If you have information on this group – it may be a Wheels of Soul support group – please contact Det Juan Garza at Juanm.Garza@traviscountytx.gov
Thank you.
Category: Gangs in the news…
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Vagos Investigation Overview – submitted by Det Jeff Viles on behalf of Det J. Broyles (AZ)
Below is an overview of Detective Broyles Vagos investigation. He has approved dissemination for AMEN and Tri State.
Great Work Josh and everyone who assisted. This is an excellent example of the benefit of collaboration when working OMG investigations.
Be safe everyone,
Jeff Viles
———————————————————————————————————————On 08/12/2022, at about 2200 hours, in the area of 5000 W Bethany Home rd, a group of about 6 Vagos MC gang members stopped the movement of 4 victims riding sports bikes. The Vagos would not let them pass, and eventually stopped their movement altogether. One Vagos member began an assault against one victim, pushing him over and knocking down his sportbike. The other gang members quickly joined in on the assault. With one member threatening the 3 female victims not to get involved. The other three victims were also physically prevented from helping their friend. The victim was violently assaulted and unable to defend himself due to the amount of assailants hitting him at the same time.
After the initial assault ended, the victim removed his helmet and kicked the bike of the Vagos member who initially detained the group, while the suspect sat on his bike. This resulted in more severe retaliation by the members, with the victim being chased and hit with a blunt object, later found to be a “slapjack.” This caused the victim to get 8 staples in his head. The member who started the assault then punched one of the female victims in the head and kicked over their bikes. As the Vagos committed this crime, they wore helmets, and the gang colors/cuts.
Over the course of 4 months, several other gang investigators were consulted and 5 out of 6 gang members who were present were identified using the pattern of their cuts, and stickers on their helmets. Other investigative tools confirmed their placement at the scene of the crime.
On December 1st, 2022, 5 warrants were served on 6 locations throughout Glendale, Mesa, city of Maricopa, and Casa Grande, including the Vagos Phoenix chapter club house. This operation included members from Glendale Police GIU, Glendale Police Gang Core, Glendale Police SWAT, DPS SWAT, Pinal County SWAT, Mohave County GIITEM, West Valley GIITEM, East Valley GIITEM, DPS Organized Crime Bureau, Phoenix Police Violent Crimes Bureau, and Maricopa Police Department.
Evidence was seized from every location, and 2 of the suspects, Christian Valentin, and Arthur Stewart were arrested. An additional suspect, Ely Aleman, had already been in custody in Mohave County jail for a different crime, and the whereabouts of a final suspect, Tanner Hodges, was finally located.
Evidence from every location established each members status in the gang. Christian Valentin admitted to his involvement in this crime and admitted the sports bike riders did nothing wrong. Christian was unable to articulate why he was the one to stop their freedom of movement.
In total, 10 search warrants have been served in reference to this investigation thus far. Additional evidence gathered from each search warrant, to include evidence from the club house, is still under review and may reveal additional suspects in this case.
Christian Valentin was booked for kidnapping (in order to commit another felony), Aggravated assault (while the victims capacity to resist is impaired), Gang threats, and Assisting a criminal street gang (ACSG). and MIW for possessing a firearm on the date of the search warrant while being prohibited.
Arthur was booked for Aggravated assault; while the victims capacity to resist is impaired, causing serious physical injury, and using a dangerous instrument (for hitting the victim with the slapjack), and ACSG
Charges are being submitted against Ely Aleman for Aggravated assault (while the victims capacity to resist is impaired) and Promoting a Criminal Street Gang by inciting violence.
Charges are being submitted against Tanner Hodges for facilitation of aggravated assault, and ACSG.
Additional suspects may be located and additional charges may discovered as a result of this operation.
Detective J. Broyles
Violent Crimes Unit
Glendale Police Department
D: 623-930-3754
C: 623-258-6069 -
Officer Shaun Diamond Memorial Award (IOMGIA)
The International Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Investigators Association (IOMGIA) created the Officer Shaun Diamond Memorial Award and it was presented to his family to honor his heroic sacrifice in Combatting Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs. The inscription read:
In valor there is hope
We Will Never Forget
September 14, 2015
Laughlin, Nevada
Mongols biker who killed cop during raid agrees to manslaughter plea after 2 murder acquittals
BY RICHARD WINTONSTAFF WRITER LOS ANGLES TIMES 11/30/22
NOV. 30, 2022 5:13 PM PT
A member of the Mongols motorcycle gang who killed a Pomona police SWAT officer serving a search warrant more than eight years ago pleaded no contest Wednesday to voluntary manslaughter after twice being acquitted of murder.
David Martinez, 44, had been found not guilty of first-degree murder and second-degree murder in two separate trials over the fatal shooting of Officer Shaun Diamond during the October 2014 raid on his San Gabriel family home.
Martinez insisted he did not know it was the police making a forced entry to his home when he fired a shotgun once, telling one of the juries he believed it was members of the Mongols biker gang coming for him.
Last month, jurors in the most recent trial deadlocked on two lesser charges of voluntary manslaughter and assault with a firearm on a police officer. On Wednesday, Martinez opted to plead no contest to both charges. He is slated to be sentenced Jan. 17.
Martinez’s open plea to the court means he has not made a deal with prosecutors on sentencing. Having served more than eight years, his lawyers are hoping he will be released given the time served. But the prosecutor is expected to seek a higher sentence.
Diamond, 45, was a 16-year law enforcement veteran who had also worked for the Los Angeles and Montebello police departments. The gunfire on Oct. 28, 2014, severed his spine and shattered his jaw, and he died after a day on life support at Pasadena’s Huntington Memorial Hospital.
The officer was part of a multi-agency operation targeting the Mongols with several warrants.
Martinez’s home had a metal screen door and a wooden front door; when a knock on the door got no response, an entry team breached the screen door. Diamond along with a second officer used a tool to force open the door.
According to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Martinez testified at trial that after going to bed around 3 a.m. he felt the window shake and thought it was his father getting up to go to work. He then heard a banging sound, grabbed a shotgun by the side of his bed and went to the front door. He said he didn’t hear the SWAT officers saying “search warrant” or “police.”
During the latest trial, his lawyer said Martinez had wanted to quit the Mongol motorcycle club and believed it was fellow Mongols at the door of his parents’ home that morning, so he fired a 24-gauge shotgun to defend his family.
Prosecutors, however, said Martinez never left the Mongols and had kept all his tattoos and continued to communicate with Mongols. They noted that Martinez tested positive for methamphetamine the day of the shooting.