When Antonio (Mario Lopez) emerges from prison on his 21st birthday, the streets of East L.A. are meaner than ever. Trying to rebuild the life he left behind, Antonio needs as many friends as he can get. Soon he finds himself in too deep with Armando de la Rosa, a powerful crime boss. And when de la Rosa begins giving Antonio jobs that blur the line between right and wrong, Antonio questions his loyalty. But de la Rosa is not taking no for an answer and Antonio soon discovers that nothing, not even prison, prepares you for survival on the Eastside.