My Bloody Life: The Making of a Latin King

Sanchez began selling heroin for his stepbrother Hector. Gina convinced him to let her buy leftover heroin, and he assisted her in injecting it. Their encounter then turned sexual, further blurring the lines between manipulation, exploitation, and misguided notions of maturity. Sanchez reflects on his stolen childhood, recognizing the distortion of his sense of self and morality.

His attempts to reconnect with Rican were met with rejection, and Sanchez continued to struggle for acceptance within the gang culture. One day, when he was at Maria’s house, an argument between her and her daughter Lucy escalated into violence and chaos. Sanchez fled, leaving Papo behind.

Rumors about Sanchez being a coward threatened to tarnish his reputation in the neighborhood. Feeling outcast by the Spanish Lords, he joined the Latin Kings at Maplewood Park, where he was welcomed by Morena and introduced to other gang members. During the festive gathering, Sanchez met Pebbles, a pretty girl who teased and enticed him. However, tension arose as he was coerced into participating in gang violence. Pressured by his peers and seduced by Pebbles into violence, Sanchez shot at a rival gang called the Vicelords (which was a Black gang), killing several people.