SAN BERNARDINO – County prosecutors have dismissed criminal charges against Pastor Palafox, the international president of the Vagos motorcycle club.
Palafox, 47, had been charged with vehicle theft involving a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, possession of the stolen motorcycle and street terrorism. He was among several Vagos members whose arrests were announced last year at a news conference at the San Bernardino Police Department.
However, during a hearing Tuesday in San Bernardino Superior Court, Deputy District Attorney Steve Sanchez announced the charges against Palafox had been dropped. Prosecutors would not say why, citing an ongoing investigation.
Defense attorney Joseph Yanny, who represented Palafox, said later that prosecutors lacked probable cause to pursue a case. The motorcycle was part of a sale that had evolved into a civil dispute, and the alleged victim said it wasn’t stolen, he said.
“Hat’s off to Steve Sanchez for seeing the folly of prosecuting this decent man,” said Yanny, outside the courthouse. The lack of probable cause was revealed during requests for discovery, or evidence, from prosecutors, he said.
Two co-defendants in the case, Scott Rivera of San Bernardino, and Caesar Rodriguez of Oak Hills, continue to face charges and are scheduled to return to court Feb. 14.
The defendants were arrested in connection with an 18-month, seven-county investigation into the “upper echelon” of Vagos members by state and local authorities.
Hundreds of handguns and other weapons, including an anti-tank weapon and a rocket launcher, as well as body armor, cocaine, methamphetamine and Vagos clothing were seized by law enforcement officers.
Palafox, of Colton, said taxpayers’ money, which was spent to prosecute him, could have been used in better ways. “Because there was a lot of money wasted here,” he said.
Charges were dismissed in November against Andrew Lozano of Fontana, who was accused of possessing body armor and participating in a street gang. Thomas Henry Gibson of San Bernardino, pleaded no contest in November to possession of marijuana.
Prosecutors, however, say the Vagos investigation was successful.
“In regards to whether or not the raid was successful, the bottom line is that law enforcement was able to confiscate several hundred weapons and remove several pounds of cocaine and methamphetamine off the streets. Therefore, it was a huge success,” said Chris Lee, spokesman for the District Attorney’s Office.
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