An outlaw motorcycle club in America, known as the Hells Angels, has been found to have strict rules that members must adhere to. Federal prosecutors have uncovered the severe consequences for breaking these rules, ranging from forced face tattooing to being shot in the head. These revelations have come to light during separate trials involving 11 suspects and three sister club chapters located in California and Massachusetts.
One case involved a former president of the Sonoma chapter who sought revenge on a man who had slept with his wife. The president beat the man with a bat, tattooed his forehead, and sexually assaulted the victim’s wife while holding him captive for over four hours. The victim suffered facial fractures and permanent damage to his eyesight.
In another case, a 54-year-old member from Fresno, with no prior criminal record, used a local funeral home to secretly cremate the remains of a club member who had been killed for starting a fight with a member from the Salem chapter. According to U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey, the Hells Angels murdered one of their own, Joel Silva, and the members involved did so to hide evidence of their crimes.
Five of the defendants in the case have already been sentenced, while the other five are awaiting their fate. Among those awaiting sentencing are the three members convicted of murdering Silva: Fresno Hells Angels president Brian Wendt, Hells Angels Sonoma County Chapter president Jonathan “Jon Jon” Nelson, and former HASC president Russell Ott. These individuals face mandatory life sentences.
The convicted members were found guilty of luring Silva to the Fresno clubhouse, where Wendt shot him in the back of the head. The murder was a result of a dispute between Silva and a Massachusetts member, as well as accusations of badmouthing Nelson.
The president of the club’s Salem chapter, Christopher “Rainman” Ranieri, was also convicted for his role in orchestrating the murder.
Another member, Merl Hefferman, who was known for organizing charity events for needy children, arranged for Silva’s cremation at a funeral home. Prosecutors have alleged that Hefferman may have been involved in additional secret cremations, although his defense team has objected to these claims.
After the murder, Ranieri flew to Fresno to attend a party celebrating the crime. The victim’s family had been grieving for eight years without a body to mourn or any certainty about what had happened to their loved one.
In addition to the murder case, Raymond Foakes, a former HASC chapter president, was also convicted of torturing an ex-member who had been involved with his common-law wife. Foakes beat the man, tattooed his forehead, and sexually assaulted his wife while holding him captive.
Of the five members who have been sentenced, Hefferman will serve four years, Jeremy Greer will serve seven years, Russell Lyles will serve 63 months, Damien Cesena will serve 52 months, and David Diaz will serve 30 months.
The revelations from this federal racketeering case shed light on the violent and criminal activities of the Hells Angels motorcycle club.
