The Mongols Motorcycle Club, sometimes called the Mongols Nation or Mongol Brotherhood, is a "one-percenter" outlaw motorcycle club. All but one of the accused were later convicted of crimes, including drug trafficking, motorcycle theft, and conspiracy to commit murder.[15]. However, it's also made some inroads nationwide and abroad. By Serge F. Kovaleski. "I know we've had a rapport and I always looked out for you and you were always respectful. The sheriff said more than one person shot Paternoster and that more arrests are forthcoming. 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. 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. 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 U.S. Attorneys Office has failed to force the Mongols to forfeit their trademarked logo. Ben's been focusing on the auto and motorcycle sector since 2005. The Clarksville Mongols were a self-described "outlaw" motorcycle club with ties to Mongols chapters nationwide. Mongols MC: The club talks about being in Fort Worth. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Undercover agent exposes Hells Angels sex rules: A violent price to pay, Las Vegas biker gangs shootout possibly caused by prior shooting death, Seven hurt after rival biker gangs get in shootout on Nevada highway: cops, Inside the swinging 60s home where Dennis Hoppers marriage unraveled. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. 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. A federal judge in California has refused to order the Mongols motorcycle gang to forfeit its trademarked logo. A federal jury convicted six Tennessee men Friday for racketeering conspiracy and other charges involving murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, and other crimes, all stemming from their involvement with the Clarksville chapter of the Mongols Motorcycle Club (Clarksville Mongols). The Mongols were formed in the 1970s in Montebello by a group of mostly Latino men who reportedly had been rejected for membership by the Hells Angels motorcycle gang, which has become the. These days, theyre even more so. 26. We've received your submission. Racketeering conspiracy; conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; money laundering conspiracy; assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering; firearm offenses; conspiracy to tamper with a witness and witness tampering; and kidnapping. Life in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of: life in prison for murder; and 10 years for the drug and firearm offenses to be served consecutive to all other sentences. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. The Mongols member interviewed by Lisa Ling for CNN, identified only by his first name, Dave, said of the patches, "For me, it's total commitment to this club. SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- Testimony resumed inside an Orange County federal courthouse on Wednesday morning for a hearing in which a judge will decide if the Mongols Motorcycle Club will get a . Established in 1969, the Mongols MC has earned the reputation of one of the most dangerous outlaw biker clubs in America - here's why. Mayor R. Rex Parris said he wants to keep the Mongols out because they "are engaged in domestic terrorismand they kill our children. On February 23, 2007, Hells Angels members James Hannigan and Rodney Cox were sentenced to two years in prison for their respective roles in the incident. Criminal - Organized Crime and Gang Section. It was the first time that a Muslim clan-based crime syndicate in Germany became active in the field of outlaw motorcycle clubs. The Mongols are relying on an explosive video shared by Mr. Santillans wife, Annie Santillan, who, during a stretch when she was angry with her husband over his infidelity, had her daughter record a conversation in which he appeared to refer to protection he had received from the A.T.F. Clan members do not have motorcycle licences and drive around the city in cars. Except for one defendant who died in custody and another who was deemed incompetent, all others eventually pleaded guilty. Federal prosecutors want to seize the rights to the logo of the Mongols Motorcycle Club and suppress its use. The site compares the code to that used by the military and notes that club members use them to communicate when other methods are unavailable or when they want the content of their conversations to remain private. He was presumably succeeded by "Ibrahim M.", who is on record with 147 felonies ranging from grievous bodily harm to illegal possession of a weapon. Like other motorcycle clubs, the Mongols have a variety of rules they have to follow. Members and associates of the Clarksville Mongols interrogated Bradley, threatening her and demanding that she should not mention the Mongols again. Mongols Motorcycle Club was founded in Montebello, California on December 5, 1969. The Mongols Motorcycle Club was convicted in late 2018 of racketeering and conspiracy. (U.S. Department of Justice) The Southern California-centered Mongols Motorcycle Club has earned a reputation for violence since taking Los. Initially, both it and all the other clubs that started cropping up around the country were harmless. In her story on the Mongols for CNN (available on YouTube), journalist Lisa Ling asked a tattoo artist if anyone who wanted one could get a tattoo of a "Mongol head," referring to the head of the official, trademarked Mongol symbol. Cole was kidnapped and transported to a shed in Trenton, Kentucky, where he was interrogated, tortured, and beaten for hours prior to being murdered. READ ALSO | Was head of OC biker gang a 'rat'? He was ready, he said, to get treatment for his drug and alcohol addictions. He said the office was considering an appeal. According to sources listed above, the mongols would distribute (sell) drugs and also transport them to various locations, depending where they travel. This is my family. nicely." [12], In January 2019, a California jury had ruled that federal prosecutors could strip the motorcycle club of its brand. Racketeering conspiracy; assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering; kidnapping resulting in death of Stephen Cole. In a 51-page ruling, Federal District Judge David O. Carter said the governments strategy of trying to devastate the Mongols motorcycle club by confiscating its treasured Genghis Khan-style logo would violate the groups First Amendment right to free speech and the excessive fines clause of the Eighth Amendment. The result was a jarring blow to the club. 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. 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.. Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; money laundering conspiracy; distribution of, or possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and interstate travel in aid of racketeering. That was all it was about. Browse 69 mongols motorcycle club stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. If hes found guilty, Martinez faces the death penalty. Thats what I meant by protect in the video.. There was nothing nefarious about it.". Now the Mongols want a new trial and say their former president was a confidential informant for the ATF. Life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of life for kidnapping and murder, and seven years for the firearms offense to be served consecutive to all other sentences. Things started to take a turn at the end of World War II. As its ranks swelled, so did its notoriety. Life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years for the drug offenses to be served consecutive to all other sentences. [33], A German chapter of Mongols MC was founded in Bremen by members of the local crime syndicate run by Lebanese immigrants in 2010. In the second phase of that wide-ranging, eight-week trial, the jury found that the Mongols must give up their rights to the emblem, which is emblazoned on the vests, T-shirts and motorcycles of hundreds of members. We will use all of ATFs resources to disrupt the illegal possession of firearms, distribution of narcotics, and other violent crimes. David Santillan, the national president of the Mongols, pumped his fist into the air as the decision was read before a courtroom audience that included several Mongols members. The Early Days of the Mongols Motorcycle Club, 10 Things You Didnt Know About the 2020 Ducati Superleggera V4, How to Get a Motorcycle License in New Jersey, The Five Best Full Face Motorcycle Helmets Money Can Buy, A Closer Look at The 2014 Ducati 1199 / 1299 Panigale, The 10 Best Harley Davidson V Rod Models of All-Time, The Five Best Viper Motorcycles of All-Time, motorcycle preferences, or their choice of activities, all motorcycle clubs. "John told me that I have one year, one year," Santillan says in the call. Donald Charles Davis, who writes the biker blog The Aging Rebel, said that he felt Judge Carters ruling was inevitable., The governments ambition was blatantly unconstitutional, Mr. Davis said. Both men also rejected the claim that Mr. Santillan had revealed privileged defense information to the government while his motorcycle club was on trial. Now the Mongols want a new trial and say their former president, David Santillan, was a confidential informant for the ATF. 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. There was nothing sinister about their activities, and no law-abiding citizens had any need to fear if a group of club members rolled into town. Although the focus of the clubs still centered on racing, a new form of rebellion started to creep in. Members from the Mongols started off with a few people. He said their communication was for public safety and showed the Mongols that there is ATF presence at their events. ", The brotherhood and loyalty aspect of Mongols membership seems to be of ultimate importance to club members. The club was formed by Hispanic Vietna, The Mongols Motorcycle Club was established on December 5, 1969 in the East Los. There's a new twist in a federal case already marked by murder and mayhem. Despite certain members of the club wearing the symbols while committing violent crimes or being rewarded with other patches for the commission of crimes that did not justify the forfeiture of the logo, Judge Carter wrote. The Clarksville Mongols were a self-described outlaw motorcycle club with ties to Mongols chapters nationwide. These people are not the people you see out on Sunday on a motorcycle ride, Gualtieri said at a press conference announcing Pogilevskys indictment. In 2018, the government scored a victory of sorts. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. [1] Law enforcement officials estimate approximately 2,000 full-patched members are in the club. More than 600 bikers from dozens of clubs showed up in support of Mongols who are currently involved in . In my opinion, the only reason the government brought this RICO case was to take another run at the patch, having failed each time in the past, said George L. Steele, a lawyer for the Mongols who is handling a separate appeal in the case. 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. However, its also made some inroads nationwide and abroad. Members and associates of the Clarksville Mongols engaged in a host of violent criminal activities, including murder, attempted murder, assault, kidnapping, robbery, extortion, witness tampering, money laundering, interstate travel in aid of racketeering, and large-scale drug trafficking. In 1948, the Hells Angels was formed. accidentally killed himself with his bike as a novice licence holder briefly after the chapter's foundation. As for Mr. Ciccone, he had mastered the craft of executing complex investigations using everything from undercovers to informants to wiretaps to subpoenas and surveillance, said Frank DAlesio, a retired A.T.F. 110 arrest warrants and 160 search warrants were issued in California, Ohio, Colorado, Nevada, Washington, and Oregon. Anyone can read what you share. Free to Subscribe to the YouTube Channel Members and associates of the Mongols Motorcycle Club converged on the patio of a popular Las Vegas, New Mexico, hotel and saloon the evening of Oct. 23, unaware that they were under surveillance by Other possible patches include one designating the rider as a "one percenter" biker, and one reading MFFM, which stands for "Mongols Forever, Forever Mongols." The Mongols Motorcycle club is a "one-percenter" motorcycle gang and alleged organized crime syndicate. Two years after a federal jury deemed the notorious Mongols Motorcycle Club a criminal organization, attorneys for the club are asking a judge for a new trial accusing its former president of. 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. In another instance, in 2014, Mr. Santillan and his wife got into a brawl with other people at a racetrack, the Mongols filing says. In fact, it was the Vietnam War that gave us one of the most notorious clubs around, the Mongols Motorcycle Club. 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. They called themselves "outlaws" and "one-percenters" - referring to a comment by the American Motorcyclist Association that 99% of motorcyclists were law abiding citizens, implying that one percent were not. The decision upended years of efforts by prosecutors to weaken the Mongols, which a federal jury in January deemed a criminal enterprise after finding the group guilty of racketeering and racketeering conspiracy for the crimes of murder, attempted murder and drug dealing. 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 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. [17] He was convicted of murder in aid of racketeering and three gun charges on February 23, 2012, in San Francisco. In the case that led to the racketeering conviction against the Mongols, Mr. Ciccone had acted as the case agent. In the late 1960s Hells Angels didn't allow non-white bikers to join as members. Santillan says he and Ciccone had a "rapport" after 25 years of dealing with one another. 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 . Ciccone said whenever he worked a Mongols event and there was the potential for problems or violence, he would go to Santillan because he's the president of the Mongols and can convey the message to his members. "All I wanted to do was to tarnish his image," says Annie Santillan. Annie Santillan says she surreptitiously recorded the call because David's mistress had been harassing her. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. At the time, the name one-percenter clubs i.e. Ms. Santillan said that she now felt horrible about disclosing the communications and that her husband was not, in fact, an informant. SANTA ANA, Calif. Nearly two months after a federal jury decided that a notorious motorcycle club must forfeit the rights to its trademarked emblem, a judge on Thursday nullified the verdict, finding that seizure of the intellectual property was unconstitutional. "I was literally trying to destroy him," she answered, adding that she didn't understand what he was talking about in relation to Ciccone. The belief that as long as they're not hurting anybody, they should be able to do what they please." The Mongols MC patches Motorcycle Club, sometimes called the Mongols Nation or Mongol Brotherhood, is a "one-percenter" outlaw motorcycle club. There is no way hes gotten away with these incidents without more significant legal repercussions unless someone in law enforcement is in the background greasing the slides for him, Mr. Yanny said. The club's name of the "Mongols" was inspired by Genghis Khan's Mongol Empire. The president of Mongols Bremen, "Mustafa B." ", RELATED: Mongols Motorcycle Club vows to fight trademark loss. 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." 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. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 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. Life in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of: life in prison for murder; 10 years for drug conspiracy; and up to 10 years for the firearms offense to be served consecutive to all other sentences. While the current club president David Santillan has denied that the Mongols are a criminal enterprise, their long, troubled history suggests otherwise. Learn how your comment data is processed. However, Annie testified this week, saying she only did it to get back at her husband for cheating. After one year he's done and he can't protect me, so we have to have an exit strategy.". Highly disciplined, expertly tactical, and well-coordinated, these fearless (and feared) horseback riders conquered Eurasia in the early 1200s. Trial Attorney Matthew P. Mattis of the Justice Departments Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. [2] A woman across the street appeared to take a picture of the four men, who were all wearing . 10 Their Motto Is Bigger, Better, Stronger! Judge Carters ruling was a severe setback for California prosecutors who spent more than a decade going after the Mongols patch. Prior to Bradleys kidnapping and murder in May 2015, the Clarksville Mongols believed that she had information relating to stolen drugs, money, and guns, and had been disparaging the Clarksville Mongols. The Mongols trademark remained. As with other motorcycle clubs, members of the Mongols value the patches they wear on their jackets and vests that announce their membership as well as indicate the rider's rank and achievements within the organization, as reported by Hot Cars. In October 2008, a grand jury returned an 86-count federal racketeering indictment against 79 Mongols, accused of crimes ranging from murder to drug trafficking to money laundering. This isnt something you see in the movies or just happening in California and other places it is alive and well here, Gualtieri said. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. He was the guy outside all the time providing cover support in case something went wrong with the undercovers.. 2023 Getty Images. Big, bad, and dangerous to know, the Mongols are exactly the kind of guys your mother warned you about. There violence basically consists of serious crimes, every type of organised crime, murder, embezzlement, and drug dealing; which also includes buying drugs and guns. According to a report by CNN (available on YouTube), newly accepted members receive patches upon their acceptance into the club. The club is headquartered in Southern California and was originally formed in Montebello, California, in 1969. In the late 1960s, a group of returning servicemen from the Vietnam War tried to get into the Hells Angels. David Santillan, the president of the Mongols, was ousted by the group after a video surfaced that implied he was being protected by a federal agent.CreditMichael Tyrone Delaney for The New York Times. [31][32], In a 2015 racketeering case in Los Angeles, the Federal government tried and failed to use civil forfeiture laws to seize all rights to the Mongols emblems and patches in order to forbid members from wearing them. "Because I needed evidence to show the military that they had someone having an affair with a married man.". After Martinez was connected to the Mongols chapter in Montebello, California, the judge added a special gang allegation to the murder charge. The Mongols have been fixtures on the biker scene since 1969, when the club was founded in Montebello, Calif. The aforementioned Mongol member Dave joked that the tattoo would be "cut off" of anyone who got one without permission. Innocent citizens do occasionally get caught in the crossfire, but as onepercenterbikers.com notes, that old maxim of stay out of their way and they will stay out of yours generally rings true. 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. Loyalty, honor, and respect among members were integral to the clubs early vision. Official websites use .gov Collect, curate and comment on your files. That is the conviction and fine the Mongols are now trying to have set aside. The Mongols Motorcycle Club was formed in Southern California, and today, the West Coast is still the club's stronghold. Julie Platner for The New York Times. "Absolutely not, unequivocally no," says David Santillan. Both Mr. Santillan, a Mongols member for almost 25 years who was voted out of the club in July, and the agent, John Ciccone, who retired in December after 32 years at the A.T.F., deny that Mr. Santillan was acting as an informant during the trial, though Mr. Ciccones sworn declaration does not address whether Mr. Santillan had acted as a confidential informant in the past. When it comes to safety,, Read More The Five Best Full Face Motorcycle Helmets Money Can BuyContinue, Ducati, A brand well-known for its high-performance and exotic motorbikes, originated from Bologna, Italy. Some of the most infamous legal cases to involve the Mongols include the arrest of 54 Mongols in 2000 after FBI agent William Queen uncovered drug trafficking, conspiracy to commit murder, and theft during a 28-month undercover operation. agent over the years because it helped avert trouble. On April 5, 1973, Mongols member Ferman Benavides was among eleven motorcycle gang members convicted in Los Angeles of rape and sex perversion. [1] Law enforcement officials estimate approximately 2,000 full-patched members are in the club. They are really these gangs of thugs that terrorize.. LOS . SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- Testimony resumed inside an Orange County federal courthouse on Wednesday morning for a hearing in which a judge will decide if the Mongols Motorcycle Club will get a new trial after being convicted of conspiracy and racketeering in 2018. She also said in a text message to other Mongols, now filed with the court, that her husband had acted for a time as a confidential government informant. agent who infiltrated three biker clubs. A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. A federal judge in California has refused to order the Mongols motorcycle gang to forfeit its trademarked logo. He and his wife, Annie, were estranged after he had an affair.