Arizona, Alleged gang leaders arrested...

OFF THE WIRE
RAID: Members of an Arizona Department of Public Safety-led task force swarm a house in the 10000 block of Hamilton Drive in Mohave Valley during Wednesday’s Operation Sand Castle. Raids at 10 locations in Mohave County netted the arrest of eight alleged members — including purported leaders — of the Vagos motorcycle gang. Contributed
Motorcycle club members linked to July brawl in BHC

By RODD CAYTON/The Daily News

BULLHEAD CITY — The Arizona Department of Public Safety said Wednesday that it dealt the Vagos motorcycle gang a blow by arresting eight of its alleged leaders, some in connection with a July 18 brawl at Rio Lomas Beach in Bullhead City.
Dale Warren Smith, 52, of Mohave Valley; Shawn Patrick Bailey, 35, of Bullhead City; Shawn Lee Muncy, 41, of Bullhead City; Gabriel Timothy Nader Jr., 25, of Golden Valley; and Robert George Keller III, 35, of Bullhead City, were the aggressors in an attack on citizens at the beach, said Emily Montague, spokeswoman for the Bullhead City Police Department.
The five were arrested Wednesday on charges of rioting-participating in a criminal street gang and aggravated assault.
Jeffrey Daniel Woods, 53, of Lake Havasu City, was booked on charges of misconduct involving weapons and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Nick Bernard Prano, 54, of Lake Havasu City, was booked on charges of possession of dangerous drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Daniel Michael Macdonald, 52, of Bullhead City, was booked on charges of misconduct with weapons, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and insurance fraud.
All eight were booked into the Mohave County Jail.
Bart Graves, media relations coordinator at DPS, said Woods, Prano and Macdonald were targets of separate investigations, which were “accelerated,” after the beach brawl.
With the exception of Keller, Graves said, those arrested Wednesday are documented Vagos members, most of whom have leadership roles in the gang. He described Keller as a “wannabe,” who was about to be accepted into the gang.
The raids, known as Operation Sand Castle, help efforts to “cut the head off the snake,” Graves said.
“The Vagos continue to operate, but their leadership is in jail,” he said. “We believe this will hinder their efforts to continue their violent path for the foreseeable future,”
Also participating in Operation Sand Castle were officers from Kingman Police, Lake Havasu Police, Bullhead City Police, Fort Mohave Tribal Police, the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Montague said more than 120 law enforcement officers helped conduct the raids. Search warrants were served at 10 locations in Bullhead City, Fort Mohave, Lake Havasu City and Golden Valley.
Montague said the BHCPD received a report of a large fight back in July, but was unable to make any arrests because none of the victims immediately wished to report the crimes out of fear of the Vagos. After DPS’ Gang and Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission took over the investigation, its officers were able to locate victims and witnesses, Montague said.
They described an unprovoked attack by the suspects. Witnesses reported seeing an unconscious victim get dropped face-down in the water and a prone victim stomped in the head. One Vagos member was reportedly instructed by another to “get a gun,” Montague said.
The July melee “shows the level at which they’re willing to victimize people just for sake of doing it,” Graves said.
Rodd Caylton may be reached by e-mail at rcayton@mohavedailynews.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by phone at 928-763-2505, ext. 111.