This isnt something you see in the movies or just happening in California and other places it is alive and well here, Gualtieri said. A spokesman for the United States attorneys office for the Central District of California, Thom Mrozek, said in a statement that prosecutors were disappointed by the decision and that they believed Judge Carter was required by law to issue the forfeiture order that the government had requested. 2023 Getty Images. A federal jury convicted James Wesley Frazier, 34; Aelix Santiago, 34; Michael Forrester, 34; Jamie Hern, 43; William Boylston, 32; and Jason Meyerholz, 48, all of Clarksville, Tennessee, for charges including racketeering conspiracy. This is my family. The U.S. Attorney's office asked him whether he is - or ever was - any sort of informant for the ATF or for any state or federal agency. Their colors are black and white and their insignia bears the name Mongols in large black letters above a pony-tail sporting man riding a motorcycle wearing a leather vest and sunglasses while carrying a scimitar or cutlass. Pacific Coast Mongols Via Instagram Riding motorcycles with your mates is the very essence of any motorcycle club , it's all good and fun, so long as you don't mix up the biking and comradeship with a spot of . One of Paternosters alleged killers, Mongol member Paul Pogilevsky, has been hit with a first-degree murder charge in connection with the slaying. Each state has its own unique requirements, Read More How to Get a Motorcycle License in New JerseyContinue, The open road might be thrilling, but it can be dangerous too. Julie Platner for The New York Times. A federal district court judge will separately determine each defendants sentence after considering the U.S. This gang has between five hundred and six hundred latinos and due to expansion of alliances, more members of the group will worry citizens because these type of members commit various crimes, they can increase the drug rate to others. However, it's also made some inroads nationwide and abroad. Fort Worth, Texas (September 22, 2018) BSB On Saturday night, members of the Mongols motorcycle club stood outside a bar in the Fort Worth Stockyards, talking with bar employees and passersby. The Mongols Motorcycle Club was convicted in late 2018 of racketeering and conspiracy. David Santillan tells Eyewitness News that he was in a "really bad place" when the video was recorded and that he's never been disloyal to the Mongols. The explosive allegations come after a secretly recorded video surfaced of Santillan talking to his wife about the lead ATF agent on the case -- John Ciccone. Gualtieri said the Mongols, who are based in California, have a strong presence in the Tampa Bay area and conduct a range of criminal activity from prostitution to gun and drug dealing. Annie tells Eyewitness News that her husband was "spinning out of control" and continued to cheat on her after the phone call. The group has about 1,200 members in the United States, most of them Hispanic, and numerous chapters around the world. [18], On December 20, 2008, a group of Mongols arrived at a Las Vegas chapel for the wedding of a fellow member, only to find a local chapter of Hells Angels there finishing a ceremony of their own. [19], On October 28, 2014, in San Gabriel, California, Mongols member David Martinez allegedly shot and killed Pomona Police SWAT Team member Shaun Diamond. The crews shared a clubhouse in Tampa, he said. Two years later, a confrontation between members of the Mongols and rival gang the Hells Angels at the Harrahs Laughlin Casino in Laughlin, Nevada, led to four fatalities on both sides. Their reputation for drug trafficking, violence, turf wars, money laundering, extortion, firearms violations, and more besides puts them in contention for the title of the USs biggest, baddest MC. Cavazos was voted out of the club by its members on August 30, 2008. The club was originally formed in Montebello, California by hispanic Vietnam-war veterans who were said to be refused entry into the Hells Angels due to their ethnicity. In 2002, members of the Mongols and the Hells Angels had a confrontation at the Harrah's Laughlin Casino in Laughlin, Nevada, that left three bikers dead. SANTA ANA, Calif. Nearly two months after a . The Mongol Nations and its members right to express their identity through the noncommercial display of symbols constitutes speech subject to First Amendment protections, Judge Carter wrote in the ruling released Thursday. And he was tireless, Mr. DAlesio said. "Absolutely not, unequivocally no," says David Santillan. All rights reserved. The Mongols Motorcycle Club was established on December 5, 1969 in Montebello, California, a city just east of East Los Angeles. In 1903, the first MC was established in the US the Yonkers Motorcycle Club. Testimony will reconvene on Friday, July 22, at 7:30 a.m. 3 Kansas City officers shot while executing search warrant, chief says, Roof collapses at nonprofit South LA clinic, causing $500K in damage, Video shows group of sharks in feeding frenzy off Louisiana coast. A Florida member of the infamous Mongols Motorcycle Club has been indicted for taking part in the brutal execution of a suspected snitch from another gang, officials said. At that point, the motorcycle had only just come into existence, proving that, as motorbikeonly.com notes, for as long as theres been motorized two-wheel machines on the roads, thereve been people who want to associate themselves with the unique sense of camaraderie they offer. Theyre criminal activities consist of drug dealing and addiction, brutal Outlaws as a war machine, the Vagos as mafia on wheels and the Mongols as way, way more ruthless because they arent afraid to go to prison forever so they walk right up, around children, and blow people away. A jury sided with the prosecution in 2019 and ordered the group to give up the emblem, but Judge David O. Carter rejected the verdict as an infringement on the clubs constitutional rights. The biker group hopes to set aside a $500,000 racketeering conviction, alleging that its former president cooperated with the government during a trial. We will continue to work tirelessly with our local, state, and federal partners to combat violent crime and maintain public safety within our communities.. We look forward to the sentencing phase and seeking lengthy and life sentences for these defendants convicted today., The criminal activities and horrendous acts of violence are dangerous and damaging to everyone involved, said Special Agent in Carge Mickey French of the ATFs Nashville Field Division. The belief that as long as they're not hurting anybody, they should be able to do what they please." All but one of the accused were later convicted of crimes, including drug trafficking, motorcycle theft, and conspiracy to commit murder.[15]. The government sought to turn symbols like the Mongols insignia, the clubs name and sentiments associated with the club like Support The Mongols, into contraband.. Boylston felt disrespected by Cole and was concerned about maintaining his standing and reputation among the Clarksville Mongols. The company manufactured them from 1999 all the way up until 2017. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS "I think they got David in compromising situations," Yanny tells Eyewitness News. During that time, they did what no one else, Read More The 10 Best Harley Davidson V Rod Models of All-TimeContinue, Viper is a motorcycle manufacturer in Big Lake, Minnesota with locations across the nation. But the group that was once the most powerful biker organization in the West other than its archrivals, the Hells Angels, is returning to court next week, hoping to set aside the racketeering and conspiracy convictions based on what it says is new evidence about its previous leader, David Santillan. The documentary "Hidden In America: Mongols Motorcycle Club" (available on YouTube)featured an interview with Stephen Stubbs, who serves as legal counsel to the club. Most of the members were military veterans and all loved to ride their Harley Davidson motorcycles. [34][35], Organized crime in Bremen is dominated by the Miri-Clan, a large family of Lebanese origin with more than 10,000 members, who first migrated to Germany beginning in the late 1970s, and rose to national notoriety with a number of large-scale criminal activities in 2010. According to a report by CNN (available on YouTube), newly accepted members receive patches upon their acceptance into the club. ", RELATED: Racketeering verdict in OC might force Mongols biker club to lose logo. The Clarksville Mongols were a self-described "outlaw" motorcycle club with ties to Mongols chapters nationwide. They are really these gangs of thugs that terrorize.. Racketeering conspiracy; assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering; kidnapping resulting in death of Stephen Cole. Initially, it served as A maker of radio components; however, in the 1930s, the firm opened up A new factory in, Read More A Closer Look at The 2014 Ducati 1199 / 1299 PanigaleContinue, The Harley Davidson V-Rod was unquestionably one of the most special motorcycles ever produced. All rights reserved. When the Clarksville Mongols learned that Bradley had failed to accede to their demands, she was kidnapped and murdered in the woods behind a cemetery in Bumpus Mills, Tennessee. Mongols Motorcycle Club Says Its Leader Was an Informant The biker group hopes to set aside a $500,000 racketeering conviction, alleging that its former president cooperated with the government. "[29] The television show America's Most Wanted had exclusive access to the operation, and broadcast behind-the-scenes footage of the many arrests. "I wanted him to feel kind of what I was feeling, the shame and embarrassment and betrayal. Never in my life have I ever implicated anybody in the club for some kind of nefarious activity. The Mongols club is named for Genghis Khan's Mongol army, which the website characterized as "small in numbers with a lot of heart" who "dominated and decimated their enemies." Like other motorcycle clubs, the Mongols have a variety of rules they have to follow. Things started to take a turn at the end of World War II. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. "John told me that I have one year, one year," Santillan says in the call. We've received your submission. He said their communication was for public safety and showed the Mongols that there is ATF presence at their events. We will use all of ATFs resources to disrupt the illegal possession of firearms, distribution of narcotics, and other violent crimes. So, she sent the recording along with a text message to two other members of the Mongols Motorcycle Club. On September 16, 2015, Federal District Judge David O. Carter dismissed the case. The Mongols have been fixtures on the biker scene since 1969, when the club was founded in Montebello, Calif. As hotcars.com notes, despite its growth, the Mongols MC has not yet joined the ranks of the Hells Angels MC, the Outlaws MC, the Bandidos MC, and the Pagans MC as a member of the Big Four, a group of motorcycle clubs whose criminal activities have achieved international notoriety. Members and associates of the Clarksville Mongols interrogated Bradley, threatening her and demanding that she should not mention the Mongols again. As its ranks swelled, so did its notoriety. The indictment did not target any individuals but alleged that the club itself had engaged in an organized conspiracy of crimes such as murder, attempted murder and drug dealing. ", Rules That Members Of The Mongols Bike Gang Have To Follow. The Mongols Motorcycle Club was formed in Southern California, and today, the West Coast is still the club's stronghold. Collect, curate and comment on your files. I'll sacrifice anything to be a full patch member." Racketeering conspiracy; assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering; kidnapping resulting in the death of Stephen Cole; kidnapping of Stephen Cole in aid of racketeering; and the murder of Stephen Cole in aid of racketeering. Cole was kidnapped and transported to a shed in Trenton, Kentucky, where he was interrogated, tortured, and beaten for hours prior to being murdered. Mr. Dulaney said that Mr. Santillan instituted new policies, like no more club-driven drug business, and made it mandatory that members had to have a motorcycle and things like a valid drivers license and registration and a job.. 110 arrest warrants and 160 search warrants were issued in California, Ohio, Colorado, Nevada, Washington, and Oregon. #MONGOLSMC #MONGOLS #LILDAVEFor more than two decades, federal law enforcement authorities pursued the Mongols, a notorious motorcycle club whose members had. The Mongols MC is ecstatic that they could successfully defend the First Amendment for themselves and all motorcycle clubs, the clubs general counsel, Stephen Stubbs, said. Ric Francis/Associated Press. There was nothing nefarious about it.". There could be a particular concern that the defense lawyer was unwittingly receiving directions from someone aligned with the government, he said. (U.S. Department of Justice) The Southern California-centered Mongols Motorcycle Club has earned a reputation for violence since taking Los. The lawyer in charge of the retrial motion, Joseph A. Yanny, said the Mongols hoped to prove that an improper relationship between Mr. Santillan and Mr. Ciccone during the 2018 trial allowed the government to hear things it should not have about the Mongols defense strategy and even adversely influenced the Mongols presentation of their case. Mr. Santillan has acknowledged that he talked often with Mr. Ciccone for a period of years, usually in the presence of other Mongols members. As reported by NBC News, prosecutors had been attempting to take down the Mongols for over a decade, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Welk saying members were "empowered by these symbols that they wear like armor." After testifying briefly in court Monday, Annie told Eyewitness News that her husband has never been a confidential informant and that she only sent the text message because she wanted to destroy him in the eyes of the Mongols. In the late 1960s, a group of returning servicemen from the Vietnam War tried to get into the Hells Angels. In exchange, the club said in its motion, the agent appears to have spared Mr. Santillan from serious legal consequences for several offenses since 2011. "He goes, I know you've been doing a bang-up job at the club, can't protect you from this point forward," Santillan recounted of their conversation. Racketeering conspiracy; conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; money laundering conspiracy; firearm offenses; and kidnapping. Keeping with a continual forward movement in technology, innovation, and making upgrades to the, Read More 10 Things You Didnt Know About the 2020 Ducati Superleggera V4Continue, If you live in the state of New Jersey and youre thinking about riding a motorcycle, there are a few things you need to know about the laws. The sheriff categorized the group as an organized crime syndicate with national reach. Then, in November 2017, Stephen Cole was kidnapped, brutally beaten, and murdered by the Clarksville Mongols. Life in prison, and up to seven years for the firearms offense to be served consecutive to all other sentences. Thats what I meant by protect in the video.. The president of Mongols Bremen, "Mustafa B." Ben's been focusing on the auto and motorcycle sector since 2005. The club is headquartered in Southern California and was originally formed in Montebello, California, in 1969. Per their archived official website, which appears to have been last updated in 2010, there were 15 members in the original club, and within five years, there were additional chapters inLos Angeles, San Diego, Bakersfield, Long Beach, San Gabriel Valley, and San Fernando Valley. Yanny played a clip from a National Geographic show segment on the Mongols in court as evidence of their relationship. via rideapart At some point, The Mongols Motorcycle club was fined half a million dollars by the feds in a crime and conspiracy case. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Departments Criminal Division. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. By Serge F. Kovaleski. agent who infiltrated three biker clubs. According to sources listed above, the mongols would distribute (sell) drugs and also transport them to various locations, depending where they travel. That is the conviction and fine the Mongols are now trying to have set aside. An attorney for the Mongols said he planned to sue the city and the mayor, potentially for civil rights violations, after previously threatening to sue the hotel for breach of contract should they comply with the mayor's demands. This is a picture of three members of the Mongols gang holding up gun. Calculations would be more than a hundred thousand. Consisting of a large majority of ex-servicemen that had served in the war, the Hells Angels quickly started to gain a reputation for all the wrong reasons. David Santillan says he was thrown out of the Mongols after a "closed door" meeting where he did not get a chance to refute the allegations against him. 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