Two Solano County members of the Hell Angels Motorbike Membership have been arraigned in a federal courtroom in Sacramento, pleaded not responsible to gun prices, and face extra court docket dates within the coming weeks, The Reporter has realized.
Dennis Killough Jr., 51, of Vacaville, indicted final month by a federal grand jury, is charged with being a felon in possession of two completely different firearms.
And, in a separate case, Jaime Alvarez, 51, of Vallejo, additionally was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
At his June 1 arraignment, Killough entered his plea, and he was scheduled for a standing convention at 9 a.m. Aug. 1 in entrance of Chief District Decide Kimberly J. Mueller, in response to data from the U.S. Division of Justice’s Japanese District of California. He stays in Sacramento County Jail in Sacramento with out bail.
Alvarez was arraigned on Could 31 and he was scheduled for a standing convention at 9:30 a.m. July 21 in entrance of District Decide Troy L. Nunley. On June 1, Alvarez was ordered launched on a $200,000 secured bond, court docket data present.
An investigation right into a brutal beating on the Hell Angels’ Vallejo chapter clubhouse led to the unlawful firearm possession prices, stated Phillip A. Talbert, the U.S. Legal professional for the DOJ’s Japanese District.
In keeping with court docket paperwork, in October 2021, two completely different victims — each of whom have been members of a special motorbike membership that's thought of a “puppet” (or subordinate) membership of the Hells Angels — have been crushed by Killough, Alvarez, and different membership members primarily based on perceived infractions of Hells Angels’ guidelines.
Courtroom paperwork additionally confirmed that, on Dec. 8, 2021, regulation enforcement searched Killough’s residence and located two firearms, together with a Taurus G2C 9 mm pistol with an obliterated serial quantity and a Taurus PT 745 Professional handgun. Killough has a number of prior felony convictions — together with earlier firearm convictions — which, by regulation, prohibit him from possessing any firearms.
In keeping with court docket paperwork, on Dec. 8, 2021, a search warrant executed at Alvarez’s residence discovered a number of firearms, together with a Glock 27 .40 SW caliber handgun. Alvarez has a number of prior felony convictions — together with a previous conviction for possessing a harmful weapon — which, likewise, prohibit him from possessing any firearms.
These instances are the product of investigations by the Solano County District Legal professional’s Workplace, the Solano County Sheriff’s Workplace, the Vacaville Police Division, the Vallejo Police Division, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron D. Pennekamp and Jason Hitt are prosecuting the instances.
If convicted, Killough and Alvarez face a most penalty of 10 years in jail and a $250,000 nice. Any sentence, nonetheless, could be decided on the discretion of the court docket and federal sentencing pointers.
The case stems from the joint federal, state, and native Challenge Protected Neighborhoods Program, the centerpiece of the DOJ’s violent crime-reduction efforts. PSN “focuses enforcement efforts on essentially the most violent offenders and companions with locally-based prevention and reentry applications for lasting reductions in crime,” famous Talbert.
Based in 1948, the Hells Angels is a worldwide outlaw motorbike membership whose members usually trip Harley-Davidson bikes. The Vallejo chapter, at one time, thought of the enforcer for the Oakland chapter, was infamous for 2 members’ involvement in an Oct. 5, 1986, mass homicide of a household of 4, together with two kids, ages 5 and 17, in Fort Bragg. It was against the law that made nationwide headlines on Oct. 7, at some point after two members of the Sonoma County chapter traveled to Fort Bragg and, at evening, burned down a home with the 4 our bodies inside.