Latin Kings

For other uses, see Latin Kings (disambiguation).
Latin Kings
Latin Kings flag
Founded1954; 70 years ago (1954)[1]
FounderRamon Santos[1]
Founding locationHumboldt Park, Chicago, Illinois, United States[2]
Years active1954–present
TerritoryThe KMC faction is active in 31 U.S. states, and the Bloodline faction is active in 5 U.S. states.[3] Presence also in Canada,[4] Ecuador,[5] Italy[6] and Spain[7]
EthnicityPredominantly Hispanic and Latino[3]
Membership (est.)
  • 20,000–35,000 (KMC)[3]
  • 2,000–7,500 (Bloodline)[3]
ActivitiesDrug trafficking, assault, burglary, homicide, identity theft and money laundering[3]
Allies
Rivals
Notable members

The Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (ALKQN, ALKN, or LKN, also known as simply Latin Kings) is a gang active primarily in the United States as well as internationally. The gang was founded by Puerto Ricans in Chicago, Illinois, in 1954.[24][25] The Latin Kings are one of the largest Hispanic and Latino street and prison gangs worldwide.[26][27][28]

In the United States, the Latin Kings operate under two umbrella factions—the King Motherland Chicago (KMC) faction headquartered in Chicago, and the Bloodline faction based in New York. The KMC faction consists of 60 structured chapters operating in 158 cities in 31 U.S. states, with a membership of between 20,000 and 35,000.[3] The Bloodline Latin Kings have a membership of 2,200 to 7,500, and operate several dozen chapters in 15 cities in 5 states.[3] The gang also has a significant presence in the prison system.[15] The Latin Kings are involved in a wide variety of criminal activities, including drug dealing, assault, burglary, homicide, identity theft, and money laundering, with the gang's primary source of income deriving from the street-level distribution of narcotics.[3]

  1. ^ a b Latin Kings chicagoganghistory.com
  2. ^ Top Latin Kings gang leader sentenced to 60 years[dead link‍] Mary Wisniewski, Reuters (January 11, 2012)
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h The Latin Kings justice.gov Archived October 28, 2020, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Toronto woman faces deportation for gang ties Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (July 26, 2010)
  5. ^ Ecuador legalized gangs. Murder rates plummeted. Sigal Samuel, Vox (March 26, 2019)
  6. ^ Milan struggles to cope as Latin American gang violence starts afflicting general public Michael Day, The Independent (20 June 2015)
  7. ^ Row erupts in Spain over treatment of Latin Kings Giles Tremlett, The Guardian (5 October 2006)
  8. ^
    • Barry, Stephanie (December 28, 2019). "In our world, killing is easy': Latin Kings part of a web of organized crime alliances, say former gangsters and law enforcement officials". MassLive. Retrieved December 18, 2021. Archived February 4, 2024, at the Wayback Machine
    • Capeci, Jerry (April 5, 2020). "Mafia scion John Gotti has ties to Latin Kings". NY Daily News. Retrieved December 18, 2021. Archived April 6, 2020, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ a b c d e NYPD Gang Manual New York City Police Department (2000)
  10. ^ "Bloods". Gangs In Maryland. University of Maryland. Archived from the original on 2008-12-06. Retrieved 2009-02-21.
  11. ^ Barry, Stephanie (December 28, 2019). "In our world, killing is easy': Latin Kings part of a web of organized crime alliances, say former gangsters and law enforcement officials". MassLive. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  12. ^ Alex Napoliello (May 7, 2018), "Pagans may be planning a 'violent' expansion into North Jersey", NJ.com Archived October 22, 2019, at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ a b "People and Folk Nation Sets – Gang and Security Threat Group Awareness". Florida Department of Corrections. Archived from the original on 7 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-15.
  14. ^ Jeff Coen (December 20, 2018), "First he turned on 'El Chapo.' Then he secretly recorded him. Now in hiding, the Chicago twin testifies against the alleged Mexican cartel boss". Chicago Tribune
  15. ^ a b Cartels and Gangs in Chicago dea.gov (May 2017) Archived May 27, 2019, at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ a b c Brad Hamilton (October 28, 2007), "Gangs of New York", New York Post
  17. ^ a b Agar, John (February 17, 2013), "New documents give inside look at Holland Latin Kings, drugs, violence", MLive
  18. ^ The People of the State of Illinois v. Victor Perez. Illinois Appellate Court (February 17, 2000)
  19. ^ "Prison Gangs (continued) – Gangs and Security Threat Group Awareness". Florida Department of Corrections. Archived from the original on 2010-03-12. Retrieved 2012-08-05.
  20. ^ The People of the State of Illinois v. Justin Rouse. Illinois Appellate Court (July 16, 2014)
  21. ^ Mark Pazniokas (November 20, 1996). "Los Solidos gang leader sentenced to 14 life terms". Hartford Courant
  22. ^ Wildfong, Curtis (February 29, 2016). "Witnesses describe scene of February gang-related shooting in Holland Township". Holland Sentinel.
  23. ^ "United Blood Nation history, terminology, background". WSOC-TV (May 18, 2017)
  24. ^ "Gang Profile: The Latin Kings | Office of Justice Programs".
  25. ^ "Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation of New York and Environs | Office of Justice Programs".
  26. ^ "Latin Kings Live, Die By Rigid Organization". Chris Markuns The Eagle-Tribune, Lawrence, MA, February 29, 2004. Archived from the original on January 7, 2010. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  27. ^ "Gangland: Divide and Conquer DVD, View All, HISTORY Shop". Shop.history.com. 2009-03-30. Archived from the original on 2011-01-14. Retrieved 2010-04-15.
  28. ^ "Latin Kings gang members charged in murder, racketeering, drug offenses". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 2010-07-22. Retrieved 2010-11-27.