Author: terry.katz

Expert: Mongols, Warlocks, other biker gangs require ‘overwhelming’ police at Bike Week

Two people in a pack of Outlaws were arrested on Thursday during Bike Week when they refused to obey deputies, an affidavit stated.

Frank Fernandez Daytona Beach News-Journal March 12, 2025
https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/crime/2025/03/12/daytona-bike-week-shooting-between-mongols-warlocks/82234734007/

• Members of the Mongols and Warlocks motorcycle gangs got into a brawl Saturday in New Smyrna Beach during Bike Week, police said.

• Florida is home to a growing number of motorcycle gangs and gang members, an expert said.

• Expert says motorcycle gangs are attracted to events like Bike Week and an “overwhelming police presence” is needed to deter violence.

A brawl between two motorcycle gangs that led to gunfire in New Smyrna Beach Saturday showed why “an overwhelming police presence” is needed at events like Bike Week, a motorcycle gang expert said Monday.

Motorcycle gangs have been expanding their presence in Florida over the last several years, said John Scaduto, the Southwest Florida regional director of the Florida Gang Investigators Association, which provides training and advice for law enforcement agencies.

In the last several years, at least two outlaw motorcycle clubs have moved into Florida: the Mongols and the Pagans. The Mongols is an international motorcycle gang.

“There’s more of an expansion of the clubs that have moved into the state and they are establishing new clubhouses, chapters, territories, so to speak, within the state, and that is encroaching upon each other,” he said.

The Mongols and the Warlocks were the two clubs involved in Saturday’s melee, Scaduto said. They were also the two clubs identified in a charging affidavit against a Mongol named Clinton N. Walker from Bradenton. According to news accounts, Walker at one time supported the Outlaws, which is the most dominant motorcycle gang in Florida.

Walker was fired in 2018 from the Hillsborough Fire Service after an internal affairs investigation determined he was loyal to the Outlaws motorcycle gang, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Walker was recruited by the president of the Outlaws chapter in St. Petersburg, James Costa, who was also his fire captain, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

The Daytona Beach Fire Department also employed a motorcycle club member, a Warlock, back in 2012. Former Daytona Beach Fire Lt. Brad Dyess belonged to the Warlocks club in Orlando, which uses the phoenix, or bird, symbol.

Dyess was involved in a shootout in 2012 between several members of the Orlando Warlocks and a group known as the Harpy Warlocks from Philadelphia. Three of the Warlocks with Dyess were killed in the shootout in Winter Springs. Dyess was not charged. He resigned from the department in 2013.

Scaduto said people sometimes wonder why they see so many law enforcement officers at biker events. He said Saturday’s clash at the RaceTrac at 3000 State Road 44 in New Smyrna Beach is one reason.

“This is a perfect example of why additional policing resources are required during these events,” Scaduto wrote in an email. “When the clubs/gangs are in close proximity to each other, the tension is certainly there, all that is needed is a bad look, word, shove, etc., and things get out of hand very quickly.”

He said it was fortunate that innocent bystanders weren’t hurt by a stray bullet Saturday.

“We are lucky as a community that no one was shot during the volley of gunfire at a very public place with citizens present as well as traffic on the adjacent roadways,” Scaduto wrote.

Ormond Beach Police, along with other agencies, stay informed about biker activity in the city, wrote Pauline Dulang, a public

information officer for the department. She wrote the patrol officers and especially the motorcycle officers “maintain a strong, visible presence throughout the entire week, especially at our high traffic areas, to ensure safety for everyone — not just to monitor gangs.”

“Police presence during Bike Week is key to maintaining safety and deterring crime. Simply put, people are less likely to break the law with officers nearby,” Dulang wrote.

The Daytona Beach Police Department, the Volusia Sheriff’s Office and the New Smyrna Beach Police Department did not respond to The News-Journal’s questions about law enforcement, public safety and biker gangs during special events.
Origins of Mongols, Warlocks

The affidavit about the New Smyrna Beach shooting also stated that the Mongols have a clubhouse on Cow Creek Road in Edgewater.
The Mongols, who wear a vest with an emblem of Genghis Kan, originated in California, Scaduto said. Their club colors are black and white, the same as the Outlaws.

As for the Warlocks, there are two different types. The ones involved in the Saturday brawl were the “Phoenix, or bird,” Warlocks, Scaduto said. They were founded in Orlando, where the mother chapter still exists, and at one point were a “pretty large club” in Florida and battled the Outlaws, Scaduto said.

He said the Mongols outnumbered the Warlocks on Saturday.

“They are not stupid, they like their overwhelming numbers,” Scaduto said. “That was the case Saturday. There was a hell of a lot more Mongols than there were Warlocks.”

Will the brawl Saturday lead to more fights between the two clubs?

“Unless there’s some sort of discussion to avoid another conflict, I think conflict is to be expected,” Scaduto said. “Now whether we will be aware of the retribution or the acts that is another question, because they are not the most willing complainant to go to the police station.”

Some club members declined on Saturday to participate in the investigation. Marvin Granick, a Warlock who suffered a grazing gunshot wound to the side of the head, refused to complete a statement, an affidavit stated.

Anthony Trimboli, a Mongol, was shot in the stomach and arrived at Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach, the affidavit stated. Trimboli said he was practicing cross drawing his gun when it accidentally fired, wounding him. Trimboli refused to complete a statement and did not wish to pursue charges, the affidavit stated.

Outlaws, Mongols, Pagans and Warlocks most active in Florida

Outlaws, Mongols, Pagans, Warlocks and their support clubs are the most active outlaw motorcycle clubs in Florida, Scaduto said. He said he could not discuss it at this point, but another club is also entering Florida and is recruiting members from motorcycle gangs already in the state.

“We have another club that is coming in and is patching over some of these national clubs within the state,” Scaduto said. “That’s definitely going to lead to some sort of confrontation.”

He said the incoming club will offer members of other clubs “a better deal” like rank and status.

“It’s like a promotion. We’ll let you be the president, however they pitch it, or in the underground world, they know who’s looking to be the stronger of the two,” Scaduto said.

The person being recruited is buttered up like any person being sought by another employer, he said.

“They know that the team that’s offering them to patch over is most likely going to win dominance, which it’s all about,” he said.

While Saturday’s altercation was between Mongols and Warlocks, the Outlaws are still the dominant motorcycle gang in the Daytona Beach region and most of Florida, Scaduto said. And Bike Week attracts Outlaws, he said.

2 Outlaws arrested during traffic stop

Volusia Sheriff’s Office deputies encountered a pack of Outlaws about 10 p.m. March 6 riding their motorcycles on U.S. 1 and Melrose Avenue, according to charging affidavits.

As a deputy tried to stop one of the Outlaws for reportedly not wearing eye protection, other Outlaws appeared to try to block the deputy’s path by not yielding, the affidavit stated. Once the deputy managed to stop the biker, several of the others in the group of Outlaws stopped behind the deputies “causing the them to split their attention and placing them at a tactical disadvantage,” the affidavit stated. The Outlaws became argumentative when told to move, including telling deputies “I don’t know what you are saying dumbass,” the affidavit stated.

Deputies ended up arrested two of the bikers. Michael Johnson, 34, of Jacksonville, was arrested on misdemeanor counts of failure to obey police or fire department and no motorcycle endorsement. They found that Johnson was carrying a Glock handgun in his waist and another Glock in a handlebar bag. They also found an “AK-47 pistol” in his motorcycle’s saddle bag, according to the affidavit.

Deputies also arrested Merrick B. “Slowpoke” Johnson, 29, also of Jacksonville, and charged him with misdemeanor failing to obey police or fire. Deputies found a Glock in his motorcycle’s handlebar bag, the affidavit stated.

Can You Be Arrested Just For Joining An Outlaw Motorcycle Gang?

BY ALEC HIVELY MARCH 10, 2025 12:45 PM EST
https://www.slashgear.com/1806055/outlaw-motorcycle-club-can-someone-be-arrested-just-for-joining/

Outlaw motorcycle gangs are as much a part of the American criminal mystique as cowboys, bootleggers, and gangster rap. Born of the angst of World War II veterans acclimating to their new civilian lifestyles, they’ve grown from small social clubs into multinational criminal organizations. The Hells Angels’ website counts 64 countries in which they’re active. And although outlaw motorcycle gangs only account for an FBI-estimated 2.5% of American gang membership, they’re disproportionally responsible for gang-related violence and drug offenses.

Members of the Hells Angels, Bandidos, Pagans, Outlaws, and other criminal outlaw motorcycle gangs are colloquially known as one-percenters. Initially used to illustrate how the vast majority of motorcyclists are law-abiding, this term is now worn like a badge of honor by the big four outlaw motorcycle gangs. Emerging from a controversial Life magazine article documenting debauched riots at the 1947 American Motorcyclist Association races in Hollister, California, the distinction underpins a difficulty for both riders and law enforcement: while the differences between outlaw motorcycle gangs and motorcycle clubs are distinct, not all members of outlaw gangs are involved in criminal activities. Often, determining members’ criminality is difficult — even for the members.

With this in mind, many wonder whether membership alone is enough to throw them into the same legal bucket as one-percenters. To find out, we turned to lawyer and retired FBI agent Bobby Chacon, whose 27-year career included becoming an expert on the Jamaican Posse gangs, establishing the bureau’s underwater forensic program, and counterterrorism postings in Baghdad and Athens.

The answer to whether membership alone is prosecutable is both straightforward and complex. At its most basic level, Chacon tells SlashGear that no, members of legally designated outlaw motorcycle gangs cannot be prosecuted for membership alone. As he puts it, “Everyone arrested has to be individually charged with a crime.”

So why is membership in an outlaw gang not considered a crime? Well, the right to assembly is protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. So as a general rule, enforcement agencies cannot prevent people from joining without proof that they’re engaged in illegal activity. This became a point of conflict when Los Angeles made injunctions a key cog of its anti-gang strategy in the 1980s. Since then, the proliferation of gang databases and “predictive policing” that seeks to forecast who will commit crimes has brought the question of guilt by association to the forefront of the American justice landscape.

However, Chacon posits that criminal charges must be filed against an individual for specific criminal actions — not mere association. This extends to common tools in addressing gang-related violence, like conspiracy and racketeering cases. Even in these instances, he says, “each member of the conspiracy is charged separately and individually for their role in the conspiracy. Every arrest has to be tied to their own criminal behavior.”

Simply put, to be prosecuted, you need to be involved in criminal activity. But does that mean that members of outlaw motorcycle gangs are in the clear?

The danger for members of these gangs isn’t that they are guilty by association, but rather that their membership might enlist them in criminal conspiracies regardless of their intentions. One common instance is in Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act cases, known as RICO cases, which bring the unrelated crimes of a criminal enterprise together under a broad umbrella of racketeering.
Now a matter of common parlance due to their proliferation in pop culture, RICO cases are of particular concern to motorcycle gang members — even those who don’t consider themselves one-percenters. Asked if members of outlaw motorcycle gangs could be brought into a RICO case without directly participating in criminal activity, Chacon warned that while “many different activities on behalf of the ‘Organization’ (the “O” in RICO) are often downplayed or looked at as noncriminal,” they may form the basis of charges anyway.
Using an example from his career, Chacon recounted how a 19-year-old was sentenced to 20 years in prison for delivering packages and driving family members to make bank deposits on behalf of his brother — who he knew was a drug dealer. While, on the surface, neither of these acts seemed illegal to the teen, their furtherance of a criminal enterprise subjected him to a RICO charge.
What is a RICO offense and are past members in the clear?

So what does that mean for members of an outlaw motorcycle gang who are there solely for the camaraderie, jacket, and the thrill of the open road? Well, the answer is complicated.

To be hit with a RICO charge, a defendant must exhibit a pattern of racketeering activity. The RICO statute identifies 35 such crimes, including mail and wire fraud, murder, drug dealing, gambling, and bribery. And while a seemingly law-abiding motorcycle-gang member might protest that they didn’t commit these crimes, Chacon warns that members who perform two or more acts that further the criminal enterprise directly or “increase or maintain their standing in the organization” could be considered guilty. To harken back to Chacon’s earlier example, tangentially furthering the racketeering activities of a criminal enterprise is enough to land you in a RICO case.

For those hoping that the statute of limitations might save them from prosecution, Chacon warns that it might not be that simple. “The RICO reachback can be quite lengthy,” he said, stating that even if a person can’t be charged directly with a crime, “the evidence of that crime can be admissible to show the person was part of the RICO.” In essence, even if a crime is outside the statute of limitations, it can still be used to establish a pattern of crime.

Recent cases highlight the dangers of outlaw motorcycle gangs

RICO cases are law enforcement’s best friend when targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs, as they enable prosecutors to do away with piecemeal measures and address the entirety of the criminal enterprise. Just last month, a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Texas charged 14 members of the Bandidos with “roles in a criminal enterprise engaged in murder, robbery, arson, narcotics distribution, and witness intimidation in and around Houston.”

The Justice Department’s crackdown on the Bandidos, which included charges against “Survivor” star Brandon K. Hantz, is just one of a string of high-profile cases regarding outlaw motorcycle gangs in recent years, with charges brought against the likes of the Hells Angels, Red Devils, Thug Riders, and Mongols in the past year alone.

With increased levels of prosecutorial attention, it is understandable why some bikers may be concerned about the ramifications of their outlaw-motorcycle-gang membership. While membership alone won’t expose bikers to prosecution, the roles and actions undertaken while a member may make riders culpable in their gang’s criminal activities, drawing a delicate line between membership in an outlaw motorcycle gang and aiding in its conspiracies.

Whether that line has been crossed, Chacon notes, might be a question more suited for an experienced defense attorney. In any case, it seems that riders thinking of joining an outlaw motorcycle gang might be wise to remember the self-help axiom, “Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future.”

More details revealed in brawl, shooting involving two biker clubs in New Smyrna Beach

Patricio G. Balona Daytona Beach News-Journal March 10, 2025

A former Outlaw motorcycle gang member, now a part of the Mongols, was arrested Sunday as the suspect who fired a gun multiple times during a large brawl with a rival motorcycle gang at a New Smyrna Beach gas station, police said.

Clinton Neal Walker, 41, of Bradenton, was charged with inciting a riot, discharging a firearm in public, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Walker was out of the Volusia County Branch Jail Monday on $75,000 bail.

According to New Smyrna Beach police, the gunfire erupted during a brawl where punches were thrown in a crowd of 25 people or more at 11:45 a.m. Sunday at the RaceTrac gas station at 3000 State Road 44.

Walker was part of a group of Mongols who confronted a group of Warlocks who were already gathered in the parking lot of the gas station, police said.

A Mongols Motorcycle Club is located on Cow Creek Road in Edgewater, police said.

Police said it was not immediately clear what sparked the confrontation.

Walker was driving a Chevy Silverado, which was stopped at 726 U.S. 1 in Oak Hill shortly after the brawl and shooting. He was arrested and his vehicle was towed.

Warlocks motorcycle gang members injured

After the gunplay and brawl was over at the gas station, a Warlocks motorcycle gang member, Marvin Granick, 55, of Deltona, was found with a bullet graze to the side of the head, while another Warlocks member, Thomas McDaniel, 64, of Louisa, Virginia, was struck in the back of the head with nunchucks, police said.

McDaniel told police that when he arrived at the gas station, a few Mongols were at the pump and they acknowledged each other. Fifteen minutes later, as McDaniel exited the convenience store, he saw a large number of Mongols arriving at the gas station and “they came quickly and with purpose.” The Mongols rushed towards the Warlocks and shouting was heard, McDaniel said to police, according to the report.

After the incident, Anthony Trimboli, of the Mongols gang, arrived at Halifax Health Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the stomach. Trimboli, 35, of Naples, would only tell police that he was somewhere in Edgewater alone, practicing cross-drawing when the gun discharged hitting him in the abdomen, according to an arrest report.

In the melee, a vehicle belonging to James Reynolds, 62, of New Smyrna Beach, was hit by bullets. He declined to press charges, police said.

New Smyrna Beach police were assisted by Daytona Beach, Edgewater and Port Orange police as well as the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office in handling the incident.

Beatdown and gunfire

Witnesses provided police with statements and video recording of the brawl.

Police said the videos showed a group of Mongols beating a person on the ground and then 12 to 15 shots were heard dispersing the large crowd as people sought cover behind bushes. In the video police also saw a bald man, later identified as Walker, brandishing and firing a gun, scattering the crowd, the report details.

Another witness also described a shooter that matched Walker, police said.

When Walker, who had Mongol tattoos on his neck, was arrested he refused to talk to police and said he would not make a statement without his lawyer present, the arrest report states.

Former firefighter, marine, and Outlaw gang member

Sources indicate that Walker was fired in 2018 from the Hillsborough Fire Service after he was investigated for an Outlaw gang bar fight in Key West where two employees were injured.

According to a report by the Tampa Bay Times, an internal affairs investigation determined Walker had “unwavering loyalty” to the Outlaws motorcycle gang.

The report said that Walker was recruited by his fire captain, James Costa, who was the president of the Outlaws motorcycle gang chapter in St. Petersburg.

Costa was shot while riding on Highway 41 in July 2017. Media reports show that Walker was home but after getting a call, dressed in his uniform and helped get Costa to the hospital, and took his Outlaws vest with the gang’s insignia, evidence he refused to turn over to investigators, news reports show.

Walker denied the allegations.

In the investigation that led to his firing from the Hillsborough Fire Service in 2018, Walker told investigators that he resigned from the Outlaws in October 2016.

In its report, the Tampa Bay Times said Walker was a former member of the U.S. Marine Corps.

New Smyrna Beach shooting under investigation, points to rival motorcycle gangs

Ashley Varese Daytona Beach News-Journal March 8, 2025

New Smyrna Beach Police are investigating a shooting Saturday afternoon, possibly between two rival motorcycle gangs, the department wrote in a Facebook post at around 1:15 p.m.

Officers are on scene at the RaceTrac at 3000 State Road 44, which is completely blocked off with crime scene tape. Motorcycles are inside the taped-off area.

Any injuries appear to be non-life-threatening “at this time,” according to the post, and police are asking people to avoid the area while the investigation continues.

Preliminary information shows the shooting was between two rival biker gangs. It is unknown whether the incident is related to Bike Week, which started in Daytona Beach Feb. 28 and ends Sunday, March 9.

This is a breaking story and will be updated as details become available.

EXCLUSIVEInside Britain’s answer to Hell’s Angels: The deadly biker gangs responsible for violent brawls, pipe bombs and van attacks on the UK’s streets – and how a fragile truce between warring factions is hanging by a thread

By TOM DUFFY Daily Mail 3 March 2025

A hardened criminal has revealed that a ‘fragile truce’ between warring UK biker gangs is hanging by a thread and ‘could go either way.’
The construction worker from Merseyside has been a member of a notorious biker club for the last decade, and has served out a raft of prison sentences for violence.

The dad, who asked not to be named, said although violence between rival clubs had calmed, things could change quickly.
He said: ‘I would describe it as a fragile truce right now. Moving forward things could go either way, which is interesting.’

It comes after British streets have played host to a wave of biker violence – with brawls and violent attacks leaving thugs behind bars and their victims in hospital.

Last year biker Daniel Laponder left a pipe bomb under a van during a biker feud in Scotland.

Laponder targeted David Rollo because his son was a member of the Blue Angels Motorcycle Club. Laponder, who formed a breakaway biker faction, was jailed for nine years.

The High Court in Glasgow heard Laponder planted a viable pipe bomb under a BT Open Reach van which was used by Mr Rollo.

Laponder drenched the van in petrol and then used a remote device to set off the bomb, which contained ball bearings.

On sentencing, Judge Lord Arthurson said: ‘The background circumstances of the index offending are somewhat bizarre, stemming as they appear to from a feud between the Blue Angels Motorcycle Club and the Mad Dogs Motorcycle Club, a rival gang which was set up by you after you left the Blue Angels. That said, the crimes committed by you were of considerable gravity.
‘
The UK biker scene is currently dominated by the Hells Angels, Bandidos, Mongols, Outlaws, Satan’s Slaves and Blue Angels.

The clubs have a presence in cities and towns across the UK, from Glasgow to Gillingham. The biker, who agreed to speak to the Mail, said that there were still many misconceptions surrounding the clubs, which were shrouded in secrecy and urban myth.

He said: ‘Most people think biker clubs are all about anarchy. But they are not. You have a president and a tier of officers.
‘Members pay subs, and you can be thrown out of a club if you break the rules. Different clubs have different rules about how you conduct yourself.

‘Some clubs forbid you from leaving a member behind if there is trouble. Other clubs have rules about bikes and things like that.’
The Merseyside man said the criminality that surrounded motorcycle clubs was complicated.

He said: ‘It’s not all guns and drugs. Some members might take drugs, but biker clubs they are not like drug gangs.

‘In the states its different – the biker gangs run strip clubs , bars and distribute drugs. But it’s
not like that in the UK.’

However the biker admitted that serious violence could break out between rival British biker clubs.

Last year a street brawl broke out between two rival factions in Sheffield. A passing driver filmed the pitched battle, when bikers could be seen brandishing baseball bats and fighting in the street.

The biker said; ‘So the Satan’s Slaves attacked the Mongols who were in their clubhouse.

‘I was told that the Slaves came second best, and couple of their lads were badly hurt. One of them only recently came out of hospital.’
In May 2022 three members of the Bandidos targeted rival biker David Crawford, who belonged to the Red Chiefs.

Benjamin Parry, Chad Brading and Thomas Pawley claimed they wanted to speak to Mr Crawford who was wearing a Red Chief jacket on their patch.

But instead Parry used his van to mow down Mr Crawford, who at one point was dragged down the road. He suffered horrendous injuries and died.

Plymouth Crown Court heard the three men were members of Plymouth Bandidos, while Mr Crawford was affiliated to the Red Chiefs.

The construction worker, who met with Mail at a secret location, explained that some biker clubs attracted recruits for the wrong reasons.

He said: ‘Yes you get the mid-life crisis blokes. They wake up one day and realise they have done nothing with their lives and want some danger.

‘I can spot them a mile off. And before you know it they are roaring around on bikes and partying with strippers.

‘Then they are back in the office the next morning with a shirt and tie on. I just found all that really odd and quite funny.

‘And they you get the blokes you have bullied all their lives. They want to be around bikers for protection and to feel safe.

‘Personally, I am a biker but I am happy to solve my own issues on the street. The big one I went to jail for was not linked to bikers. It is just something that happened to me in my own life.’

The Merseyside dad said that that the reality was the biking community was isolated from other crime groups.

He said: ‘You might see shows on Netflix with bikers fighting with gangsters and drug dealers. That might happen in the states, but not here.

‘In my experience bikers over here rarely get involved with drug gangs – they have nothing in common.

‘Being in the Hells Angels means nothing inside – you are on you own. I was fine with that inside. It actually suited me.’

The Mail asked South Yorkshire Police if the mass brawl in Sheffield last May was linked to biker violence.

A spokesperson for the force said: ‘We were called on 25 May 2024 at 10.20pm to Attercliffe Road in Sheffield to reports of a disturbance.
‘It is reported that a group of people were involved in a disturbance and one man was assaulted.

‘Emergency services attended and one man was taken to hospital with injuries which are not believed to be life threatening or life altering.
‘Officers launched an investigation and carried out a number of enquiries. However, the incident has been filed pending further information coming to light, as no suspect has been identified.’

Top 2 Biker Gangs Under The Federal Microscope in The PNW

Do you ever see any of the clubs on the road in the PNW?
Lance Tormey KIT 12 80 March 3, 2025
Read More: News Talk KIT 1280 – The Source – Yakima News Radio | https://newstalkkit.com/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral
https://newstalkkit.com/crackdown-on-biker-gangs-intensifies-in-pacific-northwest/

If you live in the Pacific Northwest it’s highly likely you’ve seen motorcycle biker clubs. They’ve had a presence on the roads of Washington State, Oregon, and California for decades.

STATE AND FEDERAL AUTHORITIES ARE MAKING MOVES

Recently, however, law enforcement agencies in these states have stepped up efforts to crack down on these groups and prevent them from engaging in a variety of illegal activities including illegal drugs and other criminal activities. In Washington State, the Hells Angels have been a powerful force for years. However, in recent months, the group has been targeted by law enforcement officials who are determined to put a stop to their criminal activities. This includes drug trafficking, murder, and intimidation of rival gangs.Best Buy, Target leaders say new tariffs will cause higher prices for customers

TWO MAIN BIKER CLUBS DOMINATE THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

While the Hells Angels operate in the Pacific Northwest so does another biker gang. The Bandidos have been in a long-running feud with other rival gangs like the Hells Angels for years. However many Bandidos members also operate in Eastern and Central Washington State. While Hells Angels and Bandidos are the dominating gangs in Washington and Oregon many other gangs operate in California where the Police say there are are several biker gangs operating in the state, including the Mongols, Vagos, and Outlaws. Authorities say the Bandidos are one of the world’s largest outlaw motorcycle gangs.

ARE BIKER CLUBS WORKING WITH CRIMINAL GANGS?

There’s no evidence Mexican cartels are working with biker clubs or gangs in the PNW. But police say both the groups have been involved in a range of criminal activities, including drug trafficking, extortion, and racketeering.

A CRACKDOWN ON BIKER CLUBS CONTINUES IN WA STATE

In 2023 the FBI launched a nationwide crackdown on the gangs, resulting in the arrests of dozens of members and associates and the effort continues today. Overall, the presence of biker gangs in the three states remains a major concern for law enforcement officials. However, with increased resources and a commitment to taking down the groups, authorities are hopeful that they can put an end to their criminal activities and make communities safer for everyone. But given the fact that the groups have operated for decades in the three states it’s likely the groups will grow larger every year and may someday join forces with criminal street gangs.

Once-Jailed Biker Gang Member Earns Spot in 2025 British Open With Win

A decade ago, Ryan Peake was a member of the Rebels bike gang in Australia and sentenced to five years in prison. Now, he’ll play in this year’s British Open.

Max Schreiber | Sport Illustrated Mar 2, 2025
https://www.si.com/golf/biker-gang-member-wins-earns-spot-2025-british-open

It’s a comeback story for the ages.

A decade ago, Aussie Ryan Peake was a promising young player. He was also member of the Rebels biker gang in Australia. At age 21, he was convicted of assault and sentenced to five years in prison.

his July, he’ll play in the British Open.

Peake, 31, punched his ticket to Royal Portrush by winning the 104th New Zealand Open. He finished at 23 under, sinking an 8-foot par putt on his 72nd hole to prevent a four-way playoff.

“I’ve just changed my life,” Peake said. “This is what I do. I just want to be here and play golf.”
is criminal record delayed his clearance to enter New Zealand, but he eventually resolved his visa issues, paving the way to notch his first professional victory.

While Peake was in prison he was in contact with coach Ritchie Smith, who was willing to help him keep his golf dreams alive once Peake was released.

Before the final round, Peake, who trailed by four strokes entering Sunday, spoke to Smith, along with friend and PGA Tour member Min Woo Lee, who is also coached by Smith.

“(Lee and Smith) basically said that I’d already won, because I wasn’t in this position four years ago,” Peake said.
But Peake got the literal victory with a final-round 66.

nd in July, he has a chance to add the Claret Jug to his golf fairytale.

“I always knew I could do it but it was just a matter of when I was going to do it,” Peake said. “Along with my family and my team, everyone believed, and most of all, I believed as well.”

Bandidos gang member arrested by Lamesa PD, charged with possession of child pornography

By KCBD Staff February . 27, 2025
https://www.kcbd.com/2025/02/27/bandidos-gang-member-arrested-by-lamesa-pd-charged-with-possession-child-pornography/

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – 37-year-old Andrew Burdett Moore was taken into custody by the Lamesa PD SWAT team on Monday, charged with Possession or Promotion of Child Pornography with the intent to Distribute.

Lamesa Police Chief Joshua Peterson made the announcement on Thursday, saying his officers were assisted by the Texas Anti-Gang Unit “due to Moore’s affiliations with the Bandidos Motorcycle Club.”

Peterson said they executed a search warrant at Moore’s home and found “multiple weapons, gang memorabilia and electronics were seized in connection with current investigations.”

Man convicted of murder for fatal shooting at motorcycle club

DAVID PATCH The Blade dpatch@theblade.com Toledo, Ohio February 26, 2025,

A Lucas County jury convicted a Toledo man for murder Wednesday afternoon in another man’s shooting death almost a year ago during a melee at a central Toledo after-hours club.

The jury of eight women and four men took just over three hours to find DeAndre Koonce, 30, of the 1800 block of Airport Highway, guilty of alternative counts of murder and felonious assault for the March 3 shooting of Caprise Arnett.

Arnett, 34, collapsed outside the clubhouse of the Envy’Us Ryders Motorcycle Club in the 1400 block of Belmont Avenue following the incident inside.

Although he did not take the witness stand in Lucas County Common Pleas Court himself, Koonce’s defense lawyer contended he shot Arnett in defense of his sister, Vicky Smith, who was in a fistfight with the victim on the unlicensed club’s floor when the shot was fired.

But Ms. Smith’s testimony Wednesday as the trial’s last witness may have undermined her brother’s cause. She told the court that while she told Anrett three times to stop bothering her and then punched him after he spat at her, it seemed to her that once they ended up on the floor under the bar, Arnett was deliberately missing with his punches because she was female.

Koonce faces a likely term of life in prison with parole possible after 18 years when Judge Lori Olender sentences him March 13.
Both Kati Tharp, Koonce’s defense lawyer, and relatives of Arnett’s who watched from the courtroom gallery declined to comment after the verdict was read.

Jennifer Donovan, an assistant Lucas County prosecutor, conceded during closing arguments that Arnett was being “a jerk” when he aggressively hit on Ms. Smith and, before that, Koonce’s girlfriend Antoinette Cobbler, who testified Tuesday afternoon that she told him 10 times he wasn’t interested in him.

“But none of that justified what happened next,” Ms. Donovan said. “Miss Smith had taken care of it” and she and other club members had Arnett down on the floor, overwhelmed, and surrounded, she said.

Although police witnesses said Koonce confessed to the shooting under interrogation and allowed as how it would likely result in his “going away for a long time,” no recording of that interrogation was available because of a mistake at police headquarters.

Ms. Tharp argued in closing that prosecutors had not even proven Koonce fired the single shot, considering that several other club patrons were determined to have had guns, including one plainly seen in surveillance video from inside.

None was matched to the single spent shell casing found at the scene, and detectives testified Koonce told them they would never find the gun he’d used.

Investigators determined Arnett was not armed.

Ms. Tharp also repeated that Koonce himself had been shot on two different occasions — once by 13 bullets — to promote the idea that he would be particularly wary of aggressive people in a place like the motorcycle clubhouse while being protective of his sister.
“He did what any of us would do to protect a loved one,” the defense lawyer said. “Watch it [the videos] for yourselves and see what you see.”

But Ms. Donovan said Koonce’s past victimhood did not give him “license to give personal hardship to somebody else.”
First Published February 26, 2025, 6:08 p.m.

Former Marine and high school ROTC instructor granted bail in Bandido federal racketeering case

by Monroe TromblyFebruary 27, 2025 |

Former Marine and high school ROTC instructor granted bail in Bandido federal racketeering case

A U.S. magistrate judge granted bail on Thursday to a former Marine and junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) instructor accused of assaulting and attempting to rob a man, whom prosecutors say was a rival of the Bandidos motorcycle gang.

Marcell Lett, 56, is set for release Friday morning on an unsecured $75,000 bond. He will be placed on home confinement with GPS monitoring but will be allowed to go to work, meet with his lawyer, and attend church if he chooses. If Lett violates the conditions of his release, he will be required to pay the full bond amount.

During a Thursday hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron Black argued that Lett would pose a risk to public safety if allowed to remain free on bond until the charges against him are resolved. However, U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard Bennett, while acknowledging the seriousness of the charges, found that Black had not substantiated his claim.

Bennett also considered arguments presented by Lett’s court-appointed defense attorney, Richard Kuniansky, who contended that if Lett were truly a danger to the community, he would likely have been arrested and charged years ago when the alleged assault occurred.

Bennett’s decision followed the reading by Kunianksy of several letters of support for Lett, including one from a former student who described him as “one of the most kind, compassionate, and supportive people I have ever met.” The student also mentioned they still keep in touch with Lett.

According to his LinkedIn page, Lett has worked as a junior ROTC instructor at Ridge Point High School in Fort Bend for the past decade. The Fort Bend Independent School District did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Lett is still employed by the district. A webpage listing Lett’s employment appears to have been deleted from the district’s website.

Lett, a decorated former Marine who has deployed overseas at least ten times, is among 14 men arrested and charged last week by federal authorities in connection with a six-year racketeering investigation into the Houston chapters of the Bandidos motorcycle group. Authorities allege that this group was responsible for the murders of at least two rival gang members and the attempted murder of three others.

Lett faces charges of assault in aid of racketeering activity and using, carrying, brandishing, discharging, and possessing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence — crimes that could result in a lengthy prison sentence. The charges stem from an altercation between a group of Bandidos and three men they considered rivals at the Hawg Stop Bar and Grill on September 26, 2020.

According to Joshua Lyons, an investigator with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s Office of Inspector General and an FBI task force officer, the bar in northeast Harris County — now apparently closed — was hosting a bikini contest and motorcycle-washing contest that evening. Three men, identified as members of the Brothers East (B*EAST) motorcycle club, were among the spectators. Originally formed as an affiliate of the Bandidos, Brothers East broke away around 2019, leading the Bandidos to declare war on the group, according to Lyons.

Several Bandidos were present at the event and called for reinforcements when they spotted the Brothers East members, Lyons testified. Lett was among those who answered the call for backup. Lyons further testified that motorcycle groups often claim bars as their turf.

John Pfeffer, then the sergeant-at-arms for the Mascareros, another Bandidos support group, also responded to the call for backup. In the Bandidos, a sergeant-at-arms is a high-ranking member responsible for enforcing rules and discipline within the club. Pfeffer, who would later become the chapter president of the “Welcome to Hell” Bandidos chapter, spoke with Adam Burns, one of the Brothers East members, before allegedly punching him in the face.

Other Bandidos rushed in, causing Burns to fall to the ground in the bar’s unpaved parking lot. Burns was then kicked and beaten in an altercation captured on surveillance video and by a photographer present for the contest. Lyons testified that Lett was among those who kicked Burns.

Approximately 30 to 45 seconds after the altercation began, shots were fired. Burns was struck six times, five of them in his back. Lyons testified that Lett’s co-defendant, Roy Gomez, was the person responsible for fatally shooting Burns.

Gomez, known as “Repo,” was charged with Burns’s murder by Harris County prosecutors shortly after the shooting. He is scheduled to stand trial in late March, though he is not facing murder charges in the federal racketeering case. Lett was reportedly injured by a ricochet during the shooting, although it is unclear whether the bullet came from Gomez or Burns, who allegedly fired four shots from the ground.
A ‘hangaround’ Bandido

Lett faces charges of aiding and abetting others in the assault and murder of Burns, based on the allegation that he participated in the violent crime by using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm. However, during questioning by Kuniansky, Lyons admitted that authorities have no evidence to suggest that Lett brought a firearm to the bar, knew his co-defendant was armed, or was informed that Gomez intended to use a firearm.

Kuniansky argued after the hearing that merely being present during a shooting does not automatically make someone guilty of aiding and abetting. “The law says that you didn’t have to personally do it, but you had to at least know that someone was going to use a firearm,” he said. “He didn’t aid or abet anybody in that shooting.”

Kuniansky also emphasized that while Lett’s actions were wrong, the federal assault charge seemed disproportionate. “Should he have done that? No,” Kuniansky said of Lett’s involvement in kicking Burns. “But that’s a class A misdemeanor in state court. They’re charging him with felonies that could put him in jail for decades.”

Lett’s connection to the Bandidos is complex. While he has never been a full-fledged Bandido, according to Lyons, he was affiliated with the Mascareros, a Bandidos support group, and served as the president of its central chapter. Lett attempted to resign as president because Bandidos’ bylaws prohibit Black members, according to Lyons, who added that the Bandidos have had only one Black member in nearly 60 years of existence. Lett remains a “hangaround” Bandido, or a prospective member undergoing a trial phase, Lyons said.

According to Lyons, Bandidos often start their involvement with the group by joining support groups like the Mascareros. However, Kuniansky argues that groups like the Mascareros are misunderstood and that they often engage in charitable work. He cited a letter of support for Lett from Melissa Saldivar Hamilton, an administrative specialist for the city of Houston, who stated that the Mascareros participate in the Toys for Tots program each year.

“The government throws out that term ‘criminal gang.’ I mean, there are good apples and bad apples I guess in any sort of motorcycle club,” Kuniansky said, adding that he has not represented a Bandido before.
Five of 14 charged free on bond

Five of the 14 individuals charged in the extensive federal racketeering case have been released on bond, including Lett, who has the highest bond, at $75,000. He also requires GPS monitoring.

Michael Dunphy, released on a $50,000 unsecured bond on Monday, was a member of the Bandidos for about ten years and served as the national sergeant-at-arms before leaving the group in 2023, according to Lyons. U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Ho granted Dunphy’s release, ruling that prosecutors failed to present “clear and convincing” evidence that he had ordered Bandidos to assault 14 members of the Greybeard Motorcycle Club in February 2023 at Bimboz Bar and Grill near Tomball.

Prosecutors, for their part, contended that Dunphy had issued a “smash on sight” order sometime in 2020, directing Bandidos to assault or kill any Brothers East member they encountered. They maintained that this order applied to the 2023 incident as well.

Brandon Hantz, a two-time Survivor contestant, was also granted release on bond. Hantz, who was associated with the Bandidos for about two years, faces charges related to the 2023 assault on the Greybeards and an arson incident in Montgomery County.

Jeremy Cox and Scott Christinson have also been released on $50,000 unsecured bonds. Cox, also known as “JD,” faces the same charges as Lett, and Christison, allegedly called “Skinman” by the Bandidos, is charged with selling cocaine and possessing a firearm while doing so. The remaining defendants’ detention hearings are scheduled for next week after defense attorneys requested continuances to review the evidence.

The final two defendants in the case, Darvi Hinojosa and John Sblendorio, both charged with attempted murder, were denied bail in November by Ho, who determined that the nature of the alleged crimes warranted continued detention.

Altogether, the superseding indictment details six separate incidents over nearly three years in which people associated with groups that authorities say the Bandidos consider their rivals were threatened, robbed, assaulted, or killed.