WebQueen was awarded the Federal Bar Association's Medal of Honor for his successful involvement with the Mongols. What would I do to him if I saw him on the street? asked Tommy Luna. Id say, Billy, man, you got us, you did your homework, you got us good. . He wasn't even sure who he really was, or even who he wanted to be. 12:00 a.m. Aug. 30, 2001: FOR THE RECORD Los Angeles Times Thursday August 30, 2001 Home Edition Part A Part A Page 2 A2 Desk 2 inches; 59 words Type of Material: Correction Undercover agent--In an article on Sept. 18, 2000, and again last April 19, The Times reported that William Queen, a special agent with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, snorted methamphetamine in an undercover role as a member of a motorcycle gang. Billy wasnt there Nov. 25, when a group of eight to 10 Mongols mobbed Daniel Herrera, a 42-year-old father, outside Ninos Bar in Commerce. Known as one of the most brutal and violent outlaw motorcycle clubs, the Mongols Motorcycle Club has built up quite a reputation over the years. The soldiers coming home from Vietnam were looking for a niche and they found it with the formation of the club. The Mongols had won the war but theyd lost many members, so they opened the books again and started recruiting. The Mongols became targets and gun battles erupted all over East Los Angeles. From 1998 to 2000, William Queen went undercover for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and rode with the Mongols, a southern California motorcycle gang. Resulting federal indictments of 54 Mongol members led to all but one of them being convicted. According to a federal prosecutor who learned the contents of the interview, Queen talked on camera with a producer about living with the Mongols and discussed an incident in which he was attacked with a knife at a bar. When I was down on my luck, they helped with rent. Undercover ATF agent William Queen infiltrated the Mongols in 1998. He finally succeeded and the guy got up and ran, Queen said. An issue that has delayed several trials from this month to next is a controversial interview Queen granted to the ABC news program 20/20. The ATFs Kincaid said Queen had not received the bureaus permission to do the interview, which was shot in June, and could face discipline. William Queen is the author of the New York Times bestseller Under and Alone and Armed and Dangerous. The Mongols are some of the more hard-core bikers around, said James Pollock, a San Fernando Police Department detective who has investigated motorcycle gangs. Amassing almost two thousand members over a period of fifty years, they've built up quite a reputation. [1][6][7][8] The book became a bestseller upon its release in 2005. Your email address will not be published. He seems to have gone quickly and easily. The website states. [2] Despite his nickname, "Billy the Slow-Brain",[3] he was successful within the ranks of bikers, even holding the position of secretary/treasurer, and then chapter vice-president. Billys interest in the slaying got him in trouble. NY Times Review: "Under and Alone: Hairy Guys on Wheels", "Icon, Warners revving up to shoot 'Alone', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Under_and_Alone&oldid=1118237736, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 25 October 2022, at 21:33. Queen gained the respect and trust of many of the Mongols when he jumped between the Mongol president, Domingo, and a drunk in a biker bar in Tujunga, Calif. Queen said the drunk had been "mad-dogging," or glaring, at Domingo. Cavazos and others pled guilty to racketeering charges and Americas Most Wanted had unrestricted access to the operation and filmed many of the arrests. That happened in about a year and a half. That would be the end of them, and they know it. WebUnder and Alone: The True Story of the Undercover Agent Who Infiltrated America's Most Violent Outlaw Motorcycle Gang William Queen 4.15 4,914 ratings432 reviews In 1998, William Queen was a veteran law enforcement agent with a lifelong love of motorcycles and a lack of patience with paperwork. But that goes against one of the main patches they sport on their colors, Mongols Forever, Forever Mongols. With a presence in 14 states and international chapters in 18 countries the club gives out patches like the Boy Scouts give out merit badges. Red Dog's suspicion boiled over into dislike, and he made life miserable for Queen. WebQueen, a motorcycle aficionado since his youth, had his own big Harley Davidson he rode. Red Dog told him to turn and walk a spell and set up some cans for target practice. Officials in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles, amazed at his experiences, said he should write a book. Yet his two years with the Mongols as Billy have been extensively documented in volumes of affidavits, motions, indictments and field reports. There's a Mongol chapter in Georgia, he noted, just a few hours' bike drive up Interstate 85. The skull patch represents criminal violence performed as a service to the club. Yeah, looking back at it, there were little things he did like leaving bars too early and wearing long-sleeve shirts in summer that now seem like giveaways, said J.R. MacDonald, a 250-pound Mongol nicknamed Hoss, who is charged with dealing in stolen motorcycles. That was the day 700 officers from the ATF and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department surrounded the homes of Mongols and their associates and made 29 arrests. Im sure there are some guys who have broken the law, but 2 1/2 years for a few gun and drug charges is completely misguided.. "We were just amazed," said Rick Brewer, his friend and former colleague with the High Point police. In any event, for the 28 months of his life as Billy St. John, Billy Queen was given a medal and a $2,000 bonus -- the same size bonus, he said, as the agent who put together the office Christmas party. William Queen was an undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). He claimed to have two daughters, whom other bikers would hear him calling at night, saying, Hi sweetheart, its Daddy. The bikers now think he was talking to another agent in code. Shoot him." But he seemed too dumb to be a narc, the bikers said. As a matter of fact, most of the members of the German club that was formed back in 2010 didn't know how to ride a bike. His dad was an ATF agent who put bootleggers and other criminals in jail, and Queen, as a student at Ragsdale in Jamestown, and then Grimsley where he graduated, pretty much assumed that he would be doing the same some day. Required fields are marked *. I did. Doc was handed a 14 year sentence by the feds after becoming a government informant. Clashes with police and other biker gangs, like the Hells Angels, have cemented the Mongols reputation. "I thought they made me. The ATF, through Queen, conducted over a two year investigation which led to 54 Mongols being arrested and convicted of drug trafficking, motorcycle theft and conspiracy to commit murder in 2000. A Mongol never causes another Mongol to get arrested in any way, shape or form. Queen was raised in North Carolina, the son of an ATF agent. The Mongols loved him and they told him so. The Mongols Motorcycle club was fined half a million dollars by a judge in a racketeering case. He wrote thousands of pages of reports. What they lack in numbers they make up with continual doses of ultra-violence. One of the Mongols knew the man and finally was able to get him to put away the knife. The man swung the big knife at Queen again and again as the agent backpedaled. Mongols San Diego chapter president Mike Munz tells Gangland: "I've been shot for this club, I've been stabbed while I've been in this club, I've been to prison for this club. Queen did not have a gun with him but he knew other Mongols did, and he yelled, "Shoot him! He describes his two-year life with the Mongols. The gang had been terrorizing Southern California, and the ATF, Queen included, jumped at the chance. Old school members laid the blame at his feet for transforming the Mongols into a criminal organization, one of the largest on the West Coast. Undercover ATF agent William Queen infiltrated the Mongols in 1998. Queen ended up becoming a fully patched member and chapter vice president. "Maybe I'm a little bit crazy," he supposed at an outdoor cafe and laughed in a sadistic little way, as if he were thinking of using his companion's eye for an ashtray just because it might be funny. WebQueen, a motorcycle aficionado since his youth, had his own big Harley Davidson he rode. In a 2005 New York Times article, Mr.Queen said there was a fine line between a lawmen and a outlaw. The Mongols started holding rallies to bring awareness to the federal lawsuit targeting the club logo. Ruben Doc Cavazos seized control of the Mongols MC after Laughlin. "Sorry about your momma, Billy," Evel said. A video replay of the incident shows that during the confrontation the Hells Angels through the first blow. Queen is also concerned for the safety of his two children, who live with his former wife. According to intel developed by the ATF, the Mongols Motorcycle Club had assumed the mantel of themes violent motorcycle gang in America, a sigh-knit collective of crazies, unpredictable and unrepentant bad-asses.. Some have criticized Reese, while others have defended her actions. 1. I just tried to imagine how good it would feel when I saw him led away in cuffs.". The one percent outlaw motorcycle club, that law enforcement accuses of being a criminal syndicate, exists in an alpha male dominated culture where brotherhood, family and community is valued and cherished. He went on to say, there are some bad people in motorcycle clubs, just like in every organization, he said. [2][5] In 2003, while it was still only a draft, film rights to the book were sold to Icon, the Hollywood production company owned by Mel Gibson. He was 15 or 20 years older than most Mongols, but he was still expected to participate in numerous fights and barroom brawls during his years as a Mongol. As part of his guilty plea Cavazos agreed to the forfeiture of all right, title and interest in certain assets acquired or maintained by him as a result of his violation of the RICO statute including the Mongols Registered Trademarks. Admitting that the trademarks were subject to forfeiture to the United States. If there's anything members of outlaw motorcycle clubs take pride in, it's their patches. Police raided his 2,760 square foot home in South Hills, West Covina and seized an arsenal of guns and bullet proof vest. WebIn May 1254, during his stay among the Mongols, William entered into a famous competition at the Mongol court, as the khan encouraged a formal theological debate between the Christians, Buddhists, and Muslims, in order to determine which faith was correct, as determined by three judges, one from each faith. Back in 1998, agent William Queen from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) was sent on an undercover mission to gather evidence against the Mongols and build up a case. 2. William Queen was an undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Kincaid is something of an undercover guru, a poker-faced man who can sit down and fill the room with enough adrenaline-laced stories to rival 10 episodes of Miami Vice. As an undercover agent, hes been hired at least five times to kill someone and once he had a .38 stuck in his ear by a gun dealer who said, If youre a cop, Ill kill ya.. Some Mongols said his work isnt something they will easily forget. Queen ended up becoming a fully patched member and chapter vice president. He was so successful, was taken in so fully, that he was elected chapter treasurer. via www.mongolsmc.com. "If I had it to do over again," he said, "I wouldn't do it.". Billys first test was a line of speed cut for him by a Mongol named Rocky. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Due to their long history of violence, prosecutors said the group also operated an organized criminal enterprise involved in murder, attempted murder, and drug distribution. But the writing was on the wall. Going by the name Billy St. John, the agent prospected, got patched up and attained a position as chapter vice president. William Queen describes his harrowing tale in his book called Under and Alone. He speaks fondly of those days, the parties, the camaraderie, the bullying of the Hell's Angels. It was Christmas 1999, his mother in Greensboro had just died, and Billy Queen had never felt so alone and confused. Of course, the club members decided to fight back and appeal the entire case. He enrolled at Guilford College and earned a degree in justice administration, and then joined the High Point Police Department. I wish now and then I could talk to some of them guys. Back in 1998, agent William Queen from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) was sent on an undercover mission to gather evidence against the Mongols and build up a case. \ Queen lives in Guilford County. The film, which is expected to be shot later this year and released in 2006, will be directed by Antoine Fuqua and star Gibson as Queen. Americas Most Violent Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, EAST COAST MAFIA ENTERTAINMENT by Shakim Bio. I saw the club president, Doc, at court. He explained how he learned to battle the conflicts both within the gang and within himself in order to keep his identity a secret. Rocky, Panhead, Silent, Conan--men with names that implied explosive violence--had no idea they were about to be duped by a supremely elaborate undercover disguise. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, 17-year-old girl dies after shots are fired into social gathering in Greensboro, NC A&T notifies campus a week after man arrested there with weapons in car, Ex-Bank of America branch site sold in Greensboro, Logan denied Guilford school board seat again; escorted from meeting by police, Angel Reese defends gesture toward Caitlin Clark after LSU title win, calls out double standard, With Greensboro's shelter village closed, it's back to the streets for some homeless, Rep. Brockman of High Point takes heat from his own party for absence at pistol permit vote, 'We are here for you': Grimsley mourns loss of 17-year-old student fatally shot, 6-year-old struck by car, critically hurt, while trying to get on Guilford County school bus, Winston-Salem man dies after crash on I-85; charges pending against truck driver, police say, 'Irreplaceable history': Purchase protects 848 riverfront acres in Triad. Not only do patches show loyalty and commitment to the club a member is part of, but they also show their achievements and ranking within that club. 2. He was the very first Mongol to plead guilty to count one of the indictment. He was well cast--old, hairy, weathered, rough. 5. His stories checked out. Resulting federal indictments of 54 Mongol members led to all but one of them being convicted. The confrontation led to the bust of the operation by police, which upset the Mafia. A decades long beef that was fought over who was the preeminent outlaw motorcycle club in California. William Queen describes his harrowing tale in his book called Under and Alone. The Eme brought the demands to Doc and he brought them to the club. To tell you the truth, Id go up to him and shake his hand. He wrote the book himself. In May, when the arrests were announced, the ATF hailed the sting as the longest undercover investigation into a motorcycle gang and one of the bureaus most extensive operations ever. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. In recent years though, the club supposedly has refrained from engaging in any more criminal activities following the election of David Santillan as club president in 2015. The Eme told the mongols that they had to pay the tab for the discovered lab. You know, a lot of people, they don't understand, but you know what I have? "He said, 'Admit it, Billy. Queen has loved motorcycles as long as he can remember and he has always loved law enforcement. He was 15 or 20 years older than most Mongols, but he was still expected to participate in numerous fights and barroom brawls during his years as a Mongol. The feds infiltrated the Mongols for a second time and the undercover ATF agents became patched members again. Former ATF agent William Queen spent two years under cover as a member of the Mongols, an outlaw motorcycle gang. He declined to say where specifically because he has been told that the Mongols would like to see him dead. He held the role of Sergeant-At-Arms of the Dago chapter. Daniel Barnz and Ned Zeman were attached to write the screenplay. A few months after passing Rockys test, Billy was asked to become a prospect--essentially like a college fraternity pledge. Plus the beef with the Hells Angels was still jumping off too. But there are some damn good people.. I wanted to tell him.". 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