A federal racketeering trial against the notorious Mongols Motorcycle Club began Wednesday in a Santa Ana courthouse, with prosecutors accusing the Southern California-based organization of supporting drug trafficking and encouraging vicious assaults and even murder.
Unlike past racketeering trials that targeted named members of the outlaw motorcycle gang, the current trial specifically targets the Mongol Nation, as prosecutors seek to gain legal control over the organization’s trademark name, which adorns some of the patches members wear on their vests.
If successful, federal prosecutors have previously indicated, the move would allow law enforcement to stop Mongol members and literally take the jacket off of their backs anywhere in the United States.
It’s an apparent attempt to destroy the Mongols club, or at least greatly weaken it.
Patches with the club name can include a smiling man with sun glasses, a long mustache and a pony tail coming from the top of his bald head.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Brunwin described the Mongols as a “criminal organization” that “encourages, supports and rewards its members for committing crimes.” The prosecutor told jurors during opening statements that the Mongol’s claim that “we are who everybody fears, we are who everybody thinks we are, you need to hide your daughters from us. …
“They expect you to fear them, to be intimidated, to be afraid,” Brunwin said. “They do not follow the law, they do not respect their victims.”
Key to the government’s case against the Mongols will be testimony from four undercover U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives officers who infiltrated the motorcycle club, as well as informants they cultivated within the organization. Prosecutors say the case stemmed from Operation Black Rain, a multi-agency effort that led to 77 guilty pleas of members of the Mongols, an organization that began in Montebello in the 1970s, and is now based in West Covina.
In accusing the Mongols of celebrating violence, prosecutors pointed to a number of high-profile incidents involving the club battling with rival members of the Hells Angels motorcycle club, including the so-called 2002 River Run Riot in Laughlin, Nev. that left three bikers dead, and a 2002 melee at the Morongo Casino in Cabazon near Palm Springs.
Prosecutors also noted violent attacks they say involved Mongols, some of which included deaths, at bars or restaurants in Hollywood, Pasadena, Merced, La Mirada and Wilmington. The most recent incident, according to Brunwin, was a March confrontation in Riverside in which a Mongol member pointed a gun at a man and “made him dance.”
“They swarm, they stab, they shoot,” Brunwin said. “It is not a fair fight. For many of the victims, they probably never saw it coming.”
The club is also accuse of being involved in the trafficking of methamphetamine and cocaine, with prosecutors saying some of the drug transactions were captured on video.
Attorney Joseph Yanny, who is representing the motorcycle club, described the case as “an absurdity.” The defense attorney told jurors that individuals involved in the violent incidents cited by prosecutors were either acting in self-defense or are no longer involved in the club.
“You just heard the greatest piece of fiction delivered on Halloween,” Yanny told jurors of the government’s allegations. “Are we going to stand up here to tell you that members of this club have never committed crimes? Of course they have, but they have been kicked out.”
Yanny told jurors of the club’s creation by Vietnam veterans returning to the United States, and of an often-violent war with the Hells Angels dating back to the late 1970s. Among those expected to testify in the trial is Jesse Ventura, the former pro wrestler and Minnesota governor who was an early member of the Mongols.
Yanny accused government investigators of inducing and entrapping “down-on-their-luck” members of the club into drug deals, and of fostering through undercover agents the violence between motorcycle clubs. The defense attorney said investigators wanted “blood on the floor” in order to justify their budgets and “sell their books when they retire,” and described the case as “the deep state meeting main street.”
Among those in the courtroom for the start of the trial were David Santillan, the current present of the Mongols, and around a half-dozen members of the motorcycle club, who quietly watched the proceedings.
Santillan took over the club following the conviction of its previous president, Ruben “Doc” Cavazos, for racketeering charges tied to the Operation Black Rain investigation.
The trial is expected to last several weeks.
Source: Orange County Register
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6 responses to “Notorious Mongols Motorcycle Club fighting U.S. government to keep its vest patch . How is this even possible in the United States?”
[…] Notorious Mongols Motorcycle Club fighting U.S. government to keep its vest patch . How is this even… […]
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In this story it says “David Santillan, the current present of the Mongols. What does this mean?
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There’s a history behind the Mongols leave them alone
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[…] Notorious Mongols Motorcycle Club fighting U.S. government to keep its vest patch . How is this even… By 1969 Miteff was seeing a decline in his custom motorcycle parts business due to his affiliation with a single club and dealing with many different clubs in his business. Between that and family obligations, he decided to leave the Outlaws Motorcycle Club. His daughter Beverly grew up knowing of her Dad’s love for the club, the brotherhood and the machine. After Jim passed in 1999. Some of the family worried more about what to do with his money, as owning several businesses and made him successful. Luckily for you and I, Beverly didn’t have that issue. She wanted the pictures. She wanted to work with the club and find a respectful way to publish them and to bring her Dad’s images and the stories they tell, to life. I’m glad she did. I’m glad they did. Her 3 books “Portraits of American Bikers life in the 1960s, Portraits of American Bikers Outside Looking In, and Bikers The Men, Machine, and Myth”, are 3 classic works of what being a 1%er in the 60s was all about. No matter your club, or dot on a map, these are images that stoke a fire in us all. They produce not only an imagine in our mind, but something in our hearts of Brotherhood and that desire to ride. I often wonder if Jim and Danny knew of each other? Did they meet in passing? There is no known record if they interacted or knew of each others works. At the time, Danny was leaving the Club as Jim was coming in. Danny was a known Journalist and activist at that point, Jim had no idea yet what his passion would lead to. I find it amazing to think about, that these two, who would go on to become icons, might never even have known of the other. […]
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[…] Notorious Mongols Motorcycle Club fighting U.S. government to keep its vest patch . How is this even… One individual, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution, says that they were criticized by Madison Heights residents after they spoke out against the Fourth Reich. “Everyone was saying they do good and when I said I felt uncomfortable, people said, ‘You should move,'” they say. “Someone who commented positively about the club had even taught my toddler gymnastics.” They also say that the motorcycle club was supported by prominent residents of Madison Heights. Al Morrison, the outgoing president of the Madison District school board, is featured in a photograph on the Fourth Reich’s Facebook page. However, Bob Corbett, a member of the Madison Heights city council, says that the group has not posed any danger to the community. “There’s a history with the symbols, but there is not a history with them. If I thought this was a hotbed of Neo-Nazism or bigotry in the community, I would be the first person to say something,” says Corbett. “But it’s a club that is well below the radar, doesn’t cause any trouble, and has a curious name that may be offensive and may have negative meaning.” The flyer also lists five sponsors for the trick-or-treat event: Amori’s Market, Jet’s Pizza, Park Liquor, Bombay Gas Station, and Cottage Inn Pizza. In an email statement, Cottage Inn says that they will look into the matter with their franchises. Jet’s Pizza, however, said that the franchise store had no affiliation with the event and was not an official sponsor: Jet’s America’s values and beliefs in no way reflect or condone those of Fourth Reich Motorcycle Club or any white nationalist group. In light of this past weekend’s tragic events, we are taking this use of Jet’s name very seriously and will not stand for the misrepresentation from such a cause. Our company follows strict guidelines for our registered logo. The attached advertisement is not approved by Jet’s Pizza and we will be addressing this to the fullest. […]
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[…] Notorious Mongols Motorcycle Club fighting U.S. government to keep its vest patch . How is this even… For more commentary about what’s happening in the scene, join us on our YouTube channel every morning for a new video. Subscribe and become apart of the Throttle for free. Get involved in the conversation and be involved. […]
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