History
The Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (ALKQN) was started in Chicago, Illinois, during the 1940's by a group of individuals of Hispanic descent. Their alleged motivation for forming this group was an attempt at overcoming the prejudices they faced. They wanted to rise above the racism and create an organization of so-called Kings equipped to fight off injustice to better themselves and their communities. Their lives would, thus, be fulfilled. Oddly enough, most of its members were already incarcerated on serious criminal charges. Inevitably, the ALKN became one of Chicago's largest and most violent street gangs.
To be a member of the Latin Kings, an individual must have a Latin bloodline. While most of the members were Puerto Rican, a Latin King could be Spanish, Caribbean, Latvian, Italian, Portuguese, or South American. As time went on, the purity of a member's breeding was not as significant as the need to create a large membership. Other ethnic groups were allowed membership. Power in numbers became the goal. The Latin Kings membership remains mostly Hispanic.
Development
During the 1980's, Felix Millet and Nelson Millan, two inmates in the Connecticut prison system, created the Almighty Latin King Nation of Connecticut. They fine tuned the concept of the Chicago Latin Kings and created a well-written King Manifesto. This manifesto was their rules, procedures and concept guide. It explained Kingism. It was well written and carefully contemplated. The word of Millet and Millan spread through the Connecticut prison system rapidly. Soon the Latin Kings, also called the Almighty Latin Charter Nation, became the largest gang in Connecticut.
In 1986, Luis Felipe, calling himself King Blood, took the Connecticut King Manifesto and added a few of his own writings and prayers. He formed the Almighty Latin King Nation of New York State at the Collins Correctional Institution. He was serving a lengthy sentence for attempting to kill his live-in girlfriend. Within a few years, the Latin Kings spread through the New York State Prison system and onto the streets. New York City, by the early 1990's had several hundred members which grew into the thousands throughout New York State and nearby New Jersey by the mid 1990's.
Although Felipe was incarcerated, he produced many loyal Latin Kings whom, upon release from prison, hit the streets and recruited. These loyal soldiers established chapters throughout New York, New Jersey and certain areas of Pennsylvania. These chapters were called tribes and used animal names, such as Tiger Tribe, Wolf Tribe and Lion Tribe to label the different chapters. Each chapter maintained their own hierarchical structure. The leader was the Primero Corona (First Crown), the second in command was the Segundo Corona or second crown, the third crown was the Warlord or enforcer, the fourth crown was the Counselor who conducted the Latin King Training lessons, and the fifth crown was the treasurer who collected the weekly dues and fines.
By 1994, New York City experienced the reality of the Latin Kings. They were the most violent and largest street gang New York City had ever seen. By 1995, the Latin Kings were subject of a massive RICO (Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organization) investigation being conducted by the United States Attorney's Office, FBI-New York and the NYPD. It resulted in the arrest of several dozen members of the Latin Kings on a multitude of charges from Arson to Murder. The Latin Kings were found to be connected with dozens of murders, kidnapping, drug dealing and assaults as usual gang business. All defendants but one, Luis Felipe, plead guilty. After trial, Luis Felipe was sentenced to life in prison with no parole.
In 1996, the new leader of the Latin Kings in New York, which seemed to be spearheading other East Coast Latin King chapters, was Antonio "King Tone" Fernandez. Fernandez attempted to polish the image of the Latin Kings by the use of the media, selected sympathizers and political organizations. He advocated the Latin Kings as a brotherhood of men and woman attempting to better their lives and communities through unity and education. As Fernandez went on a mass media spree of propaganda, the NYPD and Brooklyn District Attorney's Office targeted Fernandez and the Latin Kings.
By 1999, this joint investigation which now included the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office, United States Attorney's Office, Bronx District Attorney's Office, FBI and the NYPD, labeled Operation Crown, resulted in the arrest of over one hundred (100) members of the Latin Kings in New York and New Jersey, including King Tone. The charges included conspiracy to distribute narcotics, narcotics possession, weapons possession and murder. In February 1999, Antonio “King Tone" Fernandez plead guilty to charges related to this arrest and denounced the Latin Kings in a Federal Courtroom in Brooklyn.
Today, the Latin Kings on the East Coast remain loosely connected to the Chicago chapters. The Latin King Nation struggles for unity and is finding it difficult to reorganize to previous quality.
