Category: Gangs in the news…

The FBI says the Bandidos started a war in Houston. Here’s what that means
By John Wayne Ferguson | May 25, 2025
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/projects/2025/bandidos-war-federal-indictment/

For years, the Bandidos waged a war across Houston. Since 2020, members of the group stalked and assaulted rivals across the region, leaving bodies on the ground, wounded men in hospitals and one building gutted by flames, according to the FBI.

In February, the federal government stepped in, and announced that 14 members of the infamous biker gang had been charged in a racketeering case that tied murders, shootings and other crime into a single criminal enterprise. The case is the largest prosecution against the infamous biker gang in years.

Fourteen members of the Bandidos motorcycle club had been indicted under the federal anti-organized crime law, commonly known as RICO. The men – some of whom were already in custody – were accused of targeting members of another gang, Brothers East or B*EAST, in an effort to control territory.

Prosecutors say most of the men indicted in the case were part of a new chapter called Welcome to Hell, that was formed specifically to take out B*EAST members.

The war, as prosecutors called it, played out between 2020 and 2024, across all corners of the Houston region, leaving people dead and wounded, and buildings burned down.

Some of the crimes associated with the gang war were previously reported on. Others came to light in court records or during hearings in which prosecutors argued the indicted men were too dangerous to be released until their trials.

Here’s what we know about the Justice Department’s allegations against the Bandidos.

Smash on sight

The Bandidos’ declaration of war against B*EAST was made some time in 2020. A former Bandidos leader, Micheal Dunphy, aka Money Mike, issued a “smash on sight” order to assault or kill any members of the rival gang, according to the Justice Department.

Following the order, Bandidos were expected to assault B*EAST members in order to “declare dominance” over the other group, FBI agent Joshua Lyons, one of the main investigators into the Bandidos war, testified in December.

B*EAST was formed in 2015 and was initially tolerated by the Bandidos, Lyons said. The groups’ relationship soured however, and B*EAST declared independence from the Bandidos. Among other slights, B*EAST members began displaying bottom rockers, a patch on the back of their leather vests, with the word “Texas” on them, and wearing 1% patches on their fronts. The Bandidos considered those insignias to be their exclusive rights.

Founded in 1966 in San Leon, the Bandidos were one of the first biker gangs established in the United States. The group claims thousands of members in Texas.

The Hawg Stop
Sept. 26, 2020

One of the first major events of the war — a brawl that ended with a fatal shooting — took place at the Hawg Stop Bar and Grill, a now-closed bar located in far northeast Houston.

The shooting happened the night of the Miss Hawg Stop bikini pageant, according to a police complaints.

Authorities said there were two phases to the Hawg Stop brawl.

First, one of the indicted Bandidos, Ronnie “Meathead” McCabe, confronted B*EAST members who showed up at the bar, claiming the establishment was Bandido territory, authorities said. The groups separated for a time, but McCabe is alleged to have stayed at the bar and called for reinforcements.

Around 7 p.m., John “Big John” Pfeffer, another of the indicted Bandidos, is alleged to have again approached one of the B*EAST members and threw a punch, sparking the brawl, according to police.

Groups of Bandidos separated the B*EAST members, as the man Pfeffer is accused of attacking first — Adam Burns — was forced to the ground. Two of the other indicted men, Marky “Guero” Baker and Marcel Lett, are alleged to have helped beat Burns before a fourth Bandido, Roy “Repo” Gomez, pulled out a gun and shot him, according to police.

Gomez in 2020 was charged with murder over Burns’ death in Harris County in November 2020, but the case never went to trial. The state case was dropped in March after Gomez was named in the federal indictment.

Gomez and Pfeffer are both charged with murder in the aid of racketeering in connection to Burns’ death at The Hawg Stop. If convicted, they could possibly face the death penalty.

Javier Martinez Killing
May 19, 2021

Houston police officers were called to the 12400 block of the Northwest Freeway after a report of a shooting. Witnesses told police that a man on a motorcycle, later identified as Javier Martinez, had stopped at the intersection of U.S. 290 and Bingle, when he was surrounded by three other motorcyclists who shot him.

Police asked the public for help identifying Martinez’s killer and said there were indications that the shooters and Martinez were members of different biker gangs. Pictures of Martinez’s motorcycle from the day of the shooting showed that Martinez had a B*EAST sticker on his Harley’s windshield. No arrests were ever announced.

During court proceedings after the RICO arrest, officials said that one of the indicted men, Bradley “Dolla Bill” Rickenbacker, was involved in the shooting and was later stopped and found with an unfired gun.

Martinez’s death is not one of the cases that makes up the RICO indictment. No one has been charged in connection to the killing.
The background shows: The location of the Javier Martinez shooting

Welcome to Hell is formed
September/October 2021

The Welcome to Hell chapter of the Bandidos was established for the purpose of targeting B*EAST members. Prosecutors described it as a “violent chapter.”

Lyons testified the chapter has about 10 members. Pfeffer is the group’s president and Rickenbacker was named the secretary-treasurer. Other members include David “Brake Check” Vargas, Sean “Skinman” Christison and Darvi “10 Round” Hinojosa, who prosecutors called the group’s sergeant at arms.

Pfeffer was “awarded” the title of president of the chapter after the Hawg Stop fight, according to the FBI.

Unlike other chapters, Welcome to Hell isn’t associated with a single geographic area, though its leaders are from Katy. Investigators said the group was closed with members of the Central Houston chapter of the Bandidos.

Prosecutors said the chapter was also involved in narcotics use and trafficking.

Lyons also testified that Welcome to Hell members were known to carry “blackout bags,” containing all black clothing and surgical gloves to wear in order to avoid leaving fingerprints or gunshot residue on their hands.

Blue Bayou Cafe
Nov. 3, 2021

Michael John Zimbrich, a B*EAST member, was killed after being surrounded by a group of bikers outside of the Blue Bayou Cafe in east Houston.

Before the shooting, B*EAST had held a meeting at their clubhouse in Channelview. When that meeting concluded, several members decided to go eat at the cafe.

As the dinner was ending, three B*EAST members stayed behind to smoke cigarettes and talk. The men got on their motorcycles and drove away onto a service road, police said.

As they were riding, a black SUV pulled alongside them and a person inside opened fire.

Zimbrich was killed and the two other men were wounded, police said. One of the wounded men, who was previously a member of a Bandidos support club, recognized the gunman, Lyons testified.

In December 2021, David Vargas was arrested and charged in connection to Zimbrich’s murder in Harris County.

However, the state case against Vargas was dropped in May 2024 because a witness — one of the men wounded in the Blue Bayou shooting — went missing.

Along with Vargas, Hinojosa is said to have been in the area of the shooting when it occurred.

In the federal indictment, Vargas is charged with murder in aid of racketeering, a charge that could carry the death penalty.
The background shows: The location of the Blue Bayou Cafe

Attack on the Grey Beards
Feb 22, 2023

The Bandidos held a regional meeting that drew nearly 100 members to BimboZ Saloon, a bar in northwest Harris County.

Among the attendees were also 14 members of the Grey Beards M.C., an affiliate club, according to the FBI. Prior to that night, the Grey Beards were considered sponsored and friendly to the Bandidos.

At the meeting, however, the Bandidos confronted the Grey Beards about the smaller group’s peace toward Brothers East. According to Lyons, the Grey Beards had made a deal with B*EAST in secret to try to stay out of the hostilities between the group. The Bandidos learned about the deal from a former Grey Beard who joined up with them, Lyons said.

At BimboZ, The Bandidos descended on the Grey Beards, severely beating them and stripping them of their leather vests, Lyons said.

“As part of the war, the taking of cuts is really considered like the ultimate act of disrespect, the ultimate act of dominance,” Lyons said during a hearing in December. “Like we’re ripping your cut off of you, like we’re shutting you down.”

Pfeffer, Hinojosa, Rickenbacker, Dunphy, Brandon “Loco” Hantz and Christopher “Monster” Sanchez are all alleged to have participated in the Bimboz attack, according to the federal indictment.

A failed attack in Pasadena
June 2-3, 2023

A prospective member of the Bandidos is alleged to have called Hinojosa and told him there were two B*EAST members at Winters, a bar in Pasadena.

Hinojosa is alleged to have exchanged phone calls with the prospect to get updates on the B*EAST members and their movements. At the same time, Hinojosa contacted Bandidos, including John “Tech 9” Sblendorio.

Early in the morning on June 3, Sblendorio drove to the bar with another Bandido, Stephen Alms. Around 1 a.m., a B*EAST member, identified as N.B. in court filing, was leaving the bar, wearing his club’s cut.

Sblendorio is alleged to have driven his truck in front of N.B., while Alms opened fire.

Despite being shot seven times, the man survived.

Alms was later arrested on racketeering and illegal possession of a firearm charges, to which he pleaded guilty to last October. He’s not among the Bandidos who were arrested in February.

Hinojosa and Sbelendorio were both charged in the RICO indictment in connection to the Winters shooting.

Threats at a Harley dealership
Aug. 17, 2023

Christopher Sanchez, along with other Bandidos, is accused of threatening two members of the Wheels of Soul outlaw motorcycle club outside a Harley Davidson dealership in the Woodlands.

Motorcycle groups usually consider Harley dealerships to be neutral ground, making the altercation at the dealership particularly notable.

Fire at the County Line Ice House
Dec. 14, 2023

Brandon Hantz is accused of setting fire to a Montgomery County bar because the business allegedly hosted a gathering for B*EAST members.

The building was destroyed by the fire, and the business never reopened.

Hantz is notable among the indicted men because of his fame outside the group. He twice competed on Survivor, the reality competition, and developed a social media following in which he advertised his involvement in the Bandidos.

During a detention hearing, Hantz’s wife testified that he left the Bandidos in July 2024 after becoming disillusioned with the group. Hantz’s lawyer said the Bandidos had made death threats toward Hantz after he left the gang.
The background shows: The location of the County Line Ice House

First arrests
Aug. 8, 2024

The federal indictments of the Bandidos started last summer. Stephen Alms, the alleged shooter at Winters bar, was arrested on Aug. 8 on charges of racketeering and illegal possession of a firearm.

Hinojosa and Sblendorio, who were also implicated in the Winters Bar shooting, were arrested on Oct. 29.

In hearings held after their arrests, officials talked openly about connections between the Bandidos and other attacks on B*EAST members, including the Blue Bayou Cafe shooting. Both Hinojosa and Sblendorio were ordered to be held in custody until their eventual trial.

The RICO indictment
Feb. 20, 2025

The full federal indictment against the Welcome to Hell chapter was unsealed on Feb. 20, the same day that 11 Bandidos were arrested. Some of the men are called members of Welcome to Hell in the indictment, while others are referred to as members of other chapters or as having left the gang during the course of the investigation.

The indictment portrays the chapter as an organized crime organization that sought to assault and, at times, kill rivals that were operating in the Bandidos territory. Some of the indicted men are accused of committing violence for the purpose of improving their status.

“The Bandidos sought to establish a monopoly over motorcycle clubs and gangs in the Houston area, with only those approved by them to operate,” said Nicholas Ganjei, the acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas.

Prosecutors spent the next few weeks arguing that many of the men should be held in custody until their eventual trial. Ultimately, nine of the 14 men were ordered held. The others were released on bond.

A criminal trial has been scheduled for October.

Credits
Reporting by John Wayne Ferguson. Editing by Dana Burke. Powered by the Hearst Newspapers DevHub

Biker In Pagan’s Vest Flees Cops, Blows Red Light At 80 MPH: Lower Chichester Police

Jillian Pikora Daily Voice Chichester, PA 05/23/202

https://dailyvoice.com/pa/chichester/biker-in-pagans-vest-flees-cops-blows-red-light-at-80-mph-lower-chichester-police/

A biker wearing a “PAGAN’s” vest is wanted after allegedly fleeing from police, blowing through a red light at 80 mph, and putting lives at risk in Delaware County, Lower Chichester Township police announced on Wednesday, May 21.

Vincent Royce Troffo, 34, is accused of fleeing a traffic stop on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle after being spotted improperly wearing his helmet near the 1500 block of Chichester Avenue on Sunday, April 27 around 6:57 p.m., police say
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An officer in the township’s traffic unit reportedly saw Troffo riding south on Market Street with a full-face helmet placed on top of his head, exposing his eyes and violating the state’s protective eyewear law. The officer was able to clearly see the rider’s face, according to the release.

As the officer pulled behind the biker, he allegedly watched Troffo properly secure his helmet. But when the light turned green at Market Street and Chichester Avenue, the biker—dressed in camouflage pants, a long-sleeve shirt, and a vest with “PAGAN’s” emblazoned across the back—took off, the department said.

Despite Troffo’s attempt to flee, the officer was able to keep up, noting that the rider appeared unskilled and was operating a slower motorcycle. The officer also managed to record the license plate number before disengaging the chase due to safety concerns.

Troffo allegedly ran a red light at Huddell Avenue at high speed and began passing vehicles in the opposing lane while crossing I-95. The officer terminated the pursuit shortly after, citing the risk to public safety.

An investigation using the license plate and the officer’s identification of the rider’s face led to charges against Troffo, police said.

He is now wanted for the following charges:
• Felony Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Police Officer.
• Summary Driving While Operating Privilege is Suspended or Revoked.
• Summary Reckless Driving.
• Summary Careless Driving.
• Summary No Eye Protection.
• Summary Disregard Traffic Lane.
• Summary Duties at Traffic Control Signals.
• Summary Driving Vehicle at Safe Speed.
•
Troffo is described as a white male with red hair and blue eyes. He is 5 feet 1 inch tall and considered, police noted. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact Lower Chichester Township Police.

Police in N.B. arrest members of motorcycle club during ‘major traffic enforcement operation’

By Jeremy Hull CTV News May 23, 2025
https://www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/new-brunswick/article/police-in-nb-arrest-members-of-motorcycle-club-during-major-traffic-enforcement-operation

RCMP in New Brunswick arrested members of the Outlaw Motorcycle Club (OMC), seized a firearm, made three roadside suspensions and issued several tickets during an OMC ride, said a news release.

Police conducted a “major traffic enforcement operation” between May 16 and 18 in Vallée-des-Rivières, N.B., to coincide with the annual OMC ride last Saturday.

“The New Brunswick RCMP has made a concerted effort to be present when Outlaw Motorcycle Club events are being held across the province, ” said Cpl. Hans Ouellette of the New Brunswick RCMP. “Anytime the RCMP is aware of a gathering of members from known OMCs, we make sure we have an adequate police presence to ensure everyone’s safety.”

RCMP arrested a 39-year-old man for possession of a stolen handgun, resisting arrest and impaired driving, said the release. They arrested a 54-year-old man for assaulting a police officer and obstruction of justice. Both men were released to appear in court at a later date.

Police inspected motorcycles for Motor Vehicle Act compliance during the “proactive patrols” that were dispatched throughout the long weekend. They said they issued three roadside suspensions related to alcohol and a “significant number” of MVA violations.

St-Leonard RCMP Detachment with specialized policing services were assisted by the Saint John Police Force, Miramichi Police Department, Grand Falls Police Department, Bathurst-Nigadoo-Pointe-Verte Regional Police Force, New Brunswick Justice and Public Safety, and Sûreté du Québec during the weekend.

Police said the operation was intended to maintain public safety and law and order through the long weekend.
“Outlaw Motorcycle Club members continue to use violence and intimidation to gain territory when it comes to illicit markets,” said the release.

Motorcycle gang involved in theft of Romania’s Dacian gold treasure, Dutch press says

Radu Dumitrescu Romania-insider.com May21, 2025
https://www.romania-insider.com/motorcycle-gang-involved-theft-romanias-dacian-gold-treasure-dutch-press-says

Hardliners, a banned motorcycle gang from the Netherlands, is allegedly involved in the theft of the Dacian gold bracelets and helmet loaned by Romania to the Drents Museum, according to RTL Nieuws. Sources in the criminal world and around the police investigation told the Dutch journalists that the art theft, committed in January of this year, was conducted on behalf of the Romanian underworld.

After the theft, Dutch police focused on Heerhugowaard in North Holland and the surrounding area. Officers raided homes and storage spaces there and arrested seven suspects, including Douglas W. (36), Bernhard Z. (35) and Jan B. (20). Each was reportedly recruited by members of the Hardliners and promised EUR 15,000 per person.

The order for the art theft would come from Romania, sources told RTL Nieuws independently of each other. According to this scenario, the objects were stolen as bargaining chips to help a Romanian criminal avoid a prison sentence. This person would want to return the helmet and the bracelets in exchange for a reduction or cancellation of his sentence. RTL Nieuws has not heard which criminal it would concern.

If true, this would mean that the irreplaceable 2,500-year-old Dacian helmet was not melted down for gold, as feared. “It is probably somewhere near Heerhugowaard, rolled up in a towel,” a source told RTL Nieuws.

Dutch prosecutors refused to comment on the scenario involving a Romanian buyer or the involvement of the Hardliners motorcycle gang. Defense attorneys similarly turned down the opportunity to comment.

The motorcycle club Hardliners was founded in 2019 in the Zaanstad prison, north of Amsterdam. The original members were reportedly previous members of the banned club Hells Angels.

Over the years, members of the motorcycle club have been convicted of several criminal offenses, such as extortion, arson and assault. In March 2024, the motorcycle club was banned by the court.

Several archaeological pieces from the Dacia – Empire of Gold and Silver exhibition showcasing Dacian treasures from Romania were stolen after an explosion at the Drents Museum in the Netherlands on the night of January 24 to 25. Among them, the famous golden Helmet of Coțofenești, c.a. 450 BC, which belonged to the National History Museum of Romania, and three Dacian bracelets.

The theft sparked outrage in Romania, and many commentators blamed the Dutch museum for failing to provide adequate security. Soon after, a Dutch entrepreneur living in Romania offered a large reward for information about the missing objects.

47-year-old convicted in beloved musician’s Birmingham motorcycle club shooting death

Carol Robinson | crobinson@al.com May 23, 2025
https://www.al.com/crime/2025/05/47-year-old-convicted-in-beloved-musicians-birmingham-motorcycle-club-shooting-death.html
A 47-year-old man has been convicted in a 2022 shooting at a Birmingham motorcycle club that killed a well-known musician and injured two women.

Ernando Daron Dorsey was initially charged with murder in the Feb. 26, 2022, killing of 38-year-old Navari Deon Jones.

He was also charged with two counts of attempted murder for the wound of the two women.

A Jefferson County jury Thursday convicted Dorsey of provocation manslaughter, a Class B felony, and one count of first-degree assault
A sentencing date has not yet been announced.

The trial was held before Jefferson County Circuit Judge Michael Streety.

Deputy District Attorney Blake Owens prosecuted the case. Dorsey was represented by attorneys Emory Anthony and Moses Stone.
The shooting happened at Tru-Riders Motorcycle Club.

Birmingham police responded just before 1 a.m. that Saturday to a report of someone shot at the motorcycle club on Reverend Abraham Woods Jr. Boulevard.

Officers arrived on the scene and found a woman suffering from a gunshot wound. She was taken to UAB Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

During the same time, police said, a Birmingham officer was at police headquarters when the officer heard a car crash in the 1700 block of First Avenue North.

The officer went to investigate and found Jones suffering from a gunshot wound. His vehicle had struck two other parked vehicles.
Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service pronounced Jones dead on the scene.

Friends said Jones was trying to get to the hospital when he wrecked.

Police learned a second woman showed up at UAB Hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.

Authorities said an altercation took place inside of the motorcycle club before shots were fired.

A member of the Sin City motorcycle club, Jones played drums for the band Ampliphied Noiz and had an endorsement deal with Soultone Cymbals out of Los Angeles.

Dorsey, who was out on bond pending trial, was booked in the Jefferson County Jail after the jury’s guilty verdict.

1 Arrested 1 cited after Sunday’s shooting on Arlington Ave. at a motorcycle club party

by: LeAnne Marie McPherson WDTN May 20, 2025
https://www.wdtn.com/news/early-sunday-reported-shooting-on-arlington-ave/DAYTON, Ohio

(WDTN) – One man was arrested and another was issued a citation after a shooting on Arlington Avenue early Sunday morning.
According to Montgomery County Regional Dispatch, the call for a possible shooting came in at approximately 2:20 a.m. in the area of McCall and Gettysburg.

When our 2 NEWS weekend photographer arrived on the scene, he saw that the police activity was nearby in the 100 block of Arlington Avenue.

According to the Dayton Police Department, a 45-year-old man was shot. He arrived at the hospital by private conveyance with a non-life-threatening injury.

The investigation found that several shots were fired after an altercation took place at a party, which was hosted by a motorcycle club.
The organizer of the party was issued a nuisance party citation.

Officials said a 29-year-old man was arrested for “misconduct at an emergency and obstructing official business”.

The Dayton Police Department’s Violent Offender Unit is actively investigating this incident.

2 NEWS will update this article when more information is available.

Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Firearm
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Missouri

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to illegally possessing a firearm.
Jayden Isaac Simmonds, 19, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool, to being an unlawful user of a controlled substance while in possession of a firearm.

Simmonds admitted to possessing a stolen Smith and Wesson 10mm semi-automatic pistol and daily use of marijuana and opioid addiction. Simmonds also admits to being a member of a local gang known as the “1500.”

According to an affidavit filed with the original complaint charging Simmonds with being an unlawful user of a controlled substance, investigators test-fired the pistol and submitted the casings to the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) for analysis. The test-fired cartridges, the affidavit says, were a presumptive match to shell casings recovered from two separate shootings in Springfield in August 2024. The first shooting occurred on Aug. 4, 2024, on West Brower Street. An occupied residence was shot multiple times by unknown suspects. At least 17 rounds struck the residence, but there were no injuries. The second shooting occurred on Aug. 14, 2024, on North Prospect Avenue. A disturbance resulted in shots being fired. One residence was struck, but there were no injuries reported.
Following his arrest, Simmonds told investigators he had been using marijuana daily since he was 11 or 12 years old, and that he was addicted to opioids and had been using fentanyl.

Under federal statutes, Simmonds is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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Guilty plea accepted for third Thug Rider, trial date set for remaining members

By Kristen Spicker Dayton Daily News May 16, 2025
https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/guilty-plea-accepted-for-3rd-thug-rider-trial-date-set-for-remaining-members/R5IXTM3WMJHKFERZQ7MTBPFMBU/

A third Thug Riders Motorcycle Club member has pleaded guilty to a conspiracy scheme involving murder, arson and other violent acts in southwest Ohio.

Judge Michael Newman accepted Jared Tyler Peters’ guilty plea to one count each of conspiracy to engage in racketeering and conspiracy to commit a violent crime in aid of racketeering, according to federal court records.

Peters was referred to the probation department for a pre-sentence investigation. A sentencing date has not been set.
Where does the case stand for remaining members?

More than a dozen members of the motorcycle gang were indicted in a racketeering conspiracy on June 11.

In addition to Peters, Matthew Hawkins and Michael Seth Henry have also pleaded guilty.

Hawkins pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering activity and aiding and abetting, according to U.S. Southern District of Ohio court records.

Henry pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in racketeering, conspiracy to commit a violent crime in aid of racketeering and commission of a violent crime in aid of racketeering.

Neither have a sentencing date scheduled.

The remaining members are scheduled to go to trial on Oct. 20. A final pretrial conference was set for Sept. 23.

Who else is facing charges?

In total, 14 Thug Riders were charged: Peters, Hawkins, Henry, Juan Robles, Joey Marshall, Brandon Fisher, John Smith, Norman Beach, Daniel Hutten, Michael Reese, Joseph Rader, Justin Baker, Cody Hughes and Brent Egleston.

The gang was indicted on a combination of charges, including racketeering, assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury, violent crimes in aid of racketeering and conspiracy to commit assault and attempted assault with a dangerous weapon.
Robles helped create the gang’s Dayton chapter and served as the “boss” of the Midwest region, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Marshall was the Midwest region’s sergeant at arms and Peters, Beach and Smith were the former president, vice president and enforcer for the Dayton chapter.

Egleston, Fisher and Reese were reportedly the president, sergeant at arms and enforcer of the Dayton chapter at the time of the indictment.

What are they accused of doing?

The Thug Riders Motorcycle Club is allegedly responsible for multiple violent crimes in Ohio and Kentucky.
Some of the acts they’re accused of include:

• Blowing up a former member’s truck in Huber Heights on May 25, 2021.
• Killing a man during a shootout in Harrison Twp. on Sept. 26, 2021.
• Traveling to Lexington, Kentucky, to attack a rival motorcycle club in April 2023. Nearly 200 rounds were reportedly fired during the shootout.
• Breaking a man’s leg during a fight at a Dayton bar on June 17, 2023.
• Engaging in a gunfight with a rival motorcycle group in Springfield on March 20, 2024.

Thug Riders also reportedly trafficked guns and other weapons. They raised money through illegal alcohol and drug sales and stripper shows, according to court records.

21 people facing federal charges in large scale Spokane drug operation

By Alexandra Duggan alexandrad@spokesman.com(509) 459-5469
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/may/08/21-people-facing-federal-charges-in-large-scale-sp/
May 8, 2025 Updated Mon., May 12, 2025

Federal agents have broken up a major drug ring with 21 suspects facing charges and the seizure of enough fentanyl to kill a sold-out Spokane Arena twice over.

Those under investigation included the former president of the Iron Horsemen motorcycle gang, Michael Duvall, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Eastern Washington.

Duvall is suspected of selling drugs to an undercover officer but died before arrest, according to a spokesperson from the U.S. attorney’s office.

The agents seized 16,000 fentanyl pills, more than 5.5 pounds of fentanyl powder, 14 pounds of meth, one kilogram of heroin, four cars, 36 guns and $60,000 in drug money during an investigation that began in October. They also filed a civil forfeiture action on a five-unit apartment complex near North Central High School that agents allege was used to distribute drugs, the attorney’s office announced in a news release. In the past 21/2 years, police have been called to the apartment complex 58 times.

Acting U.S. Attorney Richard Barker said during a media conference that among the 21 defendants, one used their 12-year-old child to traffic fentanyl. Another defendant’s child overdosed on the drug supply, he said.

“(They) decided to traffic poison into our community,” Barker said. “This is a public safety emergency.”

The agents described the defendants as “operating in what has become nothing less than an open-air drug market on Division Street downtown.”

Most of the defendants were known to local investigators. Those listed in federal custody include Andrew Auerbach, 36; Daryl Boone, 45; James Ferguson, 33; Jonathan Inglis, 40; Nathan Johnson, 44; James Lelacheur, 56; Christopher O’Neal; Gabriella Rizkalla; Roland Sanders, 36; Bernie Ray Shaw Jr., 56; Courtney Wheeler; Andrew Williams; and Anthony Williams.

Editor’s note — This story has been updated to reflect the death of the Iron Horsemen motorcycle club leader.