A motorcycle gang rivalry between a Hell’s Angels fan and the Mongols Motorcycle Club in Wamsutter, Wyoming, broke out last month during a confrontation at a local truck stop, authorities say.
Now seven Oregon men associated with the Mongols are each facing felony robbery charges and a misdemeanor of intimidating people to advance a street gang’s interests in Sweetwater County District and Circuit courts.
Those charged are:
• Richard Gonzales, 40
• Bryan Grimaud, 40
• Jereme Paul Robertson, 26
• James Royster, 33
• Justin Frank Graham, 41
• Yan Eric Davis, 28
• Dana Clark, 29
On June 4, a man wearing a black leather vest with patches that said “Support Hell’s Angels” and “F*** the Rules” pulled up to the Love’s Travel Center in Wamsutter on his Harley Davidson motorcycle, its front wheel decorated with red skulls.
The man went into the shop to use the bathroom, and when he came out, a group of men in Mongols attire had surrounded his motorcycle, according to an evidentiary affidavit filed in the case.
They demanded to see the man’s vest; and they reportedly noticed his Hell’s Angels patch.
Some Mongols standing behind the motorcyclist removed the vest from his body, the affidavit says.
The man then reportedly told the Mongols members they could keep the vest, but he needed the key ring inside the pocket, which included key fobs to his Harley, his Chrysler and other keys and bobbles.
But they took the keys and the vest, allegedly.
Some of the club members also tried to remove the red skulls from the motorcyclist’s front wheel but they didn’t succeed, the document says.
“If we see you again it could be bad,” one of the Mongols told the man, the affidavit relates.
When speaking with police later, the man said he believed the Mongols took his vest as a trophy.
The man reportedly wasn’t a member of the Hell’s Angels, just a fan of the group.
Surrounded
Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Deputy Ana Lindig reviewed Love’s surveillance video and later matched the men’s appearances to their booking photos, the affidavit says.
But while the search was on, Lindig and other law enforcement agents found and stopped a cluster of motorcycles riding with a grey truck that was hauling a motorcycle on a trailer, says the document.
The riders were wearing Mongols Motorcycle Club vests, and agents found the man’s black vest with the Hell’s Angels patches inside the grey truck with the keys still in its pocket, reportedly.
Cocaine And Mushrooms And Stuff
All of the Mongols face a felony robbery charge punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and another charge of intimidating people to advance a street gang’s interests, punishable by up to one year in prison.
Some of the men also face drug charges for alleged drug discoveries pursuant to a warranted search of the truck.
Davis is accused of possessing more than three 3 of Dextroamphetamine, which police say they found in a black leather toiletry bag found on the truck’s floorboard with Yan Davis’ name embroidered onto it.
The possession charge is punishable by up to five years in prison and $10,000 in fines.
Court documents accuse Clark of having than 3 grams of cocaine on him, a misdemeanor amount carrying a penalty of up to one year in jail and $1,000 in fines.
Grimauld could face up to three years in prison and $3,000 in fines on suspicion of trying to sneak 1.7 grams of cocaine into the Sweetwater County Detention Center.
A deputy was pat-searching Grimaud inside the jail pre-booking area and found a small, clear bag containing a white powdery substance in the right front coin pocket of his pants that tested presumptive positive for cocaine.
Taking drugs into a jail is punishable by up to three years in prison and $3,000 in fines.
One agent allegedly found a sandwich-sized clear baggie containing 7.7 grams of psilocybin mushrooms in Gonzales’ possession, which adds a misdemeanor mushroom charge to his court file.
Ongoing
The men’s cases are ongoing. Grimaud’s case rose to the felony-level Sweetwater County District Court on July 2.
Royster had an arraignment Monday.
Robertson’s case rose to the felony-level court Tuesday. Graham’s case did the same June 17.
Davis’ case is still at the circuit court level, but his preliminary hearing is set for July 17.
Gonzales’ preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 7.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
