Organized Crime

Thanksgiving Day Murder of Ex-Con in Phoenix Was Mexican Mafia Hit, Cops Say

A suspected Mexican Mafia member has been arrested in the shooting death of ex-con Erasmo Ledezma on Thanksgiving, as police say Mexican Mafia members had a "green light" to kill Ledezma because he had previously "snitched" to the cops.The alleged gangster and shooter has been identified as Steven B ... More >>

American Banks Are on a Massive Crime Spree; Obama and Romney Hope You Won't Notice

Should Foreign Hells Angels Be Allowed in the United States?

See also: Hells Angels Sue Feds Over Ban on Members Entering U.S.The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club has filed a lawsuit against several federal agency heads -- including Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton -- claiming the group's foreign members have been wrongful ... More >>

Hells Angels Sue Janet Napolitano and Hillary Clinton Over Ban on Members Entering U.S.

The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club has filed a lawsuit against several federal agency heads, claiming the group's foreign members have been wrongfully banned from entering the United States.Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service ... More >>

MCSO: Gangster Was Planning to "Publicly Assassinate" Joe Arpaio, but Didn't Have the $1,800 to Get Out of Jail

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office claims a gang member was "planning to publicly assassinate Sheriff Joe Arpaio using a high powered rifle."The first problem with the plot of gangster Samuel Matta was that he couldn't come up with the $1,800 to bond out of jail after he stole a car and tried to r ... More >>

"Joe Arpaio and Stuff" Saved the Lives of All the "Brothas" at the Jail, According to Inmate

Forget everything you've heard about the Justice Department lawsuit against the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and Sheriff Joe Arpaio for racial-discrimination claims, because there's an inmate who says "Joe Arpaio and stuff" saved the lives of all the "brothas" at the 4th Avenue Jail.OK, don't ac ... More >>

Joe Arpaio: 4th Avenue Jail on Lockdown, Mexican Mafia "Attempting to Control" Jail

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has ordered a lockdown on parts of the 4th Avenue Jail, as the sheriff's office says the Mexican Mafia is "attempting to control" the jail."Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio ordered parts of the maximum security 4th Avenue Jail be placed on indefinite lockdown as ... More >>

Robert Fisher, Who's on FBI's "Most Wanted" List for Allegedly Murdering and Blowing Up His Family in Scottsdale, May Be in Arizona

Robert Fisher, one of the FBI's and Scottsdale Police Department's "most wanted" fugitives, may still be in Arizona, according to information relayed from the FBI.Fisher's accused of killing his wife and two young kids, then blowing up their Scottsdale home in April 2001.According to various media r ... More >>

Ralph Moreno, Unemployed Ex-Con on Food Stamps, Fights to Keep $76,000 in Cash Seized in Home by FBI

Ralph Moreno, an unemployed ex-con on food stamps, is fighting with the federal government to keep $76,000 in cash seized at his west Phoenix home by FBI agents.State records show that Moreno and his wife, Wilma, of 6629 West Coronado Road in Phoenix, haven't earned wages for at least 10 years, and ... More >>

Rick Ross Is Rap's Opulent King

Feedback from the Issue of Thursday, December 29th, 2011

Marijuana Legalization Opponent Richard Valdemar Tells Cartel Vs. Hippies Tale That Seems to Support Need for Legalization

Retired Los Angeles Sheriff's Office Deputy Richard Valdemar, who now lives in Arizona, says that legalizing marijuana won't hurt drug cartels.​ Richard Valdemar believes the central character of his medical-marijuana story would be executed by a Mexican drug cartel if he was named, so he refe ... More >>

Authorities: Mexican Drug Cartel Suffers "Death Blow;" Billion-Dollar Trafficking Ring Busted Up by Law Enforcement Agencies

ICE​Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies claim to have delivered a "death blow" to a Mexican drug trafficking ring that was running $33 million worth of drugs through Arizona every month.Authorities announced this morning the results of "Operation Pipeline Express," a 17-month invest ... More >>

Tech N9ne @ Marquee Theatre

Mob Mentality

Mario de la Fuente Manriquez, Mexican Media Businessman, Wins Court Victory; State Moves to Dismiss Criminal Charges

​State prosecutors today moved to drop criminal charges against Mario de la Fuente Manriquez, former CEO of his father's Mexican media empire.The motion to dismiss charges of money laundering, assisting a criminal syndicate, conspiracy and fraud is a major win for Manriquez, who's fought the alleg ... More >>

Seized: Inside the Brutal World of America's Kidnapping Capital

Hit Man Trained by Mexican Cartels

Tempe "Party Crew" Preys on ASU Students in Check Cashing Scam; Police Looking for More Victims

Tempe Police DepartmentIf you cashed a check for this guy, 21-year-old Tymothy McCurn, you're an idiot.​Tempe police on Tuesday arrested seven members of a local "party crew" after a seven-month investigation into a check cashing scam that cost Tempe banks more than $55,000.First and foremost, you ... More >>

Ohio Lawyer Admits to Taking Money From Arizona-Based Drug Ring

​A lawyer in Ohio pleaded guilty yesterday to money laundering charges stemming from money he received from the leader of a drug ring based in Phoenix. Authorities say 40-year-old Kyle Hunter received more than $100,000 from convicted drug king-pin Leonard Barnhouse. Payment for services rend ... More >>

Dial M for Mafia

Local shutterbug documents dying communication ties

Gomorrah: The Average Giuseppes of Organized Crime

"Heroin Ring" Stretched from Chandler to Show Low, Says DPS

On the heels of recent articles across the United States that claim heroin use is surging, the Arizona Department of Public Safety says it recently broke up a major heroin ring based in Chandler. Detectives worked for seven months on the case with members of a northern Arizona anti-drug task f ... More >>

Hot Links: Obama Reaches Out to Muslims on Arab TV; Brewer Hires Budget Director; Mobster Paul Schiro Sentenced

Obama goes on Arabic TV with a message to Muslims, calling Al-Qaeda's ideas "bankrupt," and later sending his special envoy, George Mitchell, to the Middle East for a "listening tour." Eternal peace can't be far behind. Jan Brewer's new budget director -- she's more than just a pair of scissors. In ... More >>

Takin' It to the Street

Quarter-munching arcade game finally pays out

Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy

Act it out at the Sandbar

Whistling Past the Graveyard

Mob fink, NBA ref – how’s this guy still breathing?

Goldwater Uncut

You've seen the G-rated HBO documentary on the Arizona legend, but there was so much more to Goldy than that

Bait and Switch

A hero of the Hong Kong new wave returns the compliment

50 Cent

The Massacre
(Shady/Aftermath/G-Unit)

Goodie Mob

One Monkey Don't Stop No Show
(Koch)

Just Desserts

County attorney candidate ditches debate to fund-raise with Fife

Bad Weed

Even stoners won't find anything to laugh about in Potluck

Bad Asses

Jen and Ben get Gigli with it, and -- lucky us! -- we get to watch.

Go Punk Yourself!

The North Side Kings mix mob stereotypes with hard-core rock. Got a problem?

MC Paul Barman

Gangster Crap

Made, a wanna-be mob comedy, makes an offer anyone can refuse

Letters

From the Week of March 9, 2000

Shooting the Bull With Sammy the Bull

Coffee talk with a Mafia muscleman turned stoolie turned alleged drug kingpin

City of Coke

Cocaine from Mexico is the currency that drives gangster economics

Marked Man

Felix Medina and his gang compatriots ruthlessly ruled a south central neighborhood. Now the party's over.

Goombah and Pokey

Mafia-themed Mickey Blue Eyes spoof doesn't deliver much of a boot

Mob Tops

Mob 40's build a large, loyal punk fan base beneath the industry's radar screen

Bullet Broad

A survivor of the L.A. Confidential heyday, Mesa-born mob darling Liz Renay is still going great guns

Manny, Joe & Tat

How alleged sports bookies and a reputed Asian gang member wound up in Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Executive Posse

BUSTING THE BIKERS

YOU'RE A TATTOOED GIANT ON A HARLEY. YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE DIRTY DOZEN. YOU'RE TOAST.