Armenian Power: Difference between revisions

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| ethnic makeup =[[Russians]]-[[Armenians]]
| ethnic makeup =[[Russians]]-[[Armenians]]
| territory =[[Hollywood]] intersections [[Normandie Avenue]], [[Hollywood Blvd]], [[Little Armenia, Los Angeles, California|Little Armenia]]
| territory =[[Hollywood]] intersections [[Normandie Avenue]], [[Hollywood Blvd]], [[Little Armenia, Los Angeles, California|Little Armenia]]
| criminal activities =[[Illegal drug trade|Drug trafficking]], [[murder]], [[assault]], [[fraud]], [[identity theft]], [[illegal gambling]], [[kidnapping]], [[racketeering]], [[robbery]], [[extortion]], [[witness intimidation]]<ref name="rocha2011">Rocha, Veronica (February 17, 2011). [http://articles.glendalenewspress.com/2011-02-17/news/tn-gnp-0218-arrests_1_indictment-kidnapping-identity-theft Armenian Power crackdown continues.] ''[[Glendale News-Press]]''</ref>
| criminal activities =[[Illegal drug trade|Drug trafficking]], [[murder]], [[assault]], [[fraud]], [[identity theft]], [[illegal gambling]], [[kidnapping]], [[racketeering]], [[robbery]]<ref name="rocha2011">Rocha, Veronica (February 17, 2011). [http://articles.glendalenewspress.com/2011-02-17/news/tn-gnp-0218-arrests_1_indictment-kidnapping-identity-theft Armenian Power crackdown continues.] ''[[Glendale News-Press]]''</ref>
| membership = 250<ref name="glendalenewspress.com">http://www.glendalenewspress.com/news/tn-gnp-0217-fraud,0,2584384.story</ref>
| membership = 250<ref name="glendalenewspress.com">http://www.glendalenewspress.com/news/tn-gnp-0217-fraud,0,2584384.story</ref>
| allies =[[Mexican Mafia]], [[Russian Mafia]], [[18th Street gang]]
| allies =[[Mexican Mafia]], [[Russian Mafia]], [[18th Street gang]]

Revision as of 21:03, 24 February 2011

Armenian Power
Years active1988 - current
TerritoryHollywood intersections Normandie Avenue, Hollywood Blvd, Little Armenia
EthnicityRussians-Armenians
Membership250[1]
Criminal activitiesDrug trafficking, murder, assault, fraud, identity theft, illegal gambling, kidnapping, racketeering, robbery[2]
AlliesMexican Mafia, Russian Mafia, 18th Street gang
RivalsMara Salvatrucha, Tooner Ville Rifa 13, White Fence[3]

Armenian Power, also known as AP, or AP 13 [4] is an Armenian street gang located in Los Angeles County, California.[5]

History

The collapse of the Soviet Union prompted a massive wave of Russian-Armenian[clarification needed] immigration into Los Angeles County, California. They moved primarily to the communities of East Hollywood, North Hollywood, and Hollywood.[6] They later moved to Burbank and Glendale.[7] Faced with pressure from Mexican and Salvadoran gang members in the area, young Armenians grouped together to form Armenian Power.[8]

Armenian Power is exclusively composed of Russian-Armenians whose families fled the chaos during the collapse of the former Soviet Union. Armenian Power also has ties to ethnic Jewish crime gangs located in Miami and Brighton Beach.[9] The Armenian Power gang was a quickly growing gang in Hollywood and North Hollywood which formed partnerships with other gangs.[10][11]

There are 250 members in the gang according to reports in the Glendale News Press.[1]

In the summer of 1988, two dozen gang members took over the parking lot of a mini-mall in East Hollywood and turned it into their headquarters. They intimidated patrons of the mall's restaurants and clothing stores, forcing the shop owners to hire two off-duty LAPD officers for security. They wore the classic uniform of the barrio street gang: baggy khaki pants, pressed white T-shirts, hair nets, navy blue ski caps and locs[clarification needed] style sunglasses. Many were tattooed and armed.

By mid-1997 the Armenian Power gang was believed to be responsible for a dozen driveby murders.[12]

On February 16, 2011 during Operation Power Outage over 800 federal and local law enforcement authorities arrested nearly 100 people allegedly involved in Los Angeles area Armenian organized crime. Much of the crime was white collar in nature, including identity theft crimes such as credit card skimming.[13][14]

Latino-Armenian conflict

Armenian Power has had a history of conflict with Latino gang members in the past but it is thought to have simmered down in the past years.[15][16] Armen "Silent" Petrosyan, a founder of AP, was shot to death on May 22, 2000 by Jose Argueta, a member of Latino gang White Fence.[3] On May 24, 2000, Latino gang members shot an Armenian person outside a restaurant in Hollywood. It was recorded as the third clash involving Armenian and Latino gang members in that month.[17] In 2000, a killing of a 17 year old Latino youth outside of Hoover High School by Armenian gang youth sparked dialogue to find ways to help stop violence between these groups.[18]

Ties to the Russian Mafia

The unique environment in the Soviet Union under communism and the rapid shift from Communism to free market capitalism throughout the former Soviet Union created a breeding ground from criminal activity. This led to the growth of a Russian mafia which is a multi-ethmic criminal entity which includes Russians, Ukranians, Russian-Armenians, Russian-Jewish, Belarussian, Georgian, Azeri, Tajik and pro-Kremlin Chechans.The specialty of the Russian mafia is financial crimes but they are involved in other criminal activities.Investigating The Russian Mafia Joseph D. Serio

References

  1. ^ a b http://www.glendalenewspress.com/news/tn-gnp-0217-fraud,0,2584384.story
  2. ^ Rocha, Veronica (February 17, 2011). Armenian Power crackdown continues. Glendale News-Press
  3. ^ a b Krikorkian, Michael (February 2, 2001). Gang Violence Claimed Man Who Tried to Change; Crime: The conviction of his killer closes the final chapter in the story of a former Armenian Power leader who was slain in inter-ethnic strife. Los Angeles Times
  4. ^ Coleman, Wanda (1996). Native in a Strange Land: Trials & Tremors. Black Sparrow Press. p. 192. ISBN 9781574230246. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  5. ^ Krikorian, Michael (August 17, 1997). Violent Gang Is a Stain on a Proud Ethnic Community Series: The rise of a small street gang, Armenian Power, is causing a tragic cycle of fear and death. Los Angeles Times
  6. ^ Braidhill, Kathy (January, 1998)
  7. ^ Where the boys are. Los Angeles
  8. ^ Watkins, Thomas (October 16, 2010).
  9. ^ Armenian Organized Crime Grows More Complex ABC News
  10. ^ Krikorian, Michael (August 18, 1997). Gang Gains Reluctant Respect From Some; Violence: Although community members condemn Armenian Power, a few say they have been helped by the group. Los Angeles Times
  11. ^ Corwin, Miles (2003). Homicide special:a year with the LAPD's elite detective unit, p. 29 Macmillan, ISBN 9780805067989
  12. ^ Rodriguez, Luis (2003). Hearts and Hands: Creating Community in Violent Times, p. 38. Seven Stories Press,, ISBN 9781583225646
  13. ^ Blankstein, Andrew (February 16, 2011). Nearly 100 charged, dozens arrested in operation targeting Armenian organized crime. Los Angeles Times
  14. ^ Staff report (February 16, 2011). Arrests of Armenian Group in Calif. New York Times
  15. ^ Ryan, Harriet (September 19, 2003). Mark Geragos out of Peterson spotlight. CNN
  16. ^ Yablonsky, Lewis (2005). Gangs in court. Lawyers & Judges Publishing Company, ISBN 9781930056794
  17. ^ Hong, Peter Y.; Gee, Elise (May 24, 2000). Latino Gang Killed Armenian Man, Police Say. Los Angeles Times
  18. ^ Rodriguez, Luis (2003). Hearts and Hands: Creating Community in Violent Times, p. 327. Seven Stories Press,, ISBN 9781583225646
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