Florida Biker Brawl Ends in Massive Mongols Gang Crackdown

VOLUSIA COUNTY, FL - A "Bike Week" brawl at a gas station in Florida has resulted in an "outlaw motorcycle gang" being rounded up and charged with aggravated rioting.

In a news release, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office (VCSO) said that 28 members of the Mongols Motorcycle Club were arrested on July 2nd, and three more are being sought for arrest, The Herald reported.

Aggravated rioting is a second-degree felony that can result in a 15-year prison sentence.

Investigators said the suspects are accused of participating in a March 8th brawl at a RaceTrac gas station in New Smyrna Beach that coincided with the 84th Annual Daytona Beach Bike Week in nearby Daytona Beach.

The 10-day event is billed as "one of the world's largest motorcycle events."

"According to witnesses, a large group of motorcyclists engaged in a fight in the parking lot, which eventually escalated into gunfire," New Smyrna Beach police said in a March 10th news release.

"Two victims sustained non-life threatening gunshot wounds and were treated at local hospitals."

The brawl involved a dispute between the Mongols and a rival gang called the Warlocks. Police said that many of the witnesses were "uncooperative" with investigators. Surveillance video from the gas station revealed that seven people were armed with guns and fired four shots, police said.

In addition to the arrests, search warrants were executed at the "Mongols Clubhouse in Edgewater, four homes in Volusia County, three homes in Brevard County, two homes in Miami-Dade, one home in Chesterfield County, VA, one home in Palm Beach County, and two homes in Polk County," VCSO said, according to FOX10. 

The searches were conducted with the help of FBI agents and law enforcement officers from departments across the Southeast, VCSO said. "This is just the beginning of the storm ... Please, do not think for a minute that the Mongols ... is just these great people riding around having fun," VSCO Mike Chitwood said.

"The Mongols are recognized nationally as a domestic terroristic gang involved in extortion, murder, violent crime, theft, burglary, drugs, and they're recognized internationally. So today, law enforcement takes back the streets," Chitwood said.

The Department of Justice classifies the Mongols as an "outlaw motorcycle gang" with members serving as "conduits for criminal enterprises," including cross-border drug smuggling. 

"The FBI has made a commitment to all Americans that we will crush violent crime across the country," Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley said. "I'm proud to share that the FBI is delivering our commitment to you here in Florida. Operation Mongolian Beef is just one example of how the FBI brings our full force of investigative capabilities to assist our law enforcement partners and protect our communities," he added.

"There is no doubt Volusia County and, in fact, the entire state of Florida is safer today with these violent offenders off the street."