Top 5 US Prison Gangs

Prison gangs were originally formed by inmates as a means to protect themselves from other inmates. Throughout the years, prison gangs have evolved from a group that provides protection to its members, to criminal entities involved in prostitution, assaults, drugs and murder. Prison gangs continue to thrive because prosecuting them has, historically, been difficult due to the fact that many members are already serving life sentences with no possibility of parole.

1. Neta – Neta is the name of an Hispanic gang that was formed in the late 70s at Oso Blanco prison. In the late 80s, the gang branched out to the east coast of the United States, where they now have over 8,000 members. The gang claims that much of the work done by their faithful members involves teaching Hispanic culture and education, some of which includes experiences from inside prison, and many members claim they are strictly part of an inmate-rights group. However, this is thought of as just a front, as the gang’s main source of income is retail distribution of powder and crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana and, to a lesser extent, LSD, MDMA, methamphetamine and PCP. Neta members commit assault, auto theft, burglary, drive-by shootings, extortion, home invasion, money laundering, robbery, weapons and explosives trafficking, and witness intimidation, just to name a few. They use the facade of a cultural organization and see themselves as oppressed people who are unwilling to be governed by the United States.
2. 415 KUMI – The 415 KUMI is a Black gang that originated in the San Francisco Bay area of California, in 1985. 415 represents the area code for the region, and when added together, the numbers 4+1+5 = 10. KUMI is the Swahili word for “ten.” The 415′s advocate ‘taking back the streets’ by any means necessary. KUMI 415 have been reported to use prison guards to authorize violence against fellow inmates, such as the case in August of 2003, when former correctional officer Leon Holston was charged with aiding and abetting, battery with serious bodily injury, filing a false report by a peace officer and unlawful communication with a prisoner. The gang was able to recruit a guard to help facilitate an attack on a rival member. The guard led the ill-fated inmate into an enclosed area with the 415 KUMI members waiting for him. He was severely beaten and the guard ended up being sentenced to 2 ½ years in prison.
3. Dead Man Inc – The Dead Man Inc is a prison gang that originated as a white gang in the Maryland Department of Corrections around the late 1990s. Perry Roark, one of the original three founders, was respected by the members of the Black Guerrilla Family (See #4) prison gang, but when he tried to join them he was rejected. He then went on to form his own gang, adopting the BGF basic philosophy which is anti-government and anti-authority. The Dead Man Inc quickly grew in numbers, absorbing smaller gangs along the way, and today is one of the largest gangs on the east coast. They are known for their violence against inmates and staff and will reportedly do contract murders for the Black Guerrilla Family. In their haste to grow, some of the lower level leaders allowed non-whites to join and an order was issued that all non-whites had to leave the gang by 4/13/09 or face the consequences. Initially, DMI acted as hired killers for the Black Guerrilla Family, but soon began offering those services to other gangs by targeting rivals and correctional staff. This led to entry into drug trafficking and other crimes to advance their own agendas as their size and power increased.
4. Nazi Low Riders – The Nazi Low Riders are the fastest growing gang in the California prison system. They originated in the California Youth Authority during the 1970′s at Preston School of Industry, and recently have developed a power base from within Los Angeles and Orange Counties, in Southern California. Over 1,000 NLR members have been identified in the system and, because of their propensity for violence toward staff and other inmates, there is grave concern. NLR members view themselves as a separate entity and rivals to the Aryan Brotherhood (#1 on our list), and will do anything to be seen as more violent and superior. While the organization’s main motive appears to be criminal profit, it has been associated with a number of racist attacks, including several outside prison. The most prominent incident associated with the gang occurred on April 1996. Danny Williams and Eric Dillard, two known members of the gang, beat a black teenage boy to death with a baseball bat. In July of the same year, they attacked two more black men, stabbing one of them in the back several times.
5. Texas Syndicate – The Texas Syndicate originated in California’s Folsom prison in the early 70s. It was established in direct response to the other California prison gangs (notably the Aryan Brotherhood and Mexican Mafia (#3)), which were attempting to prey on native Texas inmates. The Texas Syndicate has about 20,000 members in prisons and jails state-wide, with more on the outside. The Syndicate’s activities include drug trafficking, extortion, prostitution, protection, illegal gambling and contract killing. Released or paroled members who generate money for the Texas Syndicate must surrender a 10% tax (“the dime”) of all proceeds that goes towards the gang in prison.