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Mexican drug cartels now recruiting hit men from U.S. military


Pfc. Michael Jackson Apodaca

Pfc. Michael Jackson Apodaca, 18 who was arrested Monday, is accused of working as a paid hit man, and assassinating a member of the Juarez Cartel who had become an informant for U.S. authorities.

Along with Apodaca, El Paso police have charged Ruben Rodriguez Dorado, 30, and Christopher Andrew Duran, 17 with capital murder.

The informant, Jose Daniel Gonzalez Galeana, was shot several times at his home on May 15.

Both Dorado and Duran told detectives that Apodaca was the one paid to carry out the execution. Witness accounts along with the police investigation have confirmed this.

Pfc. Apodaca enlisted in the Army in September 2008. He is stationed with the 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade at Fort Bliss.

While this is the first known instance of a U.S. soldier working as an assassin for the drug cartels, this may simply be a consequence of the evolving threat posed to this country by the cartels, as well as a result of the criminal gang activity which now exists in the U.S. military.

In April 2009, the FBI released a statement on the growing problem of gangs in the military, and the threat they now pose to U.S. police officers. What follows is an excerpt from that statement:

“Gang members with military training pose a unique threat to law enforcement personnel because of the distinctive military skills that they possess and their willingness to teach these skills to fellow gang members. While the number of gang members trained by the military is unknown, the threat that they pose to law enforcement is potentially significant, particularly if gang members trained in weapons, tactics, and planning pass this instruction on to other gang members.”

The National Gang Assessment Center has identified the following Latino street and prison gangs as having gang members who were trained in the U.S. military:

-18th Street Gang

-Florencia 13

-Latin Kings

-Mexican Mafia (La Eme)

-MS 13

-Norteños

-Sureños

The military does not currently keep data on gang activity within their ranks. However, FBI gang investigator Jennifer Simon said in a recent article: "Gang membership in the U.S. Armed Forces is disproportional to the U.S. population.”

The prevailing estimate among most experts is that out of every 100 people who enter the military, at least two are gang members.

One of the reasons for the increasing number of gang members joining the military, is the fact that the lowering of recruiting standards, mainly by the Army. Of course, this is due to the two wars dragging on in Afghanistan and Iraq.

According to the Michael D. Palm Center at the University of California, between 2003 and 2006, recruiters allowed 4,230 convicted criminals into the Army.

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Norfolk Crime Examiner

Dave Gibson has worked in the security industry for many years and brings a law-and-order perspective to current events. His work has appeared in...

Comments

  • The Redskin Redneck 2 years ago
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    Dave, some Americans don't get it and never will get it. The border with Mexico needs to be sealed. Triple sealed. When that nation gets straight, then we can deal with it again, not before. It is a disaster for America, a total calamity.

  • Yeah Right 2 years ago
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    Ron Paul - War on Drugs a "Complete Failure"

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvFYCky0muY

    If Mexico did not exist, if the border were hermetically sealed and there were no Mexicans in the USA whatsoever...the law of SUPPLY AND DEMAND dictates that the USA would still have a "drug problem".

  • Yeah Right 2 years ago
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    @ Redskin Redneck;

    YOU don't get it!

    Mexico = USA #2 Customer

    www.census.gov/foreign-trade/statistics/highlights/toppartners.html#exports

    Mexico = #2 or #3 (depending on month) source of imported US Oil

    www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/company_level_imports/current/import.html

    Stop blaming others for whites failure to breed.

    www.thenation.com/doc/20080303/joyce

  • Yeah Right 2 years ago
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    @ Redskin Redneck;

    Mexico is the #1 foreign market for Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.

    Triple seal the border with the USAs #2 CUSTOMER?

    $2.5 billion in sales weekly--much of it paid for in oil--says that won't happen.

    It does say US-Mexico truck traffic must operate efficiently.

    For example; Laredo, TX alone sees 5000 Mexican trucks cross the border--DAILY!

  • Thrice 2 years ago
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    Weather or not we make money of Mexico , is it worth all the crime and corruption? It still cost American dollars to track down these drug cartels. I say we cut off Mexico and shot who ever crosses it. Plain and simple.

  • Thrice 2 years ago
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    I agree with Redskin.

    This illegal immigration is killing America. But most of you as I can see just think about profits. The future of America as it stands right now will belong to the Mexicans.

  • The Redskin Redneck 2 years ago
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    Yeah, Right, I don't care if their the number 1 trading partner. China is ruining us too. Mexico is worse, because we get all of the rapists, murderers, child molesters, and identity theives. I haven't even mentiioned the welfare fraud and drug dealers. NO THANKS, THAT KIND OF TRADING PARTNER IS TOO EXPENSIVE.

  • Jimi 2 years ago
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    Rome fell because the conscripted foreign solders refused to defend the homeland. Now we have foreign or foreign loyal solders just like Rome did.

  • greengo 1 year ago
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    I find it hard to believe that our Federal Government is so suspicious of good, honest, hard working , loyal Americans who own firearms ; and are by President Obamas own words potential terrorist. After reading an article like this, it blows my mind. There are bad apples in every bunch, but that certainly does not mean that all the apples are bad.
    It is a shame that there exist people of such character. People like the soldier mentioned above. They only serve to smear the good reputation of our honest, sacrificing, hard working young men and women who serve this country without fame or fortune. I pray that one day, most people everywhere will find a conscience and strong convictions to stand up for and do what is right.

  • An American 1 year ago
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    You say there are bad apples in every bunch ??? I say the whole bunch is illegal. If these illegal aliens had the character you speak of they would not be in the U.S. There is a way to come here legally. These aliens of good character lie and steal from the minute they cross into our country. And I certainly would not trust a habitual criminal to watch my back in the service. Dual-citizens are just that. They owe allegeance to their homeland.

  • Somethingtosay 1 year ago
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    There are and have been for years, sections in every major city where the police won't go because they are outgunned. Add to that existing condition of more expert military training of gang members and we have the Zetas living amongst us. Little by little, these criminals are overtaking our country - not only from outside our so-called borders, but from within our cities. This can't end well. Greengo, why do you suppose this is being allowed to happen (has been for at least 30 years) while, concurrently, law-abiding, gun owning citizens have hassled endlessly? Yes, it's chaos by design - believe it!

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