El Forastero Motorcycle Club
 | |
| Founded | 1962 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Tom Fugle and Harlan "Tiny" Brower |
| Founded at | Sioux City, Iowa |
| Type | motorcycle club |
Region | Midwestern USA |
Membership | 100[1] |
Key people | David Mann |
| Website | elforasteromc |
El Forastero Motorcycle Club (EFMC) is a one-percenter motorcycle club[2] which was established after being turned down for a chapter by the Satan Slaves MC. The El Forasteros are well known for their criminal activities, and are considered by law enforcement to be among the many second-tier, after the "Big Four" , outlaw motorcycle clubs.[3][4]
Its early members included the renowned biker artist Dave Mann. The name of the club means "the outsider" in Spanish.[5]
The club was founded in 1962[6][7] by Tom Fugle and Harlan "Tiny" Brower [8] has chapters in Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, and Missouri [9] and close links to the Galloping Goose MC.[10]
Some of the club members have been found guilty for the crimes motorcycle theft [11] and for transporting and distributing methamphetamine after members testified the club members pooled money to buy narcotics for consumption at their organized events.[12][13][14][15]
El Forastero member William Eneff received a sentence of seven years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to the US Department of Justice, Eneff, "admitted that members of El Forastero and the affiliated Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club were required to annually pay dues and attend a certain number of motorcycle trips, known as runs, each year. On each run, the members were required to pay money that was pooled, or collected by each club charter, then forwarded to the specific Galloping Goose or El Forastero charter that hosted the particular motorcycle run in order to purchase methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana. Those drugs were maintained in run bags, which were distributed to all club members who attended the run."[15]
An editorial by Mark Sheehan in the St. Joseph News-Press expressed wonderment at the advanced age of the "dangerous motorcycle gang", the El Forasteros, noting that among one group indicted on methamphetamine charges in 2006, "the ages of these rebels on wheels range from 51 to 60". Indicted El Forastero Larry D. "Eight Ball" Williams was at age 60 a "card-carrying member of AARP." Sheehan said, "My deepest concern is that we are stuck in a psychological rut. We are determined to live in the 1960s when motorcycle gangs were cool."[16]
References
[edit]- ^ Bryan Noonan (June 30, 2005), "Live Free & Die", Kansas City Pitch, archived from the original on October 6, 2012
- ^ "The Pitch News Kansas City". Archived from the original on 2015-06-12. Retrieved 2011-10-13.
- ^ Martin, Jeff (October 8, 2011). "Ganging up on motorcycle gangs". The Examiner (Missouri). Archived from the original on November 10, 2011.
- ^ Mallory, Stephen (2007), Understanding Organized Crime, Jones & Bartlett Learning, p. 160, ISBN 978-0-7637-4108-2
- ^ The One Percenter Encyclopedia: The World of Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs from Abyss Ghosts to Zombies Elite. Bill Hayes. MotorBooks International, 15 Dec 2011
- ^ KC Outlaw Bikers Archived September 27, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ David Mann Eulogy
- ^ Throttler Magazine Archived May 6, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Biker News Archived April 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ The Assimilation: Rock Machine Become Bandidos - Bikers United Against the Hells Angels. Edward Winterhalder, Wil De Clercq. ECW Press, 1 Jun 2008
- ^ Chanen, David (April 9, 1998), "9 arrested in alleged motorcycle theft ring; An estimated $785, 000 worth of stolen Harley-Davidson motorcycles and parts were recovered during a half-year investigation.", Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN: Star Tribune Co.,
The Hennepin County Sheriff's Department showed off an estimated $785,000 worth of stolen Harley-Davidson motorcycles and parts Wednesday that were recovered during an investigation started in September. The items were confiscated during a one-day search in February of nearly a dozen houses and storage facilities in Minneapolis, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal and New Hope. Nine men and women from the Twin Cities, including four alleged members of the Hell's Angels and El Forasteros motorcycle clubs, were arrested on probable cause for narcotics and receiving and concealing stolen goods, but none has been charged in connection with the investigation.
- ^ Channen, David (April 9, 1998), "19 MOTORCYCLES, PARTS RECOVERED (AND HIDDEN) BY SHERIFF//HARLEY HOGS MOST ENTICING FOR THIEVES", St. Paul Pioneer Press, MN, p. 3D METRO
- ^ Rizzo, Tony (October 7, 2006), "Biker gang linked to meth ring: Six members or associates of El Forastero are charged with trafficking", The Kansas City Star, Kansas City, MO,
Seever said that other members of El Forastero -- which loosely means 'the outlaw' -- have been prosecuted for drugs, theft and money laundering. In a 1984 interview with The Kansas City Times, Sheaffer described himself as a "senior board member" of the club, which was founded in 1962. At the time he denied the group was involved in criminal activity.
- ^ Noonan, Bryan (June 30, 2005), "Live Free & Die. After Kansas City's first generation of outlaw bikers rides off into the sunset, who will replace them?", The Pitch, Kansas City, MO: Village Voice Media, archived from the original on January 3, 2011,
Later, though, Shifty would spend seven and a half years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. ('Actually, I was transporting it,' he says.)
- ^ a b Motorcycle Club Member Sentenced For Meth Conspiracy, US Department of Justice, December 21, 2009, archived from the original on May 29, 2011
- ^ "Mark Sheehan column: Danger: Psychological rut ahead", St. Joseph News-Press (General OneFile), St. Joseph, Missouri, November 12, 2006