Using accompanying photographs, the two talked about how the gangs can be differentiated and said in the case of the street gangs in the region, they are mostly Hispanic. They spoke of the Sureno or Mexican Mafia gangs, which originated in California prisons in the 1940-50s and have their stronghold in Southern California.
Residents attending the June 6 Dayton Regional Citizens Advisory Board had the opportunity to significantly increase their knowledge about gangs and gang activity, both of which have been seen moving into Lyon County in some areas.
Two members of the Tri-County Gang Unit, Deputy Bret Willey of the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office and Deputy Nate Brehm of the Carson City Sheriff’s Office made the presentation. The task force was funded by a grant, is in its third year and is a collaborative effort by the sheriff’s departments from Lyon, Carson and Douglas County.
The June 6 presentation was also a follow-up to a presentation by Willey at a prior DRCAB meeting.
Both Willey and Brehm said it is important to be able to identify gangs in order “to be ahead of the curve,” and said if residents think they see gang activity, they should report it.
They also talked about gang names and affiliations, and how they might be identified, which they said isn’t as easy as it had been in the past because the gangs have gotten smarter in that area.
The pair also talked about outlaw motorcycle gangs, noting it is a daunting task to keep up with all of them. They said some people move from street gangs to motorcycle gangs as they get older, noting both are involved in criminal activity, such as drug sales.
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