Federal authorities have indicted 14 people believed to be affiliated with a violent biker gang in the Houston area.
The 22-count indictment has been unsealed in the Southern District of Texas, targeting members of the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang and Mascareros Motorcycle Club, which acts as a “support club” of the Bandidos. The indictment accuses the members of engaging in violent criminal activities in the Houston area.
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The Bandidos are described as an “outlaw” motorcycle organization with thousands of members in the U.S. and internationally.
Several defendants are expected to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo on Feb. 20. A federal grand jury returned the indictment on Feb. 11, charging 14 people with crimes including conspiracy to commit racketeering, murder, attempted murder, and assault.
The indictment details a violent turf war between the Bandidos and the B*EAST gang in 2019, with the conflict resulting in public gunfire exchanges.
In a press release announcing the arrests, U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei emphasized the importance of public safety.
“The indictment here not only alleges shocking crimes of violence but also alleges that these offenses were committed openly and wantonly, where any innocent member of the public could have been hurt or killed,” Ganjei said.
David Vargas, 33, has been charged with murder in aid of racketeering and related crimes, which could result in a mandatory life sentence or the death penalty. Other members face charges related to assault, robbery, and drug trafficking.
Other key figures in the investigation face charges ranging from racketeering to arson. If convicted, they face significant prison time, with some of the charges carrying life sentences.
“The Bandidos declare war on rivals—and they wage that war on our streets. Criminal behavior like this has no place in America.” Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said in the same press release.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and other law enforcement agencies as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative.
