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Nevada court rules that Las Vegas Hells Angels can face gang prosecution

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Nevada court rules that Las Vegas Hells Angels can face gang prosecution


Las Vegas Hells Angels motorcycle club members accused of targeting a rival club in a Henderson highway shooting can be prosecuted as gang members under state law, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

The 2022 Memorial Day shooting on Interstate 11 — which Clark County prosecutors alleged targeted Vagos Motorcycle Club members — injured seven people.

Addressing that case, the higher court ruled that there was enough probable cause to classify the Hells Angels as a criminal gang.

Indicted Hells Angels members included local chapter President Richard Devries.

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District Court Judge Tierra Jones in 2023 dismissed some of the charges the suspects were facing, including racketeering, gang enhancements and 20 of 25 shooting-related counts.

Jones had sided with defense attorneys who had argued that the indictment failed to properly specify which defendants engaged in alleged racketeering activities.

Police told a grand jury that investigators recovered 25 spent bullets on the highway.

Jones noted that prosecutors only presented evidence from a witness who testified that one of the suspects fired five rounds.

Defense attorneys countered that the state failed to consider exculpatory evidence that some of the Vagos members had guns and that one of the indicted suspects, Rayann Mollasgo, had also been shot.

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‘Criminal gang’

“We conclude that this was an error because the State presented at least slight or marginal evidence to support a reasonable inference that Hells Angels members commonly engage in felony-level violence directed at rival motorcycle clubs, such that that group constitutes a criminal gang,” Supreme Court justices wrote in their ruling.

Added the higher court: “Because the District Court substantially erred in dismissing the gang enhancement, we reverse and remand.”

The other Hells Angels members indicted were Stephen Alo, Russell Smith, Aaron Chun, Cameron Treich and Taylor Rodriguez.

After Jones’ ruling, they still were facing 17 charges, including attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Roneric Padilla, who also was indicted, was charged with accessory to commit a felony.

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The Vagos group was returning to Las Vegas from Hoover Dam in a ride commemorating the holiday when Hells Angels motorcyclists rode behind the victims, according to prosecutors, who allege the Vagos were ambushed.

The suspects broke up the victims’ group and then shot at individual riders, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors alleged that the shooting might have been in retaliation for a California shooting that killed a Hells Angels motorcyclist, an accusation challenged by Vagos members during a grand jury hearing.

Nsc Hells Angels Decision by Las Vegas Review-Journal on Scribd

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Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.



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Nye County Sheriff urges caution after deadly month on rural Nevada roads

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Nye County Sheriff urges caution after deadly month on rural Nevada roads


A string of deadly crashes in and around Pahrump has prompted Nye County Sheriff Joe McGill to push for more safety measures along dark, sidewalk-free roads.

“The worst penalty is death, if you consider that,” McGill said.

The recent deaths include a single-vehicle rollover on State Route 160 during the morning hours of the last Wednesday in January that killed one person and injured another.

Then, into February, two pedestrians were killed in less than three days.

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The first was a 7 p.m. crash on Quarter Horse Avenue. Investigators believe a 2006 Jeep Liberty was driving on the street when it hit a pedestrian, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

A few days later, this last Saturday, state troopers responded to a crash just after sundown at Charleston Park Avenue. A sedan hit a pedestrian, who was also pronounced dead at the scene.

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Nevada State Police investigators are still investigating both pedestrian cases before more details are released.

McGill said the recent crashes were enough to spur action.

“When the third one came out, I was sitting at home and watching TV. I looked at my wife and I said, ‘We got to do something about this,’” McGill said.

McGill is responding with a reflective vest giveaway, pointing to limited infrastructure as a possible factor. He noted a lack of street lights off State Route 160 and no sidewalks inside the community.

“The only light that you have is the ambient light from houses and cars so it is really dark,” McGill said.

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John Treanor of AAA Nevada said poor visibility can quickly turn dangerous for both drivers and pedestrians.

“It is very easy to be confronted with a situation that you cannot see coming because the visibility might be bad,” Treanor said.

Treanor encouraged pedestrians to carry lights and drivers to be prepared if they end up outside their vehicles in dark conditions.

“Having lights on you. Even carrying a flashlight allows something where a driver can see it,” Treanor said. “If you are a driver, make sure you have the right stuff in your car, in case you do get in a situation where you are on the side of the road and now you are in dark. Make sure you have a kit with some reflectors, some lights. Anything the trunk of your car in case you need it.”

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McGill said vigilance is important even in daylight.

“Any time of the day, you have got to be vigilant. You have to keep aware of your surroundings if you are a walker or on a bicycle or if you are the driver,” he said.

Authorities also urged caution as more people may pull off roads in rocky areas along the route toward Death Valley National Park during springtime blooms, increasing the need for drivers and pedestrians to stay alert.

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Mansion on the Nevada Side of Lake Tahoe Swiftly Sells for $46 Million

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Mansion on the Nevada Side of Lake Tahoe Swiftly Sells for  Million


A waterfront mansion on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe just sold for $46 million, less than three weeks after hitting the market. 

The speedy deal marks a departure from the typical U.S. market.

Nationwide, homes took a median 78 days to land a buyer in January, five more than the same time last year and the 22nd straight month of homes taking longer to sell on a year-over-year basis, according to data from Realtor.com. 

Mansion Global Boutique: Book Lovers Rejoice: 8 Must-Haves To Build Your Perfect Reading Nook

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The lavish log cabin-like residence, in Incline Village, listed on Jan. 24 for $47.5 million. It sold 20 days later, on Feb. 13, listing records show. 

The more than 7,000-square-foot residence was built in 2014, and has double-height living spaces, walls of windows, beamed ceilings, fireplaces, and plenty of rustic exposed stone and wood, listing images show. 

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There’s also a gym, a wet bar, a spa, a wine room, an office, two separate game rooms, seven bedrooms and dramatic Lake Tahoe views. Outside, there’s a private sandy beach, multiple decks, a heated driveway and two exterior fireplaces, according to listing information. 

MORE: Visited by Kings and Larger Than Manhattan, Giant Scottish Estate Asks £67 Million

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The seller and the buyer are both limited liability companies, according to property records. Both parties were represented by Jeff Brown of Tahoe Mountain Realty, who declined to comment on the deal. 

The median home price in Incline Village was $1.595 million as of December, a fall of 3.3% from a year earlier, according to data from Realtor.com. Listings, meanwhile, spent an average of 130 days on the market. 



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Green Valley edges Liberty in Class 5A softball — PHOTOS

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Green Valley edges Liberty in Class 5A softball — PHOTOS