What Is The Most Notorious Gang In Montana?

When you think of gang activity, you probably think Montana is pretty safe from the issues that other states have to deal with.

In reality, there are a few gangs in Montana, one of which is pretty dangerous and has been around for over 50 years.

The website Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center has released each state's most notorious gang, and when it comes to Montana, the gang is actually coming from California.

The Norteños are considered to be the gang most dangerous to Montana residents.

While America seems to romanticize gang members from years gone by, they were just as ruthless as the Norteños are today.

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Who are the Norteños?

According to Wikipedia,

Norteños (Spanish for Northerners) are the various, affiliated gangs that pay tribute to Nuestra Familia while in Californiastate and federal correctional facilities.

Their history dates back to 1968, when inmates in the California prison system seperated into two groups: the Norteños and the Sureños, or Northerners and Southerners.

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Criminal Activity

Here are some of the more high-profile crimes that the Norteños have been involved in, according to Wikipedia:

On January 9, 2005, in Ceres, California in Stanislaus County, Officer Sam Ryno was the first to respond to a call about a man with a gun in front of George's Liquors. Andres Raya, a U.S. Marine on leave after serving in Iraq, was armed with an SKS rifle and opened fire on officers, hitting Officer Ryno and killing Sergeant Stevenson. Raya was shot dead some time later after he opened fire on SWAT team members.

Then in 2013:

In August 2013, a shooting done by a documented Norteño killed three people and wounded four others at Taco Choice, a Mexican restaurant and bar in Salinas, California. The gunman, a 21-year-old Giovanni Pacheco, was sentenced to life without parole.

Finally in 2023:

On February 3, 2023, two alleged Norteño gang members, Noah David Beard and Angel "Nanu" Uriarte, were arrested for the January 16, 2023 murders of six people in Goshen, California. Among the six victims were a 16-year-old mother, Alissa Parraz, and her 10-month old baby, Nycholas Parraz, both reportedly shot in the head. Surveillance video released by authorities showed the teenage mother running outside, placing the infant on the other side of a fence, then jumping over it herself. Authorities alleged that it was Beard who killed them. Both mother and son were found dead in the street, shot in the back of the head.

So, while you might not think of Montana as being a hotbed of gang activity, that doesn't mean it's not in our state at all.

Everything You Need To Know About The Norteños Gang

Let's look at the Norteños gang

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