Erik Eck News Today

Under penalty of a beating or death, Erik Eck pledged at age 13 to adhere to the Latin Kings' first rule: "Once a King, always a King." Tattoos that bedeck his entire body express his fealty forever to one of the largest gangs in the U.S.

“This life is all I’ve ever known,” Eck said about agonizing over his decision to deface the tattoos that have been central to his identity for 20 years. “But it’s for the better.”

The Associated Press got exclusive access over two days to the first 12 inmates enrolled in the largely privately funded gang-cessation and jobs program at the DuPage County Jail and to their cellblock. For their safety, they’re isolated from the jail’s 500 other inmates, half of whom are in gangs.

WHEATON, Ill. (AP) — Under penalty of a beating or death, Erik Eck pledged at age 13 to adhere to the Latin Kings first rule: “Once a King, always a

WHEATON, Ill. (AP) — Under penalty of a beating or death, Erik Eck pledged at age 13 to adhere to the Latin Kings first rule: “Once a King, always a

WHEATON, Ill. (AP) — Under penalty of a beating or death, Erik Eck pledged at age 13 to...

WHEATON, Ill. (AP) — Under penalty of a beating or death, Erik Eck pledged at age 13 to...

A novel gang-cessation and jobs program at a Chicago-area jail is giving inmates a chance to escape their gang lives

WHEATON, Ill. (AP) — Under penalty of a beating or death, Erik Eck pledged at age 13 to...

A dozen inmates are the first enrolled in the largely privately funded program at the DuPage County Jail to remove or transform gang tattoos.