Create your own unique website with customizable templates. On October 23, 2008, US District Court Judge Florence-Marie Cooper granted an injunction that prohibits club members, their family members and associates from wearing, licensing, selling, or distributing the logo, which typically depicts the profile of a Mongolian warrior wearing sunglasses, because according to the police, they use the logo and names as an identity and as a form of intimidation to fulfill their goals. By Serge F. Kovaleski. "I wanted him to feel kind of what I was feeling, the shame and embarrassment and betrayal. Officer Diamond died at dawn, October 29, 2014, at Huntington Memorial Hospital. They are really these gangs of thugs that terrorize.. ", As the CNN interview with Lisa Ling (available on YouTube)continued, the tattoo artist, who was also a Mongols member, shared that another rule for prospective members is that they must "be a breadwinner to be in this club." club president David Santillan denies that the club as a whole is a criminal enterprise, and attorneys for the club claim that it has changed its code of conduct to exclude drug abusers and criminals. [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. In fairness, the majority of violence committed by one-percenter clubs is interclub. "I was literally trying to destroy him," she answered, adding that she didn't understand what he was talking about in relation to Ciccone. Despite their small numbers, they cut a swathe through their enemies something the Mongols have paid homage to with their motto of Quantity, not Quality.. the 1% of clubs that operate outside the law-abiding ways of the American Motorcycle Club still hadnt been coined. John looked out not just for me but the club, Mr. Santillan said. The Mongols Motorcycle Club was established on December 5, 1969 in the East Los Angeles area in the city of Montebello, California. agent. A total of 10 Tampa-based Mongols were arrested in January in connection with a gang killing in Colorado. [28], A planned weekend meeting in Lancaster, California, expected to draw 800 Mongols and their families, was blocked after city officials shut down and fenced off the hotel they had booked for the event, which coincided with the "Celebrate Downtown Lancaster" festival. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. "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. There was nothing nefarious about it.". Jonathan Turley, a constitutional law expert at George Washington University, said that if a federal agent was seeking confidential information about a criminal defense, that would be an extraordinary transgression.. 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. Such an order would allow anyone to use the image. Mongols attorney Joe Yanny says his clients want their 2018 racketeering conviction thrown out or at the very least a new trial. "I love you, I love you," David Santillan says in the call. [16] Mongol Anthony "Bronson" Barrera, 43, was stabbed to death and two Hells Angels Jeramie Bell, 27, and Robert Tumelty, 50 were shot to death. Mongols Motorcycle Club was founded in Montebello, California on December 5, 1969. The business was founded in 2002 by John Silseth. An official website of the United States government. 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. 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. 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. Former Mongols President David Santillan continued to testify. A veteran federal agent who spent years undercover after infiltrating the notorious Mongols Motorcycle Club offered his first-hand account Thursday of a secretive culture of violence and . Per One Percenter Bikers, the patches are in the club colors of black and white, and the main patch consists of a drawing of Genghis Khan riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle. Considering some of the most notorious incidents the Mongols have been involved in, nor should it. Eyewitness News asked Santillan what he meant in the video about ATF agent Ciccone "protecting him." According to mongolsmc.com, the Mongols took the inspiration for their name from the Mongol Empire that was led by Genghis Khan. One example given is after a Mongol member committed a murder, the club called a Code 55,instructing members to hide all affiliation, including stopping wearing their vests and patches, carrying weapons, or interacting with law enforcement. During the almost 13 years he led the Mongols, Mr. Santillan appeared to steer the organization away from its past recruitment of Mexican criminal gang members and a culture of total underworld activity that the feds feasted on, in terms of prosecutions, said William Dulaney, an expert on motorcycle groups who was formerly an associate professor of national security at the U.S. Air Forces Air Command and Staff College. The possible origin for this comes from the fact that the Mongols were founded by Hispanic bikers as an alternative to the Hells Angels motorcycle club, which was founded in 1948. Cavazos was voted out of the club by its members on August 30, 2008. "Absolutely not, unequivocally no," says David Santillan. Highly disciplined, expertly tactical, and well-coordinated, these fearless (and feared) horseback riders conquered Eurasia in the early 1200s. Today, it has 14 chapters in the US and a presence in 10 countries internationally. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Mr. Santillan holding a photo of himself with fellow Mongols members. An attempt to do so was rebuffed by the Central District of California Court, concluding that the seizure of the trademark violated the First Amendment right to free expression and the Eighth Amendment protection from excessive punishment. 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 . These convictions underscore the Justice Departments dedication to disrupting and dismantling violent criminal enterprises.. "He's retiring, he's retiring. Methamphetamine is the main drug the Mongols use, and it is also the main reason why they should get caught for spreading it across the U.S. People should be worried of the mongols because they are dangerous. The Mongols described their presence in Southern California as a "stronghold" and note that "[a]t the time and even now there were really no other 1%er clubs co-existing in these areas." 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 the call, David Santillan sobs and says he wants to reconcile. The belief that as long as they're not hurting anybody, they should be able to do what they please." [25] Annie Santillan says she surreptitiously recorded the call because David's mistress had been harassing her. The result was a jarring blow to the club. [1] Law enforcement officials estimate approximately 2,000 full-patched members are in the club. (U.S. Department of Justice) The Southern California-centered Mongols Motorcycle Club has earned a reputation for violence since taking Los. 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. Attorneys Kathryn Risinger and Chris Suedekum for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case. 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. Yanny played a clip from a National Geographic show segment on the Mongols in court as evidence of their relationship. Never in my life have I ever implicated anybody in the club for some kind of nefarious activity. Racketeering conspiracy; conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; money laundering conspiracy; firearm offenses; and kidnapping. accidentally killed himself with his bike as a novice licence holder briefly after the chapter's foundation. Testimony will help determine if Mongols get new trial. Testimony resumed for a hearing in which a judge will decided if the Mongols Motorcycle Club will get a new trial after being convicted of conspiracy and racketeering in 2018. LOS . The club is headquartered in Southern California and was originally formed in Montebello, California, in 1969. 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. A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. 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. 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. positioned and primarily active in the Pacific states and Southwest of the United States. According to local news outlet KTNV Channel 13, the Hells Angels attacked the Mongols members, sending three to the hospital, two of whom suffered from stab wounds. Calculations would be more than a hundred thousand. Federal prosecutors want to seize the rights to the logo of the Mongols Motorcycle Club and suppress its use. [2] 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. Both men also rejected the claim that Mr. Santillan had revealed privileged defense information to the government while his motorcycle club was on trial. The Mongols Motorcycle Club was convicted in late 2018 of racketeering and conspiracy. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. Ducatti announced the impending release of a new take on the Panigale V4 in late 2019 for the upcoming model year. Whats more, Judge Carter wrote, There is no evidence that forfeiture of collective membership marks will lead to a less violent or capable organization., [Read: How to Crush an Outlaw Biker Club: Seize Its Logo?]. Federal prosecutors have been focusing on the Mongols logo since 2008. 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. Patches are all important to Mongols club members Uncleroo/Shutterstock [12], Members of the Glendale Mongols chapter, along with bikers from the San Bernardino chapter of the Hells Angels, the Straight Satans of Venice, and the Glendale Night Riders, committed a sexual assault on a fifteen year-old girl in August 1972. "All I wanted to do was to tarnish his image," says Annie 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. The club was ordered to pay a $500,000 fine in what prosecutors hoped would be a down payment on putting it out of business. A woman across the street appeared to take a picture of the four men, who were all wearing . "You're my everything, you're my ride or die, you're my everything. The mother chapter had a total of 15 members. As the years progress the more violent they get and they go to war with their rivals. During the call, Santillan is heard talking about John Cicconne, the lead ATF agent on the case. He's written over 1000 articles in the space and continues to learn about it each day. The current national leaders of the Mongols said they were convinced that the clubs former president, who controlled the Mongols defense team, had acted improperly. However, its also made some inroads nationwide and abroad. In the video, Ms. Santillan was talking to her husband on speakerphone when he told her that Mr. Ciccone was retiring. All rights reserved. Mr. Santillan said it was ridiculous to think that Mr. Ciccone smoothed things over for him. Judge Carters ruling was a severe setback for California prosecutors who spent more than a decade going after the Mongols patch. Known as one of the most brutal and violent outlaw motorcycle clubs, the Mongols Motorcycle Club has built up quite a reputation over the years. The sheriff categorized the group as an organized crime syndicate with national reach. Mongols motorcycle club members are shown here. 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. The club is headquartered in Southern California and was originally formed in Montebello, California, in 1969. The trend of new, rebellious motorcycle clubs being started by returning servicemen continued with both the Korean War and the Vietnam War. 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. 10 Their Motto Is Bigger, Better, Stronger! In fact, it was the Vietnam War that gave us one of the most notorious clubs around, the Mongols Motorcycle Club. 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. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. His favorite car is "any Bugatti" and he's a die hard Harley Davidson fan. That isnt to say the Mongols are sugary sweet, by any stretch of the imagination. If youre a rat, youre the scum of the earth, he said in an interview. 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. 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. In 1903, the first MC was established in the US the Yonkers Motorcycle Club. That quest to seize the Mongols patch was part of a criminal case brought by the U.S. Attorneys Office in 2013 under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. The Mongols Motorcycle Club has solidified its reputation of violence and crime, having been involved in gang wars, drug deals, and human trafficking. Current estimates put its ranks at around 2,000 full-patched members. One prospective member told Ling, "This is everything to me. nicely." Stubbs described Mongol ideals: "It goes to some core beliefs. 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. The Clarksville Mongols were a self-described outlaw motorcycle club with ties to Mongols chapters nationwide. He went on to explain, "That's one of the first questions we ask. The Mongols Motorcycle Club was formed in Southern California, and today, the West Coast is still the clubs stronghold. Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said Monday that Dominick Paternoster, 46, was gunned down by several Mongols in April because they thought he was cooperating with law enforcement. 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. 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. The crews shared a clubhouse in Tampa, he said. 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. More recently, David Martinez was charged with the fatal shooting of Pomona Police SWAT Team member, Shaun Diamond. Santillan says he ran into Ciccone when he went to pick up some Mongols property that had been released after the trial. [2] The Mongols' main presence lies in Southern California, but they also have chapters nationwide in 14 states and internationally in 11 countries. 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