Author: terry.katz

Motorcycle Gang Rivalry Boils Over At Wyoming Truck Stop

When members of the Mongols Motorcycle Club came across a man wearing a Hell’s Angels jacket at a Wamsutter truck stop, the rivalry between the gangs boiled over. Now seven Mongols face felony charges for robbery and intimidation.

Clair McFarland Cowboy State Daily July 12, 2024
https://cowboystatedaily.com/2024/07/12/motorcycle-gang-rivalry-boils-over-at-wyoming-truck-stop/

A motorcycle gang rivalry between a Hell’s Angels fan and the Mongols Motorcycle Club in Wamsutter, Wyoming, broke out last month during a confrontation at a local truck stop, authorities say.

Now a seven Oregon men associated with the Mongols are each facing felony robbery charges and a misdemeanor of intimidating people to advance a street gang’s interests in Sweetwater County District and Circuit courts.

Those charged are:
• Richard Gonzales, 40
• Bryan Grimaud, 40
• Jereme Paul Robertson, 26
• James Royster, 33
• Justin Frank Graham, 41
• Yan Eric Davis, 28
• Dana Clark, 29

On June 4, a man wearing a black leather vest with patches that said “Support Hell’s Angels” and “F*** the Rules” pulled up to the Love’s Travel Center in Wamsutter on his Harley Davidson motorcycle, its front wheel decorated with red skulls.

The man went into the shop to use the bathroom, and when he came out, a group of men in Mongols attire had surrounded his motorcycle, according to an evidentiary affidavit filed in the case.

They demanded to see the man’s vest; and they reportedly noticed his Hell’s Angels patch.

Some Mongols standing behind the motorcyclist removed the vest from his body, the affidavit says.
The man then reportedly told the Mongols members they could keep the vest, but he needed the key ring inside the pocket, which included key fobs to his Harley, his Chrysler and other keys and bobbles.

But they took the keys and the vest, allegedly.

Some of the club members also tried to remove the red skulls from the motorcyclist’s front wheel but they didn’t succeed, the document says.

“If we see you again it could be bad,” one of the Mongols told the man, the affidavit relates.

When speaking with police later, the man said he believed the Mongols took his vest as a trophy.

The man reportedly wasn’t a member of the Hell’s Angels, just a fan of the group.

Surrounded

Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Deputy Ana Lindig reviewed Love’s surveillance video and later matched the men’s appearances to their booking photos, the affidavit says.

But while the search was on, Lindig and other law enforcement agents found and stopped a cluster of motorcycles riding with a grey truck that was hauling a motorcycle on a trailer, says the document.

The riders were wearing Mongols Motorcycle Club vests, and agents found the man’s black vest with the Hell’s Angels patches inside the grey truck with the keys still in its pocket, reportedly.

Cocaine And Mushrooms And Stuff

All of the Mongols face a felony robbery charge punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and another charge of intimidating people to advance a street gang’s interests, punishable by up to one year in prison.

Some of the men also face drug charges for alleged drug discoveries pursuant to a warranted search of the truck.

Davis is accused of possessing more than three 3 of Dextroamphetamine, which police say they found in a black leather toiletry bag found on the truck’s floorboard with Yan Davis’ name embroidered onto it.

The possession charge is punishable by up to five years in prison and $10,000 in fines.
Court documents accuse Clark of having than 3 grams of cocaine on him, a misdemeanor amount carrying a penalty of up to one year in jail and $1,000 in fines.

Grimauld could face up to three years in prison and $3,000 in fines on suspicion of trying to sneak 1.7 grams of cocaine into the Sweetwater County Detention Center.

A deputy was pat-searching Grimaud inside the jail pre-booking area and found a small, clear bag containing a white powdery substance in the right front coin pocket of his pants that tested presumptive positive for cocaine.

Taking drugs into a jail is punishable by up to three years in prison and $3,000 in fines.
One agent allegedly found a sandwich-sized clear baggie containing 7.7 grams of psilocybin mushrooms in Gonzales’ possession, which adds a misdemeanor mushroom charge to his court file.

Ongoing

The men’s cases are ongoing. Grimaud’s case rose to the felony-level Sweetwater County District Court on July 2.

Royster had an arraignment Monday.

Robertson’s case rose to the felony-level court Tuesday. Graham’s case did the same June 17.

Davis’ case is still at the circuit court level, but his preliminary hearing is set for July 17.
Gonzales’ preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 7.

Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.

7 Oregon Mongols MC Members Arrested in Wyoming For Robbery of Hells Angels Supporter

Former Galatasaray star Sneijder had ties to outlaw motorcycle gang: report

By Turkish Minute July 11, 2024

Former Galatasaray star Sneijder had ties to outlaw motorcycle gang: report

Wesley Sneijder, a former Dutch footballer who played for Galatasaray, has been linked to the Comanchero Motorcycle Club, an outlaw biker gang involved in international crime, according to the pro-government Sabah newspaper, citing a report by Turkey’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK).

The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating Comanchero for crimes including international drug trafficking and money laundering. The probe revealed that Sneijder was allegedly a secret partner in the gang’s money laundering activities.

In November of last year 55 suspects were detained, and assets worth approximately 4.5 billion lira were seized. Among these suspects were the gang’s leaders, Hakan Reis, also known as Hakan Ayık, and Duax Ngakuru. Eighteen of the suspects were arrested, and 22 were released under judicial supervision.

MASAK’s report indicates that the gang laundered millions of dollars from drug trafficking through companies in Turkey. One of the companies involved was Borhan Group Yatırım A.Ş., founded by Yunus Emre Borhan, who was detained during last year’s operations. MASAK investigators found that Borhan’s companies received substantial funds from various sources, including $1,181,428 from Sneijder.

Despite public information suggesting that Sneijder was a partner in Econ Gayrimenkul Yatırım, a subsidiary of Borhan Group, his name did not appear in official trade registry records. This discrepancy led MASAK to conclude that Sneijder was a secret partner in the company.

Borhan confirmed in his testimony that he had a childhood friendship with Hakan Arif Tavukçu, who introduced him to Sneijder. Borhan said Tavukçu later sold his shares in Econ to Sneijder for $1,181,428, corroborating the financial transactions uncovered by MASAK.

Sneijder, who played for Galatasaray from 2013 to 2017, allegedly facilitated the introduction of Borhan to another suspect, Çetin Gören, who was sought under an INTERPOL Red Notice. Borhan admitted to borrowing 100,000 lira from Gören, which he later repaid, but denied knowledge of Gören’s involvement in drug trafficking.

The Comanchero Motorcycle Club, founded in Australia, has a long history of violence and criminal activities, including drug trafficking and violent clashes with rival gangs like the Hells Angels. The gang has expanded its operations to Southeast Asia and Europe, including Turkey.

Motorcycle gang leader sentenced to 13 years in prison for cocaine smuggling

Police seized amphetamines, cocaine, marijuana and nearly 200,000 euros in cash from the group.

https://yle.fi/a/74-20099282

Helsinki District Court has sentenced several people to lengthy prison terms in a drug case related to an international motorcycle club called the Outlaws.

According to Thursday’s verdict, the men sold or otherwise distributed tens of kilos of amphetamines, cocaine and cannabis around Finland.

Last autumn, some of the drugs, including 20 kilogrammes of cocaine, were transported by private plane to Hyvinkää Airfield, about 60km north of Helsinki.

According to the police, some members of the drug ring belonged to a criminal organisation called Outlaws MC. Authorities say it is one of the oldest criminal organisations, along with the Hells Angels and Bandidos.

The longest sentence, 13 years, was handed to a 51-year-old man who, according to the verdict, served as the leader of the Frontline chapter of the Finnish Outlaws MC and played a key role in the national group.

Finnish news agency STT reported that the man has posted pictures of himself on social media in which he is wearing an Outlaws vest, posing in front of a club facility abroad with other European Outlaws leaders.

Police said that the drugs were stored in Jyväskylä and distributed around the country, mainly to the capital region.

Police seized 76.6 kilos of amphetamines, 15 kilos of cocaine and seven kilograms of marijuana as well as more than 190,000 euros in cash from the group.

Defendant: “Outlaws MC is not a criminal group”

The man has denied committing any serious drug crimes and argued that Outlaws MC is not a criminal group — but the court disagreed.

The Finnish Outlaws group claims on its website that it is not a criminal organisation but a motorcycle club. According to the site, Outlaws has four chapters in Finland, among some 300 worldwide.

Two weeks ago, 34 people were sentenced to prison for their roles in two gangs that smuggled drugs in from Sweden.

Indiana high court tosses appeal of North Vernon gang leader’s 120-year sentence

By Staff Reports July 6, 2024
https://www.therepublic.com/2024/07/06/indiana-high-court-tosses-appeal-of-north-vernon-gang-leaders-120-year-sentence/

NORTH VERNON — A North Vernon man sentenced to 120 years in prison for a murder conviction stemming from his involvement in a 2021 shootout in Dupont must serve his sentence after the Indiana Supreme Court last month declined to consider his appeal, letting the judgment stand.

Michael J. “Billy Goat” Karnuth, 35, led a criminal biker gang, authorities said, at the time of the June 22, 2021 killing of Dustin B. Lindner, 35, of Georgetown, Kentucky. Authorities said Lindner was a member of the Pagans Motorcycle Club who was fatally shot while he accompanied Karnuth, president of the Heavy Hitters chapter of the Warlocks Motorcycle Club, and others who had planned to attack another motorcycle club member.

After a trial, a jury in Jefferson Circuit Court in Madison convicted Karnuth of murder, attempted burglary committed while armed with a deadly weapon, attempted robbery committed while armed with a deadly weapon, and obstruction of justice. Judge Donald J. Mote sentenced Karnuth to 60 years on the murder charge enhanced by another 60 years because the jury also determined Karnuth was a member of a criminal organization whose crimes furthered the interests of the organization.

The jury convicted Karnuth after the judge provided an instruction on the law regarding accomplice liability under Indiana’s felony murder statute. That law provides that a person may be charged and convicted of murder if someone is killed in the act of committing or attempting to commit a number of felonies — including burglary.

Among other things, Karnuth challenged that jury instruction and argued on appeal that the evidence was insufficient to support his murder conviction or the enhancement for the criminal organization element of his sentence. He also argued his sentence was inappropriate in light of his character or the nature of the crimes.
A three-judge panel of the Indiana Court of Appeals rejected Karnuth’s arguments and upheld his sentence in March, after which he petitioned the state Supreme Court to review his case.

The justices in a 4-1 decision on June 19 declined to accept Karnuth’s appeal, with Chief Justice Loretta Rush casting the lone vote to hear the case.

According to evidence presented at trial, trouble started when Karnuth talked with another man, Shawn Rudis, outside a gas station in North Vernon. Rudis showed Karnuth his tattoos associated with the Warlocks, “and was, by his own admission, antagonistic toward Billy Goat,” acccording to the probable cause affidavit filed in court by Indiana State Police.

After this confrontation, in which other local gang members became involved, Karnuth “spent weeks gathering information on Rudis’ whereabouts and organizing the pursuit of Rudis,” according to evidence presented at trial. When Rudis had been located, Karnuth and three other gang members, including Lindner, met at Karnuth’s residence at Country Squire Lakes in the 2100 block of Country Manor Street in North Vernon.

Believing Rudis wasn’t a club member, investigators said one of the people who met at Karnuth’s residence told them that Lindner persuaded the group to “go down there, beat the (expletive) out of (Rudis), take his (expletive), and leave.”

This person also told investigators that when he asked Karnuth why the group needed to take guns, Karnuth replied, “he was prepared to shoot back, if needed,” the affidavit said. The group also planned to ensure that Rudis’ tattoos associated with the Warlocks and Pagans motorcycle clubs “were removed,” the affidavit says.

Subsequently, a group of five biker gang members arrived at Rudis’ residence on John Deere Road in Dupont, about 10 miles south of North Vernon, around midnight June 22, 2021.

Investigators said those who arrived on the scene walked the property looking for Rudis, who was waiting with a rifle inside a shed.

“Rudis remained in the shed, and saw a shadow begin to open a tarp that was covering the entrance of the shed. Rudis stated that he then fired a shot towards the shadow and that he heard a groan,” the affidavit said. “He stated that he didn’t hear anything else for what he believed to be a couple of minutes, and then multiple shots were fired into the shed.

“Rudis stated that he then called 911. While he was on the phone with 911, Rudis stated that he fired an additional shot,” which hit one of the gang member’s vehicles, the affidavit said. Rudis “started screaming at them and … after a while the vehicles left.”

When authorities arrived, they found Lindner on the property, fatally shot.

Authorities soon executed a search warrant on Karnuth’s residence that turned up evidence connected to firearms that had been ditched after the shootout, as well as Warlocks Motorcycle Club evidence, including clothing and business cards. State Police investigators also found Lindner’s vehicle at Karnuth’s residence and evidence of firearms that had been ditched in nearby waters.

According to the Indiana Department of Correction, Karnuth is imprisoned in the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility in Carlisle. His earliest possible projected release date is in the year 2111.

Police presence boosted as Hells Angels roll into Lethbridge to open new chapter
Karen Bartko Global News July 10, 2024

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/police-presence-boosted-as-hells-angels-roll-into-lethbridge-to-open-new-chapter/ar-BB1pLw2t

Police from across Canada will be descending upon Lethbridge this weekend as members of the Hells Angels and supporters of the motorcycle gang roll into the southern Alberta city.

“We’re anticipating anywhere from 200 to 300 members,” said acting insp. Pete Christos, who is in charge of the criminal investigations division at the Lethbridge Police Service.

Members of a new Hells Angels chapter in Lethbridge, their support clubs and others are holding a grand opening party and are anticipated to ride during various events over the weekend.

“It just means that they’re looking to establish themselves within our city,” Christos said. “Clubhouses have been identified throughout the city, throughout this country for a long time. For here, we’re prepared to deal with this as it evolves.”

The Hells Angels is the world’s largest outlaw motorcycle gang and has several junior support clubs below it. Peter Edwards, organized crime reporter with the Toronto Star and an author of several books on organized crime, likens it to the NHL having the American Hockey League and the East Coast Hockey League.

The organization’s well-known criminal history ranges from white-collar crime like fraud, counterfeiting, money laundering, contraband smuggling, extortion, and illegal gambling to more serious offences like drug trafficking, assault and murder.

Police said the gang uses its interest in motorcycles as a cover for illegal activities. The Hells Angels is widely known to utilize support clubs and associate clubs to distance themselves from criminal acts they’re engaged in.
Christos said investigators have been aware of the Hells Angels’ intentions in Lethbridge for some time now and police are prepared. He did not share where the new clubhouse is located.

Lethbridge police said the gang presence is expected to be highly visible and officers will be assessing any potential threats to public safety on a case-by-case basis.

To that end, officers from the RCMP, ALERT Integrated Gang Enforcement Team, Calgary Police Service, Edmonton Police Service, Medicine Hat Police Service, Taber Police Service, Camrose Police Service and other Canadian police agencies are heading to Lethbridge.

LPS said the agencies have joined in a coordinated response and will be visible throughout the city to monitor outlaw motorcycle gang members and their activities.

In addition, Section 69.1(1) of the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act, enables the exclusion and removal of gang members from licensed establishments such as bars and some restaurants. Police said they will “monitor potential attendance at applicable locations.”

“It has been well documented that many outlaw motorcycle gang members, their friends and associates, are involved in criminal activity,” Christos said. “We will be working with our policing partners to monitor their presence, deter illegal activity and maintain public safety through an overt police presence.

It is expected that a large number of Hells Angels and their supporters will arrive in the city on July 12. The public is asked to be aware of the significant increase in motorcycle traffic and share the road safely.
Christos said it’s believed most will leave after holding their celebration, and the public is advised to leave the visitors alone and not engage with them at all.

“We do have an operational plan in place where we’re going to be monitoring these individuals and their activities so we are well-prepared for this.”

Earlier in the spring, the Hells Angels set up a new clubhouse just outside the city limits of Peterborough, Ont.
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club was founded in 1948 in California. The group has around 6,000 members across 467 charters in 59 countries.

In more recent years, the Hells Angels have aimed to keep a low profile since the deadly biker wars over narcotic trafficking in the 1990s, according to Criminologist and former Bloc Québécois MP Maria Mourani.

The fights led to the deaths of more than 160 people between 1994 and 2002, including nine bystanders, according to experts.

The biker gang now prefers to negotiate instead of turning to violence to settle scores, Mourani said, as it’s bad for business.

At the time, Bingham was under three separate court orders – dating back to 2008 – banning him from possessing firearms. And police have previously described him as having ties to The Gatorz, a street gang that was once based in Toronto’s west end.

Alleged One Order Motorcycle Club member faces gun charges
A woman was also charged along with the Etobicoke man
Chris Doucette Toronto Sun July 10, 2024
https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/alleged-one-order-motorcycle-club-member-faces-gun-charges

An alleged member of an outlaw motorcycle club is among two people facing gun charges after cops seized two firearms during a raid in Toronto.

Ontario Provincial Police say members of the OPP-led Biker Enforcement Unit (BEU) arrested a 49-year-old man – a suspected One Order MC member – and a women, 46, when they executed a search warrant with support from Toronto Police Emergency Task Force officers on June 21.

“The investigative team seized ammunition and two firearms, One Order MC vests and two cellphones as a result of the search warrant,” the OPP said Wednesday.

Patrick Callaghan and Lisa Snelgrove, both of Etobicoke, were arrested.

The pair were charged with a combined 30 offences that include two counts each of unauthorized possession of a firearm, knowledge of unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, possession of a loaded prohibited/restricted firearm, careless storage of a firearm, careless storage of ammunition, and contravention of firearms storage regulations, as well as one count of possession of a firearm obtained by crime.

Both have since been released from custody.

Callaghan is scheduled to appear in court in Toronto on Aug. 6 and Snelgrove’s court appearance is Aug. 16.
“While the majority of motorcycle enthusiasts are law-abiding, OMGs (outlaw motorcycle gangs) are criminal organizations whose activities cause harm and victimization in communities across Ontario,” the OPP said. “OMGs have been known to participate in illegal, profit-driven activities such as fraud, drug trafficking, extortion, intimidation, and murder.”

One Order MC reportedly has chapters in Toronto, London and Halifax. The 1%er club has also been in Windsor since at least early 2023 and members have reportedly been spotted associating with the Hells Angels, a motorcycle club that is designated as an organized crime group in Canada.

A least two other suspected members of One Order MC have faced gun charges since last summer.
Kevin Bingham, 50, was charged by cops in Windsor after he was allegedly caught in a vehicle with illicit drugs and a loaded Smith & Wesson revolver on June 27, 2023.

Windsor police executed search warrants the next day at three residences and one business, allegedly seizing an assortment of crystal meth, fentanyl and cocaine.

Two other men were also arrested. The outcome of those 2023 charges is unknown.

Another suspected member of One Order MC was arrested when the BEU executed a search warrant in Brampton on Jan. 11.

The OPP said at the time that officers seized a prohibited shotgun, non-restricted rifle, two imitation handguns, components to make seven restricted handguns, a vest containing ballistic panels, two cellphones and four One Order Motorcycle Club vests, including one with ballistic panels.

Sherwin Anthony “AJ” Jhingoree, 39, of Brampton, was charged with firearm-related offences and three counts of breaching of a release order.

The outcome of those charges is unknown.

Anyone with information regarding illegal activity associated with outlaw motorcycle hangs is asked to call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
cdoucette@postmedia.com

Diamondbacks Motorcycle Club may finally be getting justice for the Christmas Day fire

Travis Hicks Fox 47 WMSN Madison Wisconsin July 5, 2024
fox47news.com/neighborhoods/charlotte-eaton-rapids/diamondbacks-motorcycle-club-may-finally-be-getting-justice-for-the-christmas-day-fire

• Diamondbacks Motorcycle Club may finally be getting justice for the Christmas day fire.
• Left members with more questions than answers.
• Watch video above to learn about the Diamondbacks Motorcycle Club

(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)

For a long time, a fire that ripped through the Diamondbacks Motorcycle Club in Potterville had left members with more questions than answers. But now, new information may finally get them closer to justice. It’s a tight-knit group at the Diamondbacks Motorcycle Club.

Cause when he first came in he was a great dude then he turned really bad,” Diamondbacks Motorcycle Club President William Mathers said.

Eaton County authorities say 47-year-old Leo Krepps was arrested last week for his alleged connection to the Christmas day fire.

The former club member is now facing charges of arson and breaking and entering with intent. Charges that could carry a maximum of 10 years in prison.

The outpouring of offers for building materials to free labor and helping us out with different building permits and electric permits,” Jeff Lutz Diamondbacks member said.

“Lot of volunteers from other clubs and independents have been coming down helping us work on the club house, it’s been a blessing to have the community come help us out,”

Diamondbacks motorcycle member Jeff Lutz tells me the club is a brotherhood, and have stuck together throughout this process

“Family goes through all kinds of different stuff, families pull through when they care about each other,” John Mills Diamondbacks member said

“Like I said it’s tough the emotions are different for everybody so it’s really hard to feel what the next guy is feeling, we are all feeling the same thing this is our home

I reached out to the Michigan State police fire investigation department. They tell me the investigation is still open as they await the report from their arson team. That’s when they can make a determination. As for Jeff and the rest of the Diamondbacks, they hope the clubhouse will be back up and running by summer.

“Come June I want to be back to operation as normal,”

We’ll have updates on this story as it develops on our fox 47 news website.

Note: John Ermin AKA Tommy the international president of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club is a defendant in this case

Federal court motion shows judge, prosecutor threatened in case connected to Peter Gerace

The government wants a protective order to prevent anyone from sharing information or details about witnesses ahead of trial saying there are “legitimate fears of witness tampering.”

By: Kristen Mirand WKBW Nuffallo, New York July 4, 2024

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — There’s yet another twist and turn in a federal court case connected to Peter Gerace — the owner of Pharaoh’s Gentleman’s Club in Cheektowaga.

He was indicted back in 2021 for allegedly paying bribes to a former federal agent to avoid criminal investigations and prosecution.

He’s also facing charges of maintaining drug-involved premises, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.

A motion was just filed in a separate federal case connected to Gerace.

A witness against him, Crystal Quinn, died from an overdose. Simon Gogolack is accused of giving her drugs.
In Gogolack’s case, the government now wants a protective order to prevent anyone from sharing information or details about witnesses ahead of trial saying there are “legitimate fears of witness tampering and retaliation”.
Former State Supreme Court Justice Penny Wolfgang calls such a request very “unusual.”

“The case involves witness intimidation, tampering with witnesses and above all else, the alleged murder of a witness, as we know, because we’ve heard a lot about this Crystal Quinn, who was allegedly murdered by drugs by the defendant, allegedly, so she would not be a witness. So all of these issues are more serious than usual and of course, they claim that organized crime is involved,” Wolfgang said.

This request comes after the prosecutors say Gogolack “publicly and privately threatened to sell his discovery” and shared “a desire to retaliate against witnesses against him.”

“What the government’s trying to do is make sure that this information does not get out, the names of witnesses, you can imagine, the danger already proven, and also that they do allege that organized crime is involved and for all these reasons the government wants a protective order,” Wolfgang said.

Prosecutors cite a recent threat in Gerace’s case as an example. The motion says a member of a motorcycle group has a desire to see Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Tripi and Chief Judge Elizabeth Wolford “executed’ during Gerace’s trial.

“It’s not just pie in the sky, ‘Oh, this could happen, that can happen,’ because they claim right in the papers that a witness has already been murdered, so it’s not something to be taken lightly,” Wolfgang said.

Judge Wolfgang said this motion requests everything be kept under wraps between the prosecutors and defense until the trial starts.

“Once this trial starts, it’s going to be public and then we’ll know where the witnesses are, and then we’ll know what the wiretap taps are, the phone calls and all the evidence,” she said.

Alleged president and ‘sergeant at arms’ of Vagos biker gang arrested

by: Jason Kotowski KGET July 3, 2024
https://www.kget.com/news/crime-watch/alleged-sergeant-of-arms-of-vagos-biker-gang-arrested/

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The president and sergeant at arms of the Antelope Valley chapter of the Vagos biker gang have been arrested on suspicion of multiple weapons offenses, according to sheriff’s officials.

John Anderson, 46, the alleged president, and Ulisses Navarette, 37, were arrested this week, officials said.
According to sheriff’s officials, deputies on June 14 received reports of Vagos members harassing customers at a business in Tehachapi. Deputies searched Navarette’s home on Dawn Avenue and located Vagos riding jackets — one with a loaded gun in a pocket — on a couch near juveniles, a warrant filed by investigators said.

Investigators found another gun hidden in a motorcycle, a fully automatic machine gun and a 40mm launcher, officials said.

One of the riding jackets had a patch identifying Navarette as the gang’s sergeant of arms — a leadership position, according to the warrant.

Anderson was arrested at home in Rosamond.

Navarette is scheduled for a court hearing Friday in Mojave. Anderson is due in court Monday.

Outlaws biker gang ‘enforcer’ admits grisly killings in failed bid to get out of prison

Seeking a compassionate release, Randall “Madman” Miller acknowledges committing three killings cited in his 1997 racketeering case, including Morris and Ruth Gauger in McHenry County. “I was surprised that he took the blame finally,” says son Gregg Gauger.

By Robert Herguth Chicago Sun Times Updated July 3, 2024,
https://chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdogs/2024/07/03/outlaws-motorcycle-club-bikers-randall-madman-miller-compassionate-release

In 2000, fearsome Outlaws Motorcycle Club “enforcer” Randall “Madman” Miller was being sentenced to life in prison in a racketeering case that targeted numerous members of the biker gang and covered an array of horrific crimes. And U.S. District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller lamented it was too bad he couldn’t give him the death penalty.

Miller sat in court then, silent, shaking his head. Now, 24 years later, Miller is admitting he committed the three murders detailed in the racketeering case — including the grisly, high-profile killings of Morris and Ruth Gauger near far northwest suburban Richmond in 1993.

“I have tried to write this letter 1,000 times because it has been such a heavy burden on my heart for a very long time,” Miller wrote to the judge in his latest bid to be released from prison, largely because he’s in bad shape physically with an array of ailments. “I have to admit that I was wrong and accept responsibility for the fact that my choices have caused pain to people and should have never happened.

“I owe my most sincere apologies to Ginger Blossom and Gary Gauger for their suffering and pain due to the loss of their parents” — Morris and Ruth Gauger — “because of the senseless act that took their lives.

“Every single day it eats away at me because I was not raised to be the man who made such a cold hearted decision to act and commit this very serious transgression,” Miller, now 65, wrote. “I used to blame the drugs and the ‘life’ but in the end, I have to admit that it was me who made the choice and for that, I apologize to the families even though I know that it will never be enough.”

It wasn’t enough for the judge. On Tuesday, he denied Miller’s request for freedom, writing: “Defendant has now been in prison for approximately 27 years, which is still not enough time for the community’s hurt to be outweighed by his time in prison, his age and medical conditions or his rehabilitation.”

Miller, from Pell Lake, Wis., and fellow Outlaw James “Preacher” Schneider, who lived in Lake Geneva, killed the Gaugers, who ran a motorcycle parts business on their McHenry County farm. It’s been described both as a robbery gone bad and a cold-blooded execution.

“Miller personally slit Mr. Gauger’s throat and left him to bleed to death on the floor of his shop,” prosecutors say in a court filing. “Mrs. Gauger was killed by Miller’s companion and also left to die on the floor of the small rug and trinket shop she operated on the farm.

“Miller showed no compassion for either of these elderly people who were intentionally killed over what amounted to a small amount of pocket change” — about $15. “Nor did he show any compassion for [one of] the Gaugers’ adult son[s]” — Gary Gauger — “who, following their murders, was wrongfully arrested for his parents’ deaths, and based on a coerced false confession, was convicted and sentenced to death.

“The son’s case was only dismissed after the true facts of the crime were revealed by Miller’s accomplice who pled guilty and testified against Miller,” prosecutors wrote.

JUDGE’S REJECTION

A portion of the judge’s order, issued Tuesday denying Outlaws Motorcycle Club “enforcer” Randall “Madman” Miller’s bid for compassionate release from prison.

The McHenry County sheriff’s office and state’s attorney’s office faced withering criticism, though few consequences, for initially putting away Gary Gauger for a crime he didn’t commit. He filed a lawsuit against law enforcement but lost.

At his trial, Miller also was “found to have caused the homicide death of Donald Wagner, who was lured to a remote location by Miller and Outlaw associates, and then executed by Miller, who shot him in the head with a .22-caliber pistol,” prosecutors say. “The murder occurred over a load of marijuana.”

In his new letter to the Milwaukee-based judge overseeing the case, Miller also addressed that killing, writing: “One occasion that is plastered in my memory and I will never forget is the day that Donald Wagner’s daughter screamed in the courtroom, ‘He killed my father.’

“There has not been a day that goes by that I do not hear those piercing words because I took her father from her and it was for something senseless and never should have happened. I feel that it is important to apologize” to Wagner’s daughter “for denying her the opportunity to have a meaningful relationship with her father who was supposed to be there for her first date, driving lessons, graduation, wedding and the opportunity to have met his grandchildren if she had any children.

“I truly realize that these are just words and that only my actions going forward to the end of my life are what will define how truly repentant I am. I began my journey to change who I am in 2003 when I accepted Jesus Christ as my lord and savior and decided to live my life by his standards.”

Miller, who now uses a wheelchair and is confined to a prison medical center in Rochester, Minn., said in his letter that he accepted responsibility and wanted that known to “those who were affected in the community and also my family whom I let down and disappointed.

“I hope that this will allow the people who I have hurt to have some closure and to cleanse my heart by begging for forgiveness at this late stage in my life and pray that the families and the Almighty grant me their grace.”
Founded in McCook in 1935, the Outlaws now has chapters across the United States and internationally. Its members portray themselves as free spirits who defy the norms and rules of society.

Federal authorities, though, have said they are a gang on wheels, with Harley-Davidson motorcycles their bike of choice.

The club — the real-life inspiration for the new movie “The Bikeriders” — faced several major prosecutions over the past three decades in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin for crimes that included extreme violence and drug dealing.

Some of the blood flowed from a turf war with the Hells Angels, which began moving into the Chicago area in the 1990s.

Some of that violence also was in conjunction with the Chicago mob, which has long used the Outlaws for muscle.
Miller was charged in a 1997 racketeering case involving 17 Outlaws from Chicago, the suburbs, southeast Wisconsin and northwest Indiana.

Miller “was proved to be among the most violent of the charged defendants,” prosecutors have said.
Schneider is believed to be out of prison. His cooperation with authorities makes him a potential target of his old club, which has a slogan: “Snitches are a dying breed.”

Citing declining health that led to a leg amputation and his fears of dying from COVID-19, Miller previously sought a compassionate release, which Stadtmueller denied in 2022, saying: “Our criminal justice system has the capacity for — indeed the goal to promote — remorse and compassion. But healing requires time and adequately served punishment.

“Perhaps this case will one day be ripe for compassionate release,” the judge said then. He added that Miller’s stint in prison then was “not yet sufficient time for the community’s hurt from defendant’s actions to be healed by his punishment and outweighed by his failing health. Defendant is receiving adequate care in prison for his health needs.”
In the new court filing, Miller said his current “health issues” included seropositive rheumatoid arthritis, coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, hyperlipidemia and congestive heart failure.

Miller said he “accepted responsibility for his crimes” not “to impress the Court” but “in the pursuit of forgiveness from the victims, their families, his family and God,” and that he “only seeks mercy and compassion.”
Miller also cites what he says is a “sentence disparity” between his sentence and the punishment handed to other Outlaws members including Randy Yager, “who fled and lived in Mexico for 18 years before being apprehended.” Miller said Yager “displayed no respect for the law during his years before the indictment or after” but “still received a 15-year sentence.”

Once an Outlaws boss, Yager has been released to home confinement, prosecutors said in an April court filing.
The judge recently denied a compassionate release attempt by Outlaws co-defendant Kevin O’Neill, who’s being held at a prison downstate.

Gary Gauger says he thought Miller should remain behind bars.

“He’s created his world, he’s living in it, and his thoughts and his mind, that’s what he’s got,” Gary Gauger says. “No, he shouldn’t be released. He says what’s expedient because he wants out.”

Another son of the murdered Gauger couple, Gregg Gauger, opposed Miller’s previous attempts to be released. But, after reading Miller’s new letter, Gregg Gauger says he took a “neutral” stance.

“I was surprised that he took the blame finally,” Gregg Gauger says. “I didn’t think he ever would.”