User:Angeldeleon10

= Gang/Criminal Activities in Fresno =

Rivalry, Colors, Abbreviations and slang, Criminal acts, Territorial
There are two large divides geographically between North and south that has created a hostile guerilla-style war between two gangs, Surenos and the Norteños. Surenos is the spanish word for southerners and they are identified by wearing blue. The Nortenos, northerners are associated with the color red and dominate the northern sides of California One of Fresno’s most influential and largest gangs are the Fresno Bulldogs, which are also known for their abbreviations F-14 FBD, 624 and BDS, they are predominantly a Hispanic street and prison gang that can be identified by their traditional color red. They do not directly identify with neither Surenos or Nortenos, and are one of the few gangs to not have an affiliation or allied with them.

The Bulldogs are known for being one of the biggest drug gangs in Central California. Some of their territory, cliques, or streets of the Fresno Bulldogs include: Pleasant st., College St., Calwa BDS (CVL’s), Firth st., ESF BDS, NSF (NorthSide Fresno), VPD BDS (varrio Pinedale), RTL (Ruthless Thug Life), Sunset BDS (West Side), Bond street and many more. According to Lyman, M.D., and Potter, G. W their main revenue is from their distribution of marijuana, heroin and methamphetamine. Fresno PD has tried various tactics to prevent and to crackdown on gangsters one of those was called operation Ceasefire where they were able to make contact with large numbers of current and former gang members and stop illegal activity. According to New York Times, by 2006 the Bulldogs were responsible for 70 percent of the city’s shootings and that three of four inmates in the county jail are Bulldogs. Gangs in the Fresno area are associated with a variety of crimes such as: murder, drug trafficking, dope dealing, identity theft, assault, theft, robbery, arms trafficking, and extortion.

Gang Statistics In Fresno
Within the past two weeks as of November 13, 2016 there were 6406 incidents of crime or suspicious behavior reported to the Fresno Police Department. The demographic data of youth committing reported crimes during the 2016 spring is as follows:
 * Hispanic 56.6%
 * White 7.5%
 * Blacks 32.0%
 * Asian 1.8%
 * Pacific Islander 0.9%
 * Other 2.8%

This data us taken from schools in Fresno where the Fresno Police Department staffs Student Resource Officers (SRO’s). These include High School, Middle School, and Elementary Schools. The schools in question are Edison, Fresno, McLane, Roosevelt, Sunnyside, Hoover, Bullard, Cambridge, Dewolf and Central East High Schools for high schools, Fort Miller, Phoenix, Glacier Point, El Capitan, and Rio Vista Middle Schools, and Manchester Gate Elementary School, and Kermit Koontz and Violet Hines Education Academy Schools. During the winter of 2016 the youth demographic for committing reported crimes is as follows; During the month of August 2016, 2508 offenses were reported to the Fresno Police Department. These reported offenses include criminal homicide, forcible rape, assault, burglary, and motor vehicle theft. There were a total of 13 violent crimes committed against senior citizens (people over the age of 60). A total of 452 domestic violence calls were received in which 39 of the cases involved weapons. There was a total of $153,200 in loss from arson.
 * Hispanic 54.7%
 * White 13.9%
 * Blacks 21.7%
 * Asians 3.4%
 * Pacific Islander 0.8%
 * Other 5.2%

There is estimated to be 15,809 gang members is Fresno. The majority of the gang members are between the ages of 25 to 34. 10% of gang members are thought to be between the ages of 5 and 19.

75% of gang members are Hispanic, 9.1% are Black, 7.9% are White, 6.5% are Asian, and Unknown, Pacific Islander, Multi-Racial, and American Indian account for 1% or less.

California
Under both California and federal law, gang members convicted of serious felonies often receive harsher sentences than non-gang members who commit the same crimes. Laws punishing gang membership fall into two general categories: The statutes providing gang-related sentencing enhancements are:
 * Felony sentencing enhancements; and
 * Laws making it a crime to commit serious offenses on behalf of a gang, or in order to get into, or to maintain or improve one's position in, a gang.

1. California Penal Code 186.22 PC(b), the gang sentencing enhancement of the "California Street Terrorism Enforcement and Prevention Act" ("STEP").
Under Penal Code 186.22(b), anyone who commits a felony for the benefit of a gang, with the specific intent to promote, further, or assist in the gang's criminal conduct, will receive a mandatory prison sentence. . . in addition and consecutive to the penalty for the underlying felony. This statute is commonly referred to as California's gang sentencing enhancement.

2. 18 USC 521, the federal "Criminal Street Gangs" statute.
18 USC 521 provides a penalty enhancement of up to 10 years for certain gang members who commit crimes with the intention of furthering the activities of the gang, or to maintain or advance their position within the gang. The enhancement is in addition to the penalty for the underlying crime(s). Laws that make it a crime in and of itself to commit one or more felonies if you are a gang member include:

1. California Penal Code 186.20-186.33, the "California Street Terrorism Enforcement and Prevention Act" ("STEP").
Penal Code 186.22(a) makes it a crime to participate in a street gang and assist in any felony charges criminal conduct by the gang's members. Penalties for violation of Penal Code 186.22(a) PC can include a year in county jail or up to three years in state prison.

2. California Penal Code 186-186.8, the "California Control of Profits of Organized Crime Act"
Penal Code 186-186.8 is used to deprive gang members who commit two or more felonies for financial gain of their profits. The penalty for violating the "California Control of Profits of Organized Crime Act" is the forfeiture of profits from illegal acts.

3. 18 USC 1961-68, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act ("RICO")
Under RICO, you can be punished if you commit, or conspire to commit, two or more crimes ("predicate acts") from a list of 36 specified state and/or federal crimes in furtherance of the activities of a criminal "enterprise" (which can include a street gang). Penalties for RICO violations can include a prison sentence of up to 20 years or, in some cases, life imprisonment, as well as forfeiture of profits from your illegal activities and a fine of up to $250,000.

4. 18 USC 1959, the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering Act "(VICAR")
VICAR punishes those who commit a violent crime in order to be admitted into, or to bolster their position in, a criminal enterprise. Penalties under VICAR can include prison sentences of up to 30 years (or for murder, life imprisonment or the death penalty), and fines of up to $250,000.

5. The Continuing Criminal Enterprise statute ("CCE" or "Kingpin statute") 21 USC 848
CCE makes it a crime to be a leader of a drug enterprise or to kill someone while engaging in, or avoiding arrest for, certain drug-related offenses. Unlike RICO and VICAR, which target a wide range of criminal enterprises, CCE covers only major narcotics organizations. Penalties under CCE include prison sentences of not less than 20 years, (or for murder or ordering a murder, life imprisonment or the death penalty), as well as forfeiture of profits and fines of up to $4,000,000 for individuals and $10,000,000 for organizations. Penalties under this second class of statutes are in addition to sentences and penalty enhancements for any underlying crimes.

The Mayor’s Gang Prevention Initiative
The Mayor’s Gang Prevention Initiative (MGPI) established in 2006 is a comprehensive multi-dimensional and community enhancement violence reduction strategy, under the umbrella of the City of Fresno’s Police Department. The Initiative assists individuals who want to voluntarily leave the gang lifestyle, to service provider programs that will assist them with direct service towards a positive lifestyle change. In an effort to reduce the amount of gang-related crime throughout the City of Fresno, the initiative incorporates the following violence reduction strategies and core components - Prevention, Intervention, Suppression, Rehabilitation, and Economic Development. There are a variety of service providers MGPI facilitates services to for individuals that meet the eligibility criteria. These programs include clinical needs assessment, job training, job placement, employment referrals, substance abuse, anger management, mental health, education, food, housing, mentoring, dental, vision, medical, mentoring, youth activities, tattoo removal and other basic life skill services.
 * To be eligible for MGPI assistance, an individual:
 * Must reside within the City of Fresno.
 * Must have a direct tie to a gang (validated, associate or “wanna-be”) and desire to voluntarily leave the gang lifestyle.
 * Cannot have pending warrants and/or court cases.
 * Cannot be a registered sex offender nor have disqualifying offenses as determined by MGPI.

Current Fresno Cases
A multi-agency gang sweep that Fresno police Chief Jerry Dyer called “the largest and most impactful gang operation in this city’s history” resulted in the arrests of more than two dozen people, including leaders of one of Fresno’s most notorious gangs.

In all, 28 people – most identified as leaders of the Dog Pound Gang – were arrested Thursday in the sweep, Dyer said at a news conference. More than 400 law enforcement officers from various local, state and federal agencies participated. About $50,000 in cash and 17 vehicles – including a Bentley, a Range Rover, a party bus and a boat – were also seized in the operation. The Internal Revenue Service is assisting with the financial aspects of the investigation. Some of the arrests center around prostitution operations that originated in Fresno and ballooned out into five states and Washington, D.C. Dyer said that at least eight of the gang leaders were recruiting young women in Fresno – often runaways – through social media and other means before sending them throughout the country.

Gang Enforcement
The Fresno County District Attorney's office is part of a cohesive team of law enforcement agencies that specifically target gangs and gang members with the mission of eradicating gang activity in Fresno County. The prosecution team consists of a Senior Deputy District Attorney, two Deputy District Attorneys, an Administrative Assistant, a Hmong Relocation Specialist and three Investigators (one from the Fresno Sheriff's Office, one from the Fresno Police Department and one a Senior Investigator from the Fresno District Attorney's Office. These personnel work closely with the various assigned city, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies to successfully prosecute gang members.

In an effort to curb gang violence, the Fresno County District Attorney's Office has vigorously imposed civil injunctions on known gang members and declared certain areas "safety zones". The injunctions establish a curfew and prohibit gang members from gathering. The injunctions thus far obtained by the Fresno County District Attorney's Office are listed below.
 * Sanger Chankla
 * Fresno Parkside Bulldogs
 * Fresno Modoc Boys
 * Orange Cove VOCR/OCS
 * Fresno Dog Pound
 * Varrio East Side Reedley (VESR)