Sgt: Gangs recruit on Facebook, YouTube

HOLLAND, Mich. (WOOD) - An Ottawa County Corrections sergeant says gangs are expanding their reach by using social media sites to recruit new members.

Sgt. Chris Munley has made studying gangs his mission.

"We do see a lot of gang members come through our jail," he said.

Munley has worked in the Ottawa County Jail since 1989.

"I wasn't following it at that time. We didn't know," said Munley.

But after seeing gang activity increase both outside and inside the jail, Munley decided to find out what was going on.

He told 24 Hour News 8 he wasn't surprised Tuesday when he heard that 31 alleged Holland Latin Kings gang members had been indicted.

"I was not surprised at the number. What we are seeing in most big cities is the gang members are leaving and moving to smaller cities and rural areas and they are starting their own groups," he explained.

As the Michigan President of The Midwest Gang Investigators Association, Munley is working to share what he has found. One of those findings: Many people probably have a gang member as a neighbor -- regardless of how quiet or safe their community is.

"It's everywhere. I have not seen one community that is immune to it," he said.

Munley says as gangs are expanding their business models they are also updating their recruiting efforts.

"They are on all of the social media sites -- Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, MySpace -- and they are bragging," Munley said.

One YouTube video from SUR 13, a gang Munley says is active in Ottawa County, had more than 4 million hits as of Feb. 13 and it looks a lot like a marketing campaign.

"It is a marketing piece," explained Munley. "That's how they are trying to get the next generation of SUR 13 in there."

The Gangster Disciples can be found on Facebook and chat with a gang member.

"They aren't going to tell you that fellow gang member has been shot or knifed or beaten or is dead," Munley said.

Munley said gang appearances on the Internet is becoming an important investigative tool because gangs will often confess to their crimes online.