Hate groups among Sumner jail gangs

DESSISLAVA YANKOVA (Sumner County Publications) | December 8, 2010

Two of the 50-80 gangs at the Sumner County Jail now claim to be affiliated with national white power organizations, law enforcement officials say.

Recent car thefts, burglaries, stolen weapons, methamphetamine labs and a triple homicide in Macon County have all led authorities to a group of recidivists, who allegedly claim affiliation with Aryan Nations. The incidents started in Sumner County about four months ago, but similar crimes had also occurred in Macon, Giles, Davidson and Robertson counties, law enforcement officials said.

Since an Oct. 24 Sumner A.M. story on Aryan Nations, more local criminals have claimed Aryan Nations affiliation, said Linzy, who could not comment on the cases that remain under investigation.

“The jails and prison are the best recruiting places they have,” said Sumner County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Jack Babbitt, who identifies and monitors gangs at the Sumner jail. “All these people are clustered at one spot against their will and are upset with the law system, which puts them in a very at-risk position of being recruited into gangs.”

While the two groups, Aryan Nations and Aryan Brotherhood, might appear different to those who are unfamiliar, they share clear similarities associated with white supremacy, Babbitt said.

“As far as their viewpoints and way of life, they’re pretty identical,” he said. “Both groups live by the same racial standards, have Nazi tattoos and idolize Hitler. They’re both really racists and very open and vocal about their viewpoints.”

Officials have noticed one difference in the two gangs. While Aryans Nations is primarily a street gang that maintains affiliation behind bars, detectives track Aryan Brotherhood’s origin to the California prison system in the early 1960s. Regardless of dates of origin, however, both gangs have spread “like a virus,” and each has at least six known members at the local jail, Babbitt said.

“These people are not affiliated with us in any manner, form or fashion,” Aryan Nations Tennessee Leader Ryan Mullins said. “They are just prison gangs.”

Full article at: http://www.tennessean.com/article/20101208/GALLATIN01/101206056/2138/Hate+groups+among+Sumner+jail+gangs