Las Vegas, Nev. -  Forty-two members of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (HAMC) have been indicted in the United States District Court in Las Vegas on federal racketeering and firearms charges stemming from the violent confrontation between HAMC and Mongols motorcycle club members at Harrah's Casino in Laughlin, Nevada, on April 27, 2002. Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada, announces that on Tuesday, December 2, 2003, the United States Grand Jury returned an 11-count Indictment against 42 defendants. Each defendant is charged with 10 counts of Violence in Aid of Racketeering and one count of Using and Carrying Firearms During and In Relation to Crimes of Violence. The Indictment remained sealed by the Court until this morning to permit agents to execute arrest warrants for the defendants in Nevada, California, Arizona, Washington, and Alaska. Agents also executed search warrants at the residences of each defendant and at Hell's Angel's Clubhouses in Nevada, California, Alaska, Washington, and Arizona. As of yesterday evening, 33 of the 42 defendants had been arrested without incident. Arrest warrants for the remaining nine defendants remain active. Items seized in the searches included numerous firearms, methamphetamine, bulletproof vests and stolen vehicles. The defendants will have initial appearance hearings before U.S. Magistrate Judges in the Districts in which they were arrested, and they will then be transferred to the District of Nevada for arraignment and trial.

The Indictment alleges that the defendants were members and associates of the HAMC, which operated throughout the United States and other countries of the world, and whose members engaged in acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, battery resulting in serious bodily harm, robbery, extortion and narcotics distribution. According to the Indictment, the HAMC maintained "chapters" (clubs) in 23 states and approximately 25 foreign countries. Each chapter typically has elected officers and operates under bylaws which require members to pay dues and attend weekly meetings. It is alleged that the members of the HAMC functioned as a continuing unit for common purposes, which included making money through extortion, robbery, and drug trafficking; protecting the power, territory and profits of the HAMC through intimidation, threats of violence, assaults and murder; promoting and enhancing the reputation of the HAMC; and keeping victims, potential informants, witnesses and the public-at-large in fear of the HAMC through threats of violence.

The Indictment alleges that the HAMC had a long and violent history with the rival motorcycle club, the Mongols, and that prior to the April 2002 Laughlin, Nevada incident, violent encounters had occurred between the two groups in San Diego and Modesto, California, and Reno, Nevada.
The Indictment alleges that from April 25 through April 28, 2002, the 20th Annual Laughlin River Run was held in Laughlin, Nevada. More than 60,000 people attended the event, including members of the HAMC and the Mongols. On April 26, 2002, several minor arguments and assaults occurred between members of the HAMC and Mongols in Laughlin. At approximately 2:16 a.m. on April 27, 2002, several "groups"of HAMC members who were staying at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino in Laughlin, traveled on their motorcycles to a bar located in Harrah's Casino in Laughlin. The HAMC members and associates were carrying guns, knives, hammers and wrenches in their hands or under their clothing. When the HAMC members arrived in the bar area, they were approached by Mongols members. Shortly thereafter, an HAMC member kicked one of the Mongols members, and other HAMC members and associates then assaulted Mongols with dangerous weapons, including firearms, knives, hammers and wrenches, and sought to murder or seriously injure Mongols members. The alleged assaults that occurred in the bar area at Harrah's and specified in the Indictment, include the shootings of Richard Nolan, Enrique Munoz, Bengy Leyva, Davey Camargo, and Mel Ramirez; and the stabbings of Raymond Santos and Roger Pinney.

Each assault charge carries either a five or 20-year maximum statutory penalty of imprisonment, and the firearms charge carries a minimum mandatory statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, to be served consecutively to all other counts (See Attachment B).

This case is being investigated by Special Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Detectives with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Eric Johnson and Andrew Duncan.

The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

 

 

U.S. v. Charles Acosta, et al. 
ATTACHMENT A - DEFENDANT FACT SHEET

Defendant Number & Name	Age	Residence	Custody Status
1. Charles Acosta	28	Stockton, CA	Warrant Pending
2. Robert Anello	49	Petaluma, CA	Arrested
3. Ron Arnone	39	Tacoma, WA	Arrested
4. Matthew Carlock	29	San Pablo, CA	Warrant Pending
5. Jeffrey Carney	42	Kirkland, WA	Arrested
6. Matt Comach	38	Novato, CA	Arrested
7. Rodney Cox	41	Phoenix, AZ	Arrested
8. Frederick Donahue	38	Rodeo, CA	Warrant Pending
9. Steve Eades	39	Marinez, CA	Arrested
10. Montgomery David Elliott	50	Anchorage, AK	Arrested
11. Maurice Eunice	52	Lakeside, CA	Arrested
12. Raymond Foakes	40	Petaluma, CA	Arrested
13. Shawn Frazer	33	Pinole, CA	Arrested
14. James Hannigan	36	Mountain View, CA	Arrested
15. Justin Harrah	33	Watsonville, CA	Arrested
16. Keith Hixon	29	Auburn, CA	Arrested
17. Wayne Hodges	52	San Francisco, CA	Arrested
18. Eiland Hogan	22	Roseville, CA	Warrant Pending
19. Michael Hurn	53	Anchorage, AK	Arrested
20. Charlie Hyde	49	Simi Valley, CA	Arrested
21. Ricky Jenks	26	Already in Washington	State Custody
22. Patrick Kalabolas	55	Las Vegas, NV	Warrant Pending
23. Edward Laigo	55	Atwater, CA	Arrested
24. Daniel LaJocies	40	Modesto, CA	Warrant Pending
25. Dale Leedom	41	Two Rivers, AK	Arrested
26. Jesse Mahon	24	Carmichael, CA	Warrant Pending
27. Jorrg Maykopf		Germany	Warrant Pending
28. Michael Mills	45	Wenatchee, WA	Arrested
29. Jeff Morales	45	Corona, CA	Arrested
30. Steven Pearce	49	Silverdale, WA	Arrested
31. Sohn Regas	36	Reno, NV	Arrested, Released
32. Daniel Roay	45	San Pablo, CA	Warrant Pending
33. Calvin Schaefer	34	Chandler, AZ	Arrested
34. Donald Smith	53	Bullhead, AZ	Arrested
35. Michael Smullen	46	Pinole, CA	Arrested
36. William Spearman	61	Anchorage, AK	Arrested
37. David Steely	36	Concord, CA	Arrested
38. George Walters	47	Kingman, AZ	Arrested
39. John Ward	42	Phoenix, AZ	Arrested
40. Brian Wendt	26	Tulare, CA	Arrested
41. Brian Wolff	40	Spokane, WA	Arrested
42. Jeff Zarate	52	Los Angeles, CA	Arrested

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