Twenty-One Now Charged in Mongols Investigation
A 75-count, third-superseding indictment was returned by a
federal grand jury in Nashville, Tennessee on June 29 and unsealed Friday,
charging 21 members and associates of the Clarksville, Tennessee chapter of the
Mongols Motorcycle Gang with various federal crimes, including racketeering
conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder, kidnapping,
robbery, large-scale drug trafficking, and other crimes, announced Acting
Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal
Division and U.S. Attorney Don Cochran of the Middle District of Tennessee.
On Jan. 18, a 54-count superseding indictment charged 15
members and associates of the Clarksville Mongols with racketeering conspiracy,
murder, drug trafficking and other related crimes. On March 7, a 64-count
second-superseding indictment charged four additional defendants with the
kidnapping and murder of Stephen Cole, an estranged former member of the
Mongols. The indictments detail allegations of violent, criminal activity and
drug trafficking in and around the Clarksville area beginning in or about March
2015 and continuing until the return of the indictments.
The latest indictment charges two additional associates of
the Clarksville Mongols with drug trafficking conspiracy, money laundering,
interstate travel in aid of racketeering, tampering with the grand jury
investigation by removing and concealing evidence, false statements to law
enforcement, and accessory after the fact for the kidnapping and murder of
Stephen Cole. The two additional defendants are Janie Lee, 22, of Owensboro,
Kentucky, and Jessie Marie Decker, 33, of Trenton, Kentucky. Lee will have her initial court appearance
this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Brent Brennenstuhl in the
Western District of Kentucky and Decker will have her initial court appearance
this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alistair E. Newbern in the Middle
District of Tennessee.
This indictment charges Lee with conspiracy to distribute
large-scale quantities of methamphetamine, distribution and possession with
intent to distribute methamphetamine, interstate travel in aid of racketeering,
and money laundering.
Decker is charged along with previously-indicted defendant
William Nelper aka “Flip,” 50, of Clarksville, with conspiracy to distribute
and possession with intent to distribute marijuana, tampering with the grand
jury investigation, and use of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking
crime. Decker is separately charged with making false statements to law
enforcement relating to the kidnapping and murder of Cole and as an accessory
after the fact to the kidnapping.
The third-superseding indictment also brings additional
charges against other previously- indicted defendants. Robert Humiston aka
“Bric,” 25, of Dover, is charged with possession of a short-barreled rifle in
violation of the National Firearms Act (NFA) and with failure to register the
firearm as required by the NFA. Christopher Wilson, 35, of Clarksville, is charged with two counts of being a felon
in possession of a firearm, drug trafficking conspiracy and possession with
intent to distribute several different controlled substances, possession with
intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in
furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; the Clarksville Police Department; the
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; and the Kentucky State Police. Trial Attorney Robert Tully of the Criminal
Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy
Risinger of the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants
are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court
of law.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment