"I didn't like the people he had begun associating with," she said. "So I didn't care to meet them."
In Baltimore, there are nearly 50 street gangs with more than 1,800 adult members, half of them belonging to some set of the Bloods, according to data from the University of Maryland.
The Bloods were founded in California in the 1970s and spread eastward as various sets, including PDL. In Baltimore, there are three main PDL subsets in operation, according to the indictment: the "Devil Lanes" in East Baltimore, the "East Side PDL" in the south and west ends of the city, and the "Low End Lanes" owning the northeast.
The court document describes a world where everyone has an alter ego, known by gang names such as "Smurf," "Squeaky" and "Nutzo." Members deal drugs, trade firearms, order hits and pay dues to Blood leaders here and in California. The two West Coast men arrested Thursday are alleged to be high-ranking PDL members, one of whom collected payments from Aguas.
Most of the information in Thursday's unsealed indictment was gathered through wiretaps, which were handled by prosecutors Brandis Marsh and Staci Pipkin of the Baltimore State's Attorney's Office after investigators identified the gang's major leaders.
There are now federal cases pending in Maryland U.S. District Courts against four violent gangs, and the state's U.S. Attorney, Rod J. Rosenstein, expects more to come.
"We're really just getting warmed up," he said, adding this message to gang members: "Get out while you still can."
Baltimore Sun reporter Justin Fenton contributed to this article.
Gang language
PDL members often use a system of verbal codes to communicate with each other and to signify their association.
* "Crab" is a derogatory term for a rival Crip member
* "C" is often replaced with "B" to represent PDL
members' disdain for the rival Crips gang
* "999" or "Triple 9" refers to cooperating with law enforcement
* "Platinum" refers to a firearm
* "Baby love" is a reference to money
* A "10-20" or an "SP" is a superior or a sponsor in the PDL organization
* A "pup" or "peanut" is a pledge
* A "Big Homey" is a leader
* A "911" is a PDL meeting
* A "stack" refers to $1,000
* If a person is "on the menu" or "labeled food," that person has been
designated as someone to be "eaten," meaning seriously beaten or killed
* "Roscoes" is a term for police
* "On point" means to be prepared for retaliation
* "Red" means "right" or "understood"
* A "mission" is a violent act
* A "birthday boy" is a person who is to be robbed
* A "birthday party" refers to a robbery, assault or other act of violence
* A "Bloodette" is a female Bloods member.
SOURCE: Indictment filed in Baltimore U.S. District Court
