Authorities have been trying to bring down the Aryan Brotherhood, also known as The Brand, for decades. SACRAMENTO (AP) Leaders of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang were charged Thursday with directing killings and drug smuggling from within California's most secure prisons, U.S. prosecutors said. The Aryan Brotherhoods white supremacist beliefs have not precluded it from engaging in criminal business with members of other races. Yandell and Sylvester oversaw a significant heroin and methamphetamine trafficking operation from their shared cell. Two of the defendants have filed federal lawsuits against Sacramento County in recent months. Not judging anyone just telling it like I saw it and from my point of view. An official website of the United States government. The case was closed in 1989. U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of California, Domestic Violence, Child Exploitation, and Human Trafficking Prevention, More than 60 Aryan Brotherhood Gang Members and Associates Arrested for Violent Crime, Firearms, Fraud, and Drug Trafficking, Bakersfield Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Fentanyl, Sacramento Man Charged with Methamphetamine Distribution Crimes and Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Arizona Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking in Sacramento Area. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Yandell, serving a life sentence for a double murder, is described as one of the gang's three-member leadership commission, as is Troxell. This case demonstrates our unwavering commitment to combat drug related gang violence not only on the streets, but also behind prison walls., Neutralizing prison gangs is a top priority for the department, and we are committed to stopping illegal activities conducted by them to further their criminal organizations and instill fear in people, said Secretary Ralph Diaz, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. When youre addicted to meth, you will steal anything thats not bolted down to get money to feed your habit.. All Rights Reserved. Five suspected Aryan Brotherhood prison gang members indicted for From the outset, this investigation was a true partnership between local, state, and federal agencies., Through good police work, approximately 30 Aryan Brotherhood gang members central to the drug distribution operation were identified. Eastern District of California | Aryan Brotherhood Members and Despite its racist philosophy, the Aryan Brotherhood had a drug smuggling partnership with the Mexican Mafia, prosecutors said. There are two main options in the Sacramento area, where the charges were filed in June 2019. Aryan Brotherhood, notoriously violent white supremacist group and organized crime syndicate. Perjury Traitor Gangrene Says That Fox News Firing Fcukkker Carlson Is "An Assault On Our First Amendment"!!!! The charges detail five slayings and accuse an attorney of helping smuggle drugs and cellphones to aid the white supremacist gang. Aryan Brotherhood Tried for 40 Years of Prison Mayhem - ABC News FBI Records: The Vault Aryan Brotherhood Assisting in the arrests were the U.S. As with many members of prison gangs, members of the Aryan Brotherhood often have prominent, recognizable tattoos declaring their affiliation; common symbols include a shamrock with a swastika, the letters AB, or the number 666. The case has stalled on this issue for more than a year, in part thanks for the COVID-19 pandemic. Thompson and Hutchins also were accused of falsely applying for EDD benefits themselves, alleging they were working while they were still in prison, and they are suspected of $1.5 million in loan fraud, authorities said. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). In a 60-square-mile area of rural Central Texas where the Aryan Brotherhood gang was selling as much as four kilos of the drug each month, meth was taking a toll. Official websites use .gov MarcusRandall sold fentanyl pills to a victim who later ingested the pills, resulting in her overdose death. Dear Abby: Am I overreacting to my European daughter-in-law's behavior? Two Aryan Brotherhood associates, acting on the orders of gang leaders, killed the 71-year-old Pinell days after he was moved in 2015 to a Sacramento-area prison, prosecutors say. Get FBI email alerts Justice News. First published on June 10, 2021 / 9:44 AM. An official website of the United States government. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! These additional charges deal another significant blow to this criminal organization and sends the message that we are relentless in our pursuit of those who perpetuate violence., I am proud of the dedication and hard work that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation staff put into this investigation while working cooperatively alongside federal investigators and prosecutors, Chief of CDCRs Office of Correctional Safety (OCS) Derrick Marion said. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Guards reported finding three phones, plastic wrappers and power cables concealed in the seat cushion of Macnamara's wheelchair. In addition, the new indictment alleges that AB member Daniel killed an inmate at Salinas Valley State Prison on Oct. 29, 2016, and AB members Corbett and Brady murdered an inmate on July 20, 2018, at High Desert State Prison as part of their role in the gang. The case is largely based on hundreds of wiretapped calls from contraband prison cellphones, and discovery includes a massive amount of audio and other electronic data. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the El Dorado County District Attorneys Office, and the Nevada County Sheriffs Office. According to federal prosecutors, the men were plotting to smuggle cellphones into the Sacramento County Jail and discussed 'taking out' a person who had introduced on their wives to an undercover federal agent. 4 dead in Mojave Desert community after shooting report, The dad whose wife and child were among 5 killed by a neighbor in Texas describes how the massacre unfolded, San Jose: Pedestrian killed in early morning collision, Tornado flips cars, damages homes in coastal Florida city. Since then, all 34 Aryan Brotherhood of Texas members who have been charged and convicted for their roles in the drug network are now serving time in federal prison. Prosecutors feared the men would escape as they said the men were found making ropes and fishing lines and asking about details about their transportation to court. When a federal judge recently sentenced the last two of 34 Aryan Brotherhood of Texas gang members to prison for their roles in a methamphetamine drug distribution network, it marked the end of the gangs foothold in Central Texasand also highlighted the extraordinary partnership between local, state, and federal law enforcement that brought the criminals to justice. Eastern District of California | More than 60 Aryan Brotherhood Gang The Crips and Bloods. For the second time in less than 18 months, we are announcing federal charges against Aryan Brotherhood members and associates, a violent gang operating in California prisons, said U.S.Attorney Scott. This case is the product of an investigation by the DEA with substantial investigative assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Vallejo Police Department, the U.S. Eleven acts of violence were intercepted before they were accomplished, and over 80pounds of methamphetamine, 5 pounds of heroin, and over 25 firearms were seized. Prosecutors said one victim was a longtime leader of a rival black gang, killed just days after he was released from decades of solitary confinement. Nate Gartrell covers crime and corruption in Contra Costa County. Yandell and Sylvester oversaw a significant heroin and methamphetamine trafficking operation from their shared cell. They used smuggled-in cellphones to direct their drug trafficking activity from their cell to the streets of Sacramento and other California cities. As early as September 2019, federal prosecutors and the Sacramento Sheriffs office were floating Booth Q as a solution to concerns raised by the defense team in the Aryan Brotherhood case: that phones in the secured housing pod where theyre incarcerated werent confidential, and that sounds from visiting booths bled into the adjacent booth, making it easy for someone to eavesdrop on privileged communications. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. White supremacist prison gang leader found guilty of fatal stabbing We dismantled their entire organization, from the leadership to suppliers to distributors, Tichenor said. They say its virtually impossible for them to conduct private meetings and phone calls, while prosecutors called the accusations a baseless stall tactic. Five other defendants are also convicted murderers, including Jason 'Jake' Corbett and William Sylvester who are both accused of further killings in prison. Sixteen Aryan Brotherhood members and associates are accused of running the criminal enterprise using contraband cellphones, encrypted chats, text messages, multimedia messages and email. The area was being tormented, said Special Agent Dan Snow, who supervises a violent gangs and criminal enterprise squad in the FBIs San Antonio Division. LAKEPORT Before being freed from state prison after more than 40 years behind bars, ex-Aryan Brotherhood leader Michael Lynn Thompson promised the parole board he'd dedicate his life to . It wasn't immediately clear if any defendants had legal representation for the counts unveiled Thursday. Troxell is a convicted killer serving a life sentence who spent more than 20 years in solitary confinement. Aryan Brotherhood Tried for 40 Years of Prison Mayhem. "Aryan Brotherhood is notorious for using violence to keep discipline in its ranks, and probably at the top of that list would be informants," said Brian Levin, director of the Center for the. The indictment charges that on Oct. 7, 2011, Sylvester murdered an inmate at Folsom State Prison and, on Aug. 12, 2015, Yandell ordered AB associates to carry out an order to murder a rival prison gang member at Folsom State Prison. June 6, 2019 / 1:20 PM On Aug. 11, 2016, MacNamara, a lawyer, and Demar, posing as a paralegal, visited Sylvester in Folsom State Prison in order to smuggle methamphetamine, cellphones, and tobacco. Using a contraband cellphone, Yandell and Sylvester communicated with AB members and associates to direct drug trafficking activities, membership in the AB, order murders, and oversee other criminal activities.