It was always a practice for Texas native offenders (Tejanos in Spanish) who were serving time in California to band together. Consequently, a Texas native inmate by the name of Juan “Pajaro” Solis-Vela and Francisco “Panchito” Gonzales decided to take this group to the next level and become formally recognized. They established a TIP of there own and decided to call themselves the "Texas Syndicate” (or in Spanish “El Sindicato Tejano”) and also decided they would no longer assist a Texas offender just because he was from Texas. They would only take care of their own. An official logo or "Copia" was drawn up made of a "T" superimposed with an "S". Inmates who passed a two-year probation period and background check were given the "Copia". It's believed the design came from the Folsom State Prison's east Gate emblem. Today, a Texas Syndicate specific tattoo is no longer required or it may be camouflaged due to easy ID by officials.1

The Texas Syndicate (TS) officially formed at San Quentin and Folsom Prison during the early 1970’s. Its nucleus was made up of inmates from Texas who were incarcerated in the California Department of Corrections (CDC). These inmates often came from the EPT or El Paso Tip, but did not call themselves TS as has been reported in error by some sources. The founder of the TS was Francisco “Panchito” Gonzales currently housed at Pelican Bay State Prison. During the 1970s, the Texas Syndicate was recruiting heavily to build numbers within CDC. While the TS prison gang was small, they were the most feared on the yard because of their propensity for violence and serious assaults.2

The TS grew rapidly in the Texas Department of Corrections (TDC) after the Estelle vs. Ruiz lawsuit which dismantled the state’s inmate boss trustee system. Between 1980 and 1983, the TS was responsible for 4 homicides and numerous assaults, Between 1984 and 1985, There were 52 gang related killings, many attributed to the Texas Syndicate in their war with the Mexikanemi or Texas Mexican Mafia.9 In 1992, the TS signed a peace treaty with the Mexikanemi which created a split in the organization. The TS went to war with the Raza Unida in 1995, with the Texas Chicano Brotherhood 1998-99, and with the Barrio Azteca 1994-96. In late 1994, the TS declared war with the BA over a homicide that happened in the El Paso County Jail. Inmates from EPT were very close to the TS as stated above, however are now mostly independent or ride with Barrio Aztecas. TS often refer to each other as "Cuernos", this came from Austin-Texas Longhorns as that city was a stronghold for the TS. The gang has been the subject of several RICO cases and they have a large presence in the BOP.