Pirus

 Pirus

Pirus

Piru graffiti
Founded	1969; 55 years ago
Founder	Sylvester Puddin Scott, Vincent Benson Owens
Founding location	Compton and West Rancho Dominguez, California, United States
Years active	1969–present
Ethnicity	Primarily African American.
Activities	Drug trafficking, robbery, extortion and murder
Allies	Bloods[1]
Rivals	Crips[1]

The Pirus are a subset of the larger Bloods gang alliance, an organized crime group in the United States.^[2]

Etymology

The name "Piru" is derived from the Piru Street Boys, a gang which was founded in 1969 by Sylvester Scott and Vincent Owens in Compton.^[3] The Piru Street Boys are considered the forerunners to the Bloods,^[4] which is why the terms "Piru" and "Blood" are often used interchangeably. However, this interchangeable use of the terms is inaccurate,^[5] as many non-Piru gangs such as the Denver Lanes and Brims were also instrumental in the formation of the Bloods.^[6]

Furthermore, the Pirus have been described as an alliance of street gangs within the larger Bloods alliance,^[2] meaning that not all Bloods sets will identify as "Pirus".

History

In 1969, a gang called the Piru Street Boys was founded by Sylvester Scott and Vincent Owens. According to some sources, the Piru Street Boys were initially associated with the Crips,^[7] but later had a falling out. However, other sources dispute any alliance, claiming that the Piru Street Boys were victimised by the Crips.^[8] Nevertheless, by 1972, the Piru Street Boys formed an alliance with other smaller street gangs such as the Brims, Bishops and Denver Lanes, which also opposed the Crips.^[9] This alliance became known as the Bloods, as the members of this alliance called each other "blood".^[9]

Eventually, more Piru sets would form. There are 15 known Piru sets within the Greater Los Angeles area.^[10] Piru sets have fought against each other. For example, the alleged shooter of Biggie Smalls, a Mob Piru named Wardell Fouse, was reportedly killed by members of the Fruit Town Piru in 2003.^[11]

Piru sets often use burgundy or red bandanas as a form of identification, although other colors may be used to evade detection from law enforcement^[12]

Piru sets

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

• Mob Piru
• Westside Piru
• Fruit Town Piru
• Lueders Park Piru
• Lime Hood Piru
• Elm Street Piru
• Tree Top Piru
• Cedar Block Piru
• Avenue Piru
• Holly Hood Piru
• Neighbourhood Piru
• Campanella Park Piru
• Cross Atlantic Piru
• Village Town Piru
• Skyline Piru
• Seaside Piru

In popular culture

• The song "Piru Love" from Bangin' on Wax (1993) by Bloods & Crips makes references to various Piru sets, including Holly Hood, Elm Street and Lueders Park.

• The song "M.A.A.D City" from good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012) by Kendrick Lamar makes references to the Bloods, being Pirus particularly.

• In the song "Strange Clouds" from "Strange Clouds" (2012) by B.o.B. featuring Lil Wayne, Lil Wayne references the Piru: "Piru, gangsters, outlaws" at the end of his verse.

See also

• African-American organized crime
• Gangs in Los Angeles
• List of California street gangs

References

1. ^ Jump up to:^a b Bloods Street Gang Intelligence Report Virginia State Police (November 2008)
2. ^ Jump up to:^a b "Pirus". April 6, 2010. Retrieved March 16, 2023. The Pirus is an umbrella street gang alliance (under the larger alliance, Bloods)
3. ^ Covey, Herbert C. (2015). Crips and Bloods : a guide to an American subculture. Santa Barbara, California. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-313-39929-9. OCLC 768800412.
4. ^ Carlin, Michael Douglas (November 6, 2019). "Piru Origins, Precursor to the Bloods". centurycity.news. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
5. ^ "Piru Meaning & Origin | Slang by Dictionary.com". Dictionary.com. Retrieved March 16, 2023. Some people incorrectly interchange the terms Piru and Blood, believing that the two terms mean the same thing.
6. ^ Gann, Brian (June 9, 2011). "The Bloods (1972 - ) •". Black Past. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
7. ^ Cawthorne, Nigel (2010). The World's Most Evil Gangsters. John Blake. ISBN 9781784184339. Their origins lay in the Piru Street Boys, who once wore the blue bandana of the Crips gang and were known, for a short time, as the Piru Street Crips
8. ^ Flores, R. D. (October 1997). "Crips and Bloods". www.ojp.gov. Retrieved March 16, 2023. Other gangs began to form to defend themselves against the Crips. Two of these gangs were the GnG Mob, Brims and the Pirus.
9. ^ Jump up to:^a b "Bloods Street Gang Intelligence Report" (PDF). Commonwealth of Virginia Department of State Police. p. 4. The local sets of anti-Crips included the Piru Street Boys, the LA Brims, the Denver Lanes, the Inglewood Family, the Swans, and the Pueblo Bishops
10. ^ "Pirus". April 6, 2010. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
11. ^ "The Man Who Killed the Notorious B.I.G. REVEALED (DETAILS)". Global Grind. March 9, 2012. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
12. ^ Finley, Laura L. (2018). Gangland: An Encyclopedia of Gang Life from Cradle to Grave [2 Volumes]. ABC-CLIO. p. 38. ISBN 9781440844744.

Nine Trey Gangsters

Nine Trey Gangsters

Nine Trey Gangsters

Founded	1993; 31 years ago[1][2]
Founder	Omar Portee and Leonard McKenzie [2]
Founding location	Rikers Island, New York City, New York, United States[3][2]
Years active	1993–present[2]
Territory	East Coast, Mid Atlantic and Southeastern U.S.[2]
Ethnicity	African American[2]
Activities	Drug trafficking, pimping, robbery, extortion and counterfeiting[4]
Allies	Lucchese crime family[5] United Blood Nation[4]
Rivals	Crips[4]
Notable members	6ix9ine (formerly), Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, Shotti

  The Nine Trey Gangster Bloods or Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods (NTG)^[6] (also referred to as Bentley's or Billionaires)^[7][8][9] are a violent set of the United Blood Nation street gang,^[10] which is itself a set of the Bloods gang.^[11][12][13] The gang operates on the East Coast of the United States.^[11]

History[edit]

The gang was established in 1993 at the Rikers Island jail complex in New York City. The gang initially sold various narcotics including heroin, crack cocaine and PCP throughout Harlem.^[14] They based their drug selling business in uninhabited buildings in the vicinity of Lenox Avenue.^[14] Disadvantaged people including the homeless, prostitutes and children were allegedly used to sell the narcotics for the gang.^[14]

The gang has operated in the U.S. state of Virginia and other states. It has allegedly been engaged in the sex trafficking of women and racketeering in Virginia, New York, North Carolina, Baltimore, New Jersey and other areas.^[12] The gang was also allegedly involved in the distribution of illegal drugs, including heroin, cocaine, crack, ecstasy, marijuana and prescription painkillers in these areas.^[12] Further allegations include dealing in counterfeit U.S. currency and using counterfeit currency to "finance wholesale drug purchases".^[12]

The gang has been investigated by the U.S. FBI, DEA, and ATF as well as various other gang task forces in the United States.^[11][12]

Arrests and prosecution[edit]

2006[edit]

In July 2006, approximately 50 members of the gang were arrested as an outcome of a significant police operation called "Operation Nine Connect".^[13] After these initial arrests, at least another 30 arrests were made.^[13]

2011[edit]

In June 2011, Robert "Snoop" Christie pleaded guilty to a weapons charge in a plea bargain. This conviction received a five-year prison sentence, which was added on to an eight-year sentence Christie was already serving for a previous weapon and drug conviction.^[15]

2013[edit]

In March 2013, eight alleged gang members and associates appeared in federal court facing charges based on a "major crack cocaine investigation".^[11] Specific details of the case were sealed under court order at that time because an ongoing investigation was being conducted by the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration, and it was stated that the release of information could have had an "adverse result" upon the investigation.^[11]

2014[edit]

In February 2014, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced that following a trial that began on February 11, 2014, three members of the gang, including Thaddaeus Snow, were convicted by a federal jury for racketeering, robbery, cocaine distribution, sex trafficking and firearms-related offenses.^[16] Upon this conviction, 24 individuals named in the initial September 2013 indictment were also subsequently convicted.^[16]

2016[edit]

In November 2016, four members of the Nine Trey Gangsters were indicted for their alleged involvement in 10 shootings that left 5 dead during December 2015 in Norfolk, Virginia.

2018–2019[edit]

Further information: Trial of Nine Trey Gangsters

In November 2018, rapper 6ix9ine (birth name Daniel Hernandez) and four members of the Nine Trey Gangsters were arrested by the Homeland Security Investigations gang unit along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and charged with racketeering related to operating a criminal enterprise, conspiracy to murder, robbery, extortion, and drug distribution.^[17]

See also[edit]

• Gangs in the United States
• List of gangs in the United States
• United Blood Nation

References[edit]

1. ^ Wootson, Cleve R. Jr. (2014-10-30). "Final member of local Blood gang sentenced to federal prison". CharlotteObserver.com. Retrieved 2017-05-16.
2. ^ Jump up to:^{a b c d e f} unsigned, undated. Sampson County Sheriff's Office, "Gang Profile - United Blood Nation". Accessed May 17, 2017.
3. ^ "Nine Trey gang members sentenced to prison". Retrieved 14 January 2015.
4. ^ Jump up to:^a b c Who are the Nine Trey Gangsters? Henry Culvyhouse, The Daily Times (May 18, 2016)
5. ^ 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment fbi.gov (2011)
6. ^ Bosworth, Mary (2005). Encyclopedia of Prisons and Correctional Facilities. SAGE. p. 120. ISBN 9780761927310. ... United Blood Nation (UBN) that started in Riker's Island Detention facility. This set includes independent Bloods from California, as well as members of New York sets including Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods (NTG),
7. ^ "United Blood Nation history, terminology, background". WSOC-TV. Charlotte, North Carolina. May 18, 2017.
8. ^ Barratt, Robin (2011). The Mammoth Book of Hard Bastards. Little, Brown Book Group. ISBN 978-1849017596.
9. ^ Harris, Donnie (2004). Gangland. Holy Fire Publishing. p. 113. ISBN 0976111241.
10. ^ Investigation, New Jersey State Commission of (1999). Annual Report of the Commission of Investigation of the State of New Jersey to the Governor and Legislature of New Jersey. The Commission. The business associate was arrested in November for allegedly laundering more than $100,000 for the Nine Trey Gangsters, a violent set of the Bloods street gang. If convicted of the charges, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison.
11. ^ Jump up to:^{a b c d e} Green, Frank (March 14, 2013). "Alleged gang members in major cocaine bust appear in court". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
12. ^ Jump up to:^{a b c d e} "Nine Trey gang members sentenced to prison". Fairfax News. May 16, 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
13. ^ Jump up to:^a b c Ratcliffe, Jerry H. (2012). Intelligence-led Policing. Routledge. p. 11. ISBN 978-1136308598.
14. ^ Jump up to:^a b c Chepesiuk, Ron (2007). Gangsters of Harlem: The Gritty Underworld of New York's Most Famous Neighborhood. Barricade Books. p. 201. ISBN 9781569803189. Some of the leading African American inmates in the center organized the United Blood Nation as a self-protection group against the mostly Hispanic Latin Kings gang. The nation founded eight original Blood sets, one of which was the Nine Trey Gangstas. When some of the Nine Trey Gangsta members were released from prison in 1994, they headed for Harlem, where they took over abandoned buildings at 75 and 79 West 119th Street near Lenox Avenue. From that base, the gang used children, prostitutes, and homeless people to sell crack, as well as heroin and PCP.
15. ^ "Trenton Nine Trey Gangsters leader involved in gang clash that left three dead pleads guilty to weapons charge". NJ.com. June 21, 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
16. ^ Jump up to:^a b "Nine Trey Gang Leader, Enforcer, and Cocaine Supplier Each Convicted of Multiple Racketeering Offenses". FBI. February 21, 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
17. ^ "Brooklyn rapper 6ix9ine arrested on racketeering charges". APNews.com. 2018-11-20.