In 2001, Jay Dobyns was the first federal agent to infiltrate the inner circle of the Hells Angels. His aim was simple: to examine the criminal underbelly of the world's most famous biker group and bring a major case against them.
No Angel tells the thrilling, adrenaline-soaked story of one man on the brink of losing himself, and lifts the lid on one of the world's most infamous underworlds. It is a riveting tale of meticulous undercover detective work and a rare and fascinating glimpse inside the secretive world of outlaw biker gangs.
He is now sharing his account in a new A&E series, "Secrets of The Hells Angels," which examines the history of the notorious biker club. It features new interviews with former chapter presidents, as well as law enforcement officials, undercover agents and victims.
"This infiltration had never been done before by law enforcement," Dobyns told Fox News Digital. "Cops had never gotten under the wire of the Hells Angels in the past. All the other outlaw motorcycle gangs had been infiltrated, but the Hells Angels prided themselves on being impenetrable.
The organization has a long history in California, dating to its founding in 1948 by returning World War II veterans in the dusty town of Fontana. It includes a notorious incident during a Rolling Stones show in Altamont in 1969 in which a spectator was stabbed by a Hells Angel working security. A jury later acquitted the killer, finding he acted in self-defense.
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones warily eye the Hells Angels onstage at the Altamont Speedway December 6, 1969, in Livermore, Calif. (Robert Altman/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
In 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice said the Hells Angels had as many as 2,500 members in 230 chapters in 26 countries. According to the FBI, the Hells Angels are still listed as an outlaw motorcycle gang involved in various criminal activity, including drug trafficking.
Federal, state and local police have pursued the club for decades, infiltrating it with undercover agents, prosecuting suspects with harsh charges once reserved for the Mafia and indicting members on charges ranging from drug trafficking to mortgage fraud.
Still, the club has flourished over the years. It has gone on to open chapters worldwide and aggressively enforce its trademarks in court. It has also won high-profile acquittals and other legal battles with law enforcement.
Dobyns already had 15 years of undercover street experience when he was assigned to Operation Black Biscuit. In preparation for the assignment, Dobyns shaved his head and became "fully sleeved" with tattoos from shoulder to wrist. He also bulked himself up.
The Angels have always maintained they are a club of motorcycle enthusiasts who are unfairly regarded as an organized crime syndicate because of the crimes of a few members acting independently. The club participates in charity events, such as "Toys for Tots," motorcycle runs and blood drives.
Dobyns was invited to join the group only after "killing" the leader of a rival gang, the Mongols. The shooting death was staged, complete with a Hollywood makeup artist and a dead cow used to splatter the victims' clothing with blood and brain matter.
Operation Black Biscuit came to an end in 2003. According to Dobyns, the case at that point had become "almost too dangerous to survive in." It brought 16 indictments, including charges of murder and racketeering.
Richard J. Oflyng, 32, of Ottawa, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Scott O. Wrightthis morning to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Oflyng pleaded guilty to a federalindictment on June 29, 2009.
Oflyng, a truck driver, arrived at the undercover location in his semi-truck tractor trailerthe next morning. When he entered the residence, he confirmed that he wanted an 11-year-oldgirl and would pay $60, plus $20 extra for not using a condom. Oflyng handed the undercoverofficer the cash and was directed to a room with a dirty mattress laying on the floor. When hestepped into the room, he was arrested.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia L. Cordes. It wasinvestigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., PoliceDepartment, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Immigration and CustomsEnforcement in conjunction with the Human Trafficking Rescue Project.
Harrison is a writer and tries hard at it but when an old girlfriend comes to ask a favor, he is unsure he can do the job. Babysitting for the young Jenny is an unexpected change. As he is a writer, Jenny wants Harrison to tell her bedtime stories, so he makes them up as he goes. But little does he know that this little angel in his life has a surprise for him. Not only does Jenny help him to find the woman of his dreams and that Jenny is his daughter but she is taping all his stories and conversations they have.
Parents need to know that Undercover Angel is a family comedy in which an angel (Shawn Roberts) goes undercover as a handyman to improve the lives of a recently divorced mom (Katharine Isabelle) and her daughter (Lilah Fitzgerald). While the catalyst of the movie involves the daughter praying for a better life for her and her mom, and the titular angel is in frequent contact with his angel boss and the "Big Guy," it isn't an overly faith-based movie. It's more of a mild romantic comedy than anything else. Consequently, there's some kissing. But otherwise, this is a tame, if predictable, movie that raises issues including free will, spirituality, and the difference between God as a miracle worker vs. a granter of every wish. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
In UNDERCOVER ANGEL, Robin (Katharine Isabelle) is a recently divorced mom who's moved to a new town with her tween daughter, Sophie (Lilah Fitzgerald). Her new house needs a lot of work, which means that Robin makes frequent trips to the hardware store -- where she befriends Izzy (Britt Irvin), who's trying to hide her crush on the store's uptight owner, Todd (Matthew MacCaull). Meanwhile, as Robin searches for a general contractor to help her with the house, Sophie prays that someone will come along to bring happiness to their lives. In heaven, guardian angel Carl (Julian Christopher) hears Sophie's prayer and sends an angel named Henry (Shawn Roberts) to pose as a contractor. Henry is awkward at first and unskilled at the basics of his job, but he tries to help Robin get dates and plays soccer with Sophie in the hopes that she'll try out for her school's soccer team. But things take an unexpected turn when there's a spark of romantic attraction between Robin and Henry. When Henry starts to act on his feelings, this enrages Carl, who orders Henry to disappear out of Robin and Sophie's lives immediately. Henry must choose between remaining an angel or becoming a human and finding true love.
This is a decent, if trite, romantic comedy. While there are some discussions of spirituality and prayer, Undercover Angel isn't an overly faith-based movie, and it's nowhere near as heavy-handed as similar movies involving miracle-working angels. Still, the story sticks to the familiar formula that keeps the Hallmark Channel in business. There's a divorced mom looking for love in all the wrong places, a sullen teenager, a friend who "tells it like it is." Etc., etc.
That said, the acting is above average almost across the board. The performers seem to be doing the best they can with what little they have to work with. Just don't expect any surprises or twists in Undercover Angel. Nothing really distinguishes from all the other romantic comedies and all the other "angel gets his wings" movies out there, and the story goes in every direction you think it will from the first moment on.
Japanese streetwear brand Undercover is no stranger to a graphic print tee, and this iteration decorated with an angel/devil print certainly makes a statement. Cut from a soft cotton, the t-shirt boasts a ribbed crew neckline and features printed Undercover branding for understated cool.
In 2002, the rift between the Hells Angels and their legendary rivals, the Mongols, hit a boiling point. The two gangs were involved in a big-time gunfight at the Harrah Casino & Hotel in Laughlin, Nevada. It was the event that led to Dobyns going undercover.
As time passed, Dobyns sat on the incriminating information from the charter president, continuing to gain more trust with the gang members, all while a series of homicides happened in his wake. One of the murders was particularly brutal. The Hells Angels beat a woman to death in their clubhouse, wrapped her body in a piece of carpet, and cut her head off in the desert.
Justen Charters is a contributing editor for Coffee or Die Magazine. Justen was previously at Independent-Journal Review (IJ Review) for four years, where his articles were responsible for over 150 million page views, serving in various positions from content specialist to viral content editor. He currently resides in Utah with his wife and daughter.
Two Hells Angels and one member of the Mongols, a rival motorcycle gang, were killed in a massive brawl on Harrah's casino floor that night. Dozens of bikers on each side of the rivalry were arrested. Many more, including innocent bystanders, were injured.
Dobyns, an undercover federal agent and one of the few law enforcement officials to infiltrate the legendary motorcycle gang, remembers the mood of his "brothers" at the Flamingo, a little more than a mile from Harrah's, immediately after the incident.
"You could sense the frigging impending doom hanging over the crowd that night. You could tell the anxiety and tension, and it was like you could cut it, touch it," said Dobyns, 48. "That was the culmination of a 25-year feud with the Mongols coming to a head, man. You had fire with the Hells Angels there, gasoline with the Mongols there, and it was gonna go."
The November raids concerned "documents, and images, which tend to show the organization, membership, and structure of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club," according to warrants. Police said the investigation involved two Mongols stabbed at a downtown wedding chapel, possibly by members of the Hells Angels, in 2008.
7fc3f7cf58