BARRIO AZTECA 

The Barrio Azteca was organized in the El Paso Texas County Jail and moved to the streets and eventually found its way into the Texas prison system.  They were being noticed in the prison system in the early 1990s.  There were 12 original leaders of the group.  They went to war against the Mexican Mafia (Mexikanemi) around 1991-92.  They soon made a name for themselves.  They are considered very violent and are the only group to allow females to carry high rank and to participate in gang activities.  

They are not friendly with the Mexican Mafia.  In New Mexico and Arizona prisons, both state and federal, they are at war with the Border Brothers.

HERMANOS DE PISTOLEROS LATINOS - AKA Pistoleros Latinos

When translated the name of this group means the "Brotherhood of Latin Gunmen."  Also known as the HPL, the group was founded in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in the mid 1980's.  The HPL has been reported to be involved in many criminal activities to include gambling, inmate assaults, protection rackets, staff intimidation and murder.

Internal problems within the group forced a division among the members and today one faction calls itself the "Sixteen - Twelve," or 16/12.  These numbers refer to the 16th and 12th letters of the alphabet;  P/L or "Pistoleros Latinos."  The other faction calls itself the "Forty-Fives," and uses as one of its known tattoos, the .45 caliber automatic pistol.  Although operating as separate factions, the groups follow the constitution and other rules of the HPL.

The ABT originated in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in the early 1980's.  It is patterned after the California Aryan Brotherhood who sanctioned the use of their name.  

A council, or steering committee, provides leadership.  This committee approves prospective members, makes decisions on gang rules, and is responsible for resolving problems between members.  The committee is also the authority, which issues orders for  "hits" or "contracts."

Adversarial rivalry exists between the ABT and the Mandingo Warriors, La Nuestra Familia, Black Guerilla Family and other black groups.

DIRTY WHITE BOYS

The name of this gang is believed to have originated in the federal system in 1985 and stems from the name of a prison softball team.  As the name implies it is a "white" gang but does not appear to have white supremacy philosophies.  It is found in many of the Federal Institutions and is associated with the Aryan Brotherhood, Texas Syndicate, Aryan Brotherhood of Texas and possibly the Mexican Mafia.

A members tattoo is referred to as his "patch" and includes the outline of his home state (Texas, California, etc.)

Criminal activity primarily involves drugs.

Translated, Mexikanemi means "Free-Mexican."  This gang formed in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in 1984 and is also known as the Mexican Mafia. (Note:  This gang is sometimes mistaken as the traditional Mexican Mafia of California.  It is a separate group.)  The Mexican Mafia also refer to themselves as La Eme (Spanish pronunciation for the letter "M.") while the Mexikanemi sometimes refer to themselves as EMI.

After forming, the group rapidly grew to become the largest gang in the Texas system (numbers reported only as "Mexican Mafia") and became known for criminal activity to include extortion, drugs and murder.  They state that they will conduct any criminal activity that will benefit their advancement including contract assassinations.

Still under the leadership of Herbert Huerta, the gang and the Texas Syndicate were to stage a 90 day hunger strike on January 1, 2000 to make the public aware of the horrible conditions in administrative segregation.

A Mexikanemi member must be prepared to give up his life or to take the life of someone else at any time.

TEXAS MAFIA 

The TM originated in the Texas Department of Corrections in the early 1980's and is comprised of predominately white convicts and ex-convicts.  It is known as an organized crime-type entity.

Many of the members are drug traffickers and have extensive knowledge about drugs and trafficking. Members often specialize in methamphetamine and many have close ties with motorcycle gangs. The TM will commit robberies, burglaries, thefts, etc.  for other gangs for 15% of the value of the goods.

This gang has displayed a propensity for violence and has been reported to have been involved in inmate homicides.  They have also been linked to "outside" criminal activity.

The Texas Mafia and the Texas Syndicate have very close ties and they refer to the TS members as their cousins.  They have been known to carry out "hits" for the TS.

Tattoos may be found on the right forearm or behind the right shoulder.  Texas Mafia rules dictate that a TM inmate must be tattooed before leaving the Texas Department of Corrections.

MANDINGO WARRIORS/SEED BROTHERS

The MW formed in Texas about 1984 as a result of antagonism by other gangs; the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, the Texas Mafia and the Texas Syndicate.  They have attempted to recruit lesser known black gangs into their group.  Known tattoos include a warriors shield with crossed spears behind the shield and a sword below.  In addition, the MW (Seed Brothers) may have a tattoo of a watermelon with five seeds on the right hand.  Variations of this tattoo may be the watermelon without the seeds or the seeds without the watermelon.

TEXAS SYNDICATE

The Texas Syndicate formed in the California prison system in the 1970s.  Hispanic Texans doing time in these prisons were being victimized by other inmates.  In a show of force, they initially formed for self-protection.  They became know as the most ruthless and violent gang in California prisons.  A lone member would go into a group of inmates to kill setting aside his own safety.  As some of these members moved back to Texas and were subsequently incarcerated, they spread throughout the Texas prison system with the same ruthlessness and violence.  Being very particular about membership, the once all Hispanic group let in few white inmates join the gang.  In the 1980s the TS went to war with the newer gang, the Mexikanemi led by inmate Herbert Huerta, a writ writer.  Putting a challenge before the dominant TS, the two groups warred for several years leaving a bloody trail in prison and on the streets.  The TS, always the smarter, left no doubt with the MM and other gangs that their dominance would continue.  Today, they coexist in peace.  One Hispanic state legislator, who later became the state's attorney general, attempted to bring the two gangs together to find a peaceful solution to their war.  Critics of the plan said that such a move would legitimize these criminal gangs.  

The Texas syndicate is still under the thumb of Francisco "Panchito" Gonzales, a California inmate at Pelican Bay.  Another TS member has been attempting to form a splinter group called the Originales.  Since then a hit has been placed on this member.  He was tthe same TS member who had brought the Tri-City Bombers to the TS's attention in the early 1990s.  The TS is in many prison systems, including the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP).  

RAZA UNIDA

The Raza Unida has divided into three factions.

• Surenos

• Nortenos

• Originals

These factions do not appear to get along much less with other STG's.  Of Hispanic origin, this gang surfaced in the 1990's.

PRM/MEXICLES

It was noticed that some of the Mexican nationals were grouping up and running in tight circles.  The origins are still vague but they hang together for protection due to the fact they are off-limits to being recruited by the other gangs.  The HPL are the only ones that actually have recruited a few of them.  The PRM (Partido Revolucionario Mexicano) are said to be the more cultured, dignified of the two and rumor has it they are also aligned with the PRI (Mexican Political Party).  The Mexicles are those not good enough to join the PRM.  It is hard to tell the difference between the two as they write the same lingo and are pretty closely knit.  They are very violent because of them not wanting to be deported when they are released from prison.  There are generals for the different regions and are well organized.  The PRM do have a tattoo but only a few have been seen on offenders.

They have been known to side with the TS, Barrio Azteca and MM, depending upon the unit and the situation.  They are rapidly growing.

TRI-CITY BOMBERS/BROTHERHOOD

Back in the 1980s, the Bombers began as a break dance crew.  This was not a money making venture so they did petty crimes.  The leaders of the group wanted to take the group to a higher level.  A confirmed Texas Syndicate member, who saw the potential in the group, took them under his wing and schooled them with the blessing of the TS.  Both the Bomber and Brotherhood constitutions mirror the TS's.  One of the leaders came to prison and was intent on keeping the Bombers alive, however, he made friends with those out of the Valley (South Texas).  He knew they could never be Bombers so he created the Brotherhood.  He was soon on the outs with the Mexikanemi (MM) and the Raza Unida.  He then hid behind the skirts of the TS too much thus causing them to cut him loose.  The Brotherhood and Bombers at this time do not get along and were at war.  As of this writing, they have signed a six month peace treaty which has been slow to hit the streets of the Valley.