GANGLAND GODFATHER

Jackie Tran, whose deportation saga began in 2004, had his appeal denied Friday by the Immigration and Refugee Board.Tran is "disappointed" with the decision, and is considering taking advantage of his 15 days to appeal."That's something that we're definitely looking at,"said Ram Sankaran, Tran's lawyer.In the latest step of a process that has been ongoing for five years, the board concluded that Tran--whose full name is Nghia Trong Nguyen-Tran -- is a member and associate of the FOB Killers gang, referred to as FK, a factor that was held against him in the decision."His ongoing association with the members of this gang is not demonstrative of rehabilitation. It also undermines the credibility of the appellant and his witnesses' evidence regarding the genuineness of his effort to rehabilitate," reads the decision from board member Renee Miller.Tran denies belonging to the criminal gang, but admits to social contact with members.Tran's f...

On Friday, reputed gangster Shaun Roberts was granted bail with strict conditions, including 24-hour house arrest pending four court appearances to face charges -- including four counts of attempted murder -- in connection with the Nov. 16 gunplay. Earlier in the week, a 17-year-old associate of Roberts, facing charges in the same shootout, was granted bail with a $20,000 bond and house arrest. Deputy Chief Murray Stooke concedes gang crimes have put Calgary in an unenviable place among the nation's major cities. "In 2008, we had the second-highest number of homicides in 30 years and about 35% involved gang activity," he said. "What we're mostly concerned about is we have a running battle between two gangs that has cost lives." Statistics Canada findings show this city, along with Edmonton and Winnipeg, topped the nation for the number of gang homicides in 2007. That year, cops reported 117 homicides nationwide as gang-related, which includes killings of gan...

20-year-old Alberta woman was shot and killed over the weekend, the unintended victim of a vicious gang war that has claimed a number of lives at a collection of reserves south of Edmonton. Delema Dixon, who also goes by the last name Lefthand, was shot in the head Saturday night when her home was riddled by gunfire on the Samson reserve -- one of four First Nations in Hobbema, Alta. Dixon's mother, Vernadee Applegarth, told CTV News that she believed it was her son -- who is in a gang -- who was the target. It wasn't the first time that their home was shot up in the last few years. Applegarth is now left to take care of her daughter's 18-month-old child. "I'm angry so much that I want to get revenge," she said. Dixon's father, Darren Applejohn, likened living on the reserve to living in a warzone. "It's just like living in Iraq -- terrorist town -- that's how I see it. Bunch of terrorists here," he said. Gun complaints are nearly an ever...