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Asian Boyz

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Asian Boyz
Foundedlate 1980s[1]
Founding locationLong Beach, California, United States[2]
Years activelate 1980s–present
Territory14 U.S. states[3]
EthnicityCambodian American,[3][4] Vietnamese American,[4]
Filipino American[4]
ActivitiesDrug trafficking, robbery, assault, burglary, theft, and homicide[3]
AlliesCrips[5]
Menace of Destruction[2]
RivalsBloods[6]
East Side Longos[7]
Smiley Dragon[8]
Tiny Rascal Gang[9]
Crazy Brother Clan[10]
Vietnamese Boyz[11]
Wah Ching[1]

The Asian Boyz, also known as ABZ, AB-26, or ABZ Crips,[12] are a street gang based in Southern California.[13] They were founded in the late 1980s to protect[14][15] Cambodian refugees from other American gangs.[16][17] According to the FBI, the gang has about 12,000 members, who are Southeast Asian, predominantly Cambodian.[12] Many Asian Boyz are also members of the U.S. military, some of whom use their position to traffic drugs.[15] According to the FBI's 2009 National Gang Threat Assessment, the Asian Boyz are active in 28 different cities in 14 different states across the U.S.[3]

History

[edit]

The first Asian Boyz gang was formed in Long Beach, California in the late 1980s, drawing members from immigrant communities from Southeast Asia.[13] The founders of Long Beach Asian Boyz were originally Cambodian refugees who the East Side Longos were harassing during the 1980s.[18] Controversy lies mostly around the official origin of the gang, as it was a unification of multiple gangs or founding gangsters rather than the formation of one. Their identity also attracts notable controversy, being that the Cambodian sets are notoriously influential and decorated as their faction of Crips that is, among other things, racially or ethnically distinct.

During the mid-1980s in Long Beach, a group of Cambodian refugees formed the Tiny Rascal Gang to defend themselves from the East Side Longos. In the late 1980s, internal dispute happened within the Tiny Rascal Gang, and members left to form the Long Beach Asian Boyz. The Long Beach Asian Boyz subset would be the first of many.

One of the Asian gang that integrated with Long Beach Asian Boyz during the early 1990s was the Asian Boys Insanity (ABI). Asian Boys Insanity was an independent gang that operated in Chinatown Los Angeles and parts of San Gabriel Valley in the late-1980s. Asian Boy's Insanity was predominately Chinese and Vietnamese. The victim of the infamous pool hall shooting in El Monte in 1993 was Lea Mek, who was a member of the Asian Boys Insanity.[19][20] After Asian Boys Insanity merged with Long Beach Asian Boyz, Asian Boys Insanity formed Monterey Park Asian Boyz sometime the early-1990s. Then later in the mid-1990s, both Asian Boys Insanity and Monterey Park Asian Boyz (MP ABZ) became what is now known as West Side Asian Boyz (WS ABZ).

Another Asian gang that integrated with Long Beach Asian Boyz was called Van Nuys Asian Boys or Asian Boy Style (ABS), which hailed from Van Nuys. The Asian Boy Style gang was formed in the late 1980s by Sothi "Playa One" Menh, the Mercado brothers, and others.[19][20] Asian Boy Style established itself in the Valerio Garden apartments and had members spread out in other parts of Los Angeles County. By the mid-1990s, Van Nuys Asian Boy Style merged with Van Nuys Asian Boyz (a branch of Long Beach Asian Boyz) and became one gang.

A notable difference emerged within the Asian Boyz organization, with the S and Z sides sparring. The S side was composed predominantly of ethnic Vietnamese, whereas, the Z side was composed predominantly of Cambodians. Most notably, that ethnic difference created a rift from within the organization that remains.

Notable crimes

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In 1990–1991, Pierre Mercado was responsible for four murders, in an attempt to intimidate other gangs. He fled to the Philippines and remained there for 11 years until he was extradited to the United States in 2012.[21] In 2013, Mercado was sentenced to 218 years to life in prison.[22]

In August 1997, the leader of the Asian Boyz Van Nuys set, Sothi Menh, was arrested in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and extradited to the United States after fleeing the country in the preceding January. He was wanted for committing five gang-related murders in the San Fernando Valley in 1995.[23] In September 1998, Asian Boyz members were charged with three murders and five attempted murders.[24]

In 1996, the parents of three children in south-central Kentucky were herded into their bathroom and shot in the head. They were found dead hours later along with their 12-year-old daughter, who was also shot in the head yet survived.

The carnage was the work of the “Asian Boyz” gang. The one who pulled the trigger, 17-year-old Sophal Phon, eventually was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.[25]

On August 12, 2006, a fight broke out between Asian Bloods and ABZ gang members at a house in Lowell, Massachusetts, where a birthday party was being held. Asian Boyz members left the party and allegedly started throwing bottles and other objects. Billeoum Phan, 14, began firing at the Asian Boyz members. One of the shots hit Asian Boyz member Samnang Oth, killing him. Phan was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to incarceration until the age of 21, with an additional requirement to serve a 5-year probation after his release.[26][27]

In December 2006, three members of the gang were charged with beating a 15-year-old boy named Chino Vu to death in Utica, New York. Richie Nguyen, who was 16, was sentenced to 5 to 15 years of prison for manslaughter.[28][29][30] Samnang Chou was sentenced to 10 years of prison for second-degree assault.[8][31]

In March 2008, four men followed 24-year-old Vutha Au from Santa Rosa and stopped at a gas station near Jenner, California, where they fatally shot him in public. Quentin Russell, who was age 24 at the time, was the shooter, and Sarith Prak, David Prak, and Preston Khaoone were charged in connection with the murder. All four defendants were convicted[32] and sentenced to life without parole on July 27, 2012.[33]

In March 2011, founder Marvin Mercado was sentenced to life imprisonment for his mid 1990s murder of eight people.

The Reccless Tigers originated in Fairfax County, Virginia and expanded statewide in 2011 and sold thousands of pounds of marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy and prescription drugs throughout Northern Virginia. The group is affiliated with a California gang called the West Side Asian Boyz and high-ranking members have recently been arrested for murder.[34]

In December 2018, a high-ranking member named Derek Pires was arrested in Fall River, Massachusetts following a shooting that left no injuries.[35]

Gang activity involving the ABZ gang and a rival Sureno gang has occurred in Monterey Park, California, in 2019, although it resulted in no life threatening injuries or death. This set has more Chinese American and Vietnamese members.[36][37]

Membership

[edit]

According to the FBI's 2009 National Gang Threat Assessment, membership is estimated at 5,000-10,000 members. Originally, most members were Cambodian, with a small portion of other Southeast Asian members. In the 1980s, the Asian Boyz expanded across the United States. Many factions remained in California, where they are still concentrated. Other factions spread throughout the Midwest and into New England. Factions have their own regional differences, which may include distinctions in culture, identity, structure and ethnic exclusivity.[38][39]

On the West Coast, the Asian Boyz gang colors are blue and navy. These colors are similar to the Crips who the Asian Boyz learned from and were heavily influenced by. While their speech and mannerisms are similar to those of Crips, they are known to dress in the fashion of West Coast trends, dated to the 1980s and 1990s. Younger members are known to dress along with current fashion trends.

In the Midwest and on the East Coast, along with blue and navy, the gang also dons forest green, black, and white. Their style of dress leans more towards hip-hop casual. In the Midwest, members are known to be of Hmong,[40] Burmese, Karen[41] and Karenni descent while on the East Coast, from Virginia to Georgia, there are a lot more members of Korean and Chinese descent. In Utica there are many members of Karen descent, and many Cambodians, Vietnamese Americans, and Laotians in Massachusetts.[42] Asian Boyz gang tattoos include a dragon head with crystal globes, a symbol of high rank and original Status. Also common are Sak Yant tattoos that are supposed to offer power, protection, fortune, charisma and other benefits for the bearer.

Hereafter they are also known to have members in Indiana Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, Minnesota, Omaha, New York, Texas, and Massachusetts as well as within the U.S. Armed Forces.[43]

Rivalries

[edit]
Main article: Murder of Lea Mek

Many members of the Asian Boyz have been in a long conflict with the Wah Ching gang. One of the first shootouts between the two gangs occurred in December 1993 in an El Monte pool hall. An Asian Boyz gang member, Lea Mek, was killed by Wah Ching gang member Chieu Luong Yang.[44][45]

Another shootout between the two gangs that occurred the same year was in San Marino that caused the deaths of two youths at a San Marino High School graduation party in June. After an investigation by the authorities, police claimed that when the Asian Boyz gang members arrived at the party, they noticed that Wah Ching gang members were there, prompting them to leave and return with weapons. At least nine gang members were arrested, and police seized five weapons from homes searched in conjunction with the arrests. The shootouts between the two gangs were called "Summer Madness" by the Asian Boyz gang.[44][45]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Larrubia, Evelyn. "Asian Boyz Face Group Trial in Spate of Killings". www.latimes.com. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Sweeping probe details ruthless rise of a new gang in D.C.'s suburbs". Washington Post. August 20, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d National Drug Intelligence Center (January 2009). "National Gang Threat Assessment 2009". FBI. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2012-06-19.
  4. ^ a b c Leibowitz, Barry. (March 31, 2011). "Asian Boyz gang founder Marvin Mercado gets life, no parole from Calif. judge". Retrieved March 6, 2020. The gang had Cambodian, Indonesian, Vietnamese and Filipino, Indian factions and included three cliques in the suburbs of Los Angeles and one in San Jose.
  5. ^ "Asian Boyz Crips". 23 July 2013. Archived from the original on 2017-10-25. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
  6. ^ Derek J. Moore (March 15, 2008). "Ruthless Asian gangs blaze trail of violence Killing in Jenner casts spotlight on ultraviolent syndicates with roots in Long Beach". Press Democrat. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014.
  7. ^ "As Cultures Meet, Gang War Paralyzes a City in California". New York Times. May 6, 1991. Archived from the original on March 30, 2014. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  8. ^ a b LaDuca, Rocco. Asian Boyz gang member from Utica stopped at Canadian border, Utica Observer-Dispatch, May 16, 2013.
  9. ^ Hal Marcovitz; Dennis Dressang (2010). Gangs. ABDO. p. 33. ISBN 9781604539547. Archived from the original on 19 June 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  10. ^ Kevin Starr (2011). Coast of Dreams. Random House. p. 83. ISBN 9780307795267. Archived from the original on 24 June 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  11. ^ Laviana, Hurst (September 9, 2013). "Detective says 2011 homicide is third involving feuding gangs". The Wichita Eagle. Archived from the original on March 22, 2014. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
  12. ^ a b "Asian Boyz Crips". 2013-07-23. Archived from the original on 2017-10-25. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
  13. ^ a b "Asian Boyz Face Group Trial in Spate of Killings". Los Angeles Times. 1998-09-20. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
  14. ^ "Asian Boyz gang founder Marvin Mercado gets life, no parole from Calif. Judge". CBS News. 31 March 2011. Archived from the original on 2018-03-27. Retrieved 2018-03-26.
  15. ^ a b "Asian Gangs & Why Join One". web. Stanford.edu. Archived from the original on 2018-08-02. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
  16. ^ WILLWERTH, JAMES (2001-06-24). "From Killing Fields to Mean Streets". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Archived from the original on 2016-06-01. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
  17. ^ Chan, Sucheng (2003). Not just victims : conversations with Cambodian community leaders in the United States. Kim, Audrey U. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. p. 99. ISBN 025202799X. OCLC 49942929.
  18. ^ WILLWERTH, JAMES (2001-06-24). "From Killing Fields to Mean Streets". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
  19. ^ a b Lam, Kevin (2019). "Asian American Youth Violence as Genocide: A Critical Appraisal and its Pedagogical Significance" (PDF). Equity & Excellence in Education. 52 (2–3): 255–270. doi:10.1080/10665684.2019.1672594. S2CID 210506501.
  20. ^ a b Lam, Kevin D. (2019-07-03). "Asian American Youth Violence as Genocide: A Critical Appraisal and its Pedagogical Significance". Equity & Excellence in Education. 52 (2–3): 255–270. doi:10.1080/10665684.2019.1672594. ISSN 1066-5684. S2CID 210506501.
  21. ^ "Pierre Mercado, Asian Boyz LA Gang Member, Convicted Of Four Murders". Huffington Post. 16 August 2012. Archived from the original on 21 August 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  22. ^ Marcellino, Elizabeth (May 14, 2013). "Former Asian Boyz gang leader gets 218 years". Los Angeles Daily News. Archived from the original on August 19, 2013. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
  23. ^ "Gang Suspect Returned; Man Sought In Asian Boys Case In Custody". Thefreelibrary.com. 2 August 1997. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  24. ^ Evelyn Larrubia (20 September 1998). "Asian Boyz Face Group Trial in Spate of Killing". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 25 January 2012. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  25. ^ "Convicted of murdering as teen, Kentucky man seeks parole". AP News. 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  26. ^ Mulvihill, Maggie; Favot, Sarah; Berg, Kirsten (February 12, 2012). "Teen killers get inconsistent sentences". Boston Telegram. Archived from the original on June 7, 2014. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  27. ^ "Lowell murder trial set to begin this week". Lowell Sun. December 2, 2008. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  28. ^ Crossett, Nate (2007). "Nguyen Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter". WKTV. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
  29. ^ Crossett, Nate (1 March 2007). "Third Asian Boyz Gang Member Pleads Guilty". Wktv.com. Archived from the original on 12 August 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  30. ^ "Nguyen Sentenced 5 - 15 Years". WKTV. April 11, 2007. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
  31. ^ "Utica Man Sentenced to 10 Years". WKTV. March 14, 2007. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
  32. ^ Payne, Paul (28 June 2012). "Jury convicts 4 gang members in Jenner gas station slaying". The Press Democrat. Retrieved 29 June 2012.[permanent dead link]
  33. ^ "Asian Boyz Gang Members Sentenced to Life without the Possibility of Parole Plus 25 Years to Life for Blind Gas Station Murder" [dead link], Press release, 27 July 2012, by the Office of the District Attorney, Sonoma County. Retrieved August 13, 2013
  34. ^ Jouvenal, Justin; Weiner, Rachel (2020-08-22). "Sweeping probe details ruthless rise of a new gang in D.C.'s suburbs". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  35. ^ Burke, Amanda (December 28, 2018). "Member of Asian Boyz street gang arrested in Fall River after shooting". Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  36. ^ Gonzales, Ruby (April 25, 2019). "Monterey Park gambling den targeted in shootout between gang members, police say". Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  37. ^ "Nine Suspected Gang Members Charged After Shooting". April 25, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  38. ^ "Police eye gang in killing". NewsTimes. 27 January 2005. Archived from the original on 13 March 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  39. ^ "24 with gang links arrested in Maine cities during sweep". The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram. 21 August 2010. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  40. ^ Xaykaothao, Doualy. "Becoming Hmong American". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 2018-01-25. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
  41. ^ Zremski, Jerry. "It's tough for the teens". Buffalonews.com. Archived from the original on 2017-10-25. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
  42. ^ KIFNER, JOHN (January 6, 1991). "Asian Gangs in New York -- A Special Report; Immigrant Waves From Asia Bring an Underworld Ashore". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 25, 2018.
  43. ^ Thompson, Mark. "Hail, Hail, The Gang's All Here…". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Archived from the original on 2014-07-20. Retrieved 2017-07-16.
  44. ^ a b "Officials Link Gang Rivalry to Party Slayings". Viki Torres (LA Times). 19 August 1994. Archived from the original on 16 November 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  45. ^ a b "Multi Agency Effort to Bring Two Violent Gang members to Justice". lapdonline.org. Archived from the original on 14 February 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
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