Hells Angels’ leader in Fresno accused in indictment of conspiracy to commit murder

The Hells Angels’ Fresno chapter president is accused in a federal indictment of conspiracy in a 2014 murder at the chapter’s clubhouse.

The accusation was connected to an investigation into the Hells Angels Sonoma County. Eleven people in total were indicted.

Brian Wayne Wendt, a 40-year-old Tulare man, is accused of killing an unnamed victim at the Fresno clubhouse. However, he isn’t charged with murder. Instead, he’s charged with conspiracy to commit murder and racketeering.

A Santa Rosa Hells Angel member, Jonathan “Jon Jon” Nelson, directed an unnamed victim to meet Wendt and another member, Russell Ott, at the Fresno clubhouse on July 15, 2014, where Wendt killed the victim, the indictment says.

The indictment also says Wendt possessed multiple firearms, ammunition and knives.

Wendt appeared in court Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stanley Boone, who continued Wendt’s arraignment. Wendt intends to hire a lawyer and will be back in court Nov. 22, the Department of Justice confirmed.

Wendt faces 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit murder and a lifetime in prison for the racketeering conspiracy charges. Each charge comes with a maximum $250,000 fine.

FBI agents spent nearly all day Monday at the Hells Angels’ Fresno clubhouse at 2273 S. G St. A Fresno County sheriff’s deputy was assigned to assist.

An employee at the automotive shop next door to the clubhouse said Hells Angels members aren’t around in the daytime and mostly keep to themselves.

The Fresno chapter each year operates a toy drive for children in December.

The Sonoma County motorcycle gang is accused of committing murder, assault, maiming, witness intimidation and more in the October indictment that was unsealed on Monday following the arrest of nine defendants.

The indictment describes the Hells Angels as a violent, transnational outlaw motorcycle gang, and the Hells Angels Sonoma County chapter as a subset of the gang whose members primarily operate in that Northern California county.

This story was originally published November 20, 2017 at 4:23 PM with the headline "Hells Angels’ leader in Fresno accused in indictment of conspiracy to commit murder."