Twenty-five suspected Spanish Cobra gang members arrested Wednesday morning now face federal drug and gun charges, while six more are being sought as fugitives. Those being sought as fugitives are:
-- Ernesto Vargas, 22, of 1055 N. St. Louis Ave.;
-- Daniel Bonilla, 25, of 2544 N. Harding Ave.;
-- Erick Brito, 27, of 2526 W. Cortez St.;
-- Taki Spencer, 28, of 1017 N. Rockwell St.;
-- Gilberto Vargas, 20, of 3907 W. Armitage Ave.; and
-- Chauvet Stiggers, 22, of 8000 S. Kedvale Ave.
In all, 31 people face state or federal charges, according to a release from the FBI. Federal drug charges, including cocaine, crack cocaine and marijuana distribution, were lodged against 18 suspects, while and 13 more face state drug and gun charges, according to the release. The charges are the culmination of a two-year investigation called "Operation Snake Charmer," a cooperation between local, state and federal law enforcement to break up the hierarchy of Chicago drug trafficking street gangs, the release said. Police used undercover witnesses, including former gang members, as well as court-authorized electronic surveillance and undercover audio and video surveillance of drug deals as part of the investigation.
"The Spanish Cobras are an organized, centrally-controlled street gang whose members conspire together to sell drugs and protect and enforce their territory in the Chicago area," Robert Grant, special agent-in-charge of the Chicago FBI office, said in the release. "These arrests should remind gangs that law enforcement here is united in our efforts to eradicate the city and suburbs of this plague."
Those arrested and charged federally were scheduled to appear later Wednesday in federal court in front of Judge Susan E. Cox. If convicted, they face mandatory minimum sentences of five years and a maximum of life, the release said.
All those charged were from Chicago with the exception of Floyd Dearmond, 20, of East Chicago, Ind.Insane Spanish Cobras Nation is a "Folks Mob" made up of mostly latinos. Their colors are Green & Black Their symbols include a Cobra Snake, Diamond on Staff w/3 dots. They originated as a Puerto Rican street gang in the Humboldt Park area of Chicago.[M]any Puerto Rican residents to relocated to the Humboldt Park and West Town neighborhoods where their concentration facilitated the creation of Chicago first Puerto Rican neighborhood along the Division street corridor. This area was called "La Division." Around this time, clique orientated clubs and street gangs began to solidify their presence throughout these neighborhoods. Soon after, the Spanish Cobras and Latin Kings street gang began to feud in the Humboldt Park community. In the late 1960's-to-early 70's, the Spanish Cobras united with Latin Disciples, Imperial Gangsters, and Latin Eagles to form the United Latino Organization (ULO), which acted as an alliance among Latino street gangs before the Folks & People alliances were originated in the late 1970's.
(FOLK-NATION)They've done battle with the Simon City Royals:
A key factor in the growth of the Spanish Cobras was the acquisition of territory in Logan Square and in and around the Koz Park area. Prior to this, the Simon City Royals street gang had a firm hold on the grounds.The Spanish Cobras and Simon City Royals fought a violent battle over the control of Koz Park in the 1980's, in which many lives were lost on both sides.They have organized other street gangs:
In 1992, the Spanish Cobras became the principle founder of the "Insane Familia", a group of Latino Folks gangs allied on the streets and in the prisons. All organizations granted membership into the Insane Familia adopted the prefix "Insane" to their gangs title.Here's a list of known rivals:Latin Kings, Insane Unknowns, Simon City Royals, Maniac Latin Disciples, Maniac Campbell Boys, Imperial Gangsters, Latin Eagles, Latin Jivers, Milwaukee Kings, Latin Brothers, Latin Stylers, and Latin Pachucos street gangs.

Arrested by ICE agents earlier this week was Valentin Sierra-Martinez, a 20-year-old "Norteño-14" gang member. Arrested July 14 in Elgin, Ill., Sierra-Martinez is an illegal alien from Mexico with prior criminal convictions for residential burglary, domestic battery, possessing drug paraphernalia, and knowingly damaging property. He remains in ICE custody pending deportation to Mexico.
ICE agents also arrested 23-year-old Mauricio Vega-Cruz July 14 in West Chicago. Vega-Cruz, a self-admitted member of the 18th Street gang, was twice deported to Mexico in 2007 and illegally re-entered the U.S. He has criminal convictions in Arizona for misconduct involving weapons and drug paraphernalia, as well as arrests for drugs, aggravated assault, and discharging a firearm in city limits. Vega-Cruz remains in ICE custody pending removal to Mexico.
Of the 49 men arrested, 42 had criminal histories; some of their convictions and arrests include: drunken driving, drug possession, aggravated battery, burglary, theft, and domestic battery.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents here, in close partnership with local law enforcement officers, made 49 arrests in a four-day operation targeting illegal aliens with ties to violent street gangs in Chicago's northern and northwest suburbs this week. This is the latest joint local action of an ongoing national ICE effort to target foreign-born gang members.These arrests were made under an ongoing national ICE initiative called "Operation Community Shield," in which ICE partners with other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to address the significant public safety threat posed by transnational street gangs. Partnerships with local law enforcement agencies are essential to the success of the initiative, and they help further ensure officer safety during the operations.
The multi-agency operation, which began Sunday night and ended Wednesday night, targeted foreign-born gang members and associates in the northern and northwest suburbs. Of the 49 arrested, 48 are Mexican nationals; one is from Guatemala. All are illegal aliens with the exception of one U.S. permanent resident whose criminal convictions make him eligible for deportation.Forty seven of those arrested are members or associates of the following gangs: Brown Pride, Imperial Gangsters, Insane Deuces, Latin Kings, Norteños-14, Sureños-13, and the 18th Street Gang. Two of those arrested had no known gang affiliations but are deportable because they are in the U.S. illegally.Nine of those arrested had been previously deported. It is a felony to re-enter the United States after being formally deported punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison."Street gangs pose a growing public safety threat to communities throughout this area," said Gary Hartwig, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Chicago. "We will not tolerate violent gang activity in our communities, and will use all of our law enforcement tools to thwart criminal efforts of street gangs. Operation Community Shield shows how ICE works with our law enforcement partners to dismantle these criminal organizations and help protect our communities."ICE was assisted in the operation by the following local agencies: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the sheriffs' departments of Cook, Boone, DuPage and Winnebago Counties; and the police departments of Addison, Belvidere, Bensenville, Elgin, Franklin Park, Harvard, Mt. Prospect, West Chicago, Wheeling and Woodstock.Since ICE began Operation Community Shield in February 2005, more than 8,900 gang members belonging to more than 700 different gangs have been arrested nationwide. More information on Operation Community Shield is available at: http://www.ice.gov .