Support for LAist comes from
Local and national news, NPR, things to do, food recommendations and guides to Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire
Stay Connected
Listen

Share This

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

News

How the Mexican Mafia Works: 'Gangster Confidential' Airs Tonight

Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.

()

Réne Enríquez fought his way to the top of one of America's most ruthless gangs, the Mexican Mafia, for 20 years. From behind bars, he was able to kill and order deaths of gang rivals on Southern California streets. But then he began to have a change of heart.

Reporter Michael Montgomery stayed on the story for a year and a half and tonight he finally tells Enríquez's story from the beginnings of the Mafia to running the organization and from the life choices he eventually had to make such as leaving the gang to what the Mexican Mafia is like today.

"Gangster Confidential," which airs tonight at 8:00 p.m. on KPCC 89.3 FM, is a quest for redemption and freedom inside California penitentiaries, which is known as America's most brutal prison system. According to America Public Media, this documentary draws on unprecedented access to the jails and prisons with more than 30 hours of audio diaries recorded by Enríquez.

Support for LAist comes from

The audio and video (a YouTube clip is below) can also be found online at a special section dedicated to the amazing documentary.

Photo Courtesy Réne Enríquez

As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.

Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.

We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.

No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.

Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.

Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist