JAILED B.C. DRUG KINGPIN CELEBRATES HIS GANG ON FACEBOOK

'Happy Anniversary To All My Bros!!!' Clay Roueche Wrote

United Nations founder Clay Roueche told a Seattle judge last December
that he regretted his life of crime.

But on a new Facebook page, he is celebrating the 13th anniversary of
his violent drug gang.

The Chilliwack native is serving a 30-year sentence in Jonesville,
Va., after pleading guilty to being the kingpin in an international
drug-smuggling operation.

Despite his incarceration, Roueche is chatting with supporters and
relatives on a Facebook page set up on his behalf.

And he marked the anniversary of the UN gang last month by quoting its
motto and adding a note of his own: "Honour. Loyalty, Respect. Happy
Anniversary."

There is also a drawing of Roueche's with an Asian warrior and the
gang's founding date of May 25, 1997, with the words: "Happy 13th
anniversary." "Happy anniversary to all my bros!!! Enjoy this special
day and know that NONE of you are ever forgotten or not Appreciated!!"
Roueche wrote.

The Facebook page, which was set up "by and for friends and family of
Clay's," features new photos of Roueche looking fit and posing with
other inmates at Lee Penitentiary -a high-security men's prison where
he was sent in March.

"This page is not monitored directly by Clay, but it will always be up
to date with his current contact info," the page administrators say.

On the page, Roueche is listed as "single," a Buddhist and looking for
friendship, a relationship and networking.

Under favourite quotation, he lists his own comment to U.S. Federal Court
Judge Robert
Lasnik at his sentencing last December: "I believe circumstances always
change. What's
negative today is positive tomorrow. That is why I live free of fear and
without
sorrow."

The page shows a photo of UN gang members, entitled "Mexico Fun," that
includes Roueche, slain gang members Elliott Castaneda and Lou
Kaawach, as well as Jon Croitoru and Dan Russell, who are both charged
with conspiring to kill the Bacon brothers and are currently in jail.

Roueche's young daughter comments under the gang photo that she wants
to hang it in her room.

And Roueche thanks his supporters.

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"I can honestly say I am so honoured and proud to feel the love and
support from everyone I hold dear, knowing this I will never feel
alone and I hope people know that I will always be home in spirit.
Always remember a man's actions speak for themselves. Facts don't lie
and some bonds are unbreakable, people that bear witness have nothing
but respect for such unity!"

Sgt. Shinder Kirk, of the Gang Task Force, said the online
glorification of the founder of a violent drug gang is extremely
disturbing and borders on hero worship.

"They are creating an idol out of somebody that is an admitted
international drug trafficker," Kirk said. "When you are involved in
high-level drug importation and distribution, there is always violence
involved, yet he is being immortalized online. It is very disturbing
and I find it very disappointing."

Roueche has access to an e-mail program at Lee and is able to mail out
photos of himself, Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman Traci Billingsley
said this week. He does not have Internet access, nor can he send
attachments with his e-mails, she said.

"Inmates don't have cameras, but the institution may be doing
picture-taking," Billingsley said.

"Sometime they are taken in the visiting room with visitors. Sometimes
they are taken of the inmates alone and then generally the pictures
that are taken become the property of the inmate. They are probably
sending them through the mail."

Billingsley said the Bureau of Prisons has no position on Facebook
pages being created on behalf of inmates.

"Because these Facebook pages are put up by private citizens, they
don't come under our purview."

Facebook does not do criminal checks on people who sign up to use the
site. While users can be kicked off the site for offences like
spamming or impersonating someone, merely living at a penitentiary
isn't an issue.

"If you are suspected of spamming or trying to steal identities,
you'll be kicked out," a Facebook representative said. "If someone
else sees it, it will be reported." But if you're just in jail? "We
don't filter that question. Anybody can use the service but if you
start to abuse the service, we'll find you out."

Roueche has 72 friends on his Facebook page, who offer up comments and
greetings, like those posted last Monday on Roueche's 35th birthday.

Page administrators thanked "everyone that came out for the special
birthday dinner!!!"

Abbotsford police Det. Andrew Wooding, an expert on the UN gang, said
it appears from the Facebook page that Roueche is trying to put on a
brave face by quoting the UN motto when really he's facing a very
bleak future behind bars.

"He sees it as a principle thing and is showing that he is continuing
to live by what he sees as his principles," Wooding said.

"His life has been turned upside down. It's done a
180."

The wall also gives details of Roueche's life behind
bars.

"Only 10 mins of phone time till Apr. 13th, so back to letters for now
. And Much thanx to everyone who made it out to pay respects to D.W.
And Evan for Me," Roueche said, referring to Duane (D. W.) Meyer, a UN
member gunned down in Abbotsford on March 8, 2008, and Evan Appell,
also of the UN, who died of a drug overdose on March 3, 2005.