Spanish Cobras

The Spanish Cobras is a primarily (but not exclusively) Latino street gang, present in multiple states throughout the Midwestern United States, with a strong presence on the north and west sides of Chicago, Illinois.

History

Legend has the Spanish Cobras starting as a Puerto Rican youth club on the West Side of Chicago around 1948. Other sources say they were founded in 1958, in the Bridgeport neighborhood. Regardless, The Cobras arrived in Humboldt Park during the 1960’s.

From their headquarters at Maplewood/Campbell & Potomac, in the early 1970’s The Spanish Cobras invaded the neighboring Evergreen Hustlers' territory to take over Evergreen & Washtenaw, absorbing the gang. A Young Cobras faction was formed by their teenage leader, Richard “King Cobra” Medina, to attack rival’s turf; claiming Mozart & Cortland ("Sin City")

The Spanish Cobras stabbed a member of the Latin Kings during the annual Chicago Puerto Rican Parade in June 1977. The Kings retaliated later that day, culminating in the two gangs publicly fighting. Chicago Police then shot indiscriminately into the crowd, killing two innocent bystanders, thus igniting the Humboldt Park riot.

The Spanish Cobras joined the Folks Alliance of Nations in prison 1978.

In April of ‘79 the Insane Spanish Cobras made headlines again during their bloody war with the Insane Unknowns. There was a public response from Mayor Jane Byrne to the homicides, and she ordered massive police sweeps.

Before his murder at the age of 20 in a drive-by shooting, “King Cobra” grew the Spanish Cobras into a powerhouse around the Division & Maplewood area ("The Motherland"), Division & Artesian, Artesian & Potomac (“A-Town”), and Artesian & LeMoyne. They expanded into West Humboldt Park at Ridgeway & Thomas, and took over the 'hoods of North Ave & Harding, LeMoyne & Springfield, Springfield & Hirsch, and Avers & Hirsch ("Westown Cobras").

In the 1980s, according to criminologist John Haggerdon's book ''Insane the Chicago Way'',

Young Spanish Cobra sets opened like wildfire in Logan Square down Central Park Ave at Shakespeare (“Young & Crazy”), Dickens Ave (“Wild Side”), and Tripp & Dickens (“Terror Dome”). Monticello & Cortland (“Murder City”) branched into Lawndale & Cortland.

Insane Spanish Cobras took over half the Hermosa neighborhood at Kilbourn & Fullerton ("The Killing Fields"), the notorious Fullerton & Tripp ("No Love City"), Tripp & Wabansia ("The Snake Pit"), Drake & Wolfram ("Diamond City") and expanded westward to Cicero & Armitage.

Northwest Side, Summer 1989. The Francis & Stave YLO-Cobras attacked the Simon City Royals at Kosciusko Park in a series of fist fights and shootouts, taking control of "Koz Park" in early 1990 and opening Schubert & Avers as a major illegal drug distribution spot.

The Spanish Cobras and Latin Disciples were strong allies from the 1960's to the mid 1990s. They started fighting over drug territory around 1994

In February 1996, the escalation of the Insane—Maniac war made headlines in the ''Chicago Tribune''. That same year; in retaliation for the murder of a high-ranking member, the West-Town Cobras shot up a Latin Kings wedding, resulting in casualties. The deadly shooting was caught on videotape and local news stations broadcast it across Chicagoland. This increased the pressure on law enforcement to go after the gang.

After a nine-month undercover narcotics investigation, in January 1998 the Chicago Police Department arrested 31 Spanish Cobras in "Operation: Mongoose", including some gang leaders.

When a Spanish Cobra Nation boss was released from prison in 2019 after serving 20 years, he intensified the war on the street to reclaim old turf.

Territory

The Chicago neighborhoods with the strongest active Spanish Cobra presence are: Humboldt Park, Hermosa, Logan Square, Belmont-Cragin, Avondale, Albany Park and Kelvyn Park. With a small presence in the McKinley Park area on the south side (34th & Western).

The Spanish Cobra Nation is also found in the Chicago suburbs of Waukegan, Bensenville and Cicero. Police have reported Cobra gang members in the suburbs of Elgin, Wheeling, Mount Prospect and Northlake.

They are known to operate in other parts of Illinois, as well as in Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha in Wisconsin, and in Detroit. They are quite large in Flint, Michigan. Law enforcement has also reported Spanish Cobras in Ohio, Connecticut, Orlando, Ft. Myers and South Florida.

References

https://m.chicagoreader.com/chicago/insane-way-john-hagedorn-latino-gangs-sgd/Content?oid=20511448

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1996-08-29-9608290299-story.html

Further reading

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{{Organized crime groups in Chicago

1960s establishments in Illinois
Latino street gangs
Hispanic-American gangs
Folk Nation
Gangs in Chicago
Gangs in Wisconsin
https://blockclubchicago.org/2019/05/06/gang-war-to-blame-for-string-of-shootings-in-hermosa-west-logan-square-police-say/