HAMC and RICO

The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) was signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1970. Before RICO a person could be absolved from prosecution if they did not personally commit the crime. After RICO, bosses could be tried for crimes that they ordered or assisted in.

In 1979 prosecutors tried to slap Sonny Barger with RICO charges by attempting to prove a pattern of racketeering involving guns and drugs. Barger was acquitted on the RICO charges due to a hung jury.

Sonoma HA boss Johnathon 'Jon Jon' Nelson and 10 others were indicted in 2017 as part of a large RICO investigation. They were charged with racketeering and violent crimes, including murder. Nelson is accused of luring former sergeant-at-arms Joel Silva to his execution. Silva was at the Fresno clubhouse when he was shot in the head.