By BEN FREDERICKSON
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Attorney Stephen Stubbs says the Mongols are not a gang but a motorcyle club. Stubbs is the legal counsel for the group, which will converge on Boulder City next weekend for its annual meeting. John Locher/Las Vegas Review-Journal
Alan Stevens, owner of The Coffee Cup in Boulder City, welcomes the business the Mongols Motorcycle Club will bring. He has had motorcycles since he was a teenager.
Thomas Finn can't repeat what he said to himself when he opened the email.
"Probably something you couldn't put in print," the Boulder City chief of police joked.
The message, sent by a Boulder City attorney, informed Finn that the Mongols Motorcycle Club had picked his town for the site of its 2012 national meeting. Approximately 300 members of the controversial motorcycle group, joined by their families and friends, would be rolling into Finn's sleepy town of 15,000 next weekend . The event would last three days and include a private party at a local hotel.
"Needless to say, I'm not happy," Finn said last week . "We are a small town. Small-town atmosphere is what we pride ourselves on."
Since its creation during the construction of Hoover Dam, Boulder City has banned gambling and prostitution. It used to make visitors pour out alcohol at its border and still uses a quota system for businesses that keeps the city from growing too fast.
The town is a popular stopping point for motorcycle riders. But Boulder City never has experienced what's coming.
The prospect is sending ripples through a place that prides itself on peace and quiet. Meetings have been held, and guidelines have been agreed upon. Finn has bolstered his small police force with outside help, while those living in town are teetering between nervous excitement and concern.
CLUB OR GANG?
What the Mongols are depends on whom you ask.
Those in law enforcement say the Southern California-based group is an outlaw motorcycle gang that has engaged in criminal activity since the club was established in the 1970s.
"They are one of the most dangerous motorcycle gangs in the United States," says Tom Barker, a criminal justice and police studies professor at Eastern Kentucky University.
Barker, a retired police officer, teaches a class called "Biker Gangs" and is working on his second book about outlaw motorcycle groups. He says concerns about the Mongols coming to Boulder City are legitimate.
"Would Boulder City feel comfortable having the Latin Kings have their meeting there?" he asked, referring to the notorious street gang with roots in Chicago. "These guys are equivalent in their criminal activities."
The Mongols' criminal activities in Southern Nevada include a 2002 gun and knife fight at Harrah's casino in Laughlin, where more than 60 people participated in a brawl between the Mongols and the Hells Angels. Two members of the Hells Angels and one Mongol were dead when the fighting ended.
The two clubs fought again in December 2008, when 13 Hells Angels attacked three Mongols at a Las Vegas wedding chapel.
The same year, seven members of the Las Vegas chapter of Mongols were arrested in the culmination of a three-year federal investigation called "Operation Black Rain." The undercover sting, conducted by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives, ended in a racketeering indictment that charged 79 of the club's roughly 600 members with crimes including murder, assault, drug trafficking and robbery. Club leader Ruben "Doc" Cavazos received a 14-year sentence after pleading guilty to racketeering conspiracy.
In a news release given to the Review-Journal, the Mongols say they have cleaned up their act after voting Cavazos out two months before he was arrested.
"Cavazos led the club in a direction that disgusted the old school bikers and he was removed," the release said. "Proudly, Mongols MC's current leadership has brought the club back to its roots as highly disciplined, solid motorcycle brotherhood based on respect and camaraderie."
Barker thinks the club's assertion of a new direction is bogus. But Boulder City resident and tax attorney Stephen Stubbs believes the Mongols. Since October 2011, he has been the group's legal counsel in Nevada.
"They're not a gang. They're not a criminal organization," Stubbs said. "They are a motorcycle club."
He says the Mongols are continuing to suffer from a negative image that should have left along with Cavazos. He stressed that criminal acts are not encouraged or endorsed by the club. He also said no current Mongols members in the Las Vegas chapter have criminal records.
Because he represents the club and is close friends with some members, Stubbs agreed to be the middleman between the Mongols and Boulder City officials.
MEETING WITH THE MONGOLS
Three members of the Mongols, along with Stubbs, attended a May 24 meeting with Finn, members of his police force, hotel owners and the Boulder City town manager.
"It was really just a discussion about what their expectations and plans are," Finn said.
The Mongols have rented the 113 available rooms at the Boulder Inn and Suites in Boulder City. Stubbs said the location is ideal because it is large enough for the crowd of Mongols and their guests - a group that could include family, friends and other affiliate motorcycle clubs such as the Bandidos and the Vagos.
Finn said the Mongols explained the annual event as an informal, family reunion-type gathering.
According to Stubbs, the Mongols have agreed to park their bikes at their hotel upon arrival and walk the short distances to Boulder City's downtown shops and restaurants. If a restaurant or shop does not want the members wearing their leather vests, known as cuts, inside, Stubbs suggested they put a sign in the window that says, "No Colors."
Finn also said the Mongols told him they would police their own members to cut down on trouble.
Still, the chief of police has secured outside help. Several area police agencies will have officers in Boulder City while the Mongols are present. Assisting agencies include a "highly visible contingent" from Las Vegas police, according to officer Bill Cassell, and a "significant number" of police officers from North Las Vegas, according to Sgt. Tim Bedwell. Henderson police will also be present. Supervisory special agent Patrick Turner of the Las Vegas FBI said federal agents are prepared to assist local law enforcement .
These measures are not solely based on the Mongols. With so many members of one club in one place, law enforcement officials feel they must be ready to react to any disturbances from the Mongols' rival clubs, specifically the Hells Angels.
Finn confirmed he has heard reports of a Hells Angels meeting in Las Vegas that will be taking place during the Mongols' meeting. But the Mongols say that won't be an issue. The club's news release said there has never been an incident of violence at a national meeting. The same release said the Mongols and Hells Angels have an agreement not to interfere with the other group's private, national events.
"I expect them to avoid each other," Finn said. "But we will have lines in place if one group or the other decides they want to venture out of the area and confront the other group."
A TOWN REACTS
Alan Stevens calls his diner, The Coffee Cup, a biker-friendly place. The 61-year-old with tattoo-covered arms has had motorcycles since he was a teenager. Stevens said he has never had a problem with any club on the road or in his restaurant. The thought of hundreds of club members in town at one time gave him pause at first. But he says he is optimistic.
"Biker groups have just as much right to come gather as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts," he said.
Lee Bennett, owner of the Little City Grill, is looking forward to the income boost the bikers will bring. Construction on Boulder City's main downtown street, Nevada Way, has decreased the number of customers his restaurant has served this summer. He's hoping a few hundred hungry Mongols can change that.
"There's not going to be one business owner that is not going to appreciate the deposit on Monday morning," he said.
But one Boulder City resident believes the Mongols are more likely to cause more harm than good.
"The only thing they can bring to this town is trouble," Tina Cluver said. "I'm convinced something bad is going to happen. I hope I'm wrong. I hope they prove me wrong."
Two miles away from the antique shops and restaurants on Nevada Way, Ron and Lily Keller live in a house on a hill that overlooks Lake Mead. The husband and wife are retired. They have no business that will benefit from the Mongols' arrival, but they are happy to share the city they have lived in for 32 years as long as the Mongols respect the rules.
"It's up to the club to follow through with the recommendations the city has given," Lily Keller said.
"And I just feel they will," her husband added. "I will tell you this. I think it's an honor to come to Boulder City and put on an event, because it's a wonderful community. It is a friendly city and an organized city. Anybody that comes here has a sense of responsibility on how to act and behave."
WAITING FOR THE WEEKEND
It has been almost a month since Finn opened the email that let him know his peaceful city would soon host hundreds of Mongols. He's not thrilled, but the motorcycles are coming whether he likes it or not.
The first of the group is expected to show up Thursday. Most will arrive Friday. The weekend's main event, a private party with a band, will take place at the Boulder Inn and Suites on Saturday. The club and its friends will leave Sunday.
All the preparations have been made. Now the chief of police must wait for the Mongols while hoping for the best. There is a hint of optimism in Finn's voice.
"They don't want to be disrespected, and neither do we. As long as we are on the same page, I'm cautiously optimistic that this will be a problem-free event."
Review-Journal writer Brian Haynes contributed to this report. Contact Ben Frederickson at bfrederickson@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5512.
"Probably something you couldn't put in print," the Boulder City chief of police joked.
The message, sent by a Boulder City attorney, informed Finn that the Mongols Motorcycle Club had picked his town for the site of its 2012 national meeting. Approximately 300 members of the controversial motorcycle group, joined by their families and friends, would be rolling into Finn's sleepy town of 15,000 next weekend . The event would last three days and include a private party at a local hotel.
"Needless to say, I'm not happy," Finn said last week . "We are a small town. Small-town atmosphere is what we pride ourselves on."
Since its creation during the construction of Hoover Dam, Boulder City has banned gambling and prostitution. It used to make visitors pour out alcohol at its border and still uses a quota system for businesses that keeps the city from growing too fast.
The town is a popular stopping point for motorcycle riders. But Boulder City never has experienced what's coming.
The prospect is sending ripples through a place that prides itself on peace and quiet. Meetings have been held, and guidelines have been agreed upon. Finn has bolstered his small police force with outside help, while those living in town are teetering between nervous excitement and concern.
CLUB OR GANG?
What the Mongols are depends on whom you ask.
Those in law enforcement say the Southern California-based group is an outlaw motorcycle gang that has engaged in criminal activity since the club was established in the 1970s.
"They are one of the most dangerous motorcycle gangs in the United States," says Tom Barker, a criminal justice and police studies professor at Eastern Kentucky University.
Barker, a retired police officer, teaches a class called "Biker Gangs" and is working on his second book about outlaw motorcycle groups. He says concerns about the Mongols coming to Boulder City are legitimate.
"Would Boulder City feel comfortable having the Latin Kings have their meeting there?" he asked, referring to the notorious street gang with roots in Chicago. "These guys are equivalent in their criminal activities."
The Mongols' criminal activities in Southern Nevada include a 2002 gun and knife fight at Harrah's casino in Laughlin, where more than 60 people participated in a brawl between the Mongols and the Hells Angels. Two members of the Hells Angels and one Mongol were dead when the fighting ended.
The two clubs fought again in December 2008, when 13 Hells Angels attacked three Mongols at a Las Vegas wedding chapel.
The same year, seven members of the Las Vegas chapter of Mongols were arrested in the culmination of a three-year federal investigation called "Operation Black Rain." The undercover sting, conducted by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives, ended in a racketeering indictment that charged 79 of the club's roughly 600 members with crimes including murder, assault, drug trafficking and robbery. Club leader Ruben "Doc" Cavazos received a 14-year sentence after pleading guilty to racketeering conspiracy.
In a news release given to the Review-Journal, the Mongols say they have cleaned up their act after voting Cavazos out two months before he was arrested.
"Cavazos led the club in a direction that disgusted the old school bikers and he was removed," the release said. "Proudly, Mongols MC's current leadership has brought the club back to its roots as highly disciplined, solid motorcycle brotherhood based on respect and camaraderie."
Barker thinks the club's assertion of a new direction is bogus. But Boulder City resident and tax attorney Stephen Stubbs believes the Mongols. Since October 2011, he has been the group's legal counsel in Nevada.
"They're not a gang. They're not a criminal organization," Stubbs said. "They are a motorcycle club."
He says the Mongols are continuing to suffer from a negative image that should have left along with Cavazos. He stressed that criminal acts are not encouraged or endorsed by the club. He also said no current Mongols members in the Las Vegas chapter have criminal records.
Because he represents the club and is close friends with some members, Stubbs agreed to be the middleman between the Mongols and Boulder City officials.
MEETING WITH THE MONGOLS
Three members of the Mongols, along with Stubbs, attended a May 24 meeting with Finn, members of his police force, hotel owners and the Boulder City town manager.
"It was really just a discussion about what their expectations and plans are," Finn said.
The Mongols have rented the 113 available rooms at the Boulder Inn and Suites in Boulder City. Stubbs said the location is ideal because it is large enough for the crowd of Mongols and their guests - a group that could include family, friends and other affiliate motorcycle clubs such as the Bandidos and the Vagos.
Finn said the Mongols explained the annual event as an informal, family reunion-type gathering.
According to Stubbs, the Mongols have agreed to park their bikes at their hotel upon arrival and walk the short distances to Boulder City's downtown shops and restaurants. If a restaurant or shop does not want the members wearing their leather vests, known as cuts, inside, Stubbs suggested they put a sign in the window that says, "No Colors."
Finn also said the Mongols told him they would police their own members to cut down on trouble.
Still, the chief of police has secured outside help. Several area police agencies will have officers in Boulder City while the Mongols are present. Assisting agencies include a "highly visible contingent" from Las Vegas police, according to officer Bill Cassell, and a "significant number" of police officers from North Las Vegas, according to Sgt. Tim Bedwell. Henderson police will also be present. Supervisory special agent Patrick Turner of the Las Vegas FBI said federal agents are prepared to assist local law enforcement .
These measures are not solely based on the Mongols. With so many members of one club in one place, law enforcement officials feel they must be ready to react to any disturbances from the Mongols' rival clubs, specifically the Hells Angels.
Finn confirmed he has heard reports of a Hells Angels meeting in Las Vegas that will be taking place during the Mongols' meeting. But the Mongols say that won't be an issue. The club's news release said there has never been an incident of violence at a national meeting. The same release said the Mongols and Hells Angels have an agreement not to interfere with the other group's private, national events.
"I expect them to avoid each other," Finn said. "But we will have lines in place if one group or the other decides they want to venture out of the area and confront the other group."
A TOWN REACTS
Alan Stevens calls his diner, The Coffee Cup, a biker-friendly place. The 61-year-old with tattoo-covered arms has had motorcycles since he was a teenager. Stevens said he has never had a problem with any club on the road or in his restaurant. The thought of hundreds of club members in town at one time gave him pause at first. But he says he is optimistic.
"Biker groups have just as much right to come gather as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts," he said.
Lee Bennett, owner of the Little City Grill, is looking forward to the income boost the bikers will bring. Construction on Boulder City's main downtown street, Nevada Way, has decreased the number of customers his restaurant has served this summer. He's hoping a few hundred hungry Mongols can change that.
"There's not going to be one business owner that is not going to appreciate the deposit on Monday morning," he said.
But one Boulder City resident believes the Mongols are more likely to cause more harm than good.
"The only thing they can bring to this town is trouble," Tina Cluver said. "I'm convinced something bad is going to happen. I hope I'm wrong. I hope they prove me wrong."
Two miles away from the antique shops and restaurants on Nevada Way, Ron and Lily Keller live in a house on a hill that overlooks Lake Mead. The husband and wife are retired. They have no business that will benefit from the Mongols' arrival, but they are happy to share the city they have lived in for 32 years as long as the Mongols respect the rules.
"It's up to the club to follow through with the recommendations the city has given," Lily Keller said.
"And I just feel they will," her husband added. "I will tell you this. I think it's an honor to come to Boulder City and put on an event, because it's a wonderful community. It is a friendly city and an organized city. Anybody that comes here has a sense of responsibility on how to act and behave."
WAITING FOR THE WEEKEND
It has been almost a month since Finn opened the email that let him know his peaceful city would soon host hundreds of Mongols. He's not thrilled, but the motorcycles are coming whether he likes it or not.
The first of the group is expected to show up Thursday. Most will arrive Friday. The weekend's main event, a private party with a band, will take place at the Boulder Inn and Suites on Saturday. The club and its friends will leave Sunday.
All the preparations have been made. Now the chief of police must wait for the Mongols while hoping for the best. There is a hint of optimism in Finn's voice.
"They don't want to be disrespected, and neither do we. As long as we are on the same page, I'm cautiously optimistic that this will be a problem-free event."
Review-Journal writer Brian Haynes contributed to this report. Contact Ben Frederickson at bfrederickson@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5512.
