17 Hells Angels members indicted in racist attack on three young black men in San Diego

More than a dozen members of the Hells Angels have been charged after allegedly attacking and harassing three young black men with racial epithets in San Diego.

Announcing “one of the largest violent crime prosecutions against Hells Angels,” San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said 17 people had been arrested for chasing and assaulting the men on June 6.

The attack took place on Newport Avenue in the Ocean Beach area of ​​San Diego and the victims – ages 19, 20 and 21 – were harassed, beaten and stabbed.

At a news conference, prosecutors announced charges ranging from accessory after the fact to attempted murder against the 17 defendants, ranging in age from 22 to 57.

“In San Diego County, we cannot and will not tolerate violence and racism of any kind, let alone crimes like this hateful, vicious and unprovoked attack,” Stephan said.

In a press release, Stephan said the three unnamed victims had been enjoying a night out on Newport Avenue when they were attacked “almost out of the blue.”

Prosecutors alleged that the harassment may have been “caused by one of them daring to talk to one of these members’ girlfriends.”

From there, the Hells Angels members and supporters chased the three men, shouting racial epithets and telling them they “didn’t belong in that neighborhood.”

One of the three men was able to escape without injury, but was still traumatized.

Another of the three victims was punched and kicked all over his body.

According to Stephan, ‘the beating only stopped after he was punched in the head and became unconscious.’

The third young black man was beaten by several motorcyclists and “left helpless, curled up on the ground,” according to a news release.

The attack ended when Hells Angels leader Troy Scholder, 43, allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the chest, breaking his sternum.

Then Scholder “casually folded his knife and walked away,” officials said.

The two men who were physically injured in the attack survived their injuries.

“The Hells Angels are known to exhibit despicable racism, especially against Black people, as evidenced by what happened in Ocean Beach earlier this summer,” Stephan said.

Stephan said prosecutors felt pressured to file charges against the Hells Angels members because the group has been causing fear in the community for years.

“There were many people on the streets and sidewalks that day, but none of them intervened because of the fear and terror that the Hells Angels sowed in our community,” she said.

Three months after the brutal attacks, several suspects appeared in court to face charges, including one who is a member of the U.S. Navy.

Mikael Everett Peters, 29, appeared in court Monday in a Navy uniform and pleaded not guilty to assault.

Also in court Monday was Scholder, who officials said shaved his head to avoid being caught by police.

He pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.

According to Stephan, he has been a member of Hells Angels since 2003 and faces 39 years to life behind bars if convicted. He has several previous convictions.

The full list of those charged is:

• Danny James Pinto, 23: Accessory afterward
• Haley Michelle Castellano, 22: Accessory afterward
• Billy Manuel Castellano, 57: Accessory after the fact
• Mikael Everett Peters, 29: Assault with means likely to cause serious bodily harm
• Matthew Shane Gungle, 37: Assault with means likely to cause serious bodily injury, evading officer with reckless driving, possession of lead cane/billy/blackjack/sandbag/sandclub/juice/slingshot
• Joshua Winter, 38 Assault with means likely to cause serious bodily harm
• Travis William Squire, 38: Assault with means likely to cause serious bodily injury
• Roberto Armando Ruiz, 32: Assault with means likely to cause serious bodily harm
• Tyson Mitchell Rhoads, 28: Assault with means likely to cause serious bodily harm
• William Patrick McDonnal, 39: Assault with means likely to cause serious bodily harm
• Gabriel Ricardo Luna de la Fuente, 45: Assault with means likely to cause serious bodily harm
• Adam George Houx, 38: Assault with means likely to cause serious bodily harm
• Jermie Johnathan Hocanson, 42: Assault with means likely to cause serious bodily harm
• Kyle Patrick Robert Donegan, 36: Assault with means likely to cause serious bodily harm
• Troy Andrew Scholder, 43: attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon
• Jacob Berghaus, 33: Assault with means likely to cause serious bodily harm
• Anderson Eneliko Alexander Jr., 39: Assault with means likely to cause serious bodily injury

The majority of suspects risk three to seventeen years behind bars.

Some defendants face variations on the Criminal Code section, including versions of the count relating to hate crimes, criminal street gang associations, etc.

As of Monday, three of the seventeen have been released.

During the investigation into the brutal attacks, law enforcement officers also executed search warrants, during which 42 illegal weapons were found.

Authorities said they used a combination of surveillance video, cellphone video and witness statements to make their case.

In total, police believe there are 25 Hells Angels members in San Diego.

The group has a hierarchy consisting of supporters, hang arounds, prospects and then fully patched members.

In a 2000 interview with BBCSonny Barger, a founding member of the Hells Angel, said, “The club as a whole is not racist, but we probably have enough racist members that not a single black man joins.”