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NUESTRA
FAMILIA STILL IN BUSINESS
Leaders' prison transfers shift, confuse balance of power among feared
gang's street operators
Monterey
County Herald | January 20, 2006 Friday
Copyright 2006 Monterey County Herald. All Rights Reserved. Posted with
permission.
By JULIA REYNOLDS and GEORGE B. SANCHEZ
Herald Staff Writers
The transfer of five Nuestra Familia generals and captains
to federal prison last month caused a dramatic shift in the gang's leadership,
but police say little has changed on Monterey County streets.
The shift at the top hasn't stopped the "organized work of the Nuestra
Familia" in the area, said Salinas police Lt. Manny Perrien.
"The people on the streets, the soldiers, are still taking care of
business," he said.
The gang continues to have a role in organized robberies and the drug
trade, controlling heroin sales in areas such as Chinatown in Salinas.
"Those things are pretty firm regardless of the top. Whether the
general is in Colorado or Northern California, the day-to-day operation
is still happening," Perrien said.
But at higher levels, there is evidence of strife as the gang splits into
two divisions -- state and federal.
The transfer of the leaders, said Devan Hawkes, a gang investigator at
Pelican Bay prison, has already sown confusion among Nuestra Familia members.
New California leadership has emerged at the prison, but Hawkes said members
on the streets are unsure whether they should take orders from the old
leaders in federal custody or a new general in Pelican Bay. Leadership
"conflicts" have developed in Salinas, San Jose and San Francisco.
"There is currently an investigation by the (Nuestra Familia) into
loyalties in Salinas and within other prisons," Hawkes said.
Today, David "DC" Cervantes of Chino is the sole general at
the head of the Nuestra Familia in Pelican Bay, Hawkes said. Cervantes
has taken charge of Monterey County operations.
Another general, James "Conejo" Perez, has been demoted, though
investigators are not sure why.
Four captains have been placed in charge of various regions, investigators
said: Antonio "Chuco" Guillen, 39, from San Jose, said to be
responsible for NF operations in Santa Clara County; George "Puppet"
Franco, 39, from San Jose, responsible for Stockton, Tracy and Fresno;
Jose Armando "Huero" Gonzalez, a longtime captain, and Shawn
"Bubbles" Cameron, 29, of Hanford.
Though the transfer from one supermax prison to another may have only
shifted the problem out of state, Hawkes said the move was still worthwhile.
"How they address the Nuestra Familia in the federal prisons, I don't
know, but with them gone, it really gave us the opportunity to step up
our efforts," Hawkes said. "They had to reorganize and restructure."
More important, he said, communication between Pelican Bay and the street
has been hindered.
"Communication is their biggest problem right now, and a lot of what
they're communicating is not getting where they want it."
Julia Reynolds can be reached at 648-1187 or jreynolds@montereyherald.com.
George B. Sanchez can be reached at 753-6771 or gesanchez@montereyherald.com
.
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