Asian Boyz

The Asian Boyz, also known as ABZ, AB-26, or ABZ Crips,[13] are a street gang based in Southern California. They were founded in the early 1990s as part of efforts of protection[1][14] for Southeast Asian immigrants and refugees from the more numerous American gangs in their localities.[15][16] According to the FBI, the gang is predominantly Southeast Asian-American, of which Cambodians account for their majority, while Filipinos, Vietnamese and other Southeast Asians comprise sizable numbers.[13] With approximately 2,000 members, many are known to have enlisted in the U.S. military through which some were able to use their position to traffic drugs.[14] 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]

Asian Boyz
FoundedEarly 1990s[1]
Founding locationLong Beach, California, United States[2]
Years active1990s–present
Territory14 U.S. states[3]
EthnicityVietnamese American,[4]
Filipino American[4] and Cambodian American[3][4]
Membership (est.)1,300-2,000[3]
ActivitiesDrug trafficking, robbery, assault, burglary, theft and homicide[3]
AlliesCrips[5]
Reccless Tigers[2]
RivalsBloods[6]
East Side Longos[7]
Lower East Side[8]
Tiny Rascal Gang[9]
Valerio Street Gang[10]
Viet Boyz[11]
Wah Ching[12]

History

The Asian Boyz gang was formed in Long Beach, California in the early 1990s, drawing members from immigrant communities from Southeast Asia.[2][1] The gang's founders, including the Filipino brothers named Marvin Mercado and Pierre Mercado in Southern California, banded together as part of an effort to protect themselves from the more numerous pre-existing gangs situated in their respective neighborhoods.[17][1] 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 own faction of Crips that is, among other things, racially or ethnically distinct.

Although the Asian Boyz gang comprise their own identity as an organization, the identity itself is largely interpreted as an umbrella of individual Crip gangs or "sets"; hence their alternative monikers "Asian Crips" and "Asian Boyz Crip". Though the relationships between these individual sets are unclear, the various Southeast Asian members tend to work with people of their own national, ethnic or cultural background. More recent publications (since 2011) have revealed even more information about the gang, notable details include the alliance of a number of gangs based in Long Beach, California referred to as SEAs, an abbreviation of Suicidal Town, Exotic Family City Crip and Asian Boyz.

Notable crimes

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.[18] In 2013, Mercado was sentenced to 218 years to life in prison.[19]

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.[20] In September 1998, Asian Boyz members were charged with three murders and five attempted murders.[21]

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.[22][23]

In December 2006, three members of the gang were charged with beating a 15-year-old boy named Sang Vu to death in Utica, New York. Richie Nguyen, who was 16, was sentenced to 5 to 15 years of prison for manslaughter.[24][25][26] Samnang Chou was sentenced to 10 years of prison for second-degree assault.[8][27]

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[28] and sentenced to life without parole on July 27, 2012.[29]

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

In April 2018, two known Asian Boyz gang members, in Fall River, Massachusetts, fired multiple shots into home of rival gang member. Soon followed by two more drive-bys in rival gang territory. Upper ranking member, Vincent "Six Blue" Valois, age 27, and new member Damian "Peanut" Perez, age 16, were charged after a social media video of them and other gang members loading extended magazines and brandishing firearms appeared. This occurred after another known Asian Boy murdered a rival gang member in front of a court house sparking a feud between rival Crip sets.[30]

In December 2018, a high-ranking member named Derek Pires was arrested in Fall River, Massachusetts following a shooting that left no injuries.[31]

On April 15, 2019, five Asian Boyz and a Santa Monica 17th Street gang member were ambushed by a group of El Monte Flores 13 gang members at an Asian Boyz-run gambling den in Monterey Park, California. A shoot-out occurred, but there were no reported injuries, and a total of nine people were arrested in the days after.[32][33]

Membership

According to the FBI's 2009 National Gang Threat Assessment, membership is estimated at 1,300-2,000 members. Originally, most members were Cambodian, with a small portion of Filipino 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.[34][35]

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,[36] Burmese, Karen[37] Karenni and Thai descent while on the East Coast, specifically in New York, there are a lot more members of Korean and Chinese descent.[38] 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.

They are also known to have members in Indiana, Minnesota, New York, Texas, and Massachusetts as well as within the U.S. Armed Forces.[39]

Rivalries
Main article: Murder of Lea Mek

The Asian Boyz has been in a long conflict with the Wah Ching gang. One of the first shootouts between the two gangs occurred in the 1990s in an El Monte pool hall. An Asian Boyz gang member, Lea Mek, was killed by Wah Ching gang member Chieu Luong Yang.[40][41]

Another shootout between the two gangs occurred in San Marino that led to 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.[40][41]

References
  1. "Asian Boyz gang founder Marvin Mercado gets life, no parole from Calif. Judge". Archived from the original on 2018-03-27. Retrieved 2018-03-26.
  2. "Sweeping probe details ruthless rise of a new gang in D.C.'s suburbs". Washington Post. August 20, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  3. 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. 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, Vietnamese and Filipino,Indian factions and included three cliques in the suburbs of Los Angeles and one in San Jose.
  5. "Asian Boyz Crips". 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.
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