Link.....http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bikers7-2008aug07,0,2962846.story
Authorities early this morning arrested nine members of the motorcycle gangs the Set Free Soldiers and the Hells Angels in connection with a brawl and stabbing at a Newport Beach bar last week, police said.
The arrests were made during raids in Anaheim, Rancho Santa Margarita, Costa Mesa, Norco and San Diego County, said Anaheim Police Sgt. Tim Schmidt. Two people are still being sought on arrest warrants.
Six members of Set Free Soldiers, a Christian motorcycle gang, have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and are being held on $1-million bail each, said Sgt. Evan Sailor of the Newport Beach Police Department.
Three members of the Hells Angels are also in custody, including John Phillip Lloyd, a 41-year-old Costa Mesa man charged with assault with a deadly weapon. (Earlier Anaheim police incorrectly said all those arrested were members of the Set Free Soldiers.)
The arrests were in response to a 15-person brawl at the Newport Beach bar Blackie's by the Sea, where on July 27 members of the Set Free Soldiers allegedly stabbed two Hells Angels members. During the brawl the Hells Angels also allegedly struck one of the Set Free Soldiers in the head with a pool ball.
The operation, which included SWAT teams and federal drug enforcement agents, began at about 5 a.m. today, Schmidt said. No injuries were reported.
Among those taken into custody was Phil Aguilar, 60, the leader of Set Free Soldiers. Police said Aguilar owns several houses in the 300 block of South Archer Street in Anaheim, where authorities raided at least four homes.
Neighbors said they were awakened by the noise and commotion of the raid, which included helicopters, police dogs, loudspeakers and what sounded like small explosions.
Rose Lambie, 65, who lives three houses down from one of the homes targeted, said the raid was not surprising because the gang had "taken over the neighborhood in a lot of ways."
She said gang members had bought several houses on the street and had a history of intimidating neighbors. Visits from the police have been common, she said, and motorcycles and cars with black "Soldiers" decals often line the street of single-family homes.
Lambie said Aguilar is well known in the neighborhood.
"He's tried to pull himself off as being a Christian group, but it's not," she said.
Lambie said she and other neighbors had met with one another and with police to raise concerns about the gang's behavior.
Aguilar's MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/setfreephil) says he is a resident of Anaheim who is also known as the pastor or "the Chief" of the group. Next to his photo is the statement: "Sinner or Saint you be the judge!"
Authorities said the gang has a religious ministry that recruits people discharged from parole, state prison and county jail and has an outreach program for convicted felons.
"It just seems they have a lot of people that have run into law enforcement and the court system," Schmidt said.
On its website, Set Free Soldiers describes itself as "a group of men who love Jesus and love to ride hard. We are not your normal motorcycle club. Some say we are too good for the bad guys, and too bad for the good guys.
"We don't argue that," the statement says. "All we Soldiers know is that we take care of our own and help plenty of others along the way. We try to live right in this wrong world and let our light shine wherever we may go."
In addition to videos of the group in action, including some showing members in fistfights with other people, the site offers apparel for sale. A onesie for babies with the words "Soldier Made" written on the front in faux alphabet blocks sells for $30.
The address given for those wishing to buy items is located in the same Anaheim block raided this morning by authorities.
Times staff writer Francisco Vara-Orta contributed to this report.
Authorities early this morning arrested nine members of the motorcycle gangs the Set Free Soldiers and the Hells Angels in connection with a brawl and stabbing at a Newport Beach bar last week, police said.
The arrests were made during raids in Anaheim, Rancho Santa Margarita, Costa Mesa, Norco and San Diego County, said Anaheim Police Sgt. Tim Schmidt. Two people are still being sought on arrest warrants.
Six members of Set Free Soldiers, a Christian motorcycle gang, have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and are being held on $1-million bail each, said Sgt. Evan Sailor of the Newport Beach Police Department.
Three members of the Hells Angels are also in custody, including John Phillip Lloyd, a 41-year-old Costa Mesa man charged with assault with a deadly weapon. (Earlier Anaheim police incorrectly said all those arrested were members of the Set Free Soldiers.)
The arrests were in response to a 15-person brawl at the Newport Beach bar Blackie's by the Sea, where on July 27 members of the Set Free Soldiers allegedly stabbed two Hells Angels members. During the brawl the Hells Angels also allegedly struck one of the Set Free Soldiers in the head with a pool ball.
The operation, which included SWAT teams and federal drug enforcement agents, began at about 5 a.m. today, Schmidt said. No injuries were reported.
Among those taken into custody was Phil Aguilar, 60, the leader of Set Free Soldiers. Police said Aguilar owns several houses in the 300 block of South Archer Street in Anaheim, where authorities raided at least four homes.
Neighbors said they were awakened by the noise and commotion of the raid, which included helicopters, police dogs, loudspeakers and what sounded like small explosions.
Rose Lambie, 65, who lives three houses down from one of the homes targeted, said the raid was not surprising because the gang had "taken over the neighborhood in a lot of ways."
She said gang members had bought several houses on the street and had a history of intimidating neighbors. Visits from the police have been common, she said, and motorcycles and cars with black "Soldiers" decals often line the street of single-family homes.
Lambie said Aguilar is well known in the neighborhood.
"He's tried to pull himself off as being a Christian group, but it's not," she said.
Lambie said she and other neighbors had met with one another and with police to raise concerns about the gang's behavior.
Aguilar's MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/setfreephil) says he is a resident of Anaheim who is also known as the pastor or "the Chief" of the group. Next to his photo is the statement: "Sinner or Saint you be the judge!"
Authorities said the gang has a religious ministry that recruits people discharged from parole, state prison and county jail and has an outreach program for convicted felons.
"It just seems they have a lot of people that have run into law enforcement and the court system," Schmidt said.
On its website, Set Free Soldiers describes itself as "a group of men who love Jesus and love to ride hard. We are not your normal motorcycle club. Some say we are too good for the bad guys, and too bad for the good guys.
"We don't argue that," the statement says. "All we Soldiers know is that we take care of our own and help plenty of others along the way. We try to live right in this wrong world and let our light shine wherever we may go."
In addition to videos of the group in action, including some showing members in fistfights with other people, the site offers apparel for sale. A onesie for babies with the words "Soldier Made" written on the front in faux alphabet blocks sells for $30.
The address given for those wishing to buy items is located in the same Anaheim block raided this morning by authorities.
Times staff writer Francisco Vara-Orta contributed to this report.
