Aryan Circle
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Rivals | Aryan Brotherhood of Texas[1] |
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The Aryan Circle is a
The Aryan Circle was founded by Mark "Cowboy" Gaspard in 1985 in the
The gang began growing during the 1990s, becoming the second-largest prison gang in Texas by 2008, with 730 confirmed members in state prisons. The gang also had an operational presence in neighboring states and isolated members throughout the country. The Anti-Defamation League estimated their 2009 nationwide membership to be approximately 1,400, including 150 confirmed members in federal prisons.[1]
Membership and identifiers
Membership in the group usually requires an assault on an enemy of the organization. The Aryan Circle touts four tenets: brotherhood, solidarity, loyalty, and dedication; these beliefs are represented on each side of a diamond patch.
Aryan Circle members sport common white supremacist/separatist tattoos such as
Criminal activities
Aryan Circle members have been convicted of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute large amounts of methamphetamine.[3][4][5]
On August 10, 2007, Aryan Circle member Dennis Leighton Clem killed two police officers at a Budget Inn Motel in
Rivals
Although the Aryan Circle was created by white supremacists, in the mid-1990s it was caught up in a bloody war with another white supremacist prison gang called the White Knights that cost the life of one White Knights member.[8]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "The Aryan Circle: Crime in the Name of Hate" (PDF). Anti-Defamation League. December 2009. pp. 9–10. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
- ^ Mock, Brentin (1 December 2007). "Aryan Circle Blamed for Two Cop Killings". Intelligence Report. Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
- ^ Bob Campbell (23 January 2007). "Aryan Circle defendants win appeals". Midland Reporter-Telegram. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
- ^ John Reynolds (25 March 2004). "Feds bust up Aryan Circle meth ring". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
- ^ Department of Justice (7 July 2021). "Final Defendant Pleads Guilty in Drug Conspiracy Involving Aryan Circle".
- ^ Sentencing in Louisiana Police Shooting
- ^ Leahy, Jennifer (13 August 2007). "Louisiana slaying suspect caught in Harris County". Houston Chronicle.
- ^ Rivalry with the White Knights published by caselaw.findlaw.com