Ñetas
Encyclopedia
The Ñeta Association (Spanish language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...

 Asociación Ñeta, or simply Ñeta) is the name of a Puerto Rican gang
Crime in Puerto Rico
Crime in Puerto Rico has been linked to the insurmountable amount of drugs that come in and out of the island. Located in the Caribbean, it has become a major transshipment point for drugs into mainland United States...

 that began in the Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...

 prison system and spread to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The gang claims nearly 8,000 members in Puerto Rico, 15,000 in the United States & 50,000 World Wide.

History

The Ñeta Association was founded by a man by the name of Carlos Torres Irriarte also known to others as "La Sombra" ("The Shadow"). It began in the late 1970s when several pro-independence political prisoners were incarcerated in the Maximum Security Prison called Oso Blanco located in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...

. He professed to believing that the rights of inmates were being violated by prison officials and vicious gangs. They formed as a mutual protection group in the late 70's, ostensibly to improve living conditions that were being violated by guards and other inmates and defend themselves against another prison gang called "G'27"
Crime in Puerto Rico
Crime in Puerto Rico has been linked to the insurmountable amount of drugs that come in and out of the island. Located in the Caribbean, it has become a major transshipment point for drugs into mainland United States...

 ("Group 27"), or the "Insects" ("Insectos"). The G27s called the ñetas "Worms" ("Gusanos")

In the early 1980s, the Ñetas became the most dominant gang in the Oso Blanco prison after fighting both opposing gangs and crooked correctional officers by intimidating both correctional officers and rival gangs. The majority of the inmates were fascinated by Irriarte's way of thinking and did all they could do for the Association.

In an act of revenge against the Ñetas & Irriarte, the leader of the G27's - along with the help of paid-off authorities - plotted Irriarte's murder. They were to set him up and assault him when he left the watchful eyes of his followers on a routine walk to and from the prison chapel that he would make occasionally.

On the afternoon of March 30, 1981. Mr.Torres, who was accompanied by an Officer (who was in on it) was attacked on his return from the chapel which was located just west of the Recreational Yard. He was stabbed in the chest, stomach & back and then shot in the abdomen by 38 caliber pistol. He was pronounced dead sometime after sunset.

During the investigation of the murder of Carlos La Sombra, the correctional authorities found out that he was probably betrayed by his Lieutenants. His Lieutenants wanted to get into the business of drug trafficking in the prisons which was opposed by Carlos La Sombra. After the burial of their leader on March 30, 1981, the Ñetas exploded into an all out rampage and took over several wings of the prison compound. Rumor has it that the majority of the ñetas were drug addicts and in the drug trafficking business so almost every riot would end with an assault on the prison's pharmacy where they apprehended all types of narcotic medications.

They first showed their power and brutal force to everyone when they retaliated against the G27's leader "Manota" in retaliation for the "Hit" he helped plan against Irriarte. After a few days of digging and chizzling their ways through the prison walls with spoons and their bare hands. They broke through the wall of "Manotas" prison cell where members of the Ñetas stabbed him over 150 times and cut his body into 84 pieces. There was rumor that certain parts of his body were sent via mail to selected people: a severed finger was mailed to his mother. His ankle and foot were sent to the warden of the institution. And his eyes were sent to G27's 2nd in charge. The rest of his body was never recovered.

The news soared and the media depicted the story as a Hostile Take over. Used to their advantage they used the media coverage as a satellite to send out messages to other members in different prisons across the island. Their message was clear, They wanted justice and they meant business. They warned the administration and let them know that if their needs weren't met about improving the living situations within the facilities there would be blood shed and an all out war. By the middle of 1984 their numbers multiplied excessively. They took over 7 major prison facilities across the island and ruled them with an iron fist.

Until today they still completely run a good amount of the prisons and work as the Administrators when sentencing convicted felons. They denounce and repent any sexual offenders, pedophiles and abusers & exile them to solitary confinement where they do not allow them to co-exist with the rest of the prison population.
It became such a force that the P.R.C.D imposed that their prisons be segregated imposing that the Ñetas have their own Buildings across their facilities and the rivals share another.

Reportedly in the late-80s the association was involved in the cult of the "Holy Death" and performed several ritualistic murders at the Oso Blanco (White Bear) State Prison. In 1988 they branched out & expanded into the east coast of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 and the forefront of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. There they based their roots from Puerto Rico and continued to branch out as far as South Florida.
Forming into separate Factions or "Chapters" they were constructed into an almost mafia like umbrella. Where there was a President, Vice President and lower hierarchy instated. There were confirmed reports that a woman named "La Madrina" was appointed council and leader of the New York City chapters. She is now incarcerated on a Federal charge.

Their rivals vary throughout territories. Because of their structure and form of moral breakdown they are usually in alliance with People Nation
People Nation
People Nation is an alliance of street gangs generally associated with the Chicago area. They are rivals to the Folk Nation.The People Nation were formed much in the same way as the Folk Nation. In 1978, the El Rukns People Nation is an alliance of street gangs generally associated with the Chicago...

. Crips & Folks are usually on top of the list, as well as D.P (Dominican Power), D.D.P (Dominicans Don't Play), MS13, Los Sólidos, Grupo 31, and their life long sworn enemy G27 (Grupo 27). History shows that in certain areas of NYC they were even at war with the Latin Kings where the rivalry spread as far as Ecuador & Spain. Recent reports say the Ñetas have ended their problems with the Latin Kings and Bloods becoming allies around the New York City area. Reports also show the same for Spain. Where in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...

 the war between the Ñetas & Latin Kings claimed many lives. One way to identify members of the Ñetas are by the beads they wear around their neck. Their rosary styled necklace usually embodies a cross and are worn with the colors white, black, red. Another way is their clothing, they wear mainly white or the colors of the Puerto Rican Flag (red, white and blue, where sometimes blue is replaced by black). A white bandanna is also a good way to identify members. It's usually represented as their "flag" They may also be identified by using the letters "ÑDC" ("Ñeta De Corazon" - Nyeta From The Heart).

Organization

The Ñeta have a hierarchy that includes a Maximum Leader and council which branch out to State Officials and council and then Chapter Officials and council. They fall in a Pyramid as President, Vice president, Counselor, Moderator, Secretary, Vocal.
Ñetas refer to each other as "hermanitos" and "hermanitas" (brothers and sisters).

Recent reports

Robert Walker of the website GangsOrUs.com has said of the Ñeta, "they use the facade of a cultural organization and see themselves as oppressed people who are unwilling to be governed by the United States".

Today, Ñeta organizations can be found throughout the prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...

 systems of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...

, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, and Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

. In 2009 they were reported as having up to 6,000 members in the North East Coast of the U.S. alone And to almost 13,000 in South America and thousands more worldwide.
The Ñetas mainly operate out of the Tri-state area. In New York, they have founding chapters in Kings County, Queens County, Nassau County and Suffolk County. Also having strong legions throughout the New Jersey area including Hudson County, Passaic County and Essex County. They are known to have over more than 30 chapters in The Garden State alone.

On June 3, 2003, seven leaders of the Ñeta gang were arrested in Long Island,New York for the stabbing and murder of two MS-13 members.
http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/2004/6/3/seven_leaders_and_members_of_netas.htm
On May 6, 2009, a Ñeta drug den was discovered and busted by the Drug Enforcement Authority, in the Queensbridge Housing Projects, located in Long Island City Queens. 156 Kilograms of Cocaine and 487 pounds of Marijuana were found in the apartment complex located on 41st Street And Vernon Blvd.
2009- Ñetas have been reported to have major conflict with former allies, The Bloods, and a more severe conflict with the MS-13 .
2010- Recent reports say Ñetas have been seen operating and connecting with the Bloods and Latin Kings. Ñetas are still having conflict and dangerous altercations with MS-13 and DDP.
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