Authorities aware of motorcycle club in Front Royal

Written by Off the Wire
MCs in the News


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H.D. rides along Kelly Drive near the clubhouse off Winchester Road. Rich Cooley/Daily
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Irvin Cowgill, 47, left, president of the Warren County Warlock Chapter, and H.D., 26, a club member, stand outside their clubhouse in Front Royal. Rich Cooley/Daily

By Ben Orcutt - borcutt@nvdaily.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

FRONT ROYAL -- Local authorities say they are aware that the Warlocks Motorcycle Club has a presence in Warren County, but so far there have been no serious problems with the group.

"Oh yeah, we're well aware they've had a clubhouse here," Warren County Sheriff Daniel T. McEathron said Friday. "It's right next to Shenandoah Motors. We're very well aware of their presence here and they're very well aware of our presence here."

McEathron, who serves as chairman of the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force, said the Warlocks in Warren County may have moved from Shenandoah County.

Dozens of members and associates of the Warlocks were arrested on weapons and drug charges in raids in six states in 2003 following an investigation that originated in Shenandoah County.

Two agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives went undercover to infiltrate the biker gang, becoming full-fledged members of the Martinsburg, W.Va., chapter.

"So far, we haven't received any major complaints or any major problems with that residence out there," McEathron said of the clubhouse.

Area residents should not be overly concerned with the Warlocks' presence in Warren County, McEathron said.

"I don't think there's any reason right now or in the future to be alarmed," he said. "Our deputies on several occasions have had communications with them and talked to them and so on. They said everything seemed to be going OK."

Front Royal Police Chief Richard H. Furr said his department also is aware of the Warlocks' local presence.

"We are aware they're here and at this point, we're keeping an eye on the situation," Furr said. "Unless they are committing violations of the law, they're just like any other citizen here in Front Royal."

Warren County native Irvin Cowgill, 47, is president of the Warren County Warlocks chapter and lives at the clubhouse, which sits on about 7 acres just a few miles north of Front Royal off U.S. 340-522.

"We've been here about 16 months," Cowgill said. "There's about 18 of us in this chapter."

Cowgill said the Warlocks are trying to put the past behind them and that none of the members of his chapter are engaged in criminal behavior.

"Well, there's no longevity in that, 2003 kind of proved that," Cowgill said. "I hope we've learned our lesson and we're trying to move on here. ... None of the people that were involved in any of the 2003 stuff are even here anymore that I know of."

Several pit bulls that appeared to be chained were outside of the clubhouse on Friday, but Cowgill said none of them bite. There was also a Confederate flag flying. Asked what the "1%" signs stand for, he replied, "Yeah, we're just living life on our own terms, you know. ... Our neighbors tell us this place looks better than it has looked in 10 years."

Cowgill said there are members of other international motorcycle clubs who live in Warren County, but the Warlocks do not have any existing rivalries with those clubs.

"We get along with everybody great," Cowgill said. "We kind of stick to ourselves. We all gotta go out of here and work and stuff. I'm unemployed right now, but I've been self-employed as a carpenter for many, many years.

"We've been here for a long time. Most of us are just old country boys that growed up here. We just enjoy the camaraderie of the brotherhood."

Club members must ride American-manufactured motorcycles, with the bike of choice being a Harley-Davidson.

"Yeah, of course there's initiation," Cowgill added, without elaborating. "You have to meet certain requirements to become a member."

While the Warlocks are often referred to as a "gang," Cowgill said that is not how they describe themselves.

"We don't use that word at all," he said. "It's a motorcycle club. We are trying to do some positive things. Each chapter, the town that they're in tries to pick some kind of charity to work with."

Cowgill said the Warlocks have supported the Evans Home in Winchester for many years and that the Warren County chapter hopes to raise $10,000 from a fundraiser0 for local education.

McEathron said that it was his understanding that the local Warlocks own the Hell Town Tattoo Co. at 121 W. 14th St. in Front Royal. When asked if the Warlocks own the tattoo parlor, Cowgill said, "No comment."

Convicted of a felony for possession of stolen goods when he was 18, Cowgill said he and other members of the local Warlocks chapter are trying to have a positive influence on the community.

"We more or less are trying to set an example," he said. "We put our pants on one leg at a time. We chose the motorcycle and the camaraderie. We have a lot of fun."

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