GANGS IN HOUSTON
In Texas, a criminal street gang is
defined as three or more persons
having a common identifying sign or
symbol, or an identifiable leadership
who
continuously
or
regularly
associate
in
the
commission
of
criminal activities.
Texas Penal Code 71.01 (d)
Gang Concentration Across Texas
Lowest
Highest
KNOWN HOUSTON GANGS
Gang
Street Gang
18th Street
x
52 Hoovers-Crips/SE 52 Hoovas
x
59 Bounty Hunters
x
59 Piru
x
5th Ward Circle
x
Prison Gang
Aryan Circle
x
x
Bandidos
x
Barrio Azteca
National
x
x
x
Regional
x
Aryan Brotherhood
Austin Tango Blast (ATX)
Motorcycle
x
x
Bloods
x
x
Crips
x
x
Dallas Tango Blast (D-Town)
x
x
Fort Worth Tango Blast (Foritos)
x
x
52 Hoovers-Crips
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
COLORS: BLUE AND ORANGE
BLUE & ORANGE BELTS
BLUE AND ORANGE BANDANAS
ROMAN NUMERAL 5 AND 2
6 POINT STAR AND/OR 3 POINT
CROWN
PITCH FORK POINTING UP
52HC
HGC (HOOVER GANGSTER
CRIMINAL)
52 HOOVAS
KNOWN HOUSTON GANGS
Gang
Street Gang
18th Street
x
52 Hoovers-Crips/SE 52 Hoovas
x
59 Bounty Hunters
x
59 Piru
x
5th Ward Circle
x
Prison Gang
Aryan Circle
x
x
Bandidos
x
Barrio Azteca
National
x
x
x
Regional
x
Aryan Brotherhood
Austin Tango Blast (ATX)
Motorcycle
x
x
Bloods
x
x
Crips
x
x
Dallas Tango Blast (D-Town)
x
x
Fort Worth Tango Blast (Foritos)
x
x
59 Bounty Hunters
• Colors: Red, Black
• Red and black Clothing &
Bandana
• 5 point star or crown
• Pitch fork down
• M.O.B
• UBN
• DAMU
• Pyramid
• Dawg paws
• Blood spelled out
• 'B' hand sign
• 59BH , 59BHB, BHB, BH,
• Flames, "2" "8" "2"
KNOWN HOUSTON GANGS
Gang
Street Gang
18th Street
x
52 Hoovers-Crips/SE 52 Hoovas
x
59 Bounty Hunters
x
59 Piru
x
5th Ward Circle
x
Prison Gang
Aryan Circle
x
x
Bandidos
x
Barrio Azteca
National
x
x
x
Regional
x
Aryan Brotherhood
Austin Tango Blast (ATX)
Motorcycle
x
x
Bloods
x
x
Crips
x
x
Dallas Tango Blast (D-Town)
x
x
Fort Worth Tango Blast (Foritos)
x
x
59 piru
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Colors: red
Red Bandana
59
59 Piru
Dog paw
UNB, DAMU
5 point star or crown
Pitch fork pointing down
Blood spelled out
21 Love
P Love
KNOWN HOUSTON GANGS
Gang
Street Gang
18th Street
x
52 Hoovers-Crips/SE 52 Hoovas
x
59 Bounty Hunters
x
59 Piru
x
5th Ward Circle
x
Prison Gang
Aryan Circle
x
x
Bandidos
x
Barrio Azteca
National
x
x
x
Regional
x
Aryan Brotherhood
Austin Tango Blast (ATX)
Motorcycle
x
x
Bloods
x
x
Crips
x
x
Dallas Tango Blast (D-Town)
x
x
Fort Worth Tango Blast (Foritos)
x
x
THE ARYAN BROTHERHOOD
•
•
•
•
•
•
ABT
TAB
HH
Swastika
Double lightning bolts
Shield with sword
KNOWN HOUSTON GANGS
Gang
Street Gang
18th Street
x
52 Hoovers-Crips/SE 52 Hoovas
x
59 Bounty Hunters
x
59 Piru
x
5th Ward Circle
x
Prison Gang
Aryan Circle
x
x
Bandidos
x
Barrio Azteca
National
x
x
x
Regional
x
Aryan Brotherhood
Austin Tango Blast (ATX)
Motorcycle
x
x
Bloods
x
x
Crips
x
x
Dallas Tango Blast (D-Town)
x
x
Fort Worth Tango Blast (Foritos)
x
x
THE BLOODS
•
•
•
•
Colors red
5 Point Star or Crowns
Pitch fork down
Often found working at KFC
KNOWN HOUSTON GANGS
Gang
Street Gang
18th Street
x
52 Hoovers-Crips/SE 52 Hoovas
x
59 Bounty Hunters
x
59 Piru
x
5th Ward Circle
x
Prison Gang
Aryan Circle
x
x
Bandidos
x
Barrio Azteca
National
x
x
x
Regional
x
Aryan Brotherhood
Austin Tango Blast (ATX)
Motorcycle
x
x
Bloods
x
x
Crips
x
x
Dallas Tango Blast (D-Town)
x
x
Fort Worth Tango Blast (Foritos)
x
x
THE crips
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
COLOR: BLUE
CRIP
LOCS
CUZ
"C" HAND SIGN
PITCH FORK UP
3 POINT CROWN
6 POINT STAR
"6" , "3"
KNOWN HOUSTON GANGS
Gang
Street Gang
Motorcycle
Regional
National
x
Hermanos Pistoleros Latinos (HPL)
Houstone Tango Blast
x
La Primera
x
Latin Disciples
x
Latin Kings (ALKN)
x
Los Zeta
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Mexican Mafia
MS 13 (Mara Salvatrucha)
Prison Gang
x
x
x
Raza Unida
Rio Grande Valley Tango Blast (Valluco)
x
x
San Antonio Tango Blast (Orejones)
x
x
Southwest Cholos
x
Texas Mexican Mafia (Mexikanemi)
x
Texas Syndicate
x
The houstone tango blast
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Tango Blast
Houstone
Houston
Texas,
Broken Star Emblem
713, 281
PTB
"16"
"20"
"2“
Houston astro’s star
KNOWN HOUSTON GANGS
Gang
Street Gang
Motorcycle
Regional
National
x
Hermanos Pistoleros Latinos (HPL)
Houstone Tango Blast
x
La Primera
x
Latin Disciples
x
Latin Kings (ALKN)
x
Los Zeta
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Mexican Mafia
MS 13 (Mara Salvatrucha)
Prison Gang
x
x
x
Raza Unida
Rio Grande Valley Tango Blast (Valluco)
x
x
San Antonio Tango Blast (Orejones)
x
x
Southwest Cholos
x
Texas Mexican Mafia (Mexikanemi)
x
Texas Syndicate
x
Latin kings
• Colors: Black and Gold
• ALKN
• "ALKQN" Almighty Latin King and Queen
Nation
• LK
• Pitch fork down
• 5 point crown
• Amor de Rey
• ADR - A-Amor D-De R-Rey – King Love
• 5 point crown or star
• Pitch fork down
• "5"
• Kingmaster
• ALKN
KNOWN HOUSTON GANGS
Gang
Street Gang
Motorcycle
Regional
National
x
Hermanos Pistoleros Latinos (HPL)
Houstone Tango Blast
x
La Primera
x
Latin Disciples
x
Latin Kings (ALKN)
x
Los Zeta
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Mexican Mafia
MS 13 (Mara Salvatrucha)
Prison Gang
x
x
x
Raza Unida
Rio Grande Valley Tango Blast (Valluco)
x
x
San Antonio Tango Blast (Orejones)
x
x
Southwest Cholos
x
Texas Mexican Mafia (Mexikanemi)
x
Texas Syndicate
x
Ms-13
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
MS13
MSX3
Mara Salvatrucha
Devil's pitch fork
Muerte Santika
M - hand symbol
Locos Salvatruchos
KNOWN HOUSTON GANGS
Gang
Street Gang
Motorcycle
Regional
National
x
Hermanos Pistoleros Latinos (HPL)
Houstone Tango Blast
x
La Primera
x
Latin Disciples
x
Latin Kings (ALKN)
x
Los Zeta
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Mexican Mafia
MS 13 (Mara Salvatrucha)
Prison Gang
x
x
x
Raza Unida
Rio Grande Valley Tango Blast (Valluco)
x
x
San Antonio Tango Blast (Orejones)
x
x
Southwest Cholos
x
Texas Mexican Mafia (Mexikanemi)
x
Texas Syndicate
x
SOUTHWEST CHOLOS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Colors: Black
BLACK bandana
SWC 13
Cartoon Cholo
5 point star or crown
Pitchfork down
Black rosary
Long black belt
SW hand sign
KNOWN HOUSTON GANGS
Gang
Street Gang
Treetop Bloods / Hilltop Bloods
x
West Tango
x
Prison Gang
x
Motorcycle
Regional
National
SMALL B - BLOODS
BIG B - BLOODS
CK – KILL CRIPS
5 POINT STAR
MS-13
CRIPS
Known Gang terms
• Gat: A gun.
• Deuce Deuce: A 22 caliber pistol.
• Strapped: Carrying a gun.
• Turf/Kingdom: Gang’s claimed area.
• Slippin: Gang member letting his guard down.
• Put ‘em in check: Discipline or correct a member of the gang.
• Violation: Punishment for a gang member who breaks the rules.
• S.O.S.: Shoot on sight.
• B.O.S.: Beat on sight.
• T.O.S.: Terminate on sight.
• Mad Juice: Respect for.
• Flag/Rag/Heart: Specifically colored bandana used by a gang member
to identify with his gang.
Known Gang terms
• Beat in: A prospect’s initiation into the gang by fighting established
members.
• Sex in: A female prospect’s initiation into the gang by having sex
with its member(s)/leadership.
• Cheddar/Snaps: Money.
• Chop it up: Talk.
• Area codes: Members use area codes to identify their geographic
areas, i.e., Miami (305)/Los Angeles (213), etc.
• 187: California penal code for murder.
• OG: Original gangster.
• BG/Pee Wee: Baby gangster.
• Banging: Gang fight/shooting.
• MOB.: Money over bitches.
Warning signs of gang membership
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Baseball caps worn distinctively to the left or the
right.
Tattoos of stars, pitchforks, or unexplained symbols.
Jewelry, including rings, earrings, and necklaces with
nicknames, stars, pitchforks or unexplained initials or
symbols.
Money from an unexplained source.
Certain clothes with particular colors and sport team
identification which are the only type a child will wear.
New friends that parents are not acquainted with and
whom they are not allowed to meet.
Unexplained signs and symbols on books, folders, clothes,
bedroom walls and personal belongings.
Truancy or poor progress in school.
Frequent negative contacts with police.
Levels of gang INVOLMENT
Recruit/Wanna Be
Youth who are not yet initiated into the gang. Usually a period
of time to test the commitment of the recruit to serve the
gang.
Gang Member
An individual who has been initiated into the gang and is now
an active member who represents the gang through its colors,
signs, and symbols, and serves the gang in its activities.
Original Gangster
"OG", Veterano - An individual who has been in the gang for an
extended period of time and is committed to the gang
lifestyle. `
METHODS OF JOINING A GANG
Beat - Clicked - Jumped In - An initiation where a recruit fights multiple
members of the gang all at once. The fights can last anywhere from seconds to
several minutes and they are violent, physical beatings.
Sexed In - Some gangs initiate females by requiring them to have sex with all
the ranking members or members who are present at the initiation. When a
female chooses this path into the gang, she is usually not respected by its
members. Girls can also choose to be jumped or clicked in.
Commit a Crime - Gangs may also require recruits to commit some type of crime to
get into the gang.
Born In - Recruits who have parents, siblings or other relatives in a gang, or
who have grown up in or around the gang can be considered born in members.
They have had so much exposure to the gang that it is expected that they will
join. Born in recruits may or may not have to go through a beat in.
Blessed In - Being blessed in also has ties to gang involved families. The
process seldom involves physical beatings and instead involves reciting gang
prayers, readings or traditions.
FINAL REVIEW – A GANG MEMBER IS
A gang member is a person who admits to gang membership or meets two or
more of the following criteria:
• Is identifiable as a member of a gang by a reliable informant or source.
• Is observed to associate on a regular basis with known gang members.
• Has several arrests or contacts with police in the presence of known
gang members.
• Resides in or frequents a particular gang area, and affects their style
of dress, use of hand signs, symbols, tattoos and/or other identifiable
characteristics.
• Appears in photographs or other electronic or digital media with
known gang members.
• Corresponds with known gang members or writes and/or receives
correspondence about gang activity; or is in possession of gang or gangrelated documents or correspondence; or name appears on a gang
document or gang related graffiti.
• Has a past criminal record for gang activity (from any law enforcement
source).
• Is identified as a member of a Corrections Department Security Threat
Group
Sources of information
• The fort bend county sheriff’s office
• The G.R.E.A.T. Program (Gang Resistance and
Education Training)
• Stop Houston Gangs
• Texas Department of Public Safety
• National Gang Center
• FBI – Gang Awareness Unit