Friday, October 01, 2004

OPERATION BLACK WIDOW WINDS DOWN
This week we saw the final installment of OPERATION BLACK WIDOW in NORCAL. Eight shot callers of the NUESTRA FAMILIA took a guilty plea to federal racketeering charges and will be spending time in the federal prison system far from California. Five of the Familianos got life sentences while three got 10-year terms.

The five who'll be spending life in a Federal penitentiary are Gerald "Cuete" Rubalcaba, James Morado, Cornelio "Comi" Tristan, Joseph Raymond "Pinky" Hernandez, and Tex "Terrible T" Hernandez. These Familianos could be considered the NF's board of directors and ran the organization's business from prison.

The three with 10-year sentences are Daniel "Stork" Perez, Alberto Larez, and Henry "Big Happy" Cervantes.

Like LA's Metropolitan Task Force on Violent Crime, Operation Black Widow in Norcal was a combined Federal and local LE venture that targeted the leadership of organized crime syndicates. And like LA's Task Force, the investigation and prosecution would not have happened wihout the cooperation of confidential informants. From the LE point of view, it's impossible to crack organized crime without snitches. In the case of Black Widow, the most prominent snitch was ROBERT GRATTON. In LA's Task Force, LE had Ernest "Chuco" Castro that got the ball rolling and resulted in three huge RICO cases.

While there are a lot of similarities between the Norcal and Socal cases, there are a number of distinct differences. In Socal, the "business" was conventional street-oriented crime like tax collection and murder. Up north, the NF showed a remarkable capacity to morph into legitimate and/or semi-legitimate operations.

Gratton, with Gerry Cuete's blessing and support, founded NORTH STAR RECORDS, a rap label that launched the career of NORTENO rap star, SIR DYNO. The first CD, G.U.N. (Generation of United Nortenos), was a huge hit and was even carried in the racks at Sam Goody's. North Star was then used to launder drug money. As a result, Gratton was putting $5,000 a month into the NF's bank account in Idaho.

Other quasi legal businesses owned or controlled by Norteno shot callers included auto customizing shops, nightclubs and tire stores. Life was sweet and money was pouring in. That is until Gratton was put in the hat for being a little too independent. He was becoming too visible to LE and the media, and the Mesa, NF's board of directors, decided to check him.

In the end, Gratton cashed in his chips and ratted out the entire organization.

With the shot callers now scattered throughout the Federal prison system, it will no longer be as easy for them to communicate with the street as it was in Pelican Bay. At least that's LE's contention.

It remains to be seen if this latest blow to the NF will create a leadership crisis and a power vacuum that the Eme will try to exploit.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

daniel lizard hernandez was the main informant who got operation black widow going.OBW is just a minor set back as were the indictment in the 70's which produced "northern structure" as its comonly called. nf "morphed" into legitement businesses due to the fact that nf does not enforce strict taxation as does the eme.

Anonymous said...

norte is still on the map and thats somthing that will never change big bad norte a. t. c. gang

aztec tribe cholos
santa rosa califas

Anonymous said...

whether you infiltrate into the biggest organizations and give out life sentences it doesn't change the fact that your dealing with one of the biggest illegal organizations in ca and it wont stop

Anonymous said...

turning people into informants just to turn around and get them killed doesn't seem to get the job done.they're trading one life just to give someone a longer jail sentence at the same time fighting an endless war. i think they should try some real police work instead of turning one or two people over to people that the government doesn't even understand all they know is that they are extremely violent why don't they send pigs undercover let them except the concequences. leave our raza out of they're buisness.

Anonymous said...

people cant stop norte, and wont stop norte, because they cant. Just live with it ......

Anonymous said...

i was born and raised in salinas. i've come to know most the NORTENOS here and alot of them are really good guys who just belive in something and will stand up for it. NORTENOS do not back down. that i bellieve is what attracts me to them. NORTENOS will live on forever and no police organization will ever shut them down. that's just how it is....learn to accept it

Anonymous said...

nigga this chango 4um da HAYSTACK NORTHERN CALI ! FUCK ALL U RATS OUT THERE!

Anonymous said...

I'm neither a N or S affiliated but do have an inside track on both orgs in the prison system. FACT: The PC yards (Sensitive Needs Yards) take in both norte and sur dropouts, but way more norte are hemoraging out of the mainline as Dropouts. There is no 'command and control' in the mainline and norte don't trust each other at all. They are outnumbered and just fight amongst themselves. THey are a group more than they are a gang now. Many realize that it is basically a shell of an organization. Most street gangsters don't get it until they get sent into the system and realize there isn't a 'cause' anymore.
Sur on the other hand still has command and control and dicipline among the ranks. THe basic fact is LA has just got tighter hoods unlike anything up north. Sorry to you norte's, but it's true and is alot of the reason why sur can move on your turf. The norte threat to sur in prison is almost nonexistant while norte's have to watch thier backs in almost every prison in the state. Sorry, but ask around. Truth.

Anonymous said...

Lizard was an uncoperating witness.Wally's article was right.Gratton was the biggest RAT that the government had.
What does taxation have to do with a gang being able to turn their profits into legit business?
AS for the last comment .Yeah the truth does hurt a little but your right.NF has no structure ,no veteranos teaching the youngsters what's up not to mention that the youngsters don't respect the older homies either.Trust is also a big issue . A homie that just got released said that even after recieving your paper work they still watch you for a couple weeks and yopu still have to prove yourself regardless of how much time you've done.Too Much Dope.

Anonymous said...

clay st neto {just remember where we started in lil salad bowl? not even 50 years yet were in alaska already!!!! unlike thee surotes were not dodgen@hiden we are razing are youth 2 be soldiers not acters we have pride****}

Anonymous said...

PILGRIM ST NORTENO DE STOCKTONE J BURGER AKA JROKK fuck all haters man we all know no matter what NORTENOS dont run from shit & aint scared of shit unlike scrapas no matter how small were compared 2 scrapas and thats what counts somos pocos peros locos remember that my niggs

Anonymous said...

We need stucture cause these little putos don't seem to get the fact that veteranos do know whats right so pay attention.im a youngster myself raised by veteranos and little homies just need to except the fact that we cant have a bunch of chiefs running around with no indians.there seems to be a power trip going on cause poeple are always trying to take control.

Anonymous said...

I'm from San Jo. born and raised I've heard of many norteno gangs and surenos still seem to be taking over all their hoods. Surenos are getting bigger and bigger and you vatos can't do shit about it. Look what happen between you and the bulldogs. Nobodies got respect for you vatos.You vatos are just fake now. Surenos are the real gang. All you vatos do is talk shit and try to act like surenos creesed up ben davis and tring to talk like surenos.I've heard of Sir Dyno and he uses the word ese and simon.whats up whith that eses. And you guys tring to sport blue know. You vatos make me laugh. Surenos are right you guys should just go back to picking up your fruits.

Anonymous said...

YOU FUCK*** LEVAS HAVE NO IDEA HOW BIG THE SOUTH IS AND YOU WILL NEVER FIND OUT BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW TO KEEP OUR MOUTHS CLOSED THIS SHIT IS WAY PAST NORTH OR SOUTH THE SOUTH HAS LEFT YOU BEHIND AND IS TAKING OVER YOU CAN SEE IT IN PRISON AND IN CALI AND THE REST OF THE U.S

Anonymous said...

What Jail Is Sir Dyno in?

Anonymous said...

TO THE NORTENO THAT SAYS THAT YOUNGSTERS DON'T RESPECT THE VETS COULDN'T BE ANY MORE CORRECT!THE SHIT HIT HOME DOWN HERE IN THE SUR AS WELL.THESE LITTLE M.Fers JUST DON'T HAVE THE SAME SENSE OF RESPECT TOWARDS THE VETS AS WE HAD WHEN WE WERE YOUNGSTERS.AND IT'S ONLY GONNA GET WORSE,UP THERE AND DOWN HERE.IT'S ALL ABOUT DRUGS AND MONEY AT ALL COST,PERIOD!WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO OLD RULE,"THE MAN MAKES THE MONEY,DON'T LET THE MONEY MAKE THE MAN"?ALL THESE LITTLE M.Fers WANNA ACT LIKE F'n TINTOS!Mtv IS A BAD F'n INFLUENCE ON ALL THESE WEAK,LAME ASS,WANNA BE A NIGGER GENERATION YOUNGTERS.

Anonymous said...

EVEN THOUGH NORTE BEING THRU THE BAD AND GOOD I $TAY REPPIN THAT 0NE FOUR TO THE FULLE$T ITZ THE BIG BAD NORTE -NORTH $IDE MADERA- CENTRAL VALLEY LIVIN 559 TO THE FULLES FUCK A $CRAP AND A MUDD

Anonymous said...

check this out the power struggle goes on everywere in all hoods n/s it takes dedication and respect to yourself as well as those that your trying to lead. Respect is earned no demanded, being knowledgeable of what your teaching and being a well seasoned soldado with experiance is a thing that will earn respect. now days anybody can become a carnal or hold rank and think their the bomb the "N" is falling apart do to poor leadership and abuse of power people are being missguided in order to be able to gain from those whom go to the joint and have a release date. thats were lifers see their sourse of income for the bonds state that a fellow "N" will take care of a fellow "N" that is behind the prison walls. yeah thats good and all but who stands to gain from all that high ranking Ns are deeming homies "no good" for the dumbest or reasons. it's all homie favortism.

Anonymous said...

black widow shit how many people did it affect? more than anybody will ever know and all for what? they still rattin on each other.

Anonymous said...

bottom line is nf/norte is more organized and disciplined than sur/eme, eme just has bigger numbers which give them more power.if this isnt true then why cant eme get rid of us nortenos, eme/sur is on just about every pinta yard where we are yet we are still there. eme makes their gente pay taxes nf doesnt abuse there gente like that, thats where the businesses come into play. everyone one here talking shit are stupid , in the pinta thats called a cell soldier. where you run your mouth cuz youre behind steel door and cant be touched.