It's made up by him," he said, adding that Gonzalez's "allegations will be flushed out during discovery and the truth will prevail. According to Gonzalez's testimony, which was obtained by NBC News, the "Executioners" use violence against other deputies and community members as well as illegal arrest quotas to increase their standing within the group. Tom Yu, Hernandez's attorney, denied the allegations during a phone interview with NBC News. When Captain Larry Waldie denied the request, Juarez organized a slowdown of the gang’s work. The attorney who compelled Gonzalez to testify, John Sweeney, has represented several families suing the county over wrongful death and excessive force cases stemming from the Compton Sheriffâs station. LASD whistleblower Deputy Art Gonzalez said – under oath – the deputy who shot and killed 18-year-old Andres Guardado was a prospective member of the Executioners, an alleged violent clique of tattooed deputies inside the Compton Sheriff's station. The deputy who shot and killed 18-year-old Andres Guardado outside a car shop in Gardena was a prospective member of a violent clique inside the Compton Sheriffâs station, according to the sworn testimony of a whistleblower. The teen ran and was gunned down by officer Miguel Vega. Deputy Austreberto “Art” Gonzalez, who has worked at Compton for over five years, identified both Vega and Hernandez as "prospects" of the “Executioners" deputy gang during a deposition Aug. 11 for a case of police use of excessive force unrelated to Guardado's killing. More than a dozen deputies have matching tattoos and belong to a violent clique called the Executioners at the station, according to Deputy Art Gonzalez, who filed a whistleblower complaint regarding the Executioners in June. The deputies searched the vehicle and her husband for drugs but found nothing. The deputies in the lawsuit are accused of âchasing inkâ â slang for trying to impress the Executioners to join their group. Earlier this month, Mayor Aja Brown called for state and federal investigations into the station. The deputies allegedly destroyed eight different video cameras on the scene and took possession of the auto shop’s DVR, all before getting a warrant. Both Were Placed on the CalGang Database, California Consumer Do Not Sell My Personal Information, A whistleblower claims the deputy who shot and killed 18-year-old Andres Guardado was a prospective member of a violent clique within the Compton sheriff's station, Deputy Art Gonzalez said more than a dozen deputies have matching tattoos that identify them as "Executioners", Sheriff Alex Villanueva is investigating the claims but said some of the allegations maybe exaggerated, Gonzalez is one of four whistleblowers who have come forward with similar stories of the station. The anonymous tip was almost immediately leaked to the Executioners. fatally shot by Compton Sheriff's Deputies, L.A. officials still can't answer why Andres Guardado was fatally shot in back by deputy, arrest of another young Black man, Sheldon Lockett, 'Justice for Andrés': Family of slain Latino teen seek answers from L.A. officials. The city of Compton currently has a $22 million annual contract with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. “if you open your mouth, you’ll be labeled as no good, which essentially means that you’re open for retaliation in the station by all members of the gang,” Romero added. Both are deputies at the sheriff's station in Compton, California. Download it here. This Newspaper/Web Site is made available by the lawyer or law firm publisher for educational purposes only as well as to give you general information and a general understanding of the law, not to provide specific legal advice. âI am quite tired of going to funerals, sitting in living rooms..telling young kids their father is not coming back,â Sweeney said. Brown denies running a red light and has joined community and city leaders in calling for an investigation into CPT. Make no mistake, we have every intention of conducting a thorough investigation into the potential involvement of any Sheriffâs Department gang in the shooting of Andres Guardado.â. This is a violent gang, you know, violence, shootings, beatings.” Despite overwhelming evidence of gang activity, Sheriff Villanueva has released a statement denying knowledge of gang activity in his department. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Nos partenaires et nous-mêmes stockerons et/ou utiliserons des informations concernant votre appareil, par l’intermédiaire de cookies et de technologies similaires, afin d’afficher des annonces et des contenus personnalisés, de mesurer les audiences et les contenus, d’obtenir des informations sur les audiences et à des fins de développement de produit. Let us know by joining the conversation in the comments and please share this article if you’ve found it of value. Deputy Art Gonzalez, a decorated Marine Corps veteran, in June claiming that a fraternal police organization had infiltrated CPT. ", Gonzalez's claims resurfaced Aug. 11 during a deposition related to Lockett's case. A judge in Taylor's case ordered the sheriff’s department to reveal whether they knew of other deputies sporting matching skull tattoos at Compton. âFamilies feel horrible. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Attorneys for the Guardado family allege that Sheriff Alex Villanueva, his sheriff's department and the county "knew about deputy gangs" and were aware that Vega and Hernandez had possible affiliations "with at least one of these Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department gangs including, but not limited to" the "Executioners" and the "3,000 Boys," they said in a statement. Itâs something that has to stop. Spectrum News requested a comment from Vegaâs attorney but did not hear back. Accept according to records obtained by the Los Angeles Times. Our new Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Here are the latest developments in the battle against the spread of the coronavirus in the Bay Area. In June, 18-year-old Salvadoran-American teenager Andrés Guardado was shot in the back by a deputy after a short chase on foot. "In my opinion, the prospects may be more violent than the actual gang members, because they're trying to show their worthiness to the gang. Did an L.A. Sheriff Deputy Kill a Teenager as Part of Police Gang Initiation. The report claims that another fifth of CPT is associated with the gang, although not officially initiated. Earlier this month, Mayor Aja Brown called for state and federal investigations into the station. Vega’s lawyer says that when the cop approached Guardado, who was lying on his stomach, he quickly grabbed for a weapon and the officer shot him in self-defense. Guardado was working as an unlicensed security guard for Andrew Heney, the owner of a nearby auto shop. In May, a disturbing video surfaced of CPT deputies beating Dalvin Price repeatedly screaming, “I’m on the ground” with his hands held over his head. He could not hold his silence after witnessing fellow deputy Thomas Banuelos being assaulted by an Executioner. The two deputies on the scene reported that Guardado pulled a gun, but no footage has been recovered to corroborate this, and witnesses dispute this account. Society has reached an inflection point.â. Copyright © 2020, Whistleblower News Network. Follow NBC Latino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. These reports go to the heart of our concerns that the Sheriffâs Department promotes and harbors a culture of violence against the public. Gonzalez filed a claim for damages against Los Angeles County in June 23 alleging that the Compton station is "permeated by a violent deputy gang which calls itself 'The Executioners'" with members sporting matching tattoos "consisting of a skull with Nazi imagery, holding an AK-47. They also said officers were unable to find video footage of the shooting from surrounding businesses. Others say itâs to celebrate that theyâre going to be âinkingâ somebody.â. Itâs something that has to stop. Sign up for our free email newsletter with the latest coronavirus headlines, along with other news and weather around the Bay. ", "He also said there's 78 deputies assigned to the Compton station. In these trying times, community is everything. Deputy Austreberto “Art” Gonzalez, who has worked at Compton for over five years, identified both Vega and Hernandez as "prospects" of the “Executioners" deputy gang during a deposition Aug. 11 for a case of police use of excessive force unrelated to Guardado's killing. Peter is a graduate of Hamilton College with a degree in History and an interest in politics and anti-corruption law. A whistleblower from the Compton Station (CPT) of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department claims that more than 20 of 100 active deputies are part of a violent and brutal police gang The Executioners. Deputy Art Gonzalez said more than a dozen deputies have matching tattoos that identify them as "Executioners". Your email address will not be published. The parents of Andres Guardado filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Los Angeles County and its sheriff's department Tuesday afternoon after waiting more than two months to get answers on their teen son's fatal shooting involving two sheriff's deputies. ... Shepard Fairey's "Dumb is Over / Make America Smart Again" voting event, and not a soul at the bar could tell me which Sheriff was the "better" candidate. At Hamilton, he wrote for the Hamilton College Spectator as an editor and contributor. Gonzalez’s report claims that “Members become inked as Executioners after executing members of the public, or otherwise committing acts of violence in furtherance of the gang. . Pour autoriser Verizon Media et nos partenaires à traiter vos données personnelles, sélectionnez 'J'accepte' ou 'Gérer les paramètres' pour obtenir plus d’informations et pour gérer vos choix. By using this website, you understand that there is no attorney-client relationship between you and the Newspaper/Web Site publisher. Preliminary Findings Released of Autopsy on Man Killed by Deputies, Use of Force Expert Examines LAPD Shooting of Daniel Hernandez, Family of Man Shot by LAPD Demands Justice, Man Says He Was Never in a Gang, Another Admits He Was. Sign up for daily whistleblower email and social notifications from the, Texas Attorney General’s Office: Two More Staff Members Fired, Additional Allegations of Whistleblower Retaliation, Whistleblower Receives $1.4 Million from New Mexico Corrections Department, Whistleblower Dr. Rick Bright Named As Part of Biden’s COVID-19 Task Force, Senators Send Letter to SEC Denouncing Proposed Changes to Whistleblower Program, Editorial: Rep. Gabbard Introduces Whistleblower Protection Bill To Reform Antiquated Espionage Act, SEC Office of the Whistleblower Posts Nineteen New Notices of Covered Actions, Candidate’s Position on Increased Whistleblower Protections Influences 44% of Likely Voters. While Aldama never used the word "Executioners," or explicitly admitted affiliation, he claimed that about 20 other deputies at Compton had the same tattoo, according to the lawsuit. After suffering discrimination at the hands of the gang for years, Gonzalez anonymously reported the assault of an officer by another officer on duty. Gonzalez, testifying for nearly six hours under oath, said the existence of the clique was âcommon knowledgeâ at the station and that the gangâs so-called shot caller controlled the work schedule and their actions boosted arrest numbers.