North Dakota has historically been territory claimed by the Sons of Silence, police say. [13] Members pledge oaths of loyalty and secrecy. Determining a cause of death was difficult because of decomposition — Engst’s body had been submerged in water for almost four months. Sons of Silence Motorcycle Club (SOSMC) is a one-percenter motorcycle club that was founded in Niwot, Colorado in the United States in 1966. [27][22] Among those arrested were the club's national president Leonard Reed and vice-president Steven Kressin. Sons Of Silence Eastern Iowa. [49], Milton Charles "Barbwire" Wilson, the president of the Sons of Silence's Kansas City chapter, was charged in May 2014 with transporting a minor across state lines for prostitution, along with Kayla "Foxy" Pinkerton. Dr. Mark Koponen, who performed Engst’s autopsy in Grand Forks, said strangulation and other injuries from the shovel likely did not cause Engst’s death. The victim of the abduction had stolen approximately $5,000 in currency from Mannebach, who was sentenced to life in prison on April 8, 2013. Jamestown, Faith. It was founded in the end of 1966 in Nivot in the US State Colorado. Sons Of Silence M.C. Johnson told investigators that Herman said the Sons of Silence threatened to kill their family, that Engst knew too much and the only reason Johnson was alive was because they were married and they couldn’t be forced to testify against each other, according to testimony. [41] He was paroled in 2012. Sturges' girlfriend, Lynda C. Massingale Rice, was stabbed to death on December 31, 1980. We have some Hell's Angels who live here," says Lt. Shannon Ruziska with the Fargo Police Department. Grand Junction Co Chapter. Norman was sentenced to twenty-nine years' imprisonment, Cuervo was sentenced to twenty-two years' and Schoenauer was sentenced to seventeen years'. PLEASE SIGN GUESTBOOK contact us direct info@sonsofsilence.com ND murder suspect was 'enforcer' for Sons of Silence motorcycle gang, FBI says ... NORTH DAKOTA. Members have been implicated in numerous criminal activities, including murder, assault, drug trafficking, intimidation, extortion, prostitution operations, money laundering, weapons trafficking, and motorcycle and motorcyc… Oct 18th 2019 - 3pm Public Figure. The Sons of Silence's logo – an American eagle superimposed over the letter "A" – is similar to, and taken from, the Anheuser-Busch logo. [15] The Sons of Silence are allied with the Hells Angels[9] and Iron Horsemen,[18] and are rivals of the Outlaws. [6] Also a navy veteran who served from 1965 until 1969, Reed succeeded Richardson as the Sons of Silence's national president in 1977 and held the position for twenty-two years. In January 2016, Stevenson went to police to report Engst, but some told her only the husband could file a report or they couldn’t take it because she didn’t live in the area. Outlaw motorcycle gangs in North Dakota are not only a result of the oil boom. Billy Joe Herman, 40, has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in April, and prosecutors will seek life in prison without parole. Interviews in the weeks after insinuate Herman tried to blame Engst’s death on Johnson, testimony revealed. Investigators indicated Herman was going to meet Sons of Silence members at the house. Testimony from investigators claimed Herman was an “enforcer” for the Sons of Silence, a motorcycle club that the U.S. Department of Justice has deemed an outlaw motorcycle gang. After beating Engst with a shovel, he dumped her tarp-wrapped body, which was tied to cinder blocks, into the Sheyenne River. Egnst warned her mother not to text or call her, saying someone might have her phone and be watching who she is contacting, Stevenson said. 58401, Court proceedings, marriage licenses for Feb. 6, 2021, Weather causes cancelation of United Way tournament, SD cattleman pleads not guilty on bounced check charge in ND, With beets still in the ground, Farmers pack in churches to pray for better harvest conditions, No injuries reported after south Fargo semi rollover, Six months later, Jamestown parents say son's murder was staged to look like a suicide, Kyle Rittenhouse, teenager charged in Wisconsin shootings, to face judge for alleged bond violations, Attorney: Dakota Access protester jailed after refusing to comply with grand jury investigation. [46][47] Two others, Pelayo Jose "Tattoo Joe" Cuervo and William John Furlong, were also later apprehended. Sons of Silence MC Fort Collins, Colorado. ... ND murder suspect was 'enforcer' for Sons of Silence motorcycle gang, FBI says [14] Membership of the club has been estimated at between 250[15] and 500. Contact a Confederated ND M/C In Your Area ATTENTION: The COC of North Dakota is not in the business of starting or validating "New MCs".If you are interested in starting a new MC you should contact your local MC and they can give you insight into the proper procedures. Kansas page coming soon! Sons of Silence Eastern North Dakota. Sons of Silence Suggested Articles. The Sons of Silence are designated an outlaw motorcycle gang by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and at one point were considered one of the "big five" motorcycle gangs along with the Bandidos, Hells Angels, Outlaws and Pagans. Personal Blog. Biker News Sons of Silence in North Dakota and FBI Allegation against the motorcycle club. The first chapter outside of Colorado was the Iowa chapter which was founded in 1968. Twelve were immediately arrested and eventually pleaded guilty or were convicted. Sons of Silence Eastern North Dakota. Oct 18th 2019 - 6am The brawl involved a total of twenty-two participants and was the result of a power struggle between the Sons of Silence and two other motorcycle clubs, the Dead Men and a group known as Philtown. Another motorcycle club in recent years joined the Hells Angels, which Sons of Silence members may have seen as a challenge, authorities say. [5] Another influential figure in the club's history is Leonard Lloyd "JR" Reed, Jr. (September 12, 1947 – June 20, 2003). Firearms, knives and bats were used, and injuries were reported. On October 9, 1999, thirty-seven Sons of Silence members were arrested on drug trafficking and illegal weapons charges after one of Colorado's largest federal undercover operations. The investigation began in 1997 and involved two undercover agents infiltrating the club. ND Public Figure. Slider Fan … Sons Of Silence MC Western Colorado. Nash Wollan is charged with aggravated assault, terrorizing and … [9] There are now American chapters in Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. [7] In the 1990s, Reed and Richard Lester, an attorney and motorcyclist, formed the Colorado Confederation of Clubs, which improved communication between motorcycle clubs and provided a means to avoid conflict. Members have been implicated in numerous criminal activities, including murder, assault, drug trafficking, intimidation, extortion, prostitution operations, money laundering, weapons trafficking, and motorcycle and motorcycle parts theft. North Dakota has historically been territory claimed by the Sons of Silence, police say. The convictions followed an FBI investigation into the Colorado Sons of Silence which commenced in September 1981 and was aided by FBI informant Beth Fisher, the divorced wife of club member Robert Fisher. [43], Fourteen members or former members were indicted in Cedar Rapids in November 1994, charged with racketeering, money laundering, conspiracy and committing violence in aid of racketeering. Private Members Club. Sons of Silence members must be at least twenty-one years old and own a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Baylis claimed that Klein had shot him with a pellet gun earlier that day and that he had gone to the bar to detain him until police had arrived. Herman at times shook his head, especially during testimony about his alleged connection to the Sons of Silence. Glade and Jeske are allegedly former club members who were expelled. Product/Service. Testimony from investigators claimed Herman was an “enforcer” for the Sons of Silence, a motorcycle club that the U.S. Department of Justice has deemed an outlaw motorcycle gang. In 1984 he was convicted and sentenced to 6 years in prison for his involvement in the abduction of a Doctor to was believed to owe money to his wife. [29], The Sons of Silence's push into Indianapolis in the 1970s was spearheaded by Michael "Righteous Mike" Ramsey, a former Outlaws member who went on to serve as the Sons of Silence's national president. The oldest active chapter is the Denver Chapter and the oldest chapter outside of Colorado was founded 1968 in Iowa. [44] David Fairchild, who was one of the twelve convicted in 1995 and who received a twenty-five year prison sentence, began to cooperate with the government after his conviction and testified against Cedar Falls/Waterloo chapter de facto leader and national vice-president Gruber, who was sentenced to life in prison. After being released, Gruber was one of a number of club members convicted on a 1994 federal racketeering charge. North Dakota reports 2 deaths, small rise in active cases as Gov. Johnson told investigators that Herman said the Sons of Silence threatened to kill their family, ... NORTH DAKOTA. "The Sons of Silence do - they claim North Dakota as their state. Nonprofit Organization. Investigators indicated Herman was going to meet Sons of Silence members at the house. [24] Baylis would later be sentenced to three years in prison on federal weapons charges, and was killed in a shootout with Bureau of Land Management (BLM) officers in May 2018. Grand Junction Co Chapter. Williston, North Dakota, USA (April 26, 2019) BTN — Two members of the Sons of Silence Motorcycle Club are accused of conspiring to commit an assault in late March. [37], Sons of Silence members had a conflict with members of the Iron Order Motorcycle Club in a business parking lot in Crawfordsville on April 27, 2014. Shipley was convicted in April 1995 of distribution and possession of methamphetamine, possession of a grenade simulator and being a special offender for having both a deadly weapon and illegal drugs,[26] and he was later sentenced to twenty-four years in prison.[22]. Her body was found Feb. 4, 2016. The messages to Stevenson stopped after October, even after she wished her daughter a Merry Christmas. [51], In August 1984, Sons of Silence founder Bruce "The Dude" Richardson was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to hiring Robert Leslie Konitski to organize the May 1984 abduction of Dr. Michael Roark from a Buffalo hotel. Sons Of Silence M.C. [20], Six members of the Sons of Silence – Jack E. Houser, Jr., James Dean "Jimmy" Jahnke, Jerald W. Richardson, Larry Lee Richardson, Dennis Raymond Swingler and Ralph W. Vicory – were convicted of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine after Houser, Jahnke, Swingler and Vicory were arrested on I-80 in Wyoming while transporting thirty-six pounds of the drug as well as a mobile drug lab obtained from Cecelia Martinez – wife of the imprisoned Barhoppers Motorcycle Club president Glen Gary – in Modesto, California on January 23, 1983 to Denver. Mississippi page coming soon! Herman would at times get upset with Engst, according to testimony. In 2001, more German chapters were founded in Freising, Gangkofen and Nurnberg. [8], The first chapter outside Colorado was the Iowa chapter which was founded in 1968, and an alliance with the Hells Angels enabled the Sons of Silence to further expand. [23] Baylis, who was armed with an AK-47 assault rifle and four hand grenades, only stopped his shooting spree after he was shot and wounded by a police officer. Sons Of Silence M.C. Engst’s mother, Denise Stevenson, said she and her daughter would contact each other multiple times a day before September 2015. In September 2015, Wilson was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment and Pinkerton was sentenced to sixteen months'. Both plead guilty to the crime on April 1, 2015. Best Radio 1 sons of silence mc [4] The Sons of Silence's national headquarters were later moved to Colorado Springs. The Sons of Silence Motorcycle Club (SOSMC) is a "one-percenters" motorcycle gang that was founded in Niwot, Colorado in the United States in 1966. Sons of Silence [16], The Sons of Silence are designated an outlaw motorcycle gang by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and at one point were considered one of the "big five" motorcycle gangs along with the Bandidos, Hells Angels, Outlaws and Pagans. Solid Brotherhood MC Central Minnesota. Stevenson last saw Egnst in early October 2015, when Engst came home to fix her car. Personal Blog [36] Twelve people were convicted for participating in a methamphetamine ring that operated from approximately May 2010 until the arrests of most of the members of the organization on August 6, 2011. [50] Wilson transported Pinkerton and the victim to various locations in Missouri and Kansas in December 2013. [60] The trio received suspended prison sentences in October 2017. Susan Schwab said Johnson contacted her in December 2015, asking about immunity and saying Herman possibly killed someone. [19], Sons of Silence member Brian Karl Young was convicted of criminally negligent homicide in the death of a sixteen-year-old girl who was killed when Young accidentally discharged a .22 caliber Ruger rifle that he had been making alterations to at the Sons of Silence clubhouse in Commerce City on October 3, 1982. There are now American chapters in Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississipi, North Dakota and Wyoming. Her body was found on February 4, 2016. As a prisoner at FCI Greenville in Illinois in August 1996, Gruber was charged with the shotgun murder of Penny Jean Sternquist Weitzel, who was killed in Boone on November 30, 1984. But he said drowning could be a possibility for cause of death. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) raided a number of homes and properties in Colorado Springs, Commerce City and Fort Collins, and seized twenty pounds of methamphetamine, thirty-five guns, four hand grenades, two suppressors, cash and motorcycles. Johnson divorced Herman in 2018. Some of the Sons of Silence members arrested were involved in an alleged conspiracy to kill police and kidnap the children of police officers earlier that year. Personal Blog. Bar patron Steven Fairfax was also killed and five others were wounded. Suggested Articles. As well as Stranahan, three others are sentenced in connection with the abduction, Michael Rattley, Robert Jordan and Ariel Falcon. That’s when Engst came home for a funeral and said she couldn’t tell her what was going on, Stevenson said. [2], The Sons of Silence Motorcycle Club was founded in Niwot, Colorado in 1966 by Bruce Gale "The Dude" Richardson (August 22, 1939 – March 26, 2013)[3] who was living in Longmont, Colorado after serving in the U.S. Navy from July 1958 to February 1960. When they entered the house, Herman said Johnson was “dead” and Engst was “deader,” investigators said in court. Sons of Silence Eastern North Dakota. Testimony will continue at 10 a.m. Monday, and sentencing should be held after that. [52], The Sons of Silence are alleged to have ordered the murder of Williston rancher Jack Sjol who went missing in April 2013 and whose body was found in rural Williams County the following month. Bent River Crew MC - Mankato, MN. The club's motto is "donec mors non separat ", Latin for "until death separates us". It doesn’t appear Herman was a member of the gang, but he did “dirty work” for the group, an FBI agent said. It was claimed that Roark owed Richardson's wife, Patricia Stranahan, approximately $260,000 after a failed business venture and that the abduction was an attempt to retrieve some of this money after court proceedings to recover the funds had failed. [34][35], On February 24, 1991, a large group of Outlaws were attacked by several members of the Sons of Silence at a motorcycle swap meet at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. [33] On November 15, 1981, Outlaws member John "Big Jack" Slater was left paralyzed after being shot with a .38 caliber pistol by Sons of Silence member Eric "Doc" Lewandowski outside the Sons' clubhouse. Oct 18th 2019 - 6am With beets still in the ground, Farmers pack in churches to pray for better harvest conditions. Sons of Silence president Leonard Ray Shipley was arrested by Colorado Springs police following an undercover operation in August 1993. Not a Business. [13] Bruce Birk Eastman was killed with a shotgun as he answered the door of the Sons of Silence Indianapolis clubhouse on 30 May 1984. Prosecutors said Herman strangled Engst, put her in the trunk of her car with the help of his then wife, now known as Crystal Johnson, drove to a bridge, beat Engst with a shovel and then dumped her tarp-wrapped body, which was tied to cinder blocks, into the Sheyenne River. [58], While travelling to an annual motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota on August 5, 1997, seven Sons of Silence and Iron Horsemen members were stopped by South Dakota Highway Patrol troopers as they travelled north on I-29 after police received reports of a group of motorcyclists running a car off the road. [53] Ryan Lee Stensaker was convicted of Sjol's murder on December 17, 2014 and was sentenced to life in prison. [56], A fire at a home in Fargo on October 31, 2019 was connected to a feud between the Sons of Silence and Hells Angels, according to law enforcement. The conflict lasted until the early 1980s and resulted in a number of murders, including those of two girlfriends of Sons of Silence members. Celtic Cuts. [38], Sons of Silence enforcer Ronald Merrill "Bad Ron" Gruber was sentenced to thirty-five years in prison for rape and assault in Black Hawk County in October 1977. Twelve guns and numerous knives were seized by police. Shots were fired, three people were wounded, and two Sons of Silence members were arrested. Private Members Club. North Dakota murder suspect was 'enforcer' for Sons of Silence motorcycle gang, FBI says FARGO — Sentencing for a Warwick, N.D., man who admitted to killing a woman four years ago on the Spirit Lake Nation has been delayed, but testimony presented Friday, Oct. 18, revealed possible motives and the defendant's link to what has been dubbed an outlaw motorcycle gang. Evidence shows death of rancher was allegedly a hit ordered by motorcycle gang, Five-year mark of conviction in killing of Jack Sjol, North Dakota murder prompts life sentence; victim's sister says 'that'll never be enough', ND murder suspect was 'enforcer' for Sons of Silence motorcycle gang, FBI says, Law enforcement confirms fire is tied to biker gang, Three arrested for Rock Springs biker assault, Wedgewood Sentenced In Motorcycle Gang Robbery, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sons_of_Silence&oldid=993079151, Organizations based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Organized crime groups in the United States, Pages using infobox organization with unknown parameters, Pages using infobox criminal organization with rivals parameter, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 30 chapters in 12 U.S. states, and 5 chapters in Germany, This page was last edited on 8 December 2020, at 17:56. Leonard Loyd Reed died on 20 June, 2003 in Denver, Colorado. The club's presence in Indianapolis prompted friction with the Outlaws and, after a period of infrequent fighting in which members of the rival clubs would try to physically take the colors from opposing bikers, a war erupted following the July 1978 near-fatal stabbing of Outlaws member Dale "Dummy" Larque during a bar fight.