Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – March 8, 2018 – A 62-count, second-superseding indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in Nashville, Tennessee yesterday, charging 19 members and associates of the Clarksville, Tennessee chapter of the Mongols Motorcycle Gang with various federal crimes, including racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering,  attempted murder, kidnapping, robbery, large-scale drug trafficking and other crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran of the Middle District of Tennessee and Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

A superseding indictment returned in January 2018 charged 15 of the defendants with various crimes related to this investigation, including racketeering conspiracy murder, kidnapping, and large-scale drug trafficking.  As of January 18, 2018, all of the defendants were in custody with the exception of Stephen Cole, a/k/a “Lurch.”

Yesterday’s indictment charges four additional members and associates of the Clarksville Mongols with the kidnapping and murder of Stephen Cole and additional crimes.  The four additional defendants are:

• William Nelper, aka “Flip,” 49, of Trenton, Kentucky;
• William Boylston, aka “JC,” 27;
• Jason Meyerholz, aka “Country,” 43; and
• Christopher Wilson, 35, all of Clarksville, Tennessee.

The indictment details allegations of violent, criminal activity and drug trafficking in and around the Clarksville, Tennessee area beginning in or about March 2015 and continuing until the return of the indictment.

This indictment alleges that, among other crimes, on November 19, 2017, Boylston, Meyerholz and Wilson kidnapped Stephen Cole, a member of the Clarksville Mongols, at gunpoint, stripped him of his personal property, including his shoes, wallet, and cell phones.  Boylston and Meyerholz then transported Cole to Nelper’s residence in Trenton, Kentucky, where they murdered him, disposed of his body and burned evidence of the crimes.  All four defendants are charged with the kidnapping of Cole that resulted in his death.  Additionally, Boylston, Meyerholz and Nelper are charged with murdering Stephen Cole in aid of racketeering.  If convicted, all defendants face a minimum of life in prison and possibly the death penalty.

The indictment also charges Nelper, Boylston and Meyerholz with the racketeering conspiracy and charges Nelper with large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering.  The indictment further charges Meyerholz with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; the Clarksville Police Department; the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; and the Kentucky State Police.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Risinger of the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Robert Tully of the DOJ Organized Crime and Gang Section are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an accusation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. 

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