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Military Weapons in Gangsters' Hands
Gangs are acquiring highpowered, military-grade weapons more frequently, according to the latest National Gang Intelligence Center Report. And FBI and law enforcement officials suggest gang members -- both enlisted and those working at military bases as contract civilians -- may be funneling the firearms to their street-level counterparts.
In late July, 27 AK-47s were stolen from a Fort Irwin warehouse, officials said. Those close to the case, who would speak only under the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the subject, said investigators believe gang members were involved in the theft.
Related Story: FBI Says Gangs Infiltrating the US Military
One source said the base had hired parolees, and officials are investigating the possibility parolees may have been involved in the heist. The source believes that since the theft, the base has discontinued the practice.
Gus Bahena, interim director of the public affairs office at Fort Irwin, said authorities couldn't comment on whether the base hires parolees, but did state officials were aware of gang issues.
Christopher Grey, spokesman for the Army's Criminal Investigation Command in Quantico, Va., confirmed the independent agency that investigates felony-level crimes was actively working the Fort Irwin case but wouldn't comment on the details, stating they wanted to maintain the integrity of the investigation.
As of April of this year, the NGIC has identified gang members from 53 gangs who are serving in the military. Members of 37 of those gangs -- including the notorious 18th Street and Mara Salvatrucha 13 -- have infiltrated the Army. Twenty-eight gangs have been identified within the Marine Corps' ranks and five in the Air Force.
The exact number of enlisted gang members is hard to come by, as many times investigators only see graffiti or paraphernalia as evidence of gang activity. For example, investigators found evidence that the motorcycle gang Devils Diciples [sic] -- the same one California State University, San Bernardino Professor Steven Kinzey is allegedly tied to -- has members in the military, but that evidence was found in areas where several branches have access.
While it appears the Army has the largest problem with gangs, some experts feel other branches may be underreporting the number of gang members within the rank and file.
"I think the problem -- percentage wise -- is bigger in the Marines but there are no statistics to back that up since the Marines fail to admit it ever existed," said Richard Valdemar, a retired Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department sergeant and gang expert. "In incidents I am personally familiar with, it seems to be mostly in the Marines."
According to the latest NGIC report released last month, gang members are getting their hands on a variety of military-grade weapons including rifles, grenades, artillery rounds and even body armor.
In the first week of November, a known gang member and his wife were arrested in Adelanto after Victor Valley SMASH Gang Team officials found several weapons in their home including a military artillery round in their garage.
Earlier this year, a field artillery round was found in an Apple Valley home, according to sheriff's reports. When it was detonated in the open desert, it created a 6-foot crater.
It didn't surprise ex-Hammerskin Nation gang member and former Marine T.J. Leyden to hear gangsters are getting their hands on heavy explosives.
"It's a lot harder to get firearms and rifles off a base but artillery rounds aren't that difficult," he said.
According to Leyden, rifles and firearms are counted three times daily but when it comes to artillery rounds, it's much easier to give false numbers.
"It's easy to say you fired 10 rounds when you only actually fired eight or six," the former Hesperia resident said.
While it may be more difficult to smuggle assault rifles and similar weapons off bases and into the hands of gang members, it's being done.
In November 2010, three former Marines were arrested in Los Angeles for selling assault weapons to members of the violent street gang, Florencia 13, according to the NGIC report. That same month, a Navy Seal from San Diego and two others were arrested in Colorado for smuggling about 18 military-issued machine guns from Iraq and Afghanistan to be sold and shipped to buyers in Mexico. It was unclear if any of the servicemen were gang members.
Gang experts feel a more stringent qualification process during recruitment plus continued vigilance and education about gangs and their practices could help identify gang members within the ranks.
"Every gang member in the military is a crap shoot," Valdemar said. "To whom do his loyalties truly stand with? We don't really know. That is the problem."
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