Eleven members of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang have been accused of a range of crimes related to murder, assault, maiming, racketeering conspiracy and witness intimidation, according to an indictment that was unsealed Monday.
Members of the “Hells Angels” motorcycle club ride their motorbikes during a demonstration on September 9, 2017 in Berlin.
(TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP/Getty Images)
The federal indictment had been filed October 10, but became public after nine of them were arrested. Many of the arrests were made Saturday during a raid at a saloon in Santa Rosa, California, before a scheduled motorcycle ride, reported CNN affiliate KGO.
“This investigation has uncovered significant criminal activity and it’s not over yet,” said Jack Bennett, FBI special agent in charge during a press conference Monday. “The organized criminal activity was designed to instill fear in the part of Santa Rosa that are around these motorcycle gangs.”
He said the individuals used “violence, fear and criminal behavior.”
Nine of the 11 defendants are associated with Hells Angels Sonoma County chapter, and the remaining two are associated with the Fresno and the Salem/Boston Hells Angels chapters.
Those from the Sonoma County chapter are accused of working with other Hells Angels chapters in criminal activities including murder, drug distribution, assault, robbery, extortion, illegal firearms possession and obstruction of justice. The indictment alleges that the members had committed such acts to “maintain and enhance membership and discipline within the gang.”
It also alleges that four of the men conspired in the killing of a victim who died July 2014 at the Fresno Hells Angels clubhouse.
