U.S. authorities have arrested three top leaders of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club on Wednesday. These frontrunners of the bike club considered to be an outlaw gang by the government have been arrested on charges of racketeering, assault and drug distribution.
In the released grand jury indictment as cited by CNN, the three Texas men were the group's national president Jeffrey Pike, 60, national vice president John Xavier Portillo, 56, and national sergeant at arms Justin Forster, 31.
Federal prosecutors described the group as a "criminal enterprise" that purportedly uses murder and violence to mark their territory while funding themselves in illegal transactions of methamphetamine.
Resulting from a 23-month investigation, the indictment has thus charged the three men behind the shootings, stabbings and assaults of Cossack members, the Bandidos' rival gangs. The charges also detailed the incidents as to where and how Bandidos members assaulted their rivals and their extensive drug transactions were also investigated.
Moreover, the Bandidos are also suspected of being involved in a massive shootout last May in Waco, Texas, still due to their war with the Cossacks which became a deadly central Texas City fight that killed nine people.
All three of the accused are based in Texas, where there are currently 42 Bandidos chapters. Federal officials expect a commotion from the Bandidos gang that have over 1,500 to 2000 members in the United States as their leaders have been arrested.
An attorney that works for the group declined to comment explaining he wasn't authorized to speak for the group. Certain members of the group also declined to give any statement when contacted by The Associated Press as reported by National Post.
On all these accusations, the Bandidos adamantly insist that their international network of biker clubs are just social organizations that even help the community, CNN reports.
As it is, the defendants have their chance to speak before the court during the proceedings and plead their innocence. Meanwhile, all three men are now in federal custody.
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