Texas Syndicate

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The Texas Syndicate or Syndicato tejano is a mostly Texas-based prison gang that includes mostly Hispanic members, and does not allow Caucasian members. The Texas Syndicate, more than La Eme or Nuestra Familia, has been more associated or allied with Mexican immigrant prisoners, such as the "Border Brothers", while La Eme and the NF tend to be more composed of US-born/raised Hispanics.

It was established in direct response to the other California prison gangs (notably the Aryan Brotherhood and Mexican Mafia), which were attempting to prey on native Texas inmates.

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[edit] Membership

As of 2000, the Texas Syndicate had about 1,000 members in prisons and jails state-wide, with many more on the outside. 826 Hispanic members operate across Texas, including specific reportings in the Coffield Unit, about 60 miles southwest of Tyler, and at the Allred prison unit outside of Wichita Falls. However, they still maintain their headquarters in California, where their national president resides, and their numbers continue to reach into state and federal prisons across the US. They have been reported in the Federal Correctional Institute at Oakdale, Louisiana, and in San Quentin, California, with frequency. As a street gang, heavy activity has been reported in Austin, Texas, and Corpus Christi,Texas.

[edit] Enemies

Rivals of the Texas Syndicate have included or presently include:

[edit] Allies

[edit] Development

Development of the Texas Syndicate was initially motivated by self-protection against the historical "building tenders" in prison. After building tenders disappeared, the Syndicate's activities turned to drug trafficking, extortion, prostitution, protection, gambling, and contract murder. Released or parole members who generate money for the Texas Syndicate must surrender a 10% tax of all proceeds toward the gang in prison.

TS has a paramilitary structure, headed by a president and vice president elected by the general member population. Each prison unit is controlled by a chairman, who oversees a vice chairman, captain, lieutenant, sergeant of arms, and numerous soldiers. Ranking members in prison are automatically demoted to the level of soldier upon institutional reclassification.

[edit] Gang Rules

Texas Syndicate members are required to follow a "Constitution," stipulating that members:

  • Be a Texan
  • Always remain a member
  • Place the Texas Syndicate before anything else
  • Understand that the Texas Syndicate is always in the right
  • Wear the Texas Syndicate tattoo
  • Never let a member down
  • Respect other members
  • Keep all gang information within the group (Fong 1990)
  • Leadership is determined by democratic vote, requiring unanimity. Recruitment is achieved by demonstrating a "homeboy connection," passing a background check to make sure the prospect is not an informer, and receiving a unanimous vote.

[edit] Propensity for Disruptive Behavior

  • There is some representation in the Florida Department of Corrections.
  • The TS has been found to be recruiting.
  • The history of the group and documented acts of violence in other jurisdictions warrant their certification as a Security Threat Group.
  • Receipt of inmates on interstate compact and the current membership in groups with Hispanic and Latino supremacy ideology lend to the threat of an organizing TS within our facilities.
  • The main activities of the TS are centered around drug trafficking, extortion, pressure rackets, and internal discipline.

[edit] Leaders

Hector Soto, a former local leader of the Austin-area Texas Syndicate in prison, sentenced for drug possession in 2000.

Randy Salazar, alleged leader of the Syndicate in Austin as of 2004.

After Salazar, authorities have named Robert Velez as the leader of the Syndicate's Austin operation, as well as Victor Barrera Morones, who kept a storehouse of weapons in Austin.

In 1989, Noe Beltran was a leader of the Texas Syndicate prison gang, promoted to captain at Ellis II Unit prison just north of Hunstville, Texas.

In 1983, Eliseo Martinez was alleged unit-leader of the Syndicate in prison at TDC's Ramsey I Unit, who was serving a 20 year sentence in the 80s for a prison-murder.

In 1994, Arnulfo Nino was leader in the federal prison at Fort Worth, Texas, convicted for possession of more than 800 pounds of cocaine, and distributing more than 80 pounds per week Alleged leader Frank de la Cruz was charged with assault with a deadly weapon in 2001 at the Federal Correctional Institute at Oakdale.

[edit] Communication and Identification

TS members have communicated via: Coded messages, and number-coded letters, where the subtle indication of certain numbers interspersed throughout the letter are combined and decrypted to form a phrase. Number codes change on a periodic basis to prevent counter-codes by law-enforcement. The Texas Syndicate's artistic identification system includes:

  • a heart for an executioner
  • a trident for an enforcer
  • three marks of a bird's footprint for a drug dealer, and
  • five marks for a weapons supplier
  • Tattoos: Overlapping "TS", or an "S" superimposed over a "T."
  • Slang terms: "Babydoll" refers to Mexican Mafia members.
  • "Charco" refers to Corpus Christi
  • "Chuco" refers to El Paso
  • "Space City" refers to Houston.

[edit] External Links