Latin Pachucos - Chicago Gang History

Founded	Founded c. 1983 in or near Humboldt Park (West Humboldt Park) K-Town
Formerly known as	Los Pachucos 1983-1984
Affiliations	People Nation — 1984 – 2000 or later;
Colors	Black and White
Color usage	Black or black and white
Primary ethnicities	Latino
Symbols	Low Rider Face
Symbol usage	Low rider face from low rider magazine, cross with three slashes above it
Status	Active

The Latin Pachucos’ story does not go as far back in time as many of the other gangs from the area. The reason why the Latin Pachucos are not as old of a gang as Latin Kings, Spanish Cobras, Maniac Latin Disciples or Insane Unknowns is because the Pachucos started out as a Mexican gang coming up in a very heavily Puerto Rican and black neighborhood, that neighborhood is West Humboldt Park, the very site of one of the largest concentrations of Puerto Rican migration in the entire city.

The story starts in 1983 at the intersection of Chicago Ave and Pulaski right out in front of Orr Academy High School located at 730 N Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60624. This part of Humboldt Park was dominated by the Conservative Vice Lords that ran the intersection of Chicago and Pulaski. Eventually a group of four Mexican kids were hanging out there in front of that school and these kids liked to dress stylish, kinda like, Pachucos which is a famous look of Mexican zoot suit gangsters. I am not saying these kids dressed in full zoot suits by they were dressed up quite well in black and white suits with black and white hats that resembled the Pachuco look. The main reason for the Pachucos forming was being beaten and harassed by mainly black gangs like the Vice Lords. South of Chicago Avenue has been known to be a black part of West Humboldt Park since the late 60s; therefore, black gangs had built up over time. Within a matter of weeks or months the Pachucos recruited north of their borders which landed them at Karlov and Hirsch in the K-Town section of West Humboldt Park.

The fact that these kids wore the colors black and white and hanging out on Karlov and Hirsch got them mistaken for Insane Unknown gang members by members of the Latin Disciples (MLDs) that came over there representing and throwing down the Unknowns. The kids could have easily just said they do not claim anything and left it at that but instead these kids were just pissed about getting messed with and did not care the Disciples thought they were Unknowns and they did not care how big of a gang the Disciples were. These kids fought the Disciples savagely and it was said they beat the hell out of them.

The kids were given the nickname “Pachucos” which also means you are a neighborhood kid but not a gang banger. The role of the Insane Unknowns was to protect these neighborhood kids from outsiders like Latin Disciples and Spanish Cobras but all the fight the Pachuco kids were putting up against the Folks made a lot of enemy Folk gangs red hot to try invading the territory. The Unknowns needed to decide about protecting the Pachuco kids. The Unknowns told these kids they were now marked by the Disciples and reprisal was going to happen so it was in their best interest to join the Insane Unknowns. The original four Pachucos took this decision very seriously and talked it over extensively, but the Pachucos observed the behavior of Insane Unknowns and how they treated newer members; therefore, the Pachuco kids decided to make the decision to not join and to instead use the Pachuco name to establish their own organization. Unknowns were insistent on the Pachuco kids joining because this would bring heat to the Unknown’s turf from rivals and if these kids did not join, the Unknowns could not control them. These kids were marked as Unknowns and would soon be treated as such and any move they made would be considered an Unknown move.

These Pachuco kids began calling themselves the “Los Pachucos” in 1983 and even tagged up buildings at Grand and Keeler with “Los Pachucos” sprayed on them.

These kids’ refusal to join the Insane Unknowns by 1984 was not appreciated and three members of the Insane Unknowns came at these kids, these kids then pulled a gun on them and told them they were their own gang, they were the “Latin Pachucos” and would not absorb into another nation, this event probably happened by 1984 because that was the year that the Los Pachucos would take that nickname Pachuco and make themselves a gang called the “Latin Pachucos,” and from there a legendary crew was born. The Kings admired how these Pachucos went at it with everyone and offered to hold a peaceful meeting with them to discuss getting backup and backing up Latin Kings. The Latin Pachucos accepted the offer and were now allies with the Insane Unknowns and were officially in the People Nation in 1985. The Latin Kings were able to help establish peace between Pachucos and Unknowns throughout the rest of the 1980s as they shared the same street corner. After joining People, the Insane Unknowns backed off the area of Division Street on the north, Pulaski Road on the east, Thomas Street on the south and Kolmar Avenue on the west, all this was Pachuco territory.

In the year 1988 the Pachucos began to expand into new neighborhoods. Pachucos landed in the Irving Park community in Kilbourn Park as the Gaylord numbers were declining. Latin Pachucos fought Gaylords heavily for this park and would eventually take over the park within a couple years. Young and higher ranking Pachucos settled at Central Park Ave and Addison. Some of the ranking members now had military background and others were freshly arrived Mexican migrants that did not have citizenship this is why this section was called the “Brazer set.” This section frowned upon any members that did not speak Spanish.

The Pachucos also landed in the Belmont-Cragin community in 1988 at Blackhawk Park opening a section at La Vergne and Fullerton. These Pachucos lived together in a house down the street from the park. At this section Pachucos fought violent wars against Spanish Cobras and other enemies. This was a violent era of intense gang wars for Pachucos. This section lasted a year, the Pachucos moved out of that house near the park and moved to the Austin neighborhood in an apartment above a furniture store at North Ave and Lamon right next to a Burger King. At this section Pachucos got into violent altercations with the Latin Stylers that led to Stylers firebombing the Burger King. At this section Pachucos got along with Four Corner Hustlers. After the 1991 firebombing the landlord at the apartment building asked the Pachucos to leave because the violence between Stylers and Pachucos became too intense. This is when the Austin sections closed.

In the year 1989 the Pachucos opened Grand Ave and Mango in Belmont-Cragin which was at the west side of Hanson Park. Pachucos also opened on the east side of the park at Lorel and Palmer. At that time Taylor Jousters ran Hanson Park; however, Pachucos and Jousters did not clash. Lorel and Palmer did not last long and was closed before the 1990s began.

In the year 1991 the Pachuco leadership was in discussion about starting a new section. This settlement was to be carefully planned so the section could become permanent. There began disagreements between the Central Park and Addison Pachucos and the Pachucos that had moved to Austin area. The Central Park Ave and Addison Pachucos wanted to open section closer to them to re-enforce that section, but the other Pachucos wanted to return to Lorel and Palmer. In order to settle the disagreement the rest of the Pachucos would nominate the Central Park and Addison ranking Pachucos to be on the section’s ranking board and in exchange the location would be a return to Lorel and Palmer. Four chosen members of the Pachucos were to head up opening this section. The Jousters were not much of an issue for Pachucos instead they conflicted with a crew called the “Renegades.” The leader Wolfy would come out late at night and shoot at Pachucos then ran back home. The Pachucos then watched him and tracked his movements and then attempted to assassinate him but missed. The Pachucos then just burned his house down and that got rid of the Renegades. The Pachucos then spent the next three months working in shifts patrolling and watching over the territory armed with guns. There would always be three armed Pachucos at the ready at all times. Dues were raised to support more vehicles and weapons. The Pachucos now boasted that they were the only People alliance gang o Fullerton Ave which enhanced their credibility. Pachucos saved their money and pooled it together to buy houses and rent apartments in the Grand to Fullerton and Central Ave to Laramie area. The goal was to fully move into this community and become a full part of the neighborhood, this would solidify Pachuco presence in Hanson Park and it turned out to be a successful idea and is why this section of Pachucos still exist in present years. This new territory would become the heart of Pachuco city-wide territory.

In the year 1992 the Latin Kings on School and La Vergne were in their infancy and were trying to make this section last. The Latin Kings were not popular in the Belmont-Cragin area; therefore, they began recruiting aggressively and this caused them to clash with Pachucos as they competed for recruits. This led to fights between Kings and Pachucos and in one incident a Pachuco was beaten and received a broken arm from being beaten with a golf club by a Latin King related to Cadillac Joe. Peace was made afterward but the Pachucos put an end to associating with Latin Kings completely. The Pachucos would never truly war with Latin Kings but learned to co-exist with them.

In the same year of 1992 Latin Pachucos began to decline in the West Humboldt Park neighborhood. This is when some of the leadership from Lorel and Palmer decided to move back into the West Humboldt Park area into an apartment building at Hirsch and Keeler. This was exactly one block away from the heart of Insane Unknown territory at Karlov and Hirsch. Insane Unknowns were bothered by Pachuco presence but instead of starting issues with Pachucos Insane Unknown drug dealers began selling crack cocaine to Pachucos and a few members became addicted. After seven months the Pachucos addicted to the drugs were ordered to clean themselves up and receive violations. The Pachucos then began plotting an attack on the Unknowns but the problem was they only had a .22 caliber pistol that was known to jam frequently. As the Pachucos were plotting the Insane Unknowns spotted an original member visiting a relative and dragged him out of his car and then ran him over with a car multiple times. The Pachuco was hospitalized a couple days but survived the attack. This brought about anger and pushed the plans for the attack too soon. The Pachucos had not yet obtained the guns for this attack but they still chose to attack with the .22 pistol. All other Pachuco guns were lent out to other sections and because of hasty planning it was not enough time to get those weapons back. All the remaining K-Town Pachucos, what was left of Grand and Mango and several Lorel and Palmer Pachucos packed into seven cars. Pachucos parked on Grand Avenue. The Pachucos walked up Hirsch Street to encounter two groups of seven to eight Insane Unknowns at Grand Ave and Hirsch. The Pachucos pulled the .22 pistol but it jammed on the first squeeze of the trigger. The Pachucos then pulled their guns which were .22 caliber pistols, .38 caliber revolvers and .40 caliber pistols. Several bullets rained down on the Pachucos as they had to scatter. No Pachucos were killed which was surprising considering the heavy gunfire. A short time later the Insane Unknowns burned the apartment building the Pachucos had been living in and this was the end of the original Pachuco legacy in K-Town. Members would still live in K-Town for decades up to present day but no official section was re-established.

At some point in the 1990s Pachucos established sections in the suburbs of Cicero, Bloomington and Hoffman Estates. The Cicero section lasted until the early 2000s. Hoffman Estates section was ran by three Arab brothers. The section leader from Lorel and Palmer opened a section in north California in the early 2000s. Pachucos had a recruiting program for the U.S. armed forces in exchange for free education.

In the 2000s Pachucos withdrew from the Irving Park area as Belmont-Cragin became the only active territory into present years.

Over time Latin Pachucos have owned small businesses in Chicago, Northern California and Kansas City. Pachucos have a democratic way of operating and partake in free enterprise. Although a smaller organization in size the Pachucos operate often more successfully than larger organizations.