My Bloody Life: The Making of a Latin King

One summer, Sanchez realized that the gang wars were less about loyalty or revenge and more about control over drug territories. He explains that the Latin Kings operated as a drug empire led by unseen, affluent adults, while young members like Sanchez fought and died on the streets. He observed that his brief interaction with high-ranking leaders earned him privileges and respect but that police attention made him a liability, relegating him back to being a street soldier.

During a Fourth of July celebration, a gang trip out of the city ended in a violent shootout with Cobras, leading to innocent casualties. Back in Chicago, the violence continued, sparking a bloody summer of retaliation. Gang alliances solidified into two gang factions: Peoples, which included the Latin Kings, and Folks, uniting rival groups. The new structure intensified the violence, and suburban areas became involved, bringing media and political attention.

Sanchez also recounts his brief relationship with Stephanie, a suburban girl drawn to the gang lifestyle. Their relationship ended abruptly after a shooting incident left her friend wounded.

Sanchez recounts a failed attempt to ambush Cobras that turned violent. Armed and high, Sanchez and Cano, a newly initiated King, approached a Cobra hangout but were ambushed. Under heavy gunfire, Sanchez was shot in the arm before escaping with Cano and others. After receiving treatment at a hospital, Sanchez fled to avoid police questioning, relying on alcohol and drugs to manage his pain. The wound left him sidelined from gang activity for months.

During his recovery, Sanchez resumed criminal activities with Daffy, his former burglary partner, and Cano. They shifted from burglaries to armed robberies, targeting vulnerable victims using seductive women as bait. Although the scheme proved profitable, Daffy’s greed led to his arrest and imprisonment.

Sanchez attempted to reconnect with Cindy, hoping for admiration but receiving harsh truths about his gang involvement instead. Cindy criticized his choices, pointing out how gang life was destroying him and how his so-called brothers were exploiting him. Her words struck a nerve, but rather than heeding them, Sanchez lashed out and sought solace in drugs and violence.

Fueled by anger, Sanchez joined Cano in a reckless attack on the Gangsters, which turned chaotic. Surrounded and outnumbered, they managed to escape after a brief shootout, but innocent bystanders, including a child, were hit. Seeking refuge at another Latin King clubhouse, Sanchez faced backlash for bringing police attention and was reminded of his limited allegiance within the gang.

Cindy’s words haunted him, and tensions escalated when Sanchez voiced his frustrations within the gang about the Kings’ hierarchy and exploitation. Loco, a gang leader, physically attacked him and declared him unwelcome in his territory. Isolated and disillusioned, Sanchez contemplated leaving the gang but was too afraid of being alone. Feeling betrayed and without options, he returned to the Spanish Lords, where his troubled journey had begun.

Gang violence around Clemente High School escalated; here, Cobras and Disciples dominated, creating constant danger for those associated with rival gangs. Many of Sanchez’s former Spanish Lords connections either were imprisoned or dead or had left the gang life. He became close with Flaco, a member of the Insane Unknowns, and together they indulged in violence, drugs, and reckless living, often sleeping at Flaco’s girlfriend Anita’s rundown apartment.

Sanchez participated in a violent ambush against the Cobras, which resulted in injuries and death. Innocent bystanders suffered in retaliatory shootings. Sanchez grew desensitized to the violence, celebrating the gangs’ actions while ignoring the growing toll on himself and the community.

Sanchez, now 17, had no stable home, his hygiene was nonexistent, and his extremely violent and chaotic behavior isolated him from romantic relationships. As winter set in, Sanchez sought shelter with Freddy, an older man who provided food and a place to stay in exchange for sex. Sanchez became increasingly isolated, turning to drugs, alcohol, and fantasies to escape his reality. By summer, he was physically and emotionally depleted, haunted by the choices he had made and his transactional sexual relationship. Eventually, Freddy moved away, and Sanchez was on the streets again with no food or shelter.

Eventually, Sanchez reconnected with Cano and resumed his criminal activities. Cano offered him a place to stay and involved him in cocaine dealings, starting with a dangerous transaction with untrustworthy Cuban associates. The deal turned violent, forcing Sanchez to shoot one of the Cubans to protect Cano, resulting in a harrowing car chase. Although they escaped, the incident left Sanchez paranoid and dependent on drugs to cope.

Sanchez’s life spiraled further as he embraced cocaine addiction, influencing his relationships and exacerbating his manipulative tendencies. He exploited women who were addicted to drugs, treating them cruelly to maintain dominance, and he became deeply entrenched in the gang’s operations. The Latin Kings, once a source of camaraderie, devolved into a disjointed group where betrayal and cowardice became commonplace. Sanchez lost respect for his gang brothers but remained attached to the power and material rewards that gang life offered.

His dependence on cocaine eroded his physical health and social connections, leaving him alienated even within the gang. Sanchez began selling drugs directly to sustain himself, manipulating desperate people while dismissing their struggles.

As Sanchez’s addiction to cocaine worsened, he lost customers due to his inability to maintain a steady cocaine supply. Then, he turned to burglaries to fund his habit. To maintain respect within the gang, he re-engaged in violent gang activities; however, he suffered from recurring nightmares about past crimes and killings, leaving him paranoid and emotionally unstable.

A failed ambush against a rival gang, the Latin Lovers, ended with Sanchez being cornered in an alley. He endured a brutal beating and narrowly escaped being killed when a gun aimed at his head jammed twice. Police arrived and arrested him, but they unexpectedly treated him with compassion, offering advice and a chance to leave gang life behind.

Sanchez recounts how he faced the fallout of his life choices. He ended up at a police station and realized the extent of his legal troubles—he faced charges of drug possession with intent to distribute since he was caught with cocaine on him. Despite being offered a plea deal of six years, which could be reduced to three for good behavior, he chose to fight the charges, risking a longer sentence. Transferred to Cook County Jail, he endured the harsh realities of incarceration, including dehumanizing searches, a strict hierarchy among inmates, and constant violence. As a gang member, he navigated the brutal environment by aligning with fellow Latin Kings for protection.

During his imprisonment, Sanchez learnt from Loca, his former partner, that Spanky, a trusted associate, may have betrayed him to the police. This revelation shook him, though he initially refused to believe it. However, a conversation with Deadeye, another gang member, confirmed Spanky’s betrayal, prompting plans for retribution. Consumed by distrust and fear, Sanchez isolated himself, turning to marijuana to numb his emotions.

Sanchez faced his court date, where his Latin Kings-provided attorney successfully reduced his sentence, allowing him to post bail. Loca, waiting with the money, ensured his release, offering him temporary shelter. Despite his freedom, Sanchez grappled with his bleak prospects, reflecting on the stability that incarceration might have provided compared to his chaotic life outside.

Later, he learned from Loca that Spanky, who betrayed him to the police, was attacked by the Kings. Although they intended to kill him, Spanky survived, paralyzed and severely injured. Sanchez felt conflicted and cried over Spanky’s fate despite his betrayal, which angered Loca.

Moving in with Cubana, who now had a child, Sanchez resumed his destructive habits, selling drugs from her apartment and indulging heavily in cocaine. Their relationship deteriorated due to his physical abuse and infidelity, culminating in Cubana expelling him. He ultimately moved in with Loca, further entangling himself in a turbulent lifestyle.

Sanchez’s relationship with Loca deepened, but it also brought new challenges and risks. The neighborhood gossiped about their age difference: Sanchez was 18, and Loca was 29. Loca supported Sanchez and pushed him to enroll in a General Educational Diploma (GED) class, which he surprisingly exceled in despite his drug use. However, their bond was tested when Sanchez was ordered to complete a violent gang task in exchange for legal help. Following through, he injured an ex-King named Mago to satisfy gang demands.

Loca remained his anchor, but their life together grew increasingly dangerous. A drive-by shooting left Loca injured in the leg. Sanchez then forced a bystander to drive them to the hospital and later tended to Loca’s children while she recovered. However, his heavy cocaine use spiraled out of control during her hospitalization, culminating in a near-fatal overdose that required medical intervention.

The gang’s leadership grew critical of Sanchez’s behavior, labeling him a liability for his drug habit and failure to follow gang rules. Their visits to his home became frequent under the guise of checking on Loca, but Sanchez recognized their intentions to monitor and intimidate him.

Sanchez recounts how he faced escalating tension with the Latin Kings as his refusal to conform put him in grave danger. After Loca’s release from the hospital, the gang’s true intentions became clear when they ambushed him at her home, threatening his life if he refused to attend an upcoming meeting. Loca, furious and protective, begged with higher-ranking Kings to intervene but failed to win their support.

At the meeting, Sanchez confronted Chico, the leader of the Beach and Spaulding Kings. Accused of breaking gang rules and being a heroin user, he was offered a choice: a violent beating or expulsion from the gang. Sanchez refused both, delivering a defiant speech about the gang’s betrayal of its original mission. As tensions rose, he pulled out a gun, forcing his way out and threatening retaliation if they came after him.

Returning home, Sanchez faced Loca’s anger over endangering her family. Their argument was interrupted by a drive-by shooting that shattered their windows and left Sanchez injured. Loca and her children were unharmed, though they were mentally scarred. The police investigated the incident but provided little reassurance.

That night, Sanchez resolved to change. Holding a gun for protection, he reflected on his dangerous path and decided to stop using cocaine, recognizing it as a turning point in his chaotic life. Meanwhile, Loca decided to move for her family’s safety, further emphasizing Sanchez’s isolation.

Loca’s family, particularly her sister-in-law Luisa, aided in finding her a safer home while offering Sanchez a temporary job at a local university. Although the Kings remained a looming threat, internal divisions within their hierarchy provided Sanchez with limited protection from older members, though he realized that he ultimately had to face his problems alone.

After Loca relocated to a gang-heavy neighborhood, tensions arose between them as Sanchez focused on his budding interest in education. Loca grew increasingly suspicious of his time at the university, accusing him of infidelity. Their relationship deteriorated further when she began sleeping with her cocaine supplier and eventually asked Sanchez to leave. He moved in with Alan, a kind and understanding gay roommate, and continued working toward his goals.

Later, Sanchez reconnected with Cindy, who inspired him. While proud of his accomplishments, she chastised Sanchez for clinging to the gang. Her words sparked a renewed determination in him to confront his fears and the Kings, which marked a pivotal moment in his journey toward personal growth and self-reliance.

Sanchez met Spanky, who was in a wheelchair, and Loca. Both were surprised to see him, as were other Kings in the area he was visiting. Sanchez declared his intention to leave the gang and learned that Chico, the former leader, was incarcerated, with DJ now in charge.

DJ greeted Sanchez with respect and attempted to persuade him to stay, offering a reserved membership status. However, Sanchez, recalling Cindy’s earlier words, remained steadfast in his decision to leave. They went to an alley where DJ organized a three-minute violation, ensuring not to target Sanchez’s face. Though painful, the punishment was less severe than Sanchez expected.

After the violation, DJ acknowledged Sanchez’s choice with a final cry of “Amor.” While Sanchez felt a sense of loss and finality, he knew that leaving the gang was the right decision and took pride in reclaiming his independence.

Sanchez met Spanky and Loca once again at the park where they were dealing drugs. He informed them of his departure from the Latin Kings, but they dismissed his claim, expecting his violation to have left him hospitalized. Sanchez was disturbed to see that Loca was using her young son to stash drugs, and he walked away, vowing never to return to Humboldt Park.

Gunshots interrupted his exit, prompting him to rush back. He found Loca wounded and her young son, Angel, fatally shot. Cradling Angel’s body, Sanchez mourned the senseless loss while Loca screamed in anguish. Despite police inquiries, no one admitted witnessing the shooting, and life in the park quickly resumed.

Reflecting on the tragedy, Sanchez says that he resisted seeking revenge. He acknowledges the difficulty of leaving gang life behind and the ongoing struggles to rebuild his future. He remains resolved to break the cycle of violence, arguing that change must start within the community.