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Two men, reportedly members of the Mongols motorcycle club, have been arrested in connection with a deadly bar brawl that occurred in San Bernardino County. The incident took place in the early morning hours of March 4 at a bar in Ontario, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The two men, Clifford Michael Lavoy, 51, known as "Buckshot," and Julian Pulido, 31, known as "Juls," are accused of attacking a member of the rival Vagos motorcycle gang, identified only as "V.S." in court documents. The confrontation began when Lavoy and Pulido allegedly demanded respect from V.S., who was wearing Vagos club attire. The situation escalated, leading to a violent altercation where V.S. was punched, kicked, and choked.
As V.S. attempted to flee the bar, Pulido allegedly shot him multiple times in the back, causing him to collapse outside the bar. V.S. was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:45 a.m. Pulido then led law enforcement on a nine-hour chase across five California counties before being arrested after crashing his vehicle in Kern County. Lavoy was arrested later in Whittier and has been charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering, while Pulido faces a murder charge in aid of racketeering.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, if convicted, Pulido could face a mandatory life sentence in federal prison, while Lavoy could receive up to 20 years. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating the case with the Ontario Police Department.
The Mongols, an outlaw motorcycle club, was formed in California in the 1960s, while the Vagos also originated in the early 1960s in San Bernardino. The case is part of Operation Take Back America, aimed at combating transnational criminal organizations.