How The Latin Kings Gang Actually Works | How Crime Works | Insider

you proving your worth in that prison. So when things came your way, you handled them with violence. You would be ready for violence at any moment. You would form connections within the prison based on your street connections to really influence the guards. Now you have influence over the guards, you have access to the things of the world. The more people you have, I understand the chain of command. I understand how an organization

works

. So at this point, I'm getting to a high level, so this was based on my confidence because I wouldn't really touch this stuff, but I would get something out of it.

So the more people, the more structure I have, the less things I have to do, putting myself in danger, because I have people under me that I could say, "Look, do this, do that, move this, move this." And then I reap the benefits of it. So I started going to war with the tactical. At this moment I am in extension. I'm bored. I do not have anything better to do. "Okay, let's fight. Let's fight, let's go to war." I'm going to get the respect of my peers, of other prisoners, and on top of that, you're going to have the respect of the correctional officers because now they know that if you mess with him, you won't be able to go home. at the shift change because you will have to do a lot of paperwork.

You've been here 10 hours, 12 hours. You might not get home for 17 hours if you mess with this prisoner. So guess what they do? They stop messing with you. For me, prison made me worse. I was not saved in prison. The only thing I learned from prison is how to be a better criminal. Man, my breaking point, bro, I didn't care about the fights. The pain doesn't last long, you know what I'm saying? They really were my kids, man. When I made that offer I was five years old and my little girl, Hailey, was 2 years old when I went.

He had been locked up for about four years and was in maximum security. At this moment, the officer who was working in the dormitory was nice to me, so he is working to visit this day and lets me hold my little girl, even though I am not in contact. I have a belt, handcuffs and shackles. I'm holding my beautiful baby girl. She says, "Dad, what is this?" I said, "That's my bracelet, honey. Dad is shiny, can't you see they're new?" And she looked and said, "Well, what is this?" And she grabs my shackles, and I start doing this, and I make them jump like they're a jump rope.

I was like, "Oh, that's my jump rope, honey." And she looks, she said, "You look stuck. You look like you're stuck." I told you, prison didn't make me better. I'm about to start this empire when I hit the streets. But all this was destroying me. So for me leaving wasn't even a thought because I didn't care what they were going to do or what they were going to say. I started going to prison at 12, 13. It was stealing clothes and selling them on the block and then possession of a stolen gun. They kicked down my mom's door and found the gun.

Then we were all in a parade. We were

actually

going to fight another rival

gang

. We had an eight ball in a handkerchief. One of the guys had a knife. But man, God intervened. We ended up stuck smoking weed in the car before we could get out and do what we were going to do. At 16, one count of attempted first-degree murder, three counts of aggravated assault and one count of aggravated criminal mischief. It was

gang

related. They locked me up again, I was there for 17 and they gave me a five-year suspended sentence. Then I ended up being charged as an adult.

I was on the streets for two years and then they locked me up again. I got home 26, 27, they locked me up again 28, 29. I got home 30, 31. Then 32 I overdosed on heroin for the third time. He was dead on the ground. And I say the paramedics, great. They did their job, but they didn't bring me back. He brought me back because he had a purpose. It's like I don't care about my life. I'm putting myself in danger. You live that life without knowing that you are hurting everyone who loves you in the process. When I overdosed on heroin, I ended up being sentenced to church, ordered by the court with a suspended sentence that said if they throw you out, if you leave, we vacate the sentence, take you back to trial on the initial charge and bill you several times.

So either you complete this one-year discipleship rehab program or you're going to spend 15 or 30 years in prison. I went because I thought: I'm going to face this. I told him: "Paco is dead. I am a new creation in Christ." That's where rebirth comes from. I am in the process of opening a facility where we rehabilitate and disciple men. Some people look at me and say, "Are you a pastor?" Well, what is a pastor supposed to be like? Older men must take responsibility for being there for younger men. They want to see that you love them. You have to give your time to this younger generation.

Don't just tell them what to do, show them what to do, right? So how are you going to do that? Because of proximity, because of bothering you and getting into these neighborhoods, getting into the projects. I go from neighborhood to neighborhood, from block to block, from prison to project, to youth centers, and I share my testimony, and I make it tangible because I make myself transparent. I don't clean myself like I've never gotten dirty. So, I used to rap for the world. I opened for Kevin Gates, opening act for VH1 "Love & Hip Hop." It had a Mannie Fresh beat with Mannie Fresh on the chorus on Cash Money Records.

Got a new single out with my wife and our sister Roxy as part of the worship team. It's called "Amazing Grace." It's like an interpretation of 2023. It's not a coincidence, I'm here talking about the amazing grace of God, you know what I'm saying?