HOUSTON, Texas – Federal authorities have detained two men believed to be members of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club. The arrests occurred on Tuesday, and the individuals now face serious charges. Darvi Hinojosa and John Sblendorio are accused of attempted murder in aid of racketeering activity. They are also charged with using a firearm during a violent crime. The penalty for the first charge could be up to ten years in prison. The second charge has a mandatory minimum penalty of ten years.
The indictment, now unsealed, accuses Hinojosa and Sblendorio of attempting to murder an unidentified person. The alleged intent was to gain entry into and elevate their position within the Bandidos Motorcycle Club. Authorities classify this Texas-based group as an international crime syndicate.
The Bandidos, along with other motorcycle gangs like the Pagans, Hells Angels, Vagos, Sons of Silence, Outlaws, and Mongols, are labeled as “outlaw motorcycle gangs” (OMGs) by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In a 2015 gang report, the FBI noted that these clubs’ leadership often denies directing members to perform unlawful acts, as claimed by authorities.
The Texas Department of Public Safety categorizes the Bandidos alongside the Bloods, Crips, and Aryan Brotherhood of Texas in terms of risk. The Bandidos were once seen by federal authorities as the world’s second-largest biker gang, surpassed only by the Hells Angels. Donald Chambers, a Vietnam veteran and Houston dockworker, founded the Bandidos in 1966. According to a 2007 report by Texas Monthly, the club quickly grew into an international entity and has been linked to various killings.
In a 2015 incident, nine people died, and at least 20 others were injured when Bandidos and Cossacks bikers exchanged gunfire. This event occurred in a Twin Peaks parking lot in Waco, according to the Texas Tribune.
Three years later, Jeffrey Pike, the Bandidos’ former national president and a Conroe resident, received a life sentence. A jury found him guilty of ordering the 2006 murder of Anthony Benesh outside an Austin restaurant. Benesh had reportedly been trying to start a Hells Angels chapter in the city. The jury also found that John Portillo, the club’s former national vice president, and others killed Robert Lara in 2002 in Atascosa County. This act was allegedly retaliation for Lara killing Bandidos member Javier Negrete, as reported by a Department of Justice news release.
Authorities say Hinojosa and Sblendorio used the nicknames “10 Round” and “Tech9,” respectively. Their formal arraignment for the charges will occur on Thursday. U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Ho will decide if there is sufficient probable cause to keep the men in detention.
