The Los Angeles Times has an article about the indictment of local Vineland Boyz gang, which sounds closer to the Mafia than what one would typically think of as a street gang.
The Vineland Boyz, a tight-knit gang that grew out of a football team in the late 1980s, was one of the most violent street gangs in the San Fernando Valley, but it operated primarily as a business, trading in narcotics and high-end illegal weapons and stealing big-ticket appliances from construction sites, according to a federal indictment made public Tuesday.
They've been arrested under federal RICO statutes, which means it shouldn't be hard to get convictions because -- as I understand it -- the level of gang involvement required for guilt is very low. Good.
The gang absorbed several other street gangs, forged an alliance with the Mexican Mafia to boost its narcotics trade, and controlled large areas of the San Fernando Valley and Burbank, the indictment said.The gang became the focus of law enforcement in November 2003, when reputed member David Garcia allegedly fatally shot Burbank Police Officer Matthew Pavelka near the Bob Hope Airport and fled across the Mexican border. Garcia was captured 13 days later by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Obviously part of the alliance with the Mexican Mafia includes assistance for any Boyz member who needs to flee to Mexico... a sort of reverse Underground Railroad. I don't doubt that the gang also helped Mexican gang members come to Los Angeles.
In the Hat posted some history of the Vineland Boyz last year.
In a conversation with an SEU cop the other day, I was told that the VINELAND BOYZ gang is actually a migratory gang that used to claim NORTH HOLLYWOOD but were driven out or moved out due to pressure from other NH gangs. At one point in their move from NH to SUNLAND, they called themselves the VILLAGE BOYS. If anybody can shed light on this, feel free to correct me. This cop also pointed out that most VB players don't like to be inked and don't look like the average citizen's image of a gangster.... They made the transition from ball players to tagging crews back in the mid 90s and by 1998 were heavily involved in drive-bys, slanging and tax collection. VB, of course, took a big hit when BURBANK PD and LAPD arrested dozens of players after PAVELKA's murder. While it may not be in shambles, VB isn't the hegemonic powerhouse it used to be. In the wake of police pressure, we heard that some shot callers in VB actually GREENLIGHTED every cop in the area.
An article about gang activity in Los Angeles from 1998 at StreetGangs.com also mentions the Vineland Boyz.
Despite its reputation as L.A.'s version of Nebraska, the Valley harbors nearly as many hard-core gang members per square mile as South-Central Los Angeles. The primary concentration is in Pacoima. Nearby rivals are next door in San Fernando, which has only a few gangs but many members. Gangs of interest include the Shakin' Cat midgets, who began aficionados of rockabilly music, and to the east, the Vineland Boyz, who have earned a nasty reputation for multiple drive-bys -- a Pacoima gang member estimates they`ve killed 26 and left at least four paralyzed. These killings have, in a twisted way, earned the respect of the other local gangs because the shootings were unprovoked and indiscriminate.
Garcia,
Never commited a crime in regards of the shooting, The homie Monchis RIP was the trigger man, Garcia was just a smoker he only liked to smoke out. I know because I am a member of this gang and met garcia in the past. A nother thing is that he never belonged to any gang in his life he just knew a few homies. I get tired of hearing all the bull the media puts out exagerating on things being done, allot of homies are good hard working people the others do what they have to to make a living for their famalies, I beleive that this f*cked up goverment needs to focus on other issues and not make small issues so big. All gangs do what this one does they just want their wrong to look right. It makes me mad to see the the cops do what they do to the homies and makes me hate them with all my guts, Thats why I have no respect for them. Only if you were to see what I see you would also think differently.
The VBz are Mexican Scum so what does that say about you?! Anyone who has no respect for the people who try and provide a blanket of protection for you and yours is scum. Regardless of who pulled the trigger that killed Pavelka, the VBz are going down according to all of the raids that I've seen on the news lately. Hard working people don't kill people! They go to work and put the money on the table. More than likely you won't read this cause you're probably one of the many that have been arrested. But if you do respond I'll track your computers IP address back and send it to Burbank PD along with your comments above. Affiliation to the VBz is guilty by default... HAHAHAHA. Loser.
Am I agang member simply by the fact that I know some of the people listed in the indictment? Am I guilty simply by the fact that I live in Sun Valley and attended elementary, middle and high school with these guys?
There's no debating that some of the suspects arrested belong in jail, but what if someone's NOT guilty?
Do they belong in jail too?
I'm concerned about the wave of killings that will result from Operation Green Light in response to Silent Night!
God, Help Us!!!
Shalom
I know david and he IS NOT A VINELAND BOY so stop the Bs and leave him alone and he also didn't kill the officer he just got scare and left to mexico
i know david he was a good kid. some of the vineland boys are good people.
Councilwoman Stacey Jo Murphy, 47 was in custody on suspicion of cocaine possession and child endangerment, in connection with an investigation by a street gang task force, police said.
Why was she allowed to bailout of jail while everyone else indictted on federal charges remain with out bail?
Is Burbank emberassed to face up to the truth that one of their own is rotten.
is RICO coming after her too?
Let's see how just our justice system really is!!!
7 Mary 3, John Baker, CHP
There are several factors which bring me to my decision regarding the VBz. One is the fact that they are of Hispanic descent as am I which makes my ethnicity look bad and the other is the fact that I knew the deceased officer indirectly.
My thoughts go out to the families of all who were involved in this fiasco including VBz and task force agencies.
What strikes me as outrages is the fact that the VB's are calling all out war on the Authorities!
Why not just join the Al-Qaida network and help kill the infidels just so they can traffic guns and sell the dope to their own people? What's wrong with working like normal people?
Councilwoman Stacy Murphy deserves whatever she gets but that is because of her own bad choices. That is nothing that I can argue as I believe that Burbank PD feels betrayed but I can only speculate.
John(CHP), the PD I'm sure keeps business separate from politics but maybe you know something that I don't know? I'm sure there is some sort of emotion as there is on the VB side!
There are other people affiliated with this gang that have also made bad choices. Those people as will Stacy Murphy will pay for their wrong doings. Regardless, I believe that if you commit a crime or are involved in any way whatsoever then you must pay the consequences.
I feel bad for all that have been murdered and arrested. I should also note that if you want to see how people perceive you, then you should look at the people that you associate with and that should give you an impression of how people perceive you.
All of the Gangs ANYWHERE are full of shit.... Why do you need to join a gang? 1st- they are afraid to be on their own, because they want protection and can't take care of their own shit. 2- they are so lazy and have no education that they rely on crime to make a living. I hate people that try to find excuses as to why they join gangs or commit murders. "oh poor cholo he never had a father" or "ohh he never had a chance living in the hood" and then when they get killed you see all these people crying. "ohh he was a good person" I feel bad for all those moms who see their children die. But stupid people deserve to die or be in jail. I'm not saying i'm perfect but i came out of the hood, went to school and have a decent job that brings the money i need to feed my children. I was jumped by 20 vatos.... I kicked the shit out of one guy (personal problems) and he called his homies telling them i had talked shit about the hood. Man, i even told them to do it one by one and they were afraid to do it. That showed me that gang members are afraid as individuals but together they think they are the shit.
I have an idea!
How about we ship all them brown bangers and we ship 'em back to Mexico or sweep mines in Iraq. Let's see how tough they really are!
I don't think that will work Patriot but I know where you are going with this. How about we just put them in prisons where the Opposite gangs rule? For the VBZ that would be a prison that is ruled by Nuestra Familia. Should be a nice time for those idiots from the VBZ to try to live in that place!!!!! I've read about these rivals therfore this should work out nice.!!!!
All I can say is that law enforcement doesn't all ways tell the whole truth. Some times innocent people get accused of crimes they did not committ. I'm not a Vineland Boy, why are they coming after me?
Cleto, you have a point. There can be corruption for example the Stacey Murphey ordeal.
There is paranoia on both ends. Law enforcement officials going after everyone affiliated with the VBs to either arrest or get info from them and the VBs giving a green light on any BPD officer. It's sad but one has to prevail. In this case I hope the peace officers prevail.
A relative of mine is one named in the "indictment". He is not a "Vineland Boy" and I feel, as like others, that his only involvement in all this is that we grew up around most of these individuals in Sun Valley. After having read the "indictment" I feel that in my relative's case there is injustice. I can't speak for others whom I do not know. I am confident that all this will turn out well for my relative. He is my main concern.
JB
HORSE IS A GREAT MAN..TOO BAD HE IS JAIL..HE WAS THE SHIT..DIBS GO OUT TO HORACIO FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK HES DONE IN LIFE....AND ALL THE COCAINE HE SUPPLIED TO US IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEJO..VLB FOR LIFE ESE....
Okay Mr. Wood I think your above comment was just a bit too informative. These individuals are going to trial and therefore you should watch what you say. Word from the wise.
Wood,
I agree with JB. Keep up that kind of talk and that's exactly what you'll be taking in prison. Lot's of wood...
u know what all cops and fucken government are fucken stupid they claim my uncle was a vb there a bunch of fucken idiots go arrest some fucken white boys that fucken rape there own kids..do your fucken job correctly or go do some more fucken reaserch and get your shit right shit like this make me fucken hate cops and makes me think that ther all dumbasses but i know there has to be a smart cop saying this anit even legal its just some socalled payback right!!! i just think people need to get there shit straight and move on ....sorry..but peace out homies........
Was up Big homies from Sun Valley well i know the Vineland boys have been the hardest gang in the valley thas y every body hates including cops but thas the way the world is but who says the cops r the good guys especially the burbank ones cmon now we all know that if u aint white ur getting pulled over they couldnt see a young mexican in an escalade so thas ur answer when they did ...............rip compa monchis and the homie pask and stay up petey
Ramon Aranda (Monchis) is just 1 of the few that i can say if it was gonna be done who else than monchis .......Alrato Haters
Hey Dumb ass! That is a run on sentence. Ever think about picking up a book? You are the reason that Hispanic people have a bad name. Get a clue dummy.
I'm Mexican and don't have a clue as to what you and the VB boyz value?!?! Obviously the English language or human life isn't one of them but maybe it's Spinners on your wheels or just a Raider game?
Anyway, get a clue son and live in the now. When one of your fam members gets hurt by some idiot gang member then you will sing a different tune son.
"Alrato Dumb Ass"
The Vineland boys are scared little boys and they only need approval from there homies because there own families dont want them.
I hope who ever has information on the killing of Nicole in Sun Valley,Ca comes forward and tells North Hollywood Police Dept. Just drop a dime and give information.The information will be confidental. You would save someone else's life and the gangs will be out of business if they are put in prison for life.