Latin Counts

American street gang

Criminal organization

Latin CountsFounded| 1955; 70 years ago (1955)

|

Named after| Polish Counts gang
Founding location| Pilsen, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Territory| South Side, Chicago; Southwest Detroit, Lincoln Park and Ecorse, Michigan
Ethnicity| Mexican-American
Leader(s)| Isidro Garza, Victor Vasquez, Benjamin Beightol
Activities| Drug activity, racketeering, murder
Allies| People Nation
Rivals| Folk Nation

The Latin Counts is a Latino street gang based in Chicago, Illinois with a significant branch in Detroit, Michigan. It is a member of the People Nation alliance.

## History

[edit]

The gang was founded in 1955 by Tejano youth who had just arrived to the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. The original gang members were all related to one another. They named their gang the Texans in homage to the state they originally lived in. The name was changed two years later to Sons of Mexico City to better reflect their ethnic heritage. The name was changed again in 1959 to Latin Counts, inspired by the Polish Counts gang that operated in the nearby Back of the Yards community. During the 1960s, the Counts came into conflict with other gangs in the Pilsen area such as the Latin Kings, the Satan Disciples and Ambrose. In 1970, a faction broke off from the gang to be named the Bishops, who retained good relations with the Counts due to their sharing of the same bloodlines. Their alliance, known as the Bishop Count Nation, would falter in the 1990s.

In 1978, the Counts were invited to join the People Nation, a gang alliance formed in the Pontiac Correctional Center. This enabled the Counts to enter a truce with the allied Latin Kings, but street-level conflict continued between the two gangs until the 1980s. Starting in 1980, the Counts began to expand their operations to the South Chicago and South Deering neighborhoods,[1] and in the mid-1980s they expanded to Cicero, Illinois and Southwest Detroit.[2] In 1991, a full-scale shooting war erupted with the Latin Kings over turf in Cicero that pitted all Counts and Kings against each other nationwide.[1]

## Insignia

[edit]

The Latin Counts' symbol consists of a depiction of Count Dracula, a knight's helmet, and a sword with five slashes above it. The helmet was inspired by the image on the Knight brand matchbox. Their colors are black and red.[1]

## Territory

[edit]

The Latin Counts gang operates in the Chicago area, including the Pilsen, McKinley Park, Marquette Park, Ashburn, South Chicago, South Deering, Cicero, Bridgeview, and Chicago Heights communities.[1] Its territory has expanded to include Southwest Detroit, Michigan, and the suburbs of Lincoln Park and Ecorse.[3][4] The gang's presence has been detected in other Michigan cities including Pontiac, Flint and Lansing.[2]

## Activities

[edit]

The Latin Counts' main criminal activity involves drug activity and racketeering.[5] Gang members have also been involved in selling stolen weapons, assaults and murders.[4]

## Leadership

[edit]

Isidro Garza led the gang while incarcerated in the Michigan Department of Corrections, where he was already serving 25-50 years for a 1993 gang-related homicide. He was sentenced in federal court to an additional ten years in prison.[6] In June 2017, gang leader Victor Vasquez was sentenced to 30 years in prison for violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.[4] Benjamin Beightol, the gang's Minister of Information who disseminated Garza's instructions to lower ranking gang members, pleaded guilty to racketeering charges on January 29, 2018, and faced ten years in prison.[6]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d "Latin Counts", Chicago Gang History. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
2. ^ a b Norman, Kay (November 7, 2024) "The Five Most Dangerous Gangs in Michigan and Their Growing Influence on Crime and Violence", KPYN. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
3. ^ Staff. (April 27, 2018) "Six Suspected Members of 'Latin Counts' Gang Indicted on Federal Charges", wwjnewsradio.radio.com. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
4. ^ a b c Hutchinson, Derick (June 2, 2017) "Lengthy Sentences Given to Members of Latin Counts, Vice Lords Detroit Street Gangs", clickondetroit.com. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
5. ^ Cross, Lauren (March 4, 2019) "Man Tied to Sweeping Latin Counts Racketeering and Drug Case is Going to Prison", nwi.com. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
6. ^ a b Ainsworth, Amber (April 10, 2018) "Final Detroit's Latin Counts Street Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy", clickondetroit.com. Retrieved September 29, 2019.

* v
* t
* e

Organized crime groups in Chicago

African-American|

| Active|

* Black Disciples
* Black P. Stones
* Four Corner Hustlers
* Gangster Disciples
* OutLaw Gangster Disciples
* Mickey Cobras
* Vice Lords

|

Chinese and Chinese-American|

| Active|

* 14K
* Hip Sing Tong
* On Leong Tong

|

Hispanic and Latin American|

| Active|

* Almighty Saints
* La Raza Nation
* Latin Counts
* Latin Eagles
* Latin Kings
* Maniac Latin Disciples
* Sinaloa Cartel
* Spanish Cobras
* Spanish Gangster Disciples
* Tren de Aragua

|

Inactive|

* Young Lords

Irish-American|

| Inactive|

* North Side Gang
* Ragen's Colts
* Sheldon Gang
* Valley Gang

|

Italian-American|

| Active|

* Chicago Outfit

|

Inactive|

* Forty-Two Gang
* Genna crime family
* Italian-American National Union

Jewish-American|

| Inactive|

* Mike Heitler
* Samuel Morton

|

Middle Eastern|

| Inactive|

* TAP Boyz

|

Outlaw motorcycle gangs|

| Active|

* Hells Angels
* Hell's Lovers
* Outlaws
* Wheels of Soul

|

Polish-American|

| Inactive|

* Hymie Weiss

|

White American|

| Active|

* Gaylords
* Popes
* Simon City Royals

|

Inactive|

* Jousters

Events|

* The Battle of Barrington
* Black Hand
* Chicago circulation wars
* Operation Family Secrets
* Saint Valentine's Day Massacre

See also
Chicago Crime Commission
Folk Nation
Gangs in Chicago
History of gangs in Humboldt Park
List of Chicago criminal organizations and crime bosses
Timeline of organized crime in Chicago
People Nation
Organized crime groups in the United States

* v
* t
* e

Organized crime groups in Detroit

African-American|

| Inactive|

* Black Mafia Family
* Chambers Brothers
* Errol Flynns
* Young Boys Inc.

|

Hispanic and Latin American|

| Active|

* Latin Counts
* Spanish Cobras

|

Italian-American|

| Active|

* Detroit Partnership

|

Inactive|

* Black Hand
* Unione Siciliana

Jewish-American|

| Inactive|

* Purple Gang

|

Middle Eastern|

| Active|

* Chaldean mafia

|

Outlaw motorcycle gangs|

| Active|

* Devils Diciples
* Highwaymen
* Outlaws

|

Polish-American|

| Inactive|

* Flathead gang

|

Events|

* Hazelwood massacre

See also
Organized crime groups in the United States

* v
* t
* e

Organized crime groups in the United States

African-American|

* 31 Gang
* 39ers gang
* Bailey Boys
* Black Disciples
* Black Guerrilla Family
* Black Mafia
* Junior Black Mafia
* Black Mafia Family
* Black P. Stone Nation
* Bloods
* Black Spades
* Bloods
* Black P. Stones
* Bounty Hunter Watts Bloods
* Cedar Block Piru
* Crenshaw Mafia Gangster Bloods
* Elm Street Piru
* Fruit Town Piru
* Mob Piru
* Nine Trey Gangsters
* Pirus
* Sex Money Murder
* Tree Top Piru
* United Blood Nation
* Byrd Gang
* CBL/BFL
* Chambers Brothers
* The Council
* Crips
* Grape Street Watts Crips
* Kelly Park Compton Crips
* Nutty Blocc Compton Crips
* Rollin' 30s Harlem Crips
* Rollin' 60s Neighborhood Crips
* Rollin' 90s Neighborhood Crips
* South Side Compton Crips
* Venice Shoreline Crips
* D-Block Boys
* D.C. Blacks
* The Family
* Four Corner Hustlers
* Fruit Belt Gang
* Gangster Disciples
* OutLaw Gangster Disciples
* Hidden Valley Kings
* KUMI 415
* Lenox Street Boys
* LRGP
* Lucerne Street Doggz
* Metz Gang
* Miami Boys
* Mickey Cobras
* Orchard Park Trailblazers
* Savage Nomads
* Schuele Boys
* Somali Outlaws
* Supreme Team
* Vice Lord Nation
* Westmob
* Young Boys Inc.

East and
Southeast Asian|

* Asian Boyz (Southeast Asian)
* Bahala Na Gang (Filipino)
* Born To Kill (Vietnamese)
* Fullerton Boys (Korean)
* Menace of Destruction (Hmong)
* Satanas (Filipino)
* Tiny Rascal Gang (primarily Cambodian)
* Tokyo Boyz (Japanese)
* Yakuza (Japanese)

Chinese and
Chinese-American|

* Bamboo Union
* Big Circle Gang
* Black Dragons
* Chung Ching Yee
* Flying Dragons
* Four Seas Gang
* Fujianese organized crime
* Snakeheads
* Ghost Shadows
* Jackson Street Boys
* Ping On
* Tongs
* Bing Kong
* Four Brothers
* Hip Sing
* Hop Sing
* On Leong
* Suey Sing
* Ying On
* Triads
* 14K
* Sun Yee On
* Wo Hop To
* Wah Ching
* White Tigers

Hispanic and
Latin American|

* 10th Street Gang (primarily Hispanic, also African-Americans)
* 7th Street Gang
* Almighty Saints (primarily Hispanic, also Whites)
* Barrio Azteca (Mexican)
* The Corporation (Cuban)
* Dominicans Don't Play
* Fresno Bulldogs (Mexican)
* Ghetto Brothers
* Hermanos de Pistoleros Latinos (primarily Mexican)
* Jheri Curls (Dominican)
* La Raza Nation (Mexican)
* Latin Counts (Mexican)
* Latin Eagles
* Latin Kings (Mexican / Puerto Rican)
* Maniac Latin Disciples
* Marielitos (Cuban)
* Mexican Mafia
* Mexikanemi
* MS-13 (Central American)
* Ñetas (Puerto Rican)
* Norteños (Mexican)
* Nuestra Familia (Mexican)
* Puro Tango Blast (Mexican)
* Savage Skulls
* Los Solidos
* Spanish Cobras
* Spanish Gangster Disciples
* Sureños (Mexican)
* 18th Street gang
* 38th Street gang
* Avenues
* Azusa 13
* Barriox13
* Culver City Boys
* El Monte Flores
* Florencia 13
* Logan Heights Gang
* OVS
* Playboys
* Puente 13
* Santa Monica 13
* Toonerville Rifa 13
* Varrio Nuevo Estrada
* Venice 13
* Vineland Boys
* Westside Locos
* White Fence
* Temple Street
* Texas Syndicate (primarily Mexican)
* Tren de Aragua (Venezuelan)
* Trinitarios (Dominican)
* Vatos Locos
* Young Lords

White American|

* Chicago Gaylords
* Dead Man Incorporated
* Dixie Mafia
* State Line Mob
* Popes
* Simon City Royals (primarily White, also Hispanics)

European-American|

* Albanian mafia
* Albanian Boys
* Rudaj Organization
* Greek mafia
* Philadelphia Greek Mob
* Velentzas crime family
* Polish Mob
* Russian mafia
* Serbian mafia

Irish-American|

* Irish mob
* Charlestown Mob
* Egan's Rats
* Gustin Gang
* Hogan Gang
* K&A Gang
* Mullen Gang
* North Side Gang
* Westies
* White Hand Gang
* Winter Hill Gang

Italian and
Italian-American|

* American Mafia
* Bufalino crime family
* Buffalo crime family
* Chicago Outfit
* Cleveland crime family
* Colorado crime family
* D'Aquila crime family
* Dallas crime family
* DeCavalcante crime family
* Detroit Partnership
* Five Families (New York City)
* Genna crime family
* Kansas City crime family
* Los Angeles crime family
* Lucchese crime family
* Milwaukee crime family
* Morello crime family
* New Orleans crime family
* Patriarca crime family
* Philadelphia crime family
* Pittsburgh crime family
* Rochester crime family
* San Francisco crime family
* San Jose crime family
* Seattle crime family
* St. Louis crime family
* Trafficante crime family
* 10th & Oregon Crew
* Broadway Mob
* Camorra
* New York City
* East Harlem Purple Gang
* Jousters
* Murder, Inc.
* 'Ndrangheta
* New Springville Boys
* Sicilian Mafia
* South Brooklyn Boys
* Tanglewood Boys

Jewish-American|

* Jewish Mob
* Bugs and Meyer Mob
* Eastman Gang
* Lenox Avenue Gang
* Murder, Inc.
* Odesa mafia
* The Purple Gang
* Yiddish Black Hand
* Zwi Migdal
* Israeli mafia
* Abergil crime family
* New York divorce coercion gang

Polynesian and
Native American|

* The Company
* Native Mob
* Red Skin Kingz
* Sons of Samoa
* Tongan Crip Gang

West and South Asian|

* Armenian Power
* Chaldean mafia
* Independent Soldiers
* Israeli mafia
* Punjabi mafia
* Turkish mafia
* VVT (Tamil)

West African|

* Cape Verdean organized crime
* Nigerian mafia

Outlaw motorcycle gangs|

* Bandidos
* Breed
* Brother Speed
* Devils Diciples
* Diablos
* Dirty Dozen
* El Forastero
* Free Souls
* Galloping Goose
* Grim Reapers
* Gypsy Jokers
* Hells Angels
* Red Devils
* Highwaymen
* Iron Horsemen
* Mongols
* Outlaws
* Black Pistons
* Pagans
* Sons of Satan
* Sons of Silence
* Vagos
* Warlocks (Florida)
* Warlocks (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
* Wheels of Soul

White supremacist|

* 211 Crew
* Aryan Brotherhood
* Aryan Brotherhood of Texas
* Aryan Circle
* Aryan Nations
* Aryan Republican Army
* Atomwaffen Division
* Combat 18
* The Covenant, the Sword, and the Arm of the Lord
* European Kindred
* Hammerskins
* Keystone United
* Lynwood Vikings
* Manson Family
* Nazi Lowriders
* The Order
* Public Enemy No. 1
* Soldiers of Aryan Culture
* Spook Hunters
* Universal Aryan Brotherhood
* Volksfront

See also
Gangs in the United States
List of gangs
Organized crime groups in the Americas
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