I bought another round, and then anotherasking questions the entire time about Bandido life to anyone who would look my way. Defense attorneys criticized federal prosecutors for stitching together a racketeering case based on minor felonies and misdemeanors. We even believed that, just for fun, they had sex with dead women. "Bandidos" redirects here. He wanted bikers who lived only for the open road. And now, five years later, here I am., As we talked, his wife, Nicole, walked up. Less than a month after the Benesh shooting, eight Bandidos were found stuffed inside abandoned vehicles in a field in Canada. They had come to pay their respects to one of their early members, Luis Bonilla, a.k.a. George Roberts will be presiding. In Edward Winterhalders book, Out in Bad Standings (see the books section at the bottom of this article), he makes mention that Wegers was changing the direction of the club and had a heavyinfluence on how each of the individual chapters were run. You know, were not all that different than anyone else. Theyre at a major university right here in Texas, he said, grinning again. He was turning off Interstate 5 in Skagit County . Get down! he shouted again. You probably have no inkling that they were once the terrors of Texas, so fearsome that when a rumor spread through a town that they were coming, people literally headed inside their homes and locked their doors. That way, if Im ever asked to testify about anything, I can honestly say I do not know.. On this September afternoon, the members of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club were indeed in San Antonio. The other he had built himself to look just like a chopper out of the seventies, complete with an elongated Springer front end, high handle bars, and chrome pipes. ", "Ex-Bandido says national president kicked predecessor out over TV interview", "Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs: Aspects of the One-Percenter Culture for Emergency Department Personnel to Consider", "Are the Bandidos Named After A Corn Chip Mascot? As part of the deal it was agreed that he would serve up to 20 months in prison. They looked at the helicopter, and once again, as if given a silent cue, they lifted their hands in unison and flashed their middle fingers toward the sky. Well, if they are committing crimes, I dont see them doing it, she said. It contained a list of all the Bandidos chapters, photos of famous dead Bandidos such as Chambers (who died of cancer in 1999) and Hodge (who died of heart disease in 1992), and a page where supporters and wannabes could purchase Bandidos T-shirts, clocks, coffee cups, tote bags, calendars, and thong panties. | gcontreras@express-news.net | @gmaninfedland. Bandidos member George Wegers tells Don Lemon that a police bulletin warning of new threats by bikers is "nonsense" and "made up by the police." None of my guys shot some goofy Hells Angels wannabe who meant nothing to us, and as for that Canada mess, I didnt have any contact with that chapter up there for weeks before those killings. They are not Boy Scouts, but they are not outlaws. [22], According to the club's website, the Bandidos' Western Hemisphere chapters became autonomous from the international chapters in Europe and Australia on July 17, 2007. By Sherryl Connelly. Like the Elks, the Bandidos had their own clubhouses, and like the Masons, they had their own initiation rites. Some of them downed beers, ignoring the handwritten signs on the church doors that read Please, no drinking on church property. One Bandido, pretending he had a rifle in his hands, aimed at the police helicopter and fired off a few imaginary rounds. 2006 - Jeff Pike is questioned by Canadian law enforcement in relation to the deaths of 8 Bandidos MC members, known as the No Surrender Crew and based out of Ontario, Canada, who were shot in the head by another Bandidos member on 8 April, 2006, the event was known as the Shedden Massacre.Law enforcement were attempting to determine if this was a killing ordered or organized by by the . Funeral Services for George S. Wagers will be conducted on Wednesday, December 8, 2021 at 2:00 P. M. at the Lower Hector Church. A Bandido scout went over to check out the van and came back to report that it too was filled with police officers, one of whom was taking photos with a high-powered camera. Service 1 PM Wednesday at Evans-Nordby Funeral Home . Former Hells Angels boss Sonny Barger was a fraud who beat his wife and 14-year-old stepdaughter, ex-gangster George Christie writes in 'Exile on Front Street' tell-all. But other members from San Antonio did beat up and kick Morgas out of the Bandidos, Ojemann said . 20 talking about this. January 2023 Reader Quiz: What Did You Learn? [60], Like other major motorcycle clubs,[61][62][63] the Bandidos also have a number of "support" clubs. And then we looked at one another and said, Hell, we can do a lot better than these guys. . There was booze and drugs everywhere. Even a handful of European Bandidos had flown in for the occasion, borrowing motorcycles from members of the San Antonio chapter so they too could ride. Police investigators have found racial paraphernalia in raids on the gang. A former national ranking member of the Bandidos testified Friday that the groups latest president kicked his predecessor out of the biker club for appearing on a television documentary. They trade guns and stolen bike parts. The men roared with laughter. [34] Club bylaws state that any member who commits suicide will not receive a Bandidos funeral. [48] This was followed by expansion into the Nordic countries, with branches being established in Denmark in 1993,[49] Sweden in 1994,[50] and Finland and Norway in 1995. Friends and families of the deceased are mourning the passing of their loved and cherished George Wegers . [28] For example, police have reported that the "Expect No Mercy" patch is awarded to those who have committed murder on behalf of the club, while the "TCB" ("Taking Care of Business") patch is worn by club officers and nomads. Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. Throughout that Friday afternoon and into the evening, Bandidos continued roaring toward the funeral home, some of them coming from as far northwest as Washington and as far southeast as Alabama. Similar to the "Expect No Mercy" patch, the "CDG" ("Coup de Grce") patch reportedly signifies a member who has committed a significant act of violence. The music on the jukebox cranked up, and I saw Jeff Pike by a pool table. He is charged in several different conspiracy counts, including a conspiracy to traffic in motor vehicles and motor-vehicle parts. [37], The Bandidos have an estimated membership of between 2,000 and 2,500 worldwide. The Bandidos would appreciate it.. From the #1 national bestselling author of Befriend and Betray, an intimate expos of a criminal empire and the massacre that nearly started a global biker war. Although the club was made up mostly of white males, Chambers welcomed Hispanics, and for a couple of years, there was one black man who rode with the club. [34] Prospective members must undertake a three-stage process before being initiated, beginning as a "hangaround", before becoming a "prospect" and then "probation". [18] George Wegers, who served as international president between 1998 and 2005, was convicted of racketeering charges in October 2006. Members were accused of conspiracy to commit murder, witness . A few days later I drove into a well-kept neighborhood near the Woodlands residential community. Bandidos are not exactly Bible-thumpers. Cut one, we all bleed, the Bandidos warnand the blood has never stopped flowing, often from internal strife as much as external battles.. Without saying a word, I bought a round for everyonea total of 96 beers. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. He told his friends that he was naming his club the Bandidos, in honor of the Mexican bandits who refused to live by anyones rules but their own, and he began recruiting his first members not only out of Houston but also out of the biker bars in Corpus Christi, Galveston, and San Antonio. About the only thing they get these days are speeding tickets., Although federal investigators in the 2005 RICO indictment claimed that Bandidos were sometimes required to pay the club a road tax (a percentage of their proceeds derived from criminal activities), Ed Winterhalder, a former Bandido from Oklahoma who quit the club in 2003, told me that only 10 percent of todays Bandidos make a living through crime. A couple of undercover police officers who follow the club had told me that Bandidos officers never discuss anything with citizens. Theyre not going to be real receptive to a reporter showing up, one officer said. They love the tough biker persona. George Wegers -- national president of the notorious Bellingham-based Bandidos motorcycle gang until his arrest last June -- has pleaded guilty to racketeering . Weve got guys who own their own businesses, guys who work for oil companies, guys who are in the computer industry. Obviously, said Rodriguez, Benesh didnt follow their advice. To this day, I can remember the first time I saw his photo: a mug shot, printed in a newspaper, that had been taken after he had been arrested. And according to the law enforcement gossip mill, at least one of those investigations is now focused on Texas, where all the Bandidos national officers live. A few years ago, Pike owned a large street-rod shop in Tomball. Wegers is alleged to be the national president of the . J. C. Stevens and Rev. That's what authorities believe led to the shootout and Waco. ET Most of these clubs are regional. Jim Pitts audio and video editing. They also like the phrase "Cut one, we all bleed.". [ 186 more . Suddenly, the club found itself in the national spotlight: In Newsweek, they were described as the single greatest organized crime problem in Texas, and on ABCs 20/20, a young Geraldo Rivera noted that seven of the clubs eight national officers had criminal records involving drugs, guns, or violence.. In one corner of the garage were his Harley-Davidsons. Additionally, prosecutor Eric Fuchs asked Ojemann about the difference between Bandidos in Houston and those in San Antonio. But the group seems less open when it comes race. If you fill out the first name, last name, or agree to terms fields, you will NOT be added to the newsletter list. Would they say, All police officers commit crimes, the way they tell reporters like you, All Bandidos commit crimes? Here are 21 facts about this group of motorcycling enthusiasts. Portillos lead lawyer, Mark Stevens, noted that what Ojemann told investigators in debriefings differed from his court testimony. See the Crime / In The Media section below for further information. George Wegers is the President of the Bandidos, a (supposedly) outlaw motorcycle gang. [32], Bandidos members must be male[33] and own at least one Harley-Davidson motorcycle (although other American-made motorcycles can also be allowed). All of us read it to get some ideas on what we should be doing, said Showalter. We dont do interviews. Please help us out by hitting the Share button so that we can keep bringing you more articles and Follow us on Facebook so that you get updated when we release new articles. A Right-wing Cabal Took Over Odessas Municipal Government. True Crime Jeff Pike, Texas's Own Tony Soprano Earlier this spring, Jeff Pike, the head of the infamous Texas-based Bandidos motorcycle club, went on trial in federal court for racketeering. This is the one and only official Facebook page for George Wegers, the former National and International President of the largest motorcycle club in. If he wishes to do something illegal, thats his choice. And as far as we were concerned, the great outlaw of the state was not Sam Bass, John Wesley Hardin, or any of the other nineteenth-century gunslingers mentioned in our textbooks. Just a half dozen years ago,top CanadianBandidos grumbled about how they couldnt get a telephone audience with him. He suffered spinal injuries from a motorcycle crash when he exiting Interstate 5 in Skagit County, Washington State in 2010. Wegers suffered severe spinal damage while cruising alone on his Harley Streeton the afternoon of Sunday, September 27. Mimi Swartz is a staff writer based in Houston. In the helicopters open door were a couple of men in police uniforms holding binoculars. He had already been bumped from the club because of a television interview he gave. They also commonly wear a unique patch (known as the "Heart Patch") consisting of a round patch in Bandidos colors on the front upper left of the colors (vest), as worn by the member. [70][10][71], While individual chapters had previously been banned in Germany, the Netherlands became the first country to prohibit the club as a whole in December 2017 when a court in Utrecht outlawed both the Dutch department of the Bandidos and the international organization on the grounds that the club forms a threat to public order.[72]. Under cross-examination, Ojemann admitted being involved in drug trafficking with another Bandidos member. The Bandidos Motorcycle Club was founded by 36-year-old dockworker Donald Eugene Chambers on March 4, 1966, in San Leon, Texas. Divorced, with a grown son, two grandkids, and other family in Whatcom and Skagit counties. Today the police seem more determined than ever to bring the Bandidos down. All I ask is that he not bring it home and tell me about it. This is significantly less time than the 20 years that the federal sentencing guidelines could have seen him facing. They obviously had their own business to discuss. Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering: Kidnaping (VICAR), Anthony Snodgrass Spencer (Bandidos Australia President), Jeff Pike (Bandidos International President), Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering Assault, Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and Methamphetamine, Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime, Conspiracy to Traffic in Certain Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Parts. Canadian authorities were curious to learn if Pike had ordered the shooting of the eight Bandidos to remind other members just what would happen to them if they too turned against the club. . [01] Still handsome and charismatic at near-eighty, Ralph Hubert "Sonny" Barger Jr. was the main mover in transforming the Hells Angels, who have always attracted a significant number of misfits and criminals, ['Hells Angel,' p. 03, 87 - 91; p. 124 "Most of us [in 1965] were card-carrying . Built like a professional wrestler, he had thick black hair and a black Fu Manchu mustache, and just below his chin was a tuft of beard tied up with string and held in place by a fourteen-karat gold skull with diamonds in the eyes. As I got in my rental car, I heard the familiar whomp-whomp-whomp of the police helicopter. Lenny, who was married with four kids, worked for an electric cooperative in the Hill Country. The daylong hearing was a victory, at least for now, for Pike, who was ordered released on $250,000 bond. And no one, absolutely fing no one, is going to take that brotherhood away.. His preference was also to slow down expansion, particularly internationally. Federal agents and local police decapitated the Bandidos motorcycle gang yesterday with the arrest of its president and at least a dozen members in a series of pre-dawn raids in and around . The Austin police, in particular, wanted to know if he had ordered the killing of Benesh as a way to send a message to all motorcycle clubs about what he would do to anyone he found moving into Bandidos territory. Bandidos Book The Fat Mexican: The Bloody Rise of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club by Alex Caine. The family will receive friends and loved ones on Monday . For a Bandido, he was relatively clean, his rap sheet consisting of just two crimes: In 1987 he paid an $800 fine after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge (he admitted stabbing a man who was arguing with him at a party), and in 1992 he received twenty months deferred adjudication after being charged with illegally wiring his house in order to steal electricity from the city of Houston. City Employees Are Heading for the Exits. [42] The club has since expanded substantially in Australia and there are forty-five Bandidos chapters throughout the country. In surveillance photos, they saw the Expect no mercy patch on his vest, which is the Bandidos equivalent of the Purple Heart, given to any member who has drawn blood or spilled his own blood in defense of the club. George Wegers is now retired from the outlaw motorcycle club. Jeff Pike replaced George Wegers as the Bandidos International President in 2005 after George was sent to prison on RICO charges. But his right-hand man, Ronnie Hodge, another former Houston dockworker, who was the size of a grizzly bear, took over and did not make the slightest attempt to tone down the Bandidos renegade image. Youre going to let me come to your housethe head of the Bandidos? I asked. They walked back outside, looked up, and saw a helicopter coming right at them. Red McCombs funeral service draws S.A. community, Spurs stars . Showalter, his white hair long and braided, is now sixty years old, living in San Antonio on disability payments and barely able to walk because of past motorcycle accidents. F.O. Then, in 1972, Chambers and two other Bandidos were arrested for shooting to death two drug dealers in El Paso over a botched sale. The Bandidos have many Hispanic members, while blacks appear non-existent. You know, I feel sorry for guys who dont have a clue what this feels like.. [26] In addition to the "Fat Mexican" and diamond-shaped "1%er" emblems, club members also wear other patches on leather or denim vests known as colors. According to a 2007 Texas Monthly article, they had a patchwork of tattoos, long beards, wild hair and nicknames like "Pecker," "Revolver," "Deadweight" and "Log Cabin." From traditional burial and cremation services (with or without ceremony), to memorials and life celebrations, to out of town shipment and local cemetery monuments, you may confidently rely on us to provide options that truly meet your funerary needs. Fing off the fing charts., I turned around and came face to face with F.O., who had stabbed me in the sternum the day before. Bandido George has copped a plea. Pike laughed out loud. With heavy hearts, we announce the death of George Wagers (Manchester, Kentucky), who passed away on December 3, 2021 at the age of 71. Federal prosecutors have gone so far as to indict Bandidos under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), a federal statute originally intended to destroy Mafia families, claiming that the club is an organized criminal enterprise that resorts to intimidation, extortion, violence and threats of violence against rival motorcycle clubs to maintain its power, territory and profits. 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