NF Chart mugs 0415jherrera-Composite Proof0:31JHERRERA

A tale of two familiesOperation Knockout was focused on delivering a body blow to

the Nuestra Familia’s leadership in the Salinas area.The gang’s activity in Monterey County has remained divided

between two factions, long after the FBI’s Operation Black Widowsent the gang’s top leaders into the federal prison system in 2004.

Power struggles between the two groups are believed to be atthe root of some of the violence in Salinas.

The most powerful faction is loyal to new leaders in Pelican BayState Prison, which, according to the gang’s constitution, is the onlyofficial “headquarters” for the Nuestra Familia’s leadership group,known as the Mesa.

But some families and veteran gang members in the CentralCoast remain loyal to the gang’s former top generals and captains,many of whom are serving life sentences in federal prison and areexpanding the gang’s influence to other areas.

David ‘D.C.’CervantesGeneral

California branchPelican Bay State Prison

Official Nuestra Familia headquarters

Matt Rochaof Salinas

Antonio‘Chuco’Guillen

George‘Puppet’Franco

James‘Tibbs’Morado

Joseph‘Pinky’Hernandez

Top commanders

Martin‘Cyclone’MontoyaSalinas: Arrestedin ‘OperationKnockout’

Israel‘Shorty’ CotaSoledad:Arrested inMarch

Local leaders

Vincent‘Chente’GarciaGreenfield:Arrested inDecember

Shawn‘Bubbles’CameronHanford: Not in

custody

Federal branchFlorence, Colo., supermax prisonHeadquarters of national branch

of Nuestra Familia

Cornelio‘Corny’Tristan

Gerald‘Cuete’Rubalcaba

Due for release this year

Alberto ‘Bird’Larezof Salinas

Henry‘Happy’Cervantes

Other federal prisons

Rico WayneGarciaof Salinas, inprison inFlorida

Daniel ‘Stork’Perezof Salinas,awaitingtransfer tofederal prison

Sheldon ‘Skip’VillanuevaIn prison inLouisiana,facing apossible deathpenalty forallegedly killinghis cellmate, agang ‘dropout’

Salinas

Larry ‘Paqui’AmaroUnder federal

indictment

Mario‘Weasel’ DiazTurned federalwitness

Crystal AnnMoradoSalinas,common-lawwife of TibbsMorado, wasfoundmurdered onHecker PassRoad in 2005