Vandalism, violence prompts gang sweep

Three juveniles and one adult were arrested in a gang sweep of Willows Tuesday evening.

The sweep fell just days after a gang-style graffiti hit in northeast Willows.

“Every time they hit us, we are going to hit them,” said Willows Police Chief Bill Spears.

The graffiti, associated with the Norteños gang, resulted in about $10,000 in damage to six vehicles. Four pickups and one car were keyed at one Fifth Street location, which left several gang-style symbols etched into the paint. A tire on one vehicle was also slashed.

On Green Street, a resident reported his taco truck had been vandalized, with several gang-style symbols written in red on its exterior. A cash box containing an undisclosed amount of money was also taken, the owner said.

During the sweep, six Willows police officers and two officers from the Glenn County Probation Department targeted individuals on probation who have documented association with Norteños, a rival gang of the local Sureños.

The two gangs have been at war across the state since the 1960s.

Both gangs arose in the California prison system between Northern Chicanos and Southern members of La Eme, better knows as the Mexican Mafia.

Law enforcement officials say the spark that led to the ongoing killings between rival gang members involved a situation in which a member of La Eme allegedly stole a pair of shoes from a Northerner. This event put into motion the longest-running gang war in the state of California.

Chief Spears reported a recent increase in graffiti vandalism or “tagging” in Willows by Norteños after 18-year-old Alcadio Guillen, of Sacramento, died April 23 when a bullet from an alleged Sureños gang member’s gun tore through his head following a confrontation near Moe’s Market in Orland.

Guillen’s brother, Joel Guillen, 19, was with him at the time of the shooting. Both men were reportedly wearing the Norteños color of red.

Witnesses at the scene reported that five to seven young Hispanic men, many of them wearing the blue colors of the Sureños, were involved in the confrontation with the Guillens.

Shots were fired as the brothers sped away in a red and black car, one bullet killing the driver.

A 23-year old Sureños gang member, on parole for other crimes, has allegedly been linked to the shooting and is considered a suspect.

More gang violence erupted over the weekend in Hamilton City.

A Hamilton City man was arrested in Chico Sunday in connection with a drive-by shooting there, just one day after allegedly being involved in a shoot-out with rival gang members at his own home, located in Ideal Mobile Home park in Hamilton City, according to Chico and Glenn County officials.

Theodoro Alvarez, 20, is being held in the Butte County Jail, charged with the shooting.

Spears is determined to not let the violence of gang rivalry get a stronghold in Willows.

”Once it starts it’s hard to reverse,” Spears said. “So we are going to keep a tight rein on these guys by conducting these sweeps,” Spears said. “I want it to be known so there is no mistake – there will be no gang behavior in this city. We’re going to keep a high-profile, proactive approach to keep them off balance.”

Tuesday’s gang sweep was the fifth such probation check in the past six months.

More than a dozen individuals were contacted at nine locations. The sweep resulted in the arrest of three juveniles for various misdemeanor violations including possession of narcotic paraphernalia and violation of probation. One of the juveniles, 14, was placed into the Juvenile Hall facility in Willows. The other two, ages 14 and 17, were released from custody on a promise to appear.

One of the juveniles contacted in the sweep is allegedly connected to a battery case the police are investigating. At another location, two adults and two juveniles were contacted at gunpoint following reports that a juvenile in the home could be in possession of a stolen gun.

The sweep also resulted in Mark Wauchope, 51, being arrested for outstanding warrants. Wauchope was on probation for battery against a spouse. He was booked into the Glenn County Jail on $10,000 bail.

According to Willows Police Officer Kelly Meek, it in unknown exactly how many individuals are associated with the two rival gangs, but there does not seem to be more of one than the other.

“It’s pretty evenly matched,” Meek said. “That is unusual for a community such as this.”