The Clarksville chapter of the Mongols Motorcycle Club, an infamous “outlaw” biker gang, has been dismantled following the sentencing of its members for a string of heinous crimes. James Hines, 47, the last of eighteen individuals associated with the chapter, received a 10-year and 10-month federal prison sentence, marking the culmination of a significant law enforcement operation. This case sheds light on the violent activities of the Mongols Biker Gang and their expansion into Tennessee.
The prosecution, led by U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis, underscored the extensive, multi-year effort to combat organized crime in Middle Tennessee. The Clarksville Mongols’ criminal enterprise included RICO conspiracy, murder, kidnapping, large-scale drug trafficking, and money laundering, terrorizing communities and highlighting the ruthless nature of outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Origins and Expansion of the Clarksville Mongols
The Clarksville Mongols emerged in early 2015 when individuals from another motorcycle club sought to establish a Mongols presence in Tennessee, a state where the gang previously had no formal territory. Demonstrating extreme loyalty and seeking favor from the established Mongols, these individuals engaged in violent acts to pave their way into the gang’s ranks. These initiation acts included a drive-by shooting and arson attacks on clubhouses belonging to the Sin City Motorcycle Club in both Clarksville and Nashville, Tennessee. Such brutal displays were intended to impress the Mongols leadership and secure their foothold in the region.
The self-proclaimed “outlaw” ethos of the Mongols biker gang, encapsulated in slogans like “Respect Few, Fear None” and “Live Mongol Die Mongol,” signifies their disregard for the law and societal norms. This violent ideology fueled their criminal activities and territorial ambitions. Members proudly display vests, patches, tattoos, and insignia to signify their allegiance to the Mongols biker gang, projecting an image of intimidation and defiance.
A Pattern of Racketeering and Violence
The newly formed Clarksville Mongols quickly established a pattern of racketeering activity spanning from 2015 to 2018. Driven by the goals of enriching the gang and controlling their newly claimed territory in Tennessee, they engaged in a wide array of violent crimes. This included murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, assaults, narcotics trafficking, robbery, extortion, money laundering, witness tampering, and various firearms offenses.
One of the earliest and most brutal acts committed by the Clarksville Mongols was the kidnapping and murder of Victim 1, a young mother, on May 22, 2015. Accused of theft and speaking negatively about the gang, she was abducted at gunpoint, taken to a secluded location near a cemetery, and brutally murdered with multiple gunshots. Her body was not recovered for fifteen months, highlighting the gang’s efforts to conceal their crimes and evade law enforcement.
To solidify their dominance in the motorcycle club scene and expand their illicit operations, the Clarksville Mongols engaged in large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering. They received substantial support from Mongols members in California, who supplied them with over 50 pounds of nearly pure methamphetamine, valued at approximately $1 million. This massive influx of narcotics fueled their criminal enterprise and spread its harmful reach into Tennessee and Kentucky communities.
The Heinous Murder of Victim 2
The violent trajectory of the Clarksville Mongols culminated in the kidnapping and murder of Victim 2, a former member of their own chapter. In the early hours of November 19, 2017, Victim 2 was abducted and subjected to hours of horrific torture at a member’s residence. Restrained with zip ties, he was viciously beaten and interrogated, suffering catastrophic injuries including fractured vertebrae, ribs, a broken eye socket, and severe head trauma. One gang member chillingly described the brutality, stating that Victim 2’s flesh was falling off his face due to the severity of the beating. Ultimately, Victim 2 was murdered with a tent stake driven through his head, and his body was buried in a remote field. It took almost a year to recover his remains, demonstrating the calculated cruelty and lengths to which the Mongols biker gang would go to eliminate perceived threats and maintain internal control.
Justice Served: Sentences for the Clarksville Mongols
The successful prosecution of the Clarksville Mongols resulted in significant prison sentences for all eighteen members and associates involved. The sentences reflect the severity of their crimes and the impact on their victims and communities:
- James Wesley Frazier, age 36: Life plus 30 years
- Aelix Santiago, age 35: 40 years
- Kyle Heade, age 37: 9 years
- Joel Aldridge, age 43: 25 years
- James Hines, age 47: 10 years and 10 months
- Michael Forrester, Jr., age 35: 17 ½ years
- Jamie Hern, age 44: 30 years
- Robert Humiston, age 31: 8 years and 4 months
- Michael Myers, age 40: 7 years
- Michael Levi West, age 41: 9 years
- Adrianna Miles, age 28: 7 years
- Derek Leighton Stanley, age 49: 18 ½ years
- William Boylston, age 33: Life plus 7 years
- Jason Meyerholz, age 49: Life plus 7 years
- Christopher Michael Wilson, age 41: 15 years
- Jessie Marie Decker, age 38: Time served
- Janie Lee, age 28: 6 years and 8 months
- Christian Dykes, age 35: Time served
The dismantling of the Clarksville Mongols chapter represents a significant victory for law enforcement and a message that such violent criminal enterprises will be pursued and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Agencies involved in the investigation included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Clarksville Police Department, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Kentucky State Police, showcasing the collaborative effort across federal, state, and local levels. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Risinger and Chris Suedekum, along with Trial Attorney Matthew Mattis, played crucial roles in prosecuting this complex and impactful case. The successful prosecution and sentencing of these individuals have undoubtedly made communities in Tennessee and Kentucky safer by removing a dangerous and violent Mongols biker gang chapter from the streets.
