**How The Hell’s Angels Infiltrated The US Military**
They call themselves outlaws, branded by others as rebel riders with a criminal cause.
“This is the life I chose. I knew I was going to go to jail.”
Their membership numbers in the thousands worldwide. Drug dealing, gun smuggling, prostitution, and extortion have earned gang members millions of dollars around the globe.
Outlaw motorcycle clubs are highly organized criminal organizations.
“They’re selling drugs. They’re beating people up. They’re killing people. And their numbers are growing. They are the last bastion of outlaws in America.”
“Really? Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs are some of the fastest growing gangs in the world.”
They call themselves 1%ers because they are the 1% of motorcycle riders who operate outside the law.
“And when you’re a 1%er, you live your life your way, regardless of what anybody thinks.”
“I was a pretty cocky, arrogant son of a bitch. You know, all I wanted to do was ride and fight. You know, the 1% lifestyle, living it, breathing it.”
Hell’s Angels, Pagans, Outlaws, Mongols, Bandidos. The names embody power and rebellion. Although there is one club called the Outlaws, law enforcement labels all 1%er motorcycle clubs outlaw motorcycle gangs.
“But when people call us a gang, I find that very offensive. Um, you know, I’ve never been a part of any gang. We’re not a gang. We’re a motorcycle club.”
“They’re very dangerous. They’re actively engaged in criminal activities.”
Outlaw motorcycle clubs first emerged in the 1940s after combat veterans from the Second World War banded together to socialize and ride motorcycles. In 1947, a 3-day rally for motorcycle enthusiasts in Hollister, California, descended into chaos.
Dozens were arrested for fighting, drunkenness, and street racing. The following year, in 1948, the first Hell’s Angels chapter was born. The American Motorcycle Association deemed that 99% of the motorcycle riding population were law-abiding citizens. And it was the 1%ers that were the outlaws. Shortly after the club’s creation came the distinctive trademarked death emblem and logo.
Rival clubs sprang up and eventually joined forces. The Hell’s Angels now has 230 chapters across America and in 26 foreign countries.
“Back in the 70s, it was uh pretty much a lawless club. You know, you did what you wanted to do, partying, doing drugs, uh whatever, riding your motorcycle. It’s kind of something that was real intriguing to me.”
Current members hold to a strict policy of never talking with the media. This member agreed to talk only on the condition that we hide his identity.
“We consider ourselves the elite of the elite. We are the best. We’re number one. Us as a Hells Angels nation, we don’t hang with any other club. We’re number one, and that’s the way we want to stay.”
For decades, members of the club have been involved in assault, extortion, bombing, murder, and drug trafficking. Weapons and drugs go hand in hand with the Hell’s Angels.
“We’re the baddest of the bad. We can do anything we want to do.”
Those who show a willingness to join outlaw biker gangs start off as a prospect and are not allowed to wear the full club logo.
“You got initiation period of 12 to 16 months which consists of watching the bikes. You walk out the bars and stuff, watch the clubhouse, doing um duties around the clubhouse, stocking the bar, cleaning up, stuff like that.”
“Become a Hell’s Angel, you have to commit. Your life revolves around the club. The more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it.”
“In the old days, you used to go out and there’d be one other member and you’d do a crime or something. You just you’d be at a situation and you took care of the situation. You know, it meant beating somebody up or whatever. It helped you move up the status a lot quicker and get you in the club.”
A prospect needs the votes of full members to wear the patch.
“Um, I’ve known some brothers, uh, they jumped out and in fights and stuff and they’ve been shot by rival clubs and they’ve been voted in the following week.”
John Beal, the former president of the Maryland Hell’s Angels, became a full patch member of the club in 2003.
“I’ve been riding motorcycle clubs for the last 20 years. I was the talk of the town. I was one of the best guys. We were initiated as Hell’s Angels. Best day of my life. As soon as I changed that patch, I became this monster from just the jacket I wore. I put that patch on and I paid the price. And I eventually was arrested. I eventually got charged with a fucking crime and I eventually uh did time. I eventually lost almost everything I owned because of that patch. But I would do it again tomorrow.”
John Beal was arrested on drug and gun charges after a raid on his chapter’s clubhouse. Today he stays close to the culture through his tattoo shop.
“Anyone who rides a motorcycle, I don’t care. At least anytime you ever put your ass on a motorcycle, you want to be a Hell’s Angel. Hell’s Angels was the best.”
The Hell’s Angels lifestyle includes patches, piercings, and tattoos of allegiance. The Hell’s Angel’s trademarked winged death head. 1% glorifying the tradition of the 1%er outlaw status.
“You know, it is almost connected — tattoos and bikers. It’s our lifestyle. We don’t hold them back because we’re worried what society is going to think about us. It doesn’t concern us what society thinks.”
“We’re not going to let anyone tell us what we can and can’t do.”
Across the country, police keep a close eye on 1%er motorcycle clubs.
“All clubs have common enemies and it’s law enforcement agencies. I mean, that’s who’s against every motorcycle club out there. I don’t care if you’re big or small. I don’t care if you’re 1%er. I don’t care if you’re a family club. If they can’t control you, they’re going to shut you down.”
Today, Minnesota police are bracing for the arrival of some of the most dangerous 1%er leaders in the country. The Hell’s Angels East Coast leaders are holding a secret planning meeting. In 4 months, the Minnesota chapter is hosting one of the Hell’s Angels biggest gatherings of the year. The USA Run. Hell’s Angels runs are notorious for excessive drinking, drug use, and violence. Minnesota Hell’s Angels leaders have chosen Carlton, a small town outside Minneapolis to host the USA Run.
The Hell’s Angels USA run hasn’t been here in Minnesota since 1969.
“Every charter in the United States is going to send somebody here at least usually two members minimum. And then there’ll be members from around the world attending.”
Also, motorcycle gangs are a tough nut to crack. It’s a secret society. It’s organized crime. The Hell’s Angels meeting gives police a chance to identify the men calling the shots for the gang.
Inside this unmarked building, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Captain Chris Om holds his own secret briefing. Om calls his gang strike force together to put in place a surveillance plan for the Hell’s Angels East Coast Officers Meeting or ECOM.
“All right, guys. Uh we’re going to do some surveillance today on the uh Hell’s Angels at the clubhouse primarily. Uh the ECOM meeting is supposed to start at 2:00 today. That’s the intel that we have so far.”
His team will be documenting who comes and goes and relaying the information to law enforcement agencies across the US.
Cook can offer valuable advice to police on dealing with the upcoming Hell’s Angels rally.
“He’s worked a few of the USA runs in the past and Steve, you want just kind of feeling what we’re going to be expecting this summer?”
“Conservatively, you’re looking at anywhere between 350 and 400 full patch, you know, outlaw motorcycle gang members uh up in a small concentrated area.”
Cook will join Om and his team as they surveil the clubhouse.
“Last but not least, treat them with respect. If anyone’s going to be a jerk, let them be the jerk. Let’s treat them with respect. Get our intel. Let’s get that intel out after the meeting today.”
“All right, guys. Let’s be safe.”
The Minnesota chapter of the Hell’s Angels are holding a secret planning meeting for their infamous USA run. Police plan to surveil the clubhouse and identify important Hell’s Angels leaders in town for the meeting. The Minneapolis police are worried about the Hell’s Angels rival club, the Outlaws, based in neighboring Wisconsin.
“I think what you’ll see today is your East Coast officers showing up. You’re going to see a lot of pre-planning for the USA run. That’s going to be the primary topic of discussion. And I think they’re definitely going to be talking about the fact that the Outlaws are going to be right next door when this event occurs. And how are they going to handle that?”
Om and Cook start by canvasing the area to determine how many bikers are in town. They get a tip that a group of Hell’s Angels have been spotted outside a local funeral home.
“How many HAs came up here? Any idea?”
“30 and 35.”
The two are surprised at the number of bikers in town.
Outlaw motorcycle clubs in the US are on the rise. One group targeted for recruitment is the US military.
“You anytime you have any kind of military action uh like we’re having right now in Iraq and Afghanistan. You do get a percentage of guys that come back that uh definitely identify with this lifestyle. There are members of these gangs that are currently deployed overseas. That gives them an excellent opportunity to fill people out uh to be around them in combat situations potentially and to uh see if they have what it takes.”
According to police, even at a solemn event like a funeral, biker gangs do not suspend their criminal activities.
“Just because they’re at a funeral doesn’t mean that, you know, they’re not armed or that they’re not, you know, carrying drugs or using drugs. It’s pretty common place for them to have at least a vehicle in the parking lot that has weapons in it so that the other members know where to go if they need to access something.”
“I can see a couple prospects out front.”
Before the funeral ends, neighbors across town report that a large group of bikers are having a party at a private residence.
“We got little bikes lined up there. What do you see down there, Steve? I know. I saw Los Valentes and obviously the Freeman just pulled up.”
The Hell’s Angels don’t treat all biker clubs as sworn enemies. Groups of clubs who work with the Hell’s Angels are showing up around the city in the Minneapolis St. Paul area.
“Because this is Hell’s Angels territory, they run the show up here. So everybody’s subordinate to them, but they’re all equally involved in criminal activities. Predominantly drug trafficking. There’s at least three biker clubs here.”
“These guys are too concerned.”
The Hell’s Angels use gangs like these to let them know what’s going on in the area. That way, if a rival gang is trying to make an inroad, these are the guys that are going to tip you off. These guys are also people that they’re going to use to run their drugs uh to commit some of their criminal activities for them because again it insulates the Hell’s Angels.
“They’re out in front of the clubhouse right now. They’re talking at the clubhouse. It’s getting a lot of activity buzzing there now again.”
“Yeah, we’re rolling now from…”
Om and Cook head to the clubhouse. The Hell’s Angels have lookouts posted. A sure sign that something is going on.
“Yeah, Chris and Jeff were in the area outside the Minneapolis clubhouse.”
Om and Cook are concerned. The vice president is now also on lookout duty.
“A role usually reserved for rookie club members called prospects. We got the vice president out there standing out on the street. That seems a little odd.”
Captain Chris, who is leading the law enforcement surveillance team, makes a difficult decision and feels compelled to break cover to find out what’s going on.
“In a situation like this, I don’t have an issue letting them know that I’m out here. And uh it’s both for their security and our security. And I told him if there’s any issues to give me a call and he um he said he wouldn’t do that. And I’m that the reason they wouldn’t do that is because it’s like being a snitch. They’re not going to snitch.”
The vice president is tight lipped and tells Om he has everything under control. Om isn’t buying it. The East Coast Officers meeting is still hours away. Omar and Cook leave the Hell’s Angels clubhouse to continue keeping watch across the city.
They soon get word that back at the clubhouse, a prospect drives off in a gray car. Om suspects he’s en route to pick up one of the leaders who’s arrived from out of town.
“There’s the magnet right there. And there’s our trail car right there. That’s got to love it. Yeah. Oh, here’s the car right here coming right at us. So, I’m going to just keep on driving like nothing’s happening. This is one of the hotels that the out of state members are staying at. And so, we’re going to just we’re just trying to figure out who he’s picking up and what members are involved and see if we can identify some members here. Guy on the far right looks like box headed from Connecticut.”
Om and Cook follow the car.
“You making a U-turn there?”
“No, they’re checking for a tail. Yeah, they can.”
Om and Cook want to make some positive IDs. They are trying to determine exactly who they are dealing with. An illegal U-turn gives them the chance. An officer in Om’s team pulls over the Hell’s Angels.
“Oh, they got him stopped. Actually, they got him stopped over here.”
“There’s another familiar face. Baldheaded guy we had hit stop a stop in Branson. He’s usually got a pretty good attitude problem.”
“Photograph these guys for you. I just take your picture real quick, sir. I know you’re from New York.”
“My license. You can check all my You don’t need my photo. You guys got your own database. You got everything.”
“Okay.”
“All right. I mean, be fair. You know, you’re pulling us over. Stopping us from just, you know, being here. So, if you want to, you know, give us tickets or do what you got to do, then give us tickets.”
“Okay.”
“You guys are, you know, dragging us out like, you know, with some kind of, you know, I don’t know what…”
“What I’m trying to say is is we’re going to do what we’re going to do. I’m going to take some pictures while I’m out here.”
“Take a picture real quick.”
“Sir, one member was definitely a sergeant-at-arms. I did note that the sergeant-at-arms had his quail patch, which means that, you know, he has assaulted a law enforcement officer before. He also had a filthy few patch which you know filthy few patch is known to be given to members who’ve killed for the club. So obviously a mover and shaker definitely you know somebody of note and uh the exact kind of person that they would be sending to a meeting like this.”
“I thought he had a gun. He had this in the door handle when he reached for his license it fell out.”
The driver had a ballpeen hammer which is a pretty common weapon that these guys use. New York’s representatives for the meeting are given a warning and released.
Back at the clubhouse, more than 50 delegates come and go, but there’s no trouble. And frustratingly for police, no intel on what was discussed inside.
In Oregon, police are closely monitoring the Mongols expansion into their state.
“Yeah, there was a lot of blood spilled definitely. But that’s what happens when you go to war. I’m not going to deny the fact that we’re not violent. We’re very violent, but only when pushed. I already lost one war in Vietnam. I wasn’t about to lose another one.”
“This is the Mongol skull and crossbones. I’ve been told by a Mongols member that this means that that person took care of business for the club. And what that means is they’ve committed some kind of act of violence on behalf of the club, either against another club or against law enforcement. The 1% Mongol forever forever Mongol. It’s a 1% diamond. That means they consider themselves to be 1% of the motorcyclists who live outside the law.”
“I have the right as an American coming out of Vietnam fighting for my country. If I want to put on a Mongol patch and fly down the highway, that’s my right. There’s nothing wrong with that. You want to take my patch and have me not wear it. Uh it doesn’t mean I’m going to stop being a Mongol. You’re just not going to know who the Mongols are anymore.”
“Once you’re a Mongol, you’re always a Mongol. We’re not changing into another club. We’re not going to fly another patch. We’re Mongols.”
“We’re the baddest of the bad, the hardcore, the hardcore. Our hearts are pretty much into this lifestyle 100%. We live and breathe and die for our club. There’s nothing more of a natural high than riding with a pack of your fucking brothers. Just the rush of the roar of bikes going down the road, the roar of that sound.”
“We’ve had outlaw bikers in Oregon for a long long time since the 50s. And for the most part, they have stayed under the radar, but there have been murders here and there have been rapes and there have been a lot of drug running and motorcycle theft and things like that over the years, but it’s stayed frequently under the wire. I think if the public knew much about outlaw bikers, they would be a little more concerned than they are.”
“Tonight, we’re going to go out and try and gather some intelligence from the Free Souls church meeting. Uh the Free Souls are the oldest and the largest motorcycle gang in the state of Oregon. Uh every weekend they hold a church meeting where they get together and talk about club business. So a part of what we want to do tonight is identify prospects um and if we can get a stop on them uh for some kind of violation to further identify them that would be great.”
“I think keep in the back of your mind that uh sometimes they have a follow car. Um just keep in mind the idea about a possible ambush at any time about uh these guys.”
“As always, use officer safety. Um expect there’s going to be weapons uh whether they’re legal or not.”
“All right, let’s hit it. That’s no problem.”
“Free are all homegrown guys. They’ve been around since 1969. So, we get there’s a lot of older members. They’ve started to recruit a lot of younger members. Like the last two or three years, they went from kind of a 40 50 60s club to a lot of guys in their 20s and 30s coming in. When they were started in the late 60s, they were fairly closely aligned with the Hell’s Angels. They don’t want the Mongols here.”
“You live here in Eugene?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Look at this. Laminated. You’re a true Oregonian.”
“Got no weapons on you.”
“The VIN number clears. The biker is free to go. Uh, he had a couple of pocket knives on him. Uh, no firearms. Uh, he was the president of the gooseb. He may still be. I’m not sure. And he wouldn’t tell me. True 1%er style. He was willing to talk to me but not really give me any information.”
“Law enforcement ran some surveillance operations today around the uh funeral of an outsiders member. Uh we had concerns with the Mongols party here in the in town at the same time that there may be trouble between the clubs. There was a lot of members in town, at least 100 members from the Oregon clubs and looks like we probably have about 30 to 40 Mongols at least in town.”
“To our right is the uh clubhouse for the Gypsy Joker motorcycle club. They’ve been historically the most powerful club in Oregon.”
“SUCK my fucking dick.”
“That’s how they talk to all law enforcement if they can. Their motto is respect for you, fear none.”
“This is the first time we’ve seen the uh Gypsy Jokers and the Mongols hanging out together in the same place. No speculation. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re allies. Doesn’t mean they’re friends. Um we don’t know. Looks like Portland has things under control. Uh we’re going to go ahead and call it a night and head back to Eugene.”
“Sounds good to me.”
“We showed up at the casino to confront the Mongols.”
“I walked up and tried to stop it.”
“There was a few brothers that were kind of trying to defuse the situation.”
“I was making negotiations. I was a national president. It was my duty. I felt, you know, to go up there and try to stop this thing because I know from experience once that first throw, bottle, anything comes down, people are going to die.”
“One brother, Ray, he just uh he didn’t like what he was hearing and he kicked the guy in the chest.”
“From that on, it just was no stopping anything. We were uh pulling out hammers and hitting people. And I mean it just escalated from one thing to the next.”
“I saw an HA grabbing one of my brothers. I grabbed him from behind and pulled him off. And that’s when I stabbed three times in the back and thrown to the ground. And kicked and punched.”
“Kind of a overreaction to a situation that I don’t think need to go that far, but we will do what we got to do when we got to do it.”
“We have a large police presence here just to make sure that we don’t have any problems.”
“I need another set of barricades right here all the way across.”
“Getting in fights, getting shot or warring with them is probably as common as you going to the store every day. We deal with it every day.”
“Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms are on the ground. ICE, US Immigration, and Customs Enforcement, lends a helicopter for aerial surveillance.”
“I think it’d be very accurate to say that the Hells Angels have been locked down since they’ve gotten here. Between law enforcement and the weather, not cooperating. Uh there hadn’t been a lot of places for them to go.”
“There’s a real threat with the outlaws being within 10 miles of where we’re standing. All it takes is for one or two members uh get a little, you know, liquor in them and next thing you know, it sounds like a real good idea to, hey, let’s go flex our muscles, beat our chest a little bit. Let’s go drive to where the angels are, see if we can find one out.”
“They’re going to go at it at some point somewhere. Uh it’s anybody’s guess where that’s going to happen at. Only God, the outlaws, and the Hell’s Angels know when that’s going to happen.”
“We are approaching Superior, Wisconsin. Rice is where we understand that the outlaws are congregating. Uh, and we’re going to kind of drive over here and just kind of take a look, see, and uh, see what kind of numbers they have, see what their attitude is, you know, kind of get a feel for them, if they look like they’re on watch, on guard, see if they’re amped up at all.”
“It’s uh almost like psychological warfare. They’re flying over the top of the Hell’s Angels. It’s a high intimidation form.”
“This by far has been the best laid out operation that I’ve ever seen on a Hell’s Angel event like this. I think it took the Angels by surprise a little bit cuz I think they expected that, hey, we’re going into small town USA up here. Uh we’re going to take over the town.”
“1%er biker clubs maintain that they are misunderstood and unfairly targeted by law enforcement. However, those who monitor the organizations insist that for many members, the clubs are simply a cover for widespread violence and criminality.”
“The Hell’s Angels motto sums up the two points of view. When we do right, no one remembers. When we do wrong, no one forgets.”
“There’s a mystique I would say about Hell’s Angels. 1%ers are closed. There’s a mystique to it. It’s like that saying goes, for those that understand, no explanation is needed. For those that don’t understand, no explanation is possible.”
“We’re going to do what we have to do to get the bad guys. Obviously within the law we kind of view it as if we uh you know don’t get you today we’ll get you tomorrow.”
“I think in this country they have to change the constitution first before they could outlaw Hell’s Angels. The club has always been very good at overcoming and adapting. Hasn’t been around this long by accident. That’s for sure.”
