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| MCSO |
| The 4th Avenue Jail, which the Mexican Mafia is apparently trying to take control of. |
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has ordered a lockdown on parts of the 4th Avenue Jail, as the sheriff's office says the Mexican Mafia is "attempting to control" the jail.
"Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio ordered parts of the maximum security 4th Avenue Jail be placed on indefinite lockdown as racial tensions rise -- tensions brought on by orders from the Mexican Mafia chieftains who appear to be trying to control the downtown jail," the sheriff's office says. "Arpaio's move to lockdown the jail aims to protect not only officers but inmates as well."
The sheriff's office says the jail's intelligence unit has discovered Mexican Mafia "Chieftains" in the closed-custody unit have been giving orders to all Hispanic inmates in the jail to refuse being housed with black inmates.
The so-called "Chieftains" have been "demanding" racial fights, the sheriff's office says, and detention officers who intervened have been threatened.
"[L]ast Monday, a large scale fight involving 25 Hispanic and black inmates broke out before detention officers could quell the problem," according to the MCSO. "No serious injuries were reported."
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