REGION: North County gangs advertise, recruit online
Police monitor 'cyber-bangers' to identify members
By SARAH GORDON - Staff Writer | ∞
North County gangs are recruiting new members and claiming new turf ---- on the Internet.
The phenomenon, sometimes referred to as "cyber-banging," has been growing for the last few years, along with the popularity of the Web sites the gangs use, such as MySpace and YouTube, authorities say.
Gang members and associates from virtually every local gang boast their affiliations on these sites. In videos and pictures, they flash gang signs and wear gang colors. Sometimes, rivals spar on message boards.
Oceanside Detective Gordon Govier, who investigates the city's resident Crips and Bloods, said it's not hard to find well-produced, self-promoting songs and videos featuring local gang members.
He pointed to a video by a rapper called "Lil Slim" posted on YouTube.
"Getting $," viewed over 15,000 times according to the Web site's count, shows two bikini-clad girls jiggling next to Slim in front of a new Bentley while a storm of $20 bills whips the all-white set.
The homage to gang life looks Hollywood-produced, but "Lil Slim" is an Oceanside-based gangster who boasts about local crimes in the song, Govier said.
" ... bring the yellow tape, secure the whole scene," the rapper/gangster says over a menacing electronic beat. "... Lil Slim was seen fleeing the scene."
Govier refused to give the rapper's real name or details of the alleged crime extolled in the rap, citing an open investigation. But he said the song was a rare instance of gangsters mentioning specific crimes on a public Web site.
More often, police use the Web to identify gang members and their associates, Govier said.
While it is not illegal to be in a gang, and Internet sites that reference gang activities are protected free speech, a MySpace page with a message board full of gang references and snapshots of people flashing gang signs goes a long way in court to prove that someone is a gang member, he said.
A recruiting tool
Jon Moffat, a youth violence prevention coordinator with the Vista Community Clinic, said he suspects gangs use the slick videos and MySpace pages to target their primary recruits: middle school students.
"On their pages, they will use their gang names, they will throw gang signs," Moffat said. "I consider it to be a recruiting tool. They show that they have money, drugs, girls. If you find any gangbanger's MySpace page, they all say that they make $250,000 plus."
He pointed to a slideshow presentation called, "Vistero Roll Call," on YouTube, apparently done by Vista Home Boy gang members.
A rap that plays behind the images appeals to the notion of loyalty.
"I'm ready to die any day for the gang I (expletive) claim./Until I'm lying in my grave I will remain/ banging for the Vista Home Boys gang./ Hit the ground when you see me taking aim/ with that 12-gauge, tearing your face apart."
One slide shows a dead gang member in his casket, wearing a number 22 Charger's jersey, code for "Vista," because "V" is the 22nd letter of the alphabet, Moffat said. In another slide, heavily tattooed gang members drink beer. In another, three handguns sit next to plentiful ammunition clips.
"Each scene has its own symbolism," Moffat said. "You get to see into a world that's pretty crazy."
An easy link
The Internet is an insidious way for gangs to spread their message because it's so easy for kids to become associated with the gang-related sites, Moffat said. A middle-schooler may find a hometown gangster rap or a gangster's MySpace page and link to it without much thought.
"Ninety percent of the kids who have this stuff on their Web sites don't even understand the seriousness of it," Moffat said. "They say, 'I just wanted to be cool; I just wanted to represent my hood.' But now you're affiliated, and you're putting yourself in danger, not only from the police, but from rival gangs."
It's unclear if any young people have joined local gangs based on something they saw on the Internet, and neither Moffat nor others were able to point to a kid who said the Internet made him a gangster.
Moffat guesses the relationship is less direct.
"This is just one aspect of a way to pull them in, videos glorifying the 'hood,' " he said. "It's just one element glorifying the criminal lifestyle ---- no one element pushes it over the top and makes them join a gang."
The vulnerable few
Cristian Rodriguez, a 17-year-old student at Rancho Buena High School in Vista, said he spends hours every week on the Internet. He agreed that gang-themed material is readily accessible, but he said he has doubts about its seriousness and danger.
He said he typed in "Vista" on YouTube and found a video called "Gang Fight." But he recognized some of the people in the footage and knew they weren't gangsters.
"Some of this stuff is mostly a joke," he said. Supposed "gang challenges" on MySpace message boards more often than not are a parody, he said.
However, Cristian said he also sees legitimate gangster postings. Ultimately, he said, their power depends on the individual viewing them.
"I say the risk is there, but I'm going to say it's up to the kid," Rodriguez said. "If the kid is dumb enough to get involved when he sees that stuff, that's up to him."
A lieutenant with the North County Gang Task Force agreed that gang-related Internet advertisements appeal to the same kinds of people gangs always target: kids from dysfunctional families looking for status and a place to belong.
"I look at them (the gang Web sites) and think they're stupid and I think the people involved in them are out of their minds, but somebody who has nothing, somebody who has no direction, they could take a look at it and think it it's pretty cool," said Lt. Derek Clark.
Sarah Gordon at (760) 740-3517 or sgordon@nctimes.com.
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esteban wrote on Aug 16, 2008 11:34 PM:NCT, please stop with your gang glorifying articles. Why not print an article showing how all gang members are gutless cowards who are afraid to fight one on one????
Bill wrote on Aug 17, 2008 8:21 AM:It's a shame that the war on gangs or drugs hasn't worked, but that's the way it was meant to happen.
While our government does what it does, it really needs it citizens to be thinking about other things and Paris and Britney just don't appeal to everyone!
John wrote on Aug 17, 2008 8:55 AM:And we have troops in Iraq chasing WHAT exactly, when terrorists like this are flaunting their ability to terrorize? Where are the feds when they are really needed!
CITIZEN AT RISK wrote on Aug 17, 2008 10:55 AM:To John: Well written John. 100% of Escondido gang bangers are illegals and more on the way every day. No feds in sight.
The Feds are about to declare victory in Iraq and then get defeated in Afghanistan as did the Russians, Brits, and French.
Esta bum wrote on Aug 17, 2008 12:31 PM:How old is Esteban, anyway? I remember one article a year or two ago when he pledged to drive 65 in the left lane of the freeway to keep other people from breaking the speed limit.
To esteban wrote on Aug 17, 2008 1:07 PM:That's like saying the cops are afraid to fight one on one. The goal is to win.
More people have died in America by gangs than American soldiers in IRAQ wrote on Aug 17, 2008 1:33 PM:I would say America has a terrorist problem.
JohnQ wrote on Aug 17, 2008 6:15 PM:To the young people reading this: I just want to say that you can change your life. You can start from scratch and make your wrongs into something positive. You can and should learn from your failures, all of us do. You might not no that you're talented, you might get frustrated at how little talent you have -neither matters, as long as you try with blood sweat and tears, all your heart and soul -to become somebody that can make a positive contribution to your family, friends, and society, even to the greater world. Maybe you're going to be a mechanic, chef, scientist, engineer, clergyman, accountant -maybe you're not sure. Just keep trying and know that we believe in you. We know that you're capable of doing amazing things. You need to understand that your mind is permeable and easily influenced by others around you so take a good solitary moment and think hard about what it is that's best for you?? Be cautious of negative, angry people. Find people with skill and a sense of hope, a firm grasp on reality. Find your way in this life. God Bless You All!
Jose wrote on Aug 18, 2008 5:58 PM:Gangs are a losing proposition no matter how you look at it!
No life, no peace, always taking orders from the other loser gangbangers, can't walk down the street without worrying about getting shot, can't wear any color you want, the list goes on.
Sounds like your already in prison from all the freedoms taken away from you.
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