Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — An investigation into a brutal beating at the Vallejo chapter clubhouse of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club has led to two members of the club being charged for illegal firearm possession, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Dennis Killough Jr., 51, of Vacaville, charging him with being a felon in possession of two different firearms. And in a separate case, Jaime Alvarez, 51, of Vallejo, was charged today with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, in October 2021, two different victims—both of whom were members of a different motorcycle club that is considered a “puppet” (or subordinate) club of the Hells Angels—were beaten by Killough, Alvarez, and other club members based on perceived infractions of the Hells Angels’ rules.

According to court documents, on Dec. 8, 2021, law enforcement searched Killough’s home and found two firearms, including a Taurus G2C 9 mm pistol with an obliterated serial number and a Taurus PT 745 Pro handgun. Killough has several prior felony convictions—including previous firearm convictions—which prohibit him from possessing any firearms.

According to court documents, on Dec. 8, 2021, a search warrant executed at Alvarez’s home found several firearms, including a Glock 27 .40 SW caliber handgun. Alvarez has several prior felony convictions—including a prior conviction for possessing a dangerous weapon—which prohibit him from possessing any firearms.

These cases are the product of investigations by the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the Vacaville Police Department, the Vallejo Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron D. Pennekamp and Jason Hitt are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Killough and Alvarez face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.