Almighty Saints
Encyclopedia
The Almighty Saints is a street gang founded in the early 1960s by Polish
juveniles of the Back of the Yards neighborhood of Chicago
.
The name Saints was borrowed from the TV series of the same name
as evidenced by the similarities between the stickman used by the show and the street gang.
During the early 1970s, as Mexican
families started moving to the Back Of The Yards neighborhood, the street gang started changing ethnicity dramatically from an all white gang to Mexican. The Saints have maintained the same territory since the 1960s neither gaining nor losing ground. This is not very common in Chicago because gangs usually lose terrain over the years. By the 1980s, the gang had become extremely violent
and drug trafficking became very lucrative.
In a 1998 feature article, the Chicago Tribune
wrote: "In a city known for its fearsome supergangs—criminal enterprises like the Latin Kings and the Gangster Disciples—the Saints stand out as an example of the street corner gang that still hangs on in many neighborhoods."
and Folk Nation
during the 1980s, the Saints decided to remain renegades, showing no alliance to anyone. By the late 1980s to early 1990s, there were many gang members incarcerated in the prison
system, and the Saints decided to join the People Nation
for protection of the incarcerated members. They were brought into the People Nation by the Latin Kings as cousins, hence the addition of the Almighty in front of the name and the five point star.
The Saints were affiliated with the People Nation by 1991, but there was a tragedy that started a conflict between the Kings and the Saints— a member of the Kings shot and killed a member of the Saints. The Saints retaliated by doing the same, starting a gang war.
The Saints then called a truce with the Latin Kings, which lasted for some years until a fight again broke out between the two. While not officially at war with one another, the Almighty Saints and the Latin Kings remain at odds.
In 2008, the Almighty Saints were suspected in the murder of a rival street gang member by the name of Diego who was known to be a part of the La Raza Street gang. He was shot once in the face where he had a halo. Later on that day, Chicago police already had a Saint in custody and charged with the murder. The 19 year old suspect was charged with a brutal murder and put on trial. He is still on trial and is known by the name Marcus, aka lil dony or lil negro.
In 1998, a 12-year-old boy shot two teens of the street gang the Gangster Disciples
in the Back of the Yards neighborhood within days of joining the Saints street gang. He was later convicted of murder but because he was under 13 years of age he was tried as a minor and sentenced to prison until 2007 or his 21st birthday.
In 1999 and 2001, two well-known Paulinas members were killed by rival gang members. One murder was allegedly committed by one of the Almighty Saints from Wood Street. Although this was never proven, this ignited fighting within the Saints.
The Paulinas remain one of the more ruthless groups in the Saints Nation. In 2004, some Almighty Saints gang members were charged with murder
, kidnapping
, drug trafficking, weapons charges and assault
. Six members were charged with murder and more still face trial; if found guilty, they could serve from 10 to 25 years in prison.
In early 2005, there was a police raid in the Saints neighborhood dubbed "Operation Broken Halo"; 25 members were arrested and detained in prison on drug dealing and weapons charges. The Saints are still very active in the Back of the Yards neighborhood.
On February 12, 2006, Francisco Romero, 23 years old, a member of the Saints, escaped from Cook County Jail along with five other inmates. He had been convicted of murder and sentenced to 45 years in prison. He was later captured.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
juveniles of the Back of the Yards neighborhood of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
The name Saints was borrowed from the TV series of the same name
The Saint (TV series)
The Saint was an ITC mystery spy thriller television series that aired in the UK on ITV between 1962 and 1969. It centred on the Leslie Charteris literary character, Simon Templar, a Robin Hood-like adventurer with a penchant for disguise. The character may be nicknamed The Saint because the...
as evidenced by the similarities between the stickman used by the show and the street gang.
During the early 1970s, as Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
families started moving to the Back Of The Yards neighborhood, the street gang started changing ethnicity dramatically from an all white gang to Mexican. The Saints have maintained the same territory since the 1960s neither gaining nor losing ground. This is not very common in Chicago because gangs usually lose terrain over the years. By the 1980s, the gang had become extremely violent
Violence
Violence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g...
and drug trafficking became very lucrative.
In a 1998 feature article, the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
wrote: "In a city known for its fearsome supergangs—criminal enterprises like the Latin Kings and the Gangster Disciples—the Saints stand out as an example of the street corner gang that still hangs on in many neighborhoods."
People Nation
After the formation of the People NationPeople 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...
and Folk Nation
Folk Nation
The Folk Nation is an alliance of street gangs, based in the Chicago area, which has since spread throughout the United States, specifically in the Midwest and the South. They are rivals to the People Nation....
during the 1980s, the Saints decided to remain renegades, showing no alliance to anyone. By the late 1980s to early 1990s, there were many gang members incarcerated in 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...
system, and the Saints decided to join the 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...
for protection of the incarcerated members. They were brought into the People Nation by the Latin Kings as cousins, hence the addition of the Almighty in front of the name and the five point star.
The Saints were affiliated with the People Nation by 1991, but there was a tragedy that started a conflict between the Kings and the Saints— a member of the Kings shot and killed a member of the Saints. The Saints retaliated by doing the same, starting a gang war.
The Saints then called a truce with the Latin Kings, which lasted for some years until a fight again broke out between the two. While not officially at war with one another, the Almighty Saints and the Latin Kings remain at odds.
Recent activities
In 2008, a 14-year-old Saint by the name of David, aka lil casper, was arrested and charged with aggravated battery with a firearm on a member of the rival street gang, Gangster Two Six. David served one year and four months for that crime, which occurred on the corner of 47th and Damen where there were said to be at least 6 to 7 shots fired. The 14-year-old was chased by Chicago police and was caught in a gain-way on the 4600 block of South Wood Street. The gun was found on the 4700 block of South Honore. The 14-year-old was questioned by the Chicago police and repeatedly denied knowledge of the crime.In 2008, the Almighty Saints were suspected in the murder of a rival street gang member by the name of Diego who was known to be a part of the La Raza Street gang. He was shot once in the face where he had a halo. Later on that day, Chicago police already had a Saint in custody and charged with the murder. The 19 year old suspect was charged with a brutal murder and put on trial. He is still on trial and is known by the name Marcus, aka lil dony or lil negro.
In 1998, a 12-year-old boy shot two teens of the street gang the Gangster Disciples
Gangster Disciples
The Black Gangster Disciple Nation is a gang which was formed on the South-side of Chicago in the late 1960s, by David Barksdale, leader of the Black Disciples, and Larry Hoover, leader of the Supreme Gangsters. The two groups united to form the Black Gangster Disciple Nation .The gang has made...
in the Back of the Yards neighborhood within days of joining the Saints street gang. He was later convicted of murder but because he was under 13 years of age he was tried as a minor and sentenced to prison until 2007 or his 21st birthday.
In 1999 and 2001, two well-known Paulinas members were killed by rival gang members. One murder was allegedly committed by one of the Almighty Saints from Wood Street. Although this was never proven, this ignited fighting within the Saints.
The Paulinas remain one of the more ruthless groups in the Saints Nation. In 2004, some Almighty Saints gang members were charged with murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
, kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
, drug trafficking, weapons charges and assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
. Six members were charged with murder and more still face trial; if found guilty, they could serve from 10 to 25 years in prison.
In early 2005, there was a police raid in the Saints neighborhood dubbed "Operation Broken Halo"; 25 members were arrested and detained in prison on drug dealing and weapons charges. The Saints are still very active in the Back of the Yards neighborhood.
On February 12, 2006, Francisco Romero, 23 years old, a member of the Saints, escaped from Cook County Jail along with five other inmates. He had been convicted of murder and sentenced to 45 years in prison. He was later captured.