Public Enemy No. 1 (gang)

History

← Previous revision Revision as of 09:29, 27 April 2026 Line 26: Line 26: The Public Enemy No. 1 gang emerged from the [[hardcore punk]] scene in [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]], California during the 1980s.<ref name="lbpost.com"/><ref name="alliance">{{Cite news|last=Flaccus|first=Gillian|date=March 4, 2007|title=Alliance adds to gang's clout|work=[[The San Diego Union-Tribune]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070304/news_1n4gang.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405230505/http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070304/news_1n4gang.html|archive-date=April 5, 2012}}</ref> By the 1990s, however, PEN1's base of operations was in [[Orange County, California|Orange County]] where the gang began recruiting white suburban adolescents and became involved in methamphetamine trafficking and identity theft.<ref name="lbpost.com"/><ref name = "alliance" /> The gang also formed ties with the [[Aryan Brotherhood]] and the [[Nazi Lowriders]] in the prison system.<ref name="lbpost.com"/><ref name="LAT2"/> The Public Enemy No. 1 gang emerged from the [[hardcore punk]] scene in [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]], California during the 1980s.<ref name="lbpost.com"/><ref name="alliance">{{Cite news|last=Flaccus|first=Gillian|date=March 4, 2007|title=Alliance adds to gang's clout|work=[[The San Diego Union-Tribune]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070304/news_1n4gang.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405230505/http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070304/news_1n4gang.html|archive-date=April 5, 2012}}</ref> By the 1990s, however, PEN1's base of operations was in [[Orange County, California|Orange County]] where the gang began recruiting white suburban adolescents and became involved in methamphetamine trafficking and identity theft.<ref name="lbpost.com"/><ref name = "alliance" /> The gang also formed ties with the [[Aryan Brotherhood]] and the [[Nazi Lowriders]] in the prison system.<ref name="lbpost.com"/><ref name="LAT2"/>

One of the gang's founders; Donald "Popeye" Mazza, became a made member of the Aryan Brotherhood.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Gartrell|first=Nate|date=August 31, 2019|title='Build an army': Aryan Brotherhood leaders attempted to rule over all white California prison gangs, feds say|work=[[The Mercury News]]|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/08/31/build-an-army-aryan-brotherhood-leaders-attempted-to-rule-over-all-white-california-prison-gangs/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731142801/https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/08/31/build-an-army-aryan-brotherhood-leaders-attempted-to-rule-over-all-white-california-prison-gangs/|archive-date=July 31, 2020}}</ref> Another founding member, Devlin "Gazoo" Stringfellow, was stabbed to death by two other inmates at [[California State Prison, Sacramento]] on January 10, 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/white-supremacist-gang-leader-slain-in-california-prison/|title=Prisoner slain in California was white supremacist leader|work=Seattle Times|date=12 January 2018 |accessdate=2023-09-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/white-supremacist-gang-leader-slain-in-california-prison/ |title=Prisoner slain in California was white supremacist leader |first=Don |last=Thompson |work=[[The Seattle Times]] |date=January 12, 2018}}</ref> In June 2022, Donald "Popeye" Mazza pleaded guilty to racketeering and conspiracy charges in federal court.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/06/16/donald-popeye-mazza-founder-of-orange-county-skinhead-gang-pleads-guilty-in-aryan-brotherhood-racketeering-case/|title=Donald 'Popeye' Mazza, founder of Orange County skinhead gang, pleads guilty in Aryan Brotherhood RICO case|work=Mercury News|date=16 June 2022 |accessdate=2023-06-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://worldnationnews.com/orange-county-skinhead-gang-founder-donald-popeye-mazza-indicted-in-aryan-brotherhood-rico-case/|title=Orange County skinhead gang founder Donald 'Popeye' Mazza indicted in Aryan Brotherhood Rico case|work=World Nation News|date=17 June 2022 |accessdate=2023-06-05}}</ref> One of the gang's founders, Donald "Popeye" Mazza, became a made member of the Aryan Brotherhood.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Gartrell|first=Nate|date=August 31, 2019|title='Build an army': Aryan Brotherhood leaders attempted to rule over all white California prison gangs, feds say|work=[[The Mercury News]]|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/08/31/build-an-army-aryan-brotherhood-leaders-attempted-to-rule-over-all-white-california-prison-gangs/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731142801/https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/08/31/build-an-army-aryan-brotherhood-leaders-attempted-to-rule-over-all-white-california-prison-gangs/|archive-date=July 31, 2020}}</ref> Another founding member, Devlin "Gazoo" Stringfellow, was stabbed to death by two other inmates at [[California State Prison, Sacramento]] on January 10, 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/white-supremacist-gang-leader-slain-in-california-prison/|title=Prisoner slain in California was white supremacist leader|work=Seattle Times|date=12 January 2018 |accessdate=2023-09-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/white-supremacist-gang-leader-slain-in-california-prison/ |title=Prisoner slain in California was white supremacist leader |first=Don |last=Thompson |work=[[The Seattle Times]] |date=January 12, 2018}}</ref> In June 2022, Donald "Popeye" Mazza pleaded guilty to racketeering and conspiracy charges in federal court.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/06/16/donald-popeye-mazza-founder-of-orange-county-skinhead-gang-pleads-guilty-in-aryan-brotherhood-racketeering-case/|title=Donald 'Popeye' Mazza, founder of Orange County skinhead gang, pleads guilty in Aryan Brotherhood RICO case|work=Mercury News|date=16 June 2022 |accessdate=2023-06-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://worldnationnews.com/orange-county-skinhead-gang-founder-donald-popeye-mazza-indicted-in-aryan-brotherhood-rico-case/|title=Orange County skinhead gang founder Donald 'Popeye' Mazza indicted in Aryan Brotherhood Rico case|work=World Nation News|date=17 June 2022 |accessdate=2023-06-05}}</ref>

== Symbology and identification == == Symbology and identification ==