Gangs and the military

Gangs and the MilitaryGangs and the MilitaryCarter F. Smith, JD, PhDCarter F. Smith, JD, PhDU.S. Army CID (Retired)U.S. Army CID (Retired)

[email protected]@gmail.com615-656-3505615-656-3505

http://www.gangsinthemilitary.com

The views expressed in this The views expressed in this presentation are those of the presenter presentation are those of the presenter and do not reflect the official policy or and do not reflect the official policy or

position of the Department of the position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the Army, Department of Defense, or the

U.S. Government.U.S. Government.

Military tactics?

Military Weapons•Military tactics not only concern. • Gang members with military

weapons escalate threat. –Even soldiers with no clear ties to

gangs make military-style assault weapons available to street gang members.

Unconventional Weapons

• December, 2008: former soldier in Oklahoma City, OK tried to sell IEDs to gang members for $100.00.

• Ft. Bliss, TX (CID, 2009): soldier and three non-DoD civilians arrested for murder of known drug cartel member in El Paso, TX. “Crazy Mexican Killers” affiliation – feeder for Barrio Azteca gang.

• Ft. Meade, MD (CID, 2009): Armed robbery at Burger King on post. Suspect family member linked to a local gang called “All Bout Money.”–affiliated with Bloods

7

• Ft. Stewart, GA (CID, 2009): Soldier robbed at gunpoint in his barracks room by 3 unidentified males wearing ski masks. –Numerous “Folk Gang Nation” tattoos and

gang paraphernalia found in barracks room.• Ft. Wainwright, AK (CID, 2009): Assault

with deadly weapon. Soldier stabbed another off-post after victim stated no real gangs in Fairbanks. –Suspect identified as Bloods gang member.

8

Summary of the problem

• Gang members have primary loyalty to the gang• Military training includes tactics that

gang members can teach to others• Civilian Police Officers are not regularly

trained to respond to military tactics

It’s important for you because

• All gang members in the military return to civilian communities . . . eventually.• Crimes by MTGMs increased since 2002.• MTGMs enter communities and teach

tactics to local gang members. • MTGMs have committed murder,

racketeering, and drug distribution.10

Suspected Gang-Related Investigations/Incidents

Gang-related Investigations and Intelligence Reports

YearYearGang-related Gang-related

Investigation & Investigation & Intel RptsIntel Rpts

% of Total % of Total with DON with DON

NexusNexus

20112011 115115 1.1114%1.1114%

20102010 120120 1.1878%1.1878%

20092009 130130 0.0891%0.0891%

20082008 6767 0.2037%0.2037%

12

• Gang activity represents less than two percent of all NCIS investigative and intelligence reports.

• In 2011, 1.1114% of felony crime & criminal intelligence reports were gang-related; thus, gang threat assessed LOW.

Literature Review

• Military & civilian community unaware of MTGMs.• Estimates of gang

membership in the military mean of 21.5%. *

13

ESTIMATES OF THE % WHOARE CURRENT OR FORMER

GANG MEMBERS BY BRANCH Low High Mean

George W. Knox, Ph.D.

DOD Instruction 1325.6, Nov 2009Change 1, February 22, 2012

• Active participation in gangs is prohibited.– Active participation includes. . . fundraising; demonstrating

or rallying; recruiting, training, organizing, or leading members; distributing material (including posting on-line); knowingly wearing gang colors or clothing; having tattoos or body markings associated with such gangs or organizations; or otherwise engaging in activities in furtherance of the objective of such gangs or organizations that are detrimental to good order, discipline, or mission accomplishment or are incompatible with military service

The problem is they are looking for 1st Generation gangs . . .

15

LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH (Gang-Related)• 5% or less of felony crime - LOW• 6% to 10% of felony crime - MEDIUM • 11% or more of felony crime - HIGH• In 2009, .4% of the felony crime

investigated by CID was gang-related• At the current rate, MEDIUM by 2017

Relevant responses (MTGM presence)

17

Strongly Disagree Disagree No opinion Agree StronglyAgree

4. Gang members in my jurisdiction use military/military-type weapons. +38.2%

3 (2.6%) 29 (24.8%) 40 (34.2%) 30 (25.6%) 15 (12.8%)

5. Gang members in my jurisdiction use military equipment. -56.9%

26 (22.4%) 40 (34.5%) 29 (25.0%) 15 (12.9%) 6 (5.2%)

6. Gang members in my jurisdiction use military-type tactics. -46.5%

15 (12.9%) 39 (33.6%) 36 (31.0%) 17 (14.7%) 9 (7.8%)

Relevant responses (MTGM presence)

18

Strongly Disagree Disagree No opinion Agree StronglyAgree

9. Gang leaders in my community demonstrate military training. -36.8%

12 (10.3%) 31 (26.5%) 42 (35.9%) 22 (18.8%) 10 (8.5%)

10. Some gang members in my jurisdiction have no ties to local gangs. +72.6%

1 (0.8%) 7 (6.0%) 24 (20.5%) 48 (41.0%) 37 (31.6%)

12. There are gang members in my jurisdiction currently in the military. -

36.8%

11 (9.4%) 32 (27.4%) 39 (33.3%) 26 (22.2%) 9 (7.7%)

13. There are gang members in my jurisdiction that served in military. +48.7%

5 (4.3%) 19 (16.5%) 35 (30.4%) 33 (28.7%) 23 (20.0%)

How Big a deal is it?

• Death of Juwan L. Johnson in 2005 – Eight service members are

suspects. • Investigators conclude that

Johnson was beaten to death during a “jumping in” gang initiation ceremony.

linked to suspected Gangster Disciples

““I just don’t picture my son joining a I just don’t picture my son joining a gang” . . . “Does it make any sense gang” . . . “Does it make any sense

that he would join a gang in that he would join a gang in Germany just weeks before he’s Germany just weeks before he’s

going to leave?” going to leave?”

5 top Tijuana cops accused of working with gang

• Five high-ranking officers in 2,100-officer Tijuana PD detained by Mexican federal forces.

• Two were military captains military captains on leave, hired as part of major anti-corruption campaign spearheaded by Tijuana’s secretary of public safety.– Ties to Sinaloa cartel.

• One was former member of the ministerial police.

22


• Infantry• Telecommunications • Paralegal • Military Police • Intelligence Analyst • Transportation • Logistics• Communications

• Medical• Intelligence and

Electronic Warfare • Psychological

Operations • Finance • Chemical Munitions • Explosive Ordnance• Recruiter

Gang members trained for these roles


• Weapons• Ammunition• Grenades• Night Vision Goggles• Ballistic Vests

Police: Same Man Robs 2 So. Fla. Burger Kings With AK-47

M4A1 Carbine

Gang members trained to use

April 2011: U.S. State Department issued warnings advising to defer non-essential travel to much of Mexico due to threat of armed robbery, carjacking, kidnapping

and murder by Zetas.

25

• Three Mexican nationals in conspiracy to trade drugs and cash for military-grade weapons in Feb 2010.• Sinaloa drug cartel– largest drug-smuggling gang in Mexico.

• Anti-aircraft missiles, anti-tank weapons, grenade launchers and M-60 machine guns• Arrest while attempting to deliver

nearly 12 pounds of methamphetamine as partial down payment for military-grade weapons.

26

• More than 38,000 people killed since Mexico launched war on drug gangs in December 2006.

• April 2011 was most violent month yet, with 1,402 deaths

• Soldiers found mass graves of the drug war. • Many gang leaders infiltrated police, courts,

prisons and town halls.• Drug hitmen killed U.S. agent and wounded

another in central Mexico–worst attack on U.S. officials in more than a

decade.27

AND THEN . . .

28

29

AND IF THAT’S NOT BAD ENOUGH . . .

30

31

32

33

For law enforcement• Military Law Enforcement liaison for

recruiters –effective communication with local, state,

and federal agencies.

• Gang activity threat assessments distinguish between youth and adult gang activity• Efforts that succeed at lowering levels of

gang activity identified and shared. 34

What’s the problem?• Military Law Enforcement does not adequately

address the “gang problem.”– Reactive response in most cases – no centralized effort– Sporadic interest depends on grassroots effort.– More often “it’s not our responsibility.”

• Military fails to recognize gang-drug connection.• Military Law Enforcement changes duty

assignments & locations often (unless civilianized).

• Many felt anti-gang prohibitions would limit activity of MTGMs. • Mean (average) of 11% of their gang

members were MTGMs. • Army, including (NG & AR) largest

source MTGMs • Bloods, Crips, and Gangster Disciples

most represented 36

Gangs and the MilitaryCarter F. Smith, JD, PhDU.S. Army CID (Retired)

[email protected]

http://www.gangsinthemilitary.com

Education

Gangs and the military