‘Fat Mexican’ logo is a registered trademark copyrighted by Bandidos
Jasper, TX – The President of Bandidos Motorcycle Club, U.S.A. directed an attorney from this East Texas city to demand a correction to a RadioLegendary story printed on March 4.
Bill Sartelle requested an immediate correction of certain facts he has deemed false in our coverage of the arrest of a man represented by the government to have been a national sergeant at arms of the national motorcycle club. “Downtown Johnny” Romo was arrested in Waco, along with his brother and two others in connection with a federal murder indictment stemming from a 2006 killing by gunshot of a man at Austin, Texas, who was allegedly trying to form a chapter of Hells Angels M/C.
Mr. Sartelle stated that none of the men mentioned have been associated with the Bandidos for the past two and one-half years.
In a press release forwarded by Wm. S. Morian, Jr., an attorney in this city, Sartelle stated:
The following people Johnny Romo “Downtown Johnny,” Robert Romo, and Norberto Serna Jr “Hammer” have been out of our club for 2 ½ years. Jesse James Benavidez “Kronic”is on non-association from the BMC for the same period of time. None of these arrests involved Bandidos Motorcycle Club members.
Morian invited any inquiries by telephone, but at the time of this dispatch, which is immediate, he had not returned a phone call seeking an answer to the question. Was Downtown Johnny a member of Bandidos in March, 2006, when the government alleges he and his companions gunned down Anthony Benesh outside an Austin restaurant?
We have as yet received no answer.
Sartelle added these sentiments, that Bandidos are war veterans, hard working men of blue collar trades and white collar occupations, and your friends and neighbors. They are not a gang.
We of The Legendary never alleged any other thing. We here reported that the Government is on public record as saying they can prove all these things in U.S. District Court, as part of a case of criminal conspiracy involving an ongoing criminal enterprise, under the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization (RICO) statute.
We of The Legendary News Service, an affiliate of the Texas Long-Haired Rifle Association, have nothing whatsoever to prove about the Bandidos, Angels, Cossacks, Santa Claus, Jesus, Buddha, or Confucius.
We gon’ keep on chooglin’ and hope this here will do the trick.
We reproduce Sartelle’s e-mail here:
Recent events and media reports have made it necessary for me to address certain issues for the Bandidos Motorcycle Club, United States.
The Bandidos Motorcycle Club, United States is an organization rich in history and tradition. We are a Brotherhood of bikers, not a “gang” or criminal organization of any kind. We are hard-working American men who are married, have children, who pay taxes, and who support their families and communities. We are your neighbors, business associates, patriots, Veterans of War, blue collar and white collar workers.
In recent years, we have made a concerted effort to improve our biker image. Our ties with European and Australian Chapters were severed by us because of their behavior. Similarly, we do not associate with other motorcycle clubs that we know are engaged in illegal activities.
Regarding to the recent indictment referenced above, you state that the following men are members of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club. This is a FALSE statement; these men are not members of the Bandidos Motorcycle club and we request a correction to your story immediately. The following people Johnny Romo “Downtown Johnny”, Robert Romo and Norberto Serna Jr “Hammer” have been out of our club for 2 ½ years. Jesse James Benavidez “Kronic”is on non-association from the BMC for the same period of time. None of these arrests involved Bandidos Motorcycle Club members.
The Bandidos are no more a “gang” than various law enforcement motorcycle clubs or professional athletic teams that have players that get into trouble on occasion.
As President of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club, United States, it is my desire to clear the air on these matters and demand that references to our club be based on facts, not rumor, speculation or innuendo. We are a brotherhood, we are the Bandidos Motorcycle Club, United States.
So mote it be.
Legendary jim