| Settled by | Provide info |
|---|---|
| Year infiltrated | 1979 |
| Crime impact | Part |
| Worst areas | Everett Ave to Fargo Ave, Mannheim to Ash Street |
Within the northwest suburban Cook County area suburbs, I found that Des Plaines has one of the most storied and oldest Chicago gang settlements. I generally was not aware of gang activity in this suburb until recently and I had discovered the crime and gang activity is to the point that a bad reputation was garnered from this mostly quiet suburb. As I dug into the gang history, I found Des Plaines to be not much different from the rest of the northwest Cook County suburbs, another decent suburb with crime and gang issues only within certain parts of town. This piece on Des Plaines is not meant to add fuel to the fire on the gossip but to instead educate on exactly where and when the crime and gangs took place so it can be better understood that Des Plains is not a dangerous and crime ridden community.
Des Plaines began as a rural area settled heavily by Native Americans until New York and Massachusetts area settlers arrived following the 1833 Treaty of Chicago. The first to settle these lands was Socrates Rand who built his farmhouse in 1835. They built scattered farms but there was no community quite yet. Beginning in the 1840s German immigrants moved to the area seeking political refuge and a rural town started to develop by the 1850s that was unnamed. In 1854, Illinois and Wisconsin Land Company proposed building a railroad that would have tracks from Chicago to Janesville, Wisconsin. This prompted the building of a subdivision to be near the railroad. The new subdivision brought about the naming of the area as “the Town of Rand” named after Socrates Rand because of his strong involvement in the early development of the town. In 1859, when Chicago and Northwestern purchased the railroad, they named the station “Des Plaines.” In 1869 the Des Plaines name now overtook the Rand name, and the subdivision was renamed “Des Plaines.” In the year 1873 Des Plaines was officially incorporated (Fact sources, www.Encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org and www.desplainesil.gov)
Des Plaines grew greatly during the 1920s decade and the city annexed a small town to the south known as “Riverview” in 1925. Des Plains continued to grow especially in the 1950s during the development of the O’Hare Airport. In the year 1955, Ray Kroc opened the first McDonald’s restaurant which was a milestone in Des Plaines history. In 1956 Des Plaines grew more after the annexation of the Orchard Place area which further connected the village to the airport.
In the year 1927, infamous Irish gangster Roger Touhy moved his family to Des Plaines on River Road in a large farm. Touhy operated a major bootleg alcohol business that provided some of the best beer that was superior to Al Capone’s beer. Touhy also controlled the slot machine gambling operations of the northwest suburbs with Des Plaines as the heart of his operations. Des Plaines and many other northwest suburbs that were mostly rural in the late 20s and early 30s were ideal locations to have small establishments that operated slot machines. If they knew ahead of time that the police were coming the slots were closed for the night. Touhy had connections with the police that tipped him off. Although Touhy was incarcerated in the 1930s his influence continued for decades until Des Plaines and other northwest suburbs became incorporated and/or official villages with significance. When slot gambling gained legality in Illinois and Cook County slot gambling would return to Des Plaines.
Des Plaines is known to have several apartment, condo and townhouse complexes. Des Plaines has been a community with much income diversity as some of the community is of upper middle-class while many other residents are lower income. The apartment/condo/townhouse complexes vary from luxurious higher rent dwellings to low-income simple dwellings. Most of Des Plaines street gang issues dwell within the lower income complexes since the early 1980s. Many simple complexes were originally built in the suburbs for entry level employees, young people fresh out of high school or college, senior citizens on a fixed income or any family that did not earn high incomes. There was no issue with high poverty, crime and gangs prior to the 1980s in the suburbs and Des Plaines was no different. To understand these complexes and how they changed it is important to discuss the history of these buildings so we can get a little familiar with them.
The oldest of the focused lower-income complexes is the River Road and Rand Road area townhouses. This area of town is Brown Street on the south, Graceland on the west, Rand Road on the north and River Road on the east. These townhouses began construction in 1958 and would continue until 1964.
Beginning in 1959 through 1960 another townhouse/apartment complex was built on the south side of town. These townhouses were built in 1959 to 1960. The apartments are mainly along Ash Street and were built in 1964. The general area for these apartments and townhouses is Everett Avenue on the north Howard Avenue on the south, Mannheim Road on the east and Ash Street on the west. Many residents call this area “Pine Court” because Pine Court is in the middle of this section.
Just south of the Pine Court area townhouses and apartments in a cluster of townhouses the closest to Apache Park. This area is Highland Drive on the north or Apache Park on the north, Fargo Avenue on the south, Chestnut Street on the east and Ash Street on the west. These townhouses were built between 1960 and 1962.
In the northeast part of Des Plaines in the unincorporated area, a townhouse complex began construction in 1960 and went on until 1975. This area is known today as Greenwood Park Condominiums. This area is Gregory Lane on the north, Josephine Street on the south and just east of Western Avenue on the west. This area sits on the border with Niles.
Des Plaines is home to a few trailer parks. One such trailer park is Oasis trailer Park at Elmhurst Road and Touhy, Oasis opened in 1961. Another trailer Park at 815 East Oakton Street is within an area of Oakton Street on the north, Everett Avenue on the south, Plainfield Drive on the east and Maine West High School on the west. I could not find info on when the Oakton trailer park opened.
A set of condominiums was constructed between 1965 until 1968 around Golf Road on the north, Emerson Street on the south, Western Ave on the east and Sumac Road on the west. The main intersection that is the highlight of this area is Dee Road and Gold Road. This is in unincorporated Des Plaines and borders Niles.
In Des Plaines, some condominium complexes were built within the main part of town like the Ironwood Lane condos. These were built near other subdivisions between 1963 and 1964.
In the unincorporated part of Des Plaines near the border with Niles and just blocks away from the Greenwood condominiums is a strip of apartments known as “Golf Terrace” apartments, not sure if this is the official name or not but it is located right on Golf Terrace. This strip of apartments was built in 1968. I am not positive if the apartments directly east are the same subdivision or not.
Situated right near the major intersection of Golf Road and the 294 Expressway is the Bay Colony condominiums. These were built through the 1970s decade from 1970 to 1978.
Another major 1970s installation to Des Plaines is the Park Ridge condominiums complex that was built through the 1970s from 1970-1978. Some locals refer to this area as “Robin Lane” even though none of these condos are on Robin Lane directly, instead they are facing the intersection of Robin and Ballard.
In Unincorporated Des Plaines near the Niles border sits yet another condominium complex called Courtland Square that was built between 1973 to 1974, these are near Golf Road.
Another unincorporated complex is the Courtyards Condominiums on the Park, but during the gangbanging days this used to be called Heritage Village Pointe. These were built in 1973 to 1975. These are situated just east of the 294 Expressway and are not far from the Golf Road corridor.
During the 1960s Mexican families began to settle in the nearby Rosemont suburb in apartments along Touhy Avenue. This settlement would gradually move over the border into the south side of Des Plaines. Mexican families were now living in the apartments and townhouses on the south side of town while some others became homeowners in the area. The 1970 U.S. Census reported that Des Plaines did not count the Hispanic population. By the 1980 census there were over 2,000 Hispanic residents residing in Des Plaines; therefore, Hispanic migration likely began in the 1970s.
According to the Arlington Heights Daily Herald November 12, 1989, edition, a “trio” of Chicago gang members moved to Desplaines with their families in the late 1970s from Chicago with their families and recruited “Normal, middle-class kids”. This was stated by Sergeant Bernie Wolter of the Des Plaines police department. This is solid evidence Chicago gangs started in Des Plaines in 1979. I say 1979 because that was a massive settlement year for Chicago gangs in the suburbs and they tend to move in patterns especially Latin Kings and Imperial Gangsters and that’s the groups that have ran this town for decades. According to the Arlington Heights Daily Herald December 17, 1984, article gang members moved into Des Plaines in 1981 seeking refuge in the suburb as they were retiring from gang life and sought a better future for their children. The article explained how the sons of these former gang members carried on the legacy of the gang out in Des Plaines. Any way you slice it, a Chicago gang element came here in 1979 and completely grew by 1981, this is what I gather from piecing the two articles together. It is a fact that Latin Kings and Imperial Gangsters moved to the suburbs in 1979 so no doubt that is who arrived in ’79. The article mainly covers the area around Apache Park and touches on the townhouses at Rand and River Roads. The article only mentions stepping up police patrols in the Rand and River area but goes into no further specifics. The article also states they were the first in the area to put together a gang prevention unit in November of 1984. I do not know much about the Rand and River apartments besides some 1980s gang activity, but I do not know what gangs were there or any gang activity in later decades following leading me to believe the gang activity was shut down by police in the 80s and never came back. I have heard that groups like Insane Popes and Stoned Freaks had a presence in this suburb, but I have no further details and will not say for sure that these groups were here or even if they had anything to do with Rand and River. I am thinking if these two groups were in Des Plaines in the 80s, they likely may have been at Rand and River. I doubt that Freaks and Popes were in Des Plaines. In the November 12, 1989, Arlington Heights Daily Herald article it also talks about a 14-year-old boy named Paul that could not go treat-or-treating or go out much at all because a 19-year-old Spanish Cobra robbed his house and members of the gang were waiting outside his home to beat him up until his family agreed to drop the home robbery charges. This is proof that the Spanish Cobras were in Des Plaines in the 80s but I do not know where they were located or how long they lasted but I doubt they saw much of the 1990s because there are no street legends. I do theorize these Cobras came from the Armitage and Cicero area because some Armitage and Cicero Spanish Cobras moved to Bensenville in the early to mid-1980s. Also, the Cicero and Armitage Spanish Cobras were tight with Latin Brothers from Cicero and Belmont as they were family. It is a fact that big time Latin Brothers from Belmont and Cicero arrived in Des Plaines in 1984, that is confirmed by the LBs so I believe Cicero and Armitage Cobras arrived in the same Apache Park area in 1984.
When I read various 1980s articles from the Arlington Heights Daily Herald, I saw the most mention of the Apache Park area west of Mannheim Road. A 1987 article reported gang graffiti reappearing in Cherokee Park on playground equipment. Officials in Des Plaines said the graffiti had been appearing for three years which would go back to 1984. This area of town is middle-class houses but for some reason gang activity has been happening here for over thirty years. This is not storied gangland and is hardly even a place that could be considered gangland. This is the area of Thacker Street on the north to Oakton Street on the south and from Mannheim Road to Lee Street on the west. The 1987 article would not identify which gang had put the graffiti, but I can say that of the more storied gangs of Des Plaines, none of the names of the gangs verified to have been here were not in this area until Surenos began operating in this area in later years. Surenos, a Los Angeles based gang, came to Des Plaines in the early 2000s if not possibly some of the later 1990s. As far as what gang was in this area in the 80s maybe that was where Simon City Royals and/or Stoned Freaks were could have congregated. In either case, whether gangs have ever existed in this area or not it has been minimal at best and is not an area to avoid.
The first gangland area of Des Plaines began around Everett Avenue on the north to Fargo Avenue on the south and from Mannheim Road on the east to Ash Street of the west. In 1981 the gang members that the December 17, 1984, Arlington Heights Daily Herald mentioned that moved in were members of the Latin Kings and Imperial Gangsters. The article didn’t mention those gang names but according to a 2013 Patch article, Deputy Chief Nicholas Treantafeles said that when he joined the force nearly 30 years prior to when the article was written there had always been Imperial Gangsters and Latin Kings in the village. Treantafeles likely joined Des Plaines P.D. in 1984 or 1985; therefore, it is solid fact that Latin Kings and Imperial Gangsters both arrived in 1979 or maybe one of them arrived later in 1981. The Latin Kings took over the north side of Apache Park area taking over the townhouses from Everett Ave to Howard Avenue and from Mannheim to Ash, the heart of this territory is the legendary Pine Court. These Latin Kings are hailed as “Pine Court Latin Kings.” At this time, I do not know where these Latin Kings branched from but hopefully in time I can update when I find out. These Latin Kings would become a permanent chapter in Des Plaines.
The Imperial Gangsters arrived at the same time as Latin Kings and likely branched off the Fullerton and Kimball Imperial Gangsters of Logan Square. “Baby” was the founder of the Des Plaines Imperial Gangsters when they were brought to Apache Park between 1979 and 1981. The Imperial Gangsters took the area of Howard Avenue on the north to Fargo Avenue on the south and from Mannheim Road on the east to Ash Street on the west. The Imperial Gangsters moved into these townhouses. The Imperial Gangsters do not seem to fit the founding story of Des Plaines gangs like the December 17, 1984, article states that retiring gang members moved to Des Plaines and their sons recruited in the village. In the case of the Imperial Gangsters that is not the case because Imperial Gangsters were not founded until 1971, and original members were too young to have teenage sons. That narrative in the newspaper more fits the Latin King’s story of older retiring Latin Kings’ sons starting the Pine Court chapter. The Apache Park Imperial Gangsters were validated by the city Imperial Gangsters.
When I read through articles from the 1980s describing the gang activity the stories were mainly about petty crimes like graffiti or threats. The articles made it seem light but said since 1983 the gang conflict was getting more intense leading into 1984. In the Fall of 1984, the Latin Brothers moved to the Apache Park area living among the Imperial Gangsters. I am not sure where the Latin Brothers branched from, but I believe they were from North Avenue and Latrobe in Austin. According to the Arlington Heights Daily Herald three teenagers moved from the city in 1984 and it caused problems in the neighborhood. They said an “offshoot of Latin Kings or Latin Brothers” moved in and caused the stir (Fact source: Arlington Heights Daily Herald April 25, 1987). This article inadvertently gave a little history of the Latin Brothers’ foundation in Des Plaines. This would begin a permanent legacy of the Des Plaines Latin Brothers. Latin Brothers and Imperial Gangsters lived in peace together in Des Plaines despite the Imperial Gangsters being aligned to the Folks while Latin Brothers are People. Both gangs were bitter enemies in Chicago but in Des Plaines they both had more issues with Latin Kings.
I have become quite a fan of YouTuber and rapper Mikie Da Poet because he posts YouTube videos of different suburban areas around Chicago. One of his videos was his personal account of growing up in Rosemont and hanging out in Apache Park area in Des Plaines. He described crossing over Toughy Road to hang out in Des Plaines and Mikie basically described how tight Imperial Gangsters from Rosemont and Des Plaines were and how each group got along with Latin Brothers. The relationship further developed in 1988 when Mikie described how the legendary Eddie Hernandez A.K.A “Boner B,” from Belmont and Cicero moved to Des Plaines’ Apache Park area with his brothers Ricky Hernandez and Wolfy. These Latin Brothers either replaced the previous group of Latin Brothers or added to them in 1988. It is possible the original group of Des Plaines Latin Brothers were no longer active by 1988, and the Hernandez brothers brought it back. In either case, Eddie Hernandez had special clout with the Latin Brothers as he was an original young Latin Brother to move to Belmont and Cicero in the Belmont-Cragin neighborhood and founded that chapter of the LBs in 1985. Three years later the Hernandez brothers were breathing life into the Des Plaines’ Latin Brothers presence. For more details check out the YouTube video Imperial Gangsters, Latin Brothers & Gaylords – Lil Mexico & Apache Park 1988 made by Mikie Da Poet.
The next chapter of Des Plaines Chicago gang activity arrived in about 1989 . Several apartments, townhouses and condos became available to own or rent by lower income families now moving to Des Plaines from Chicago. These families were moving in from several parts of the city as a new wave of residents became dominant in these complexes. In the Oakton Street trailer park Latin Kings formed in this mobile neighborhood as crime in the area was increasing. Latin Kings were even forming in the Oasis trailer park, but this area was less affected by gang activity.
Latin Kings may have also had an early 90s presence in the Courtland Square condos off Golf Road. I am not sure if this chapter lasted because I have only heard definite about Surenos running these in the 2000s and later.
At the Niles and Des Plaines border around Dee Road and Golf Road Latin Kings also formed in the Coventry Place condos. Latin Kings would also form in the unincorporated area of town bordering Niles. These Latin Kings took over the Golf Terrace apartments located at Golf Road and Golf Terrace, these Latin Kings branched from the Leland and Virginia Latin Kings of Chicago. The Golf Terrace Latin Kings were well organized and became very popular. From my understanding the Leland and Virginia Latin King influence spread as far west as passed Dee Road.
Latin Kings would also spread to the Greenwood Park Condominiums Which consists of Gregory Lane and Josephine Street. This condo community experienced intense gang activity beginning in the early 1990s and the Latin Kings were one of the major gangs in this complex but there were also Black P Stones on Gregory Lane. The Black P Stones were a smaller group but very active in this neighborhood. Black P Stones were big with strong armed robbery. Black P Stones moved in among an African American settlement in these condos. Most of the new residents in the subdivision were Hispanic but African Americans had a presence in this community.
Additional African American settlement took place in the Heritage Village Pointe condos located on Holly Lane near Golf Road and the 294 Expressway. This complex was being settled by both African American and Hispanic families. Among the migrating Hispanic families came a group of Latin Kings and now Latin Kings were in this complex as well. Among the African American families some of the youth joined the Gangster Disciples which was an intense gang rivalry in this complex. Racial issues between African American and Hispanic youths drove much of the need for Gangster Disciples and Latin Kings to be needed for the youth in this area.
African American families moved into the Ironwood Lane condos and the Bay Colony condos. Among these families came the Gangster Disciples and now the Gangster Disciples were the dominant gang in these complexes.
In the Park Ridge Commons condominiums located around Robin Drive and Ballard Road would experience a new wave of Chicago street gang variety. In this complex and down along the Robin Drive houses came a variety of Chicago gang members in multiple gangs that arrived around 1989. Multiple members of Chicago’s different Vice Lord gangs moved into this complex that included members of the Imperial Insane Vice Lords, Renegade Vice Lords, Ebony Vice Lords, Undertaker Vice Lords and Four Corner Hustlers. From my understanding it seems like these groups stuck together as one force they claimed as “Vice Lords.” The group congregated either in Dee Park which was their main turf, or they were at 9008 Ballard Avenue at the “Kool Aid House.” This condo building was located right at the corner of Ballard and Robin Drive and the building overlooked Robin Drive that also had Vice Lords living there. These Vice Lords were among African American families that moved from the west side of Chicago. The Four Corner Hustlers were from the Austin community on Chicago’s West side from Menard and Augusta. I think the Four Corner Hustlers were able to put together a small gang of just themselves at one point, but they mainly ran with the Vice Lords.
The Simon City Royals arrived around 1989 at Park Ridge Condominiums and took the apartments in the more northern part of the complex by Dee Road and Ballard Road. The Royals once were strong in the Park Ridge condos and they were beginning to spread their influence into the Mount Prospect suburb but I am not sure if an official chapter formed in Mount Prospect or not. The Royals were once a decent sized group in Des Plaines and recruited a good amount of Des Plaines youths. Des Plaines Simon City Royals would end up in a deep rivalry with Latin Kings in Des Plaines on Dee Road.
Among the many newly arrived Hispanic families in the Park Ridge condos were members of the Two Sixs and Future Stones. Future Stones and Two Six were rival gangs that fought in this area. Two Six and Future Stones were down the street on Ballard Avenue that intersected with Dee Road more by Dempster Road and Dee Road. The Two Sixs of Dee Road were from the legendary 38th and Albany Brighton Park Two Sixs. These Two Sixs were known to be hard core and the Dee Road Two Sixs were official from 38th Street. The Future Stones were also one tough bunch as they were well-known to gangbang very hard on these streets in the early 90s which cost many members their freedom, during these times they were gunners.
The early 1990s were wild years in Des Plaines because of the many gang issues in the condo, townhome and apartment complexes. Anything from gang graffiti to shootings were taking place in these complexes while the rest of Des Plaines was rather quiet with little to no crime or gang activity. Des Plaines police were known to be tough on gangs; however, they were facing a major challenge as gangs became very large. The Latin Kings were especially large and outnumbered every other gang in the village.
Gang conflict escalated by 1992 which led to a gruesome gang related murder. On the night of March 25, 1992 Dylan Metzel, a member of the Simon City Royals and his three Mount Prospect friends drove around Des Plaines looking to “cap a king.” This is quoted from the March 28, 1992 Chicago tribune article that detailed the motive of the murder. The shooter was Simon City Royal member Dylan Metzel. Dylan was 17 years old and from Mount Prospect, but had recently moved in with Richard Martinez, who was 21 years old at the time. Martinez lived in Wheeling but the news article says Martinez was the gang leader. Perhaps the Royals had either expanded into Mount Prospect or Wheeling or maybe it was just coincidence these men moved to Mount Prospect. The other two involved in the shooting were from Mount Prospect as well which confuses me that these are not Des Plaines native Royals but this shooting was done by the Royals even though the article does not mention their gang name. On that March 25, 1992 night, the four Royals drove to 8830 Dee Road which is near the corner of Dee Road and Dempster Street in the Park Ridge Commons. The car pulled up and spotted John Anzelmo, known as “King John.” Anzelmo was a Dee Road Latin King and when he spotted the car he approached it throwing his arms in the air saying “what’s up!” This is when Metzel pulled out a .357 magnum and shot King John in the throat which caused his throat to explode from the bullet impact. This gruesome murder made the news a few times until trial was over in 1994. Metzel was sentenced to 60 years in prison and he did about half of that sentence. After this murder the Simon City Royals shut down as now their leadership was facing prison.
By 1993, the Latin King influence would grow more at the Dempster and Dee area especially now that the Simon City Royals left the suburb. This group of Latin Kings may have originally been from the Rogers and Clark Street Latin Kings from the Rodgers Park neighborhood. Latin Kings began recruiting aggressively in this area and by 1994 they began flipping members of Future Stones and Two Six to Latin Kings. By 1995, the Future Stones and Two Six had disappeared from Des Plaines as most of them flipped to Dee Road Latin Kings. The Dee Road Latin Kings would become one of the largest of the Des Plaines Latin Kings groups. Future Stones, Simon City Royals and Two Six were perhaps too vicious of gunners and fighters in the area which led the police to close in on their operations and put away their leaders, all the young ones left felt no loyalty anymore and sought membership in the Latin Kings making this chapter grow incredibly in the mid-90s.
The Black P Stones were targeted by Cook County Sheriffs because of their robberies and members either fled or were put in prison, the Latin Kings then took over the complex entirely. A new era had begun in 1995 as now Des Plaines was home to Vice Lords, Gangster Disciples, Latin Brothers, Imperial Gangsters and Latin Kings.
In the year 1996 a member of Barrio Pobre 13s (Surenos) moved to Des Plaines and began having conflict with Latin Kings. Either this member or other Surenos would slowly recruit as the years would pass.
Gang activity would grow in intensity in the late 1990s once again. By the early 2000s gang issues continued in intensity as the Surenos grew strong and openly recruited in the Gregory Lane area condos while opposing Latin Kings. Surenos had taken over Courtland Square condos. Surenos had also moved into the Cherokee Park area. Surenos became heavily at odds with Latin Kings. In 2002 the Gangster Disciples of Des Plaines were involved in a deadly shooting with Latin Kings from Glenview that were known as the “Michael Todd Latin Kings.” Gangster Disciples moved out of Des Plaines and Vice Lords ended up leaving at the same time as many African American families decided to leave the village in around 2002.
Crime and gang issues would continue in spurts in Des Plaines ever since the 2000s decades. In these condo, townhome and apartment complexes many youths are from impoverished families and often turn to the neighborhood gangs for acceptance as many were often not accepted by youths in the rest of Des Plaines. Des Plaines is mixed income and most of it is areas with houses within a higher income class. Des Plaines police have kept the gangs from spreading to house areas and have even kept crime low even in the toughest areas of Des Plaines; however, these same areas still experience the most crime and gang activity.
In recent decades the gangs left in Des Plaines are Imperial Gangsters, Surenos, Latin Kings and a new group of Maniac Latin Disciples somewhere in the village. Latin Brothers mainly retired but older members may still live in Des Plaines. Des Plaines is a mostly quiet and safe community near the O’Hare Airport but there still is gang activity that has roots going back to the early 1980s.