GANGLAND GODFATHER

Dojinkai has long been one of Japan’s top organized crime syndicates, or yakuza, brethren of the American mafia. When it came to the all-important social rules governing Japanese neighborhoods, the Dojinkai was neighborly enough that a young hairstylist did not hesitate to open a fashionable salon, complete with music by Enya, a stone’s throw away from the headquarters.But residents began worrying two years ago after factional fighting spilled out onto the streets, one time with machine gun fire and explosions.More than 600 residents recently went to court to oust the Dojinkai from its six-story headquarters, located in a prominent commercial area near the main train station in this medium-sized city in western Japan.The lawsuit was the first of its kind in Japan, where the yakuza’s offices tend to be out in the open. It shined a spotlight on how the yakuza — long considered a necessary evil, tolerated by, and sometimes politically allied with, the authorities — occupy a place much clo...

More than 200 law enforcement officers swarmed city streets beginning at 7 a.m., serving dozens of search warrants and arresting more than 40 gang suspects accused of fomenting violence, drug-dealing and prostitution.Feuding between Deep-C and traditional rival groups in North Richmond accounted for many bodies during the past two years, authorities say."They make their money through narcotics, prostitution and violence. And they make sure their area is clear of other gangs," said John George, special agent in charge of the BNE's San Francisco office. "This operation targeted the shot-callers ... and we also tracked the drug dealers who were supplying Deep-C and bringing illegal drugs into Richmond."The Contra Costa District Attorney's Office will prosecute all cases in Superior Court, George said. The bulk of charges involve drug-dealing, weapons violations and gang enhancements. The investigation also uncovered pimping at a hotel immediately outside Richmo...

Reputed chief enforcer of the Gangster Disciples in the Chicago area has been ordered to spend 40 years in prison for illegally purchasing guns in in northwest Indiana. Bernard Ellis, 41, of Country Club Hills, seemed surprised by the long prison term handed down Monday.“You’re giving me 40 years for guns?” Ellis exclaimed, insisting he never killed anyone.He told the judge the sentence was “crazy” and said he’ll appeal. But U.S. District Judge Robert L. Miller Jr. said the sentence was justified, calling Ellis an “armed career criminal.”In May, a federal judge in Chicago had sentenced Ellis to seven years in prison for possession of firearms by a felon. That judge didn’t give Ellis the maximum 20-year sentence then, in part, he said, because he found “redeeming” qualities in him.In 2004, Chicago police recovered a gun from Ellis after arresting him on charges he beat his girlfriend and her daughter. Tests linked the gun to a killing earlier that year. But Ellis hasn’t been charged in ...

Henry Fortich Coneo and Wilmer Villadiego Coneo were flown to Miami on Tuesday. They were captured last month and have been wanted by U.S. authorities since 2001. They're suspected to be former members of a dismantled gang in the Dominican Republic accused of drug smuggling and murder.Col. Reverol didn't specify the charges or the quantity of drugs involved.The U.S. has accused Venezuela of doing little to prevent trafficking of Colombian cocaine. President Hugo Chavez's government denies the accusations.

Former Hell's Angel Steven Gault testified in the murder conspiracy trial of Mark Stephenson and Remond Akleh, both senior members of the Ontario Hell's Angels. The alleged murder contract was never carried out.Akleh and Stephenson are charged with recruiting Gault to murder Frank Lenti of the rival Bandidos Motorcycle Club in the summer of 2006, after Lenti refused to become a Hell's Angel. "Mr. Stephenson put his arm around me and told me I got my patch, but if he ever found any paperwork on me, he would kill me," Gault said.Court heard that a biker's patch is the trademark winged skull logo of the Hell's Angels, and that even members wives weren't allowed to touch them.Court also heard that paperwork was any strong evidence that a member was a police informer. Gault sometimes smiled as he outlined the practices and rules of the Hell's Angels, the world's largest outlaw motorcycle gang. Gault said that a member had to wait a year after joinin...

Danny Neace of Indiana testified Thursday in the Sioux Falls trial of two Hells Angels bikers charged with shooting him and four other people.Chad Wilson of Lynnwood, Wash., and John Midmore of Valparaiso, Ind., are charged with attempted murder and commission of a felony while armed.Their lawyer says as Wilson and Midmore tried to leave a resort, several Outlaws members attacked them so they fled to save their lives.But Neace said none of the Outlaws pulled a gun before the shooting.Because Neace is charged with an unrelated federal crimes in Michigan, federal prosecutors gave him immunity for his testimony.

Gang members are getting trained in the military and using their knowledge to come back and fight on American streets. While in California a month ago, we interviewed two L-A County gang investigators in south central Los Angeles. Just listen to what Detective Adan Torres told us."One of the biggest gangbangers around here actually has on his license plate, ‘Iraq veteran, or veteran Iraq'," he said. "He's got F-13 on the back of his head. Florencia on back. F-13 on his arms... and two purple hearts. Been on two tours of duty. He's trained than half the officers here anyway, fighting him."That's the "gotcha" -- hearing veteran gang detectives say some gang members are purple heart recipients who are a better shot than most police. Those detectives in California listed a couple examples of problematic gang members they see all the time, who are also American soldiers.