An indictment unsealed on Wednesday charges 68 people associated with the San Fernando Valley (SFV) Peckerwoods, a white supremacist gang, with a host of federal crimes. The members and associates are accused of crimes ranging from racketeering, drug distribution (including fentanyl), fraud, identity theft, and weapons possession charges.
“The indictment unsealed today charges a total of 68 defendants with a score of federal crimes: conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of controlled substances, bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon, and possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices,” announced the Department of Justice (DOJ)
In a press release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced 42 members and associates of the SFV Peckerwoods have been arrested as part of the 76-count federal grand jury indictment. Twenty-nine were arrested while 13 were already in custody on separate charges. According to the indictment, law enforcement seized large quantities of illegal firearms, and dozens of pounds of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin.
While the SFV Peckerwoods are a hate group that is lesser known to broader society, their connections to the Aryan Brotherhood (AB) highlight their importance to one of the largest hate groups in the U.S. The AB is primarily a prison gang with deep connections and reach into communities across the country. The DOJ alleges that the SFV Peckerwoods were acting on behalf of the AB while operating as a “criminal enterprise” – a cartel not unlike any other.
“The Justice Department has dealt a decisive blow to the San Fernando Valley (SFV) Peckerwoods, a violent white supremacist gang that we charge is responsible for trafficking deadly fentanyl and other drugs, committing robberies, and perpetrating financial fraud to fund both their criminal enterprise and that of the Aryan Brotherhood,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “With today’s charges and arrests, the Justice Department, together with our state, local, and federal partners has targeted the heart of this gang’s operations, and we will continue to zero in on the criminal enterprises that endanger our communities.”
The indictment that was returned on September 25 explains the SFV Peckerwoods roots and their racist beliefs. The Peckerwoods who primarily operate in the San Fernando Valley in California, are known for having Nazi tattoos and displaying NAzi graffiti to show their violent white supremacy extremist ideology. Many members have been seen with tattoos that include swastikas and the number “88,” code for “Heil Hitler”.
As a white supremacist gang, the SFV Peckerwoods at times takes orders from the Aryan Brotherhood, the dominant prison-based white supremacist gang throughout the Southwest. The SFV Peckerwoods have also been known for their alliance with the Mexican Mafia prison gang, which controls most Latino street gangs in California, acting as a conduit between gangs.
“This operation, led by our Joint Terrorism Task Force, disrupted a racially motivated violent extremist group who engaged in a wide range of criminal activity,” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “This case strikes at the heart of our collective mission to rid our communities of the corrosive elements that fuel violence and extremism that greatly impact our way of life. The FBI, along with our federal, state, and local partners, remains strongly committed to working every day to make sure the people of the Southland remain safe.”
The indictment also alleges that the gang used similar tactics to other hate groups that are more popular than ever. They used social media to share information about their criminal activities and gang rules, to identify gang members in good standing, and to target people who broke the gang’s rules. The social media use included a members-only Facebook group and private, direct messages between the gang’s members and associates.
In 2019, I highlighted how Facebook’s move to a more privatized and encrypted platform was welcomed as hate speech would be seen less frequently but how it would also provide an avenue for hate groups to move more freely. Wednesday’s press release emphasized those concerns. The indictment alleges that SFV Peckerwoods members participated “in the affairs” of their crimes by engaging in violence and threatening violence from 2016 through 2024.
“From at least December 2016 to September 2024, Peckerwoods members conducted and participated in the affairs of their criminal enterprise by engaging in violence and threats of violence to preserve and expand the gang’s criminal operations, which promoted a climate of fear. Members and associates of the gang illegally maintained firearms and ammunition in furtherance of these aims.”
Groups such as these expose how focusing on hate groups that protest and threaten local events like Drag Queen Story Hour all over the country is needed but that the issue goes far deeper than anything the local Proud Boys are capable of. While all should be considered a threat, it’s worth remembering how deadly and organized many groups really are. Groups like the SFV Peckerwoods are nothing short of a U.S. Cartel that is driven not just by greed but also by hate.
Hate groups are much more dangerous and coordinated than at any other time in U.S. history.
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