons, although other gangs and independent operators abound. [34] The mayor of Ciudad Jurez said that the massacre was a random act of violence by Mexico's drug gangs because the victims had no apparent ties with organize crime. WASHINGTON, D.C. - A leader and two soldiers in the Barrio (BA), a transnational border gang allied with the Juarez Cartel, were sentenced in El Paso, Texas, to life, 30 and 20 years in prison, respectively, announced DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart, and other federal officials. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. The attacks brought down a great deal of pressure from the US government, which issued a federal indictment of 35 Barrio Azteca members in Texas in March 2011 on counts of extortion, murder, drug trafficking and money laundering. He also unveiled a billboard facing traffic in El Paso, Texas heading into Mexico that reads "No More Weapons," and criticized the United States for not renewing a ban on the sales of assault weapons that expired in 2004. However, it counts among its rivals some cartel heavyweights such as the Sinaloa Cartel, headed by notorious drug lordJoaqun "El Chapo" Guzmn, and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. "[10] Members usually have U.S. citizenship, making them ideal cross-border killers able to move back and forth across the U.S.-Mexico border. [66] Members of Barrio Azteca tend to have both Mexican and U.S. citizenship, and authorities believe they carry out crimes in Ciudad Jurez and then return legally to the United States. [18] Today, the gang has expanded into a large criminal gang with presence in both the United States and Mexico, besetting by drug trafficking and human smuggling. DPS says the 2014 arrest of cartel leader Vicente Carrillo Fuentes diminished the gangs influence. [18], According to reports of U.S. authorities, Ravelo was born in Mexico but has permanent residence in the United States. The Bloods, Crips, Surenos and Latin Kings are the most active street gangs, while Tango Blast cliques in San Antonio (Orejones) and Austin (La Capirucha) rule the prisons, along with the Texas Mexican Mafia and Aryan Brotherhood. "[75] In addition to being the leader of this Barrio Azteca fraction, Mendoza was also target No. International Criminal Justice Review, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Barrio_Azteca&oldid=1147392901, This page was last edited on 30 March 2023, at 17:18. could move into full-blown international drug trafficking, Colombias Coca Market Crash Unlikely to Impact Cocaine Trade, Cocaine and Marijuana Fuel Ever-Higher Homicides in Costa Rica, Corruption Takes Center Stage in Paraguay Presidential Election, In Lara, Venezuela, Criminal 'Colectivos' Control Public Services, Across the Americas, Governments Aim to Rein in Flow of Guns, The Fraudsters: Venezuelas Organized Crime Vultures, US Sanctions Reveal CJNGs Grip on Mexico Port To Move Fentanyl, GameChangers 2022: How the Chapitos Became Hyper-Capitalist Narcos, Bomb Threats: Mexico's Crime Groups Turn to Explosives, InSight Crime Staff Cited as Experts by International Media, Media Looks to InSight Crime for Ecuador Knowledge, The Venezuela Organized Crime Observatory Continues to Be a Benchmark in the Region, UN Draws Heavily on InSight Crime Coverage for its Global Report on Cocaine 2023. Twenty-four of those defendants have pleaded guilty, one defendant committed suicide while imprisoned during his trial and six others are pending extradition from Mexico. Nevertheless, the FBIs 2015 National Gang Report says Barrio Azteca remained one of the most active gangs in the US border region, and will likely remain a major criminal actor for the foreseeable future. [21], The Mexican authorities were able to militarize the area with more than 200 federal police officers, 50 soldiers, two helicopters, a plane, and an unknown number of state and municipal police forces. [11], The Barrio Azteca gang was formed in the jails of El Paso in 1986 and gained an image of being a tough and loyal gang willing to commit murder of civilians in order to keep fear in the minds of its members and ensure their loyalty/obedience. Todays sentencing by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone of the Western District Court of Texas marks the closure of the case against the U.S.-based defendants charged in the superseding indictment. He previously covered real estate, economic development, retail and tourism. While Barrio Azteca remains the dominant gang in El Paso, it lost in power in the city in 2014 as the Jurez Cartel continued to decline, according to the 2014 Texas Gang Threat Assessment, and a competitor gang called Sureo 13 grew as a result of a relationship with the Sinaloa Cartel. [56][61] This attack came just a week before several gunmen stormed two houses, killing 7 at a party and 2 at a nearby house. [25], Gunmen burst into a party in a small working-class neighborhood known as Villas de Salvrcar in Ciudad Jurez, killing 16 teenagers on 31 January 2010. [54] With his arrest, all 35 suspects named by the U.S. Justice Department in 2011 for involvement in the consulate killings had been captured. The Jurez Cartel's armed wing, "La Linea," recruited members from Barrio Azteca to fight the Sinaloa Cartel in 2008, and many gang members were killed or arrested. [21] Back in 2005, the Barrio Azteca gang had carried out a murderous attack against members of Los Mexicles inside the same prison, leaving six dead. Barrio Azteca Leader Sentenced to Life in Prison and Two Barrio Azteca We want to sustain Latin Americas largest organized crime database, but in order to do so, we need resources. The Barrio Azteca is one of the most violent prison gangs operating. These command sergeants, who are not always fully-fledged members, and finally soldiers, or "indios," who are often underage and are used for the local distribution of small amounts of drugs. Coachella 2023: What to pack for a weekend in the desert, Preorder 'The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom' today, Create a bonsai tree out of bricks with this $40 LEGO set, Dyson's air purifying headphones have finally arrived, Save on AeroGarden indoor herb growing kits at Amazon. The Barrio Azteca (Spanish pronunciation: [barjo asteka]), or Los Aztecas (pronounced [los astekas]), is a Mexican-American street, and prison gang originally based in El Paso, Texas.The gang was formed in the jails of El Paso in 1986 and expanded into a transnational criminal organization. "[33], 2010 was the most violent year in the history of Ciudad Jurez, where more than 3,000 people were killed. Tri-City Bombers, Latin Kings and Surenos are more active on a street gang level. Barrio Azteca, a prison gang born in the Texas jail system, is becoming a major player in the Mexican underworld and the "X-factor" in the battle for Ciudad Juarez, Mexican officials told InSight Crime. [38] The suspect said he acted as a lookout for the 24 gunmen that perpetrated the killing and had orders to "kill everyone inside. Bruno Angel Rangel, 38, allegedly was a former high-ranking Barrio Azteca leader who allied himself with La Linea in the current conflict between the crime organizations, police said. Evidence was presented that since 2003 the BA has trafficked hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and heroin. [34], Four days after the massacre, a suspect identified as Jos Dolores Arroyo Chavarra was arrested by the Mexican military. Key responsibilities: - find and book accommodation for platers/brush cutters teams. [28] Then they stormed the party and opened fire at the victims as they were watching a soccer game. They were sentenced yesterday in the Western District of Texas. [20] The brawl, which was between Barrio Azteca and Los Mexicles, erupted at around 6 a.m. after the conclusion of a series of conjugal visits. Witnesses specifically implicated Galindo, then incarcerated in the Coffield Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, as the central leader within the organization who kept track of membership records, hit lists and gang treaties for the BA. Ruta Sidlauskaite - Guide & Tour Leader - Freelance | LinkedIn To update those lists, members and other leaders would contact Galindo on his contraband prison cell phone to verify the status of persons claiming to be BA members and ensure that they were in good standing with the criminal organization. [1] Some of the violence was captured by a surveillance video that shows two gunmen clearing a hallway of guards before unlocking a door and allowing several triggermen to shoot inside a room where the inmates were killed. Despite US efforts, the gang has apparently regained strength, and maintains significant power in Jurez, particularly as the power of the Jurez Cartel has declined. Scroll through the slideshow for 10 things you need to know about the Barrio Azteca gang. We encourage readers to copy and distribute our work for non-commercial purposes, with attribution to InSight Crime in the byline and links to the original at both the top and bottom of the article. Through the ongoing and joint efforts of the law enforcement community we will continue the fight to bring to justice predators such as Galindo, Gonzales and Garcia., This investigation highlights an unfortunate reality: leaders within growing trans-national prison and street gangs like the Barrio Azteca continue to promote violence and manage their drug trafficking activities even after the cell door closes, said DEA Administrator Leonhart. The recent arrest of a top Barrio Azteca leader in Mexico offers additional insight into the criminal and drug trafficking dynamics along the US-Mexico border at a time when US President Donald Trump continues his rhetorical onslaught against the MS13. The Barrio Azteca gang is known to engage in a wide range of criminal activity including contract killing, murder, torture, drug trafficking and human trafficking among other offenses. The Barrio Azteca began in the late 1980s as a prison gang but has since expanded into a transnational criminal organization with approximately 3,500 members, including 600 active members. [65] In March 2010, the FBI and the police department in El Paso stated that Barrio Azteca was more powerful than Los Zetas in the Jurez plaza. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Joseph A. Cooley of the Criminal Divisions Organized Crime and Gang Section, Trial Attorney Brian Skaret of the Criminal Divisions Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney George Leal of the Western District of Texas - El Paso Division. The gangs alleged leader Eduardo Ravela is on the FBIs Top Ten most wanted list. According to court documents and information presented in court, Galindo was a top Lieutenant in the BA. [46][47] A day after the killings, the United States Department of State authorized the temporary departure of the workers in the U.S. consulate throughout northern Mexico, including the cities of Tijuana, Nogales, Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo, Monterrey, and Ciudad Jurez. [68] They work day in and day out, often with a list of people to kill. [citation needed] Numerous media outlets around the world considered Ciudad Jurez as one of the most dangerous if not the most dangerous city on the planet in 2010. [48] This was not solely a response for the incident in Ciudad Jurez, but because of the drug-related violence along the border. In 2010, Barrio Azteca members allegedly murdered 15 teenagers at a party, and later that same year, killed a US Consulate employee, her husband and the husband of another employee in Ciudad Jurez. [69] Drug-sniffing dogs were also under a bounty. The Barrio Azteca gang is known to engage in a wide range of criminal activity including contract killing, murder, torture, drug trafficking and human trafficking among other offenses. Beginning in the 2000s, Barrio Azteca started to assist Mexico's Jurez Cartel with operations, and the gang became an important element in the battle between the Jurez Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel for control of the city of Jurez. Silome dienos p [6] The DEA estimates that about 70% of the cocaine to enter the United States does so through the area. The drug routes through Juarez, known as the Juarez Plaza, are important to drug trafficking organizations because they are a principal illicit drug trafficking conduit into the United States. Witnesses also testified to the Barrio Aztecas practice of extorting quota or taxes on non-BA drug dealers who sold illegal narcotics in El Paso and the greater West Texas and Eastern New Mexico area. According to court documents and information presented in court, Galindo was a top Lieutenant in the BA. The Barrio Azteca gang emerged in Texas prisons, later served as armed support to the Jurez Cartel, and has since evolved to control local drug trafficking in Jurez. Boozy Hill Country golf course tees off in New Braunfels, What to know about the invasive hammerhead flatworms in Texas, Cardi B speaks out on viral 'mean girls' TikTok at Astros game. Ravelo was believed to issue orders for the organization in Jurez, to move back and forth across the US border, and to be responsible for a great deal of the violence that has wracked the border state. Some of the victims were stabbed with knives, while others were beaten to death; some were killed with home-made guns. [15], On April 5, 2012, the authorities concluded that the Barrio Azteca murdered the three U.S. consulate members as part of an agreement with Jos Antonio Acosta Hernndez (El Diego), a former top lieutenant of the Jurez cartel who was imprisoned after being convicted and receiving a life sentence. By current estimates, more than 2,000 members make up their ranks. The mastermind behind the murders, Arturo Gallegos Castrellon, received a life sentence in April 2014. The organization, also known as Los Barrios, derives some of its strength through alliances with Mexican drug cartels.
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