Former Mongols leader pleads guilty in fed case

LOS ANGELES — The former national president of the notorious Mongols motorcycle gang has pleaded guilty to a racketeering conspiracy charge in a case that accused other members of murder, drug trafficking and violent attacks.

Prosecutors revealed January’s guilty plea by Ruben “Doc” Cavazos in court papers filed on June 29. He could face up to life in prison when he is sentenced in February, U.S. Attorney’s office spokesman Thom Mrozek said.

Defense attorney Angel Navarro declined to say why Cavazos decided to plead guilty but noted his client was “doing as well as he can.”

Cavazos, 52, and other Mongol leaders directed members to engage in murders, extortion, robberies and drug trafficking to “promote and further the activities of the Mongols gang,” according to a 177-page indictment.

Among other things, prosecutors claim Cavazos was involved in negotiating with Mexican Mafia leaders over the collection of payments for drug trafficking in areas controlled by that gang and getting Mongol members to commit crimes against people who challenged the gang’s authority.

The indictment said the group, which is mostly Latino, also attacked black people, committed robberies and stole motorcycles. The gang funded itself in part by stealing credit card account information, prosecutors said.

Authorities conducted a sweep last October in six states, rounding up members after an undercover investigation put federal agents inside the motorcycle club where they were accepted as full members.

A number of the 79 members indicted have already pleaded guilty to a variety of charges, but most of the plea agreements remained under seal. The Associated Press has challenged a federal judge’s decision to seal the documents.

Cavazos, a former medical technician at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, wrote a memoir of his life titled “Honor Few, Fear None: The Life and Times of a Mongol” that was published by HarperCollins last year.

On a Web site promoting the book, Cavazos wrote: “I would like to thank everyone who has stood by family and I. With your support and prayers, I am confident that I will see all of you on the outside again.”

Absent from the site is the group’s trademarked logo. U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper has barred members from wearing or distributing the image.

The Web site says, “By order of the federal attorney, image has been removed.” It also has a phrase emblazoned on the bottom, “Never Touch a Mongol’s Patch.”

Prosecutors argue the logo should be forfeited because the trademarks were acquired and maintained by Cavazos while the gang was involved in criminal activity.

The injunction is overly broad, said attorney John MacPete, who represents Mongols Motorcycle Club Inc., which wants to have the injunction limited to only members who have been indicted.

“The club itself is not an indicted entity,” he said. “The club was using the trademark (logo) long before Cavazos showed up.”

Since the injunction was put in place in October, there have been numerous seizures of items bearing the Mongol logo nationwide, including clothing and motorcycles, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Welk.

“We believe the use of these symbols gives them power in terms of terrorizing the public and committing crimes,” Welk said.

Not having the logo anymore “will impair their ability to operate a criminal enterprise,” he said.