Wanna-be gang members county's only threat

BROOKSVILLE - Just a little less than a week ago, Christopher Heisler told authorities he was a member of the street gang Folk Nation.

He confessed to branding three Spring Hill teenagers with a knife heated by a butane lighter.

But Hernando County Sheriff's officials say that it is an isolated incident and there are no out-of-control gang members scouring the county for recruits.

"We do not have a gang problem," said Deputy Pete Ciucci.

Authorities say the problem is children who want to emulate the rappers and gangsters they see on television, in movies and listen to on stereos.

"Mostly it appears to be wannabees," Ciucci said.

Authorities won't say whether or not Heisler, 21, of 11199 Holbrook St., in Spring Hill, was a "gangster" or a "wannabe."

But what he did admit to will permanently scar the three teenagers - two 13-year-old boys and a 13-year-old girl.

"He tried to take advantage of some easily manipulated kids," Ciucci said.

Sheriff's officials say several years ago there were problems with gangs in Hernando County, but taking a proactive approach toward the gang problems quickly quashed any problems, said Lt. Scott Bierweiler.

"We just let them know we were there," he said.

Deputies say if gangs try to reform, the same approach would be taken -- be proactive and identify potential gang members before they become a problem.

One way in identifying the threat is by educating area schools, authorities said. Ciucci said he has spoken to staff at middle schools in order to educate them about what types of gang symbols might appear or gang signs that might be flashed toward other students.

He says some of the problem cane be blamed on the media.

"People tend to imitate people that are trendy at the time," Ciucci said.

Some of these artists children may emulate include Eminem and 50 Cent, which are at the height of mainstream rap in today's music industry. But the east coast-west coast rivalries aren't as prevalent now as when Tupac and Notorious Big were shot in the mid-'90s in gang-style murders.

Ciucci said he has spoken to local school resource officers and school staff and has not heard of signs of increased gang activity in schools

There are no tell-tale signs such as the wearing of colors, predominantly red or blue, which are associated with such gangs as the Bloods and the Crips.

According to a Florida Department of Corrections Web site, most gangs in Florida are affiliated with one another and these can be broken up into Folk Nation and People's Nation.

Sheriff's Capt. Mike Owens said if gang members were prevalent they wouldn't back off when a law enforcement officer shows up at a scene.

They are kids who mix colors and get signs and symbols confused because they saw it on the TV and not because they are associated with gangs.

"You get some kids who say, 'Yeah, I'm associated with a gang,'" Owens said. "But does that make them a gang member?"

It's easy for kids to get information off the Internet and try to find more about the gang lifestyle.

A quick search on Google brings up hundreds of Web sites on infamous gangs such as the Bloods, Crips, Folk Nation, People Nation, Vicelords and just about any gang that wants to say it's a gang.

With the arrest of Heisler, deputies think it will send a message that the sheriff's office will not tolerate any type of gang activity. The county is still too small to have a gang problem, police believe.