Diamonds team was tasked with serving a search warrant to a house inhabited by David Martinez, an alleged member of the Mongols Motorcycle Club. Do inmates sometimes lie because they know theyre being recorded? he asked. On 01/24/2008 ANNIE YUMIKO SANTILLAN filed a Family - Marriage Dissolution/Divorce lawsuit against DAVID SANTILLAN. The jury watched a distraught Martinez in the holding tank crying out in concern for his family. First, all SWAT members serving the search warrant the evening of the incident were carrying rifles loaded with beanbag shot. All three elements of evidence would be critical during trial as they included exculpatory statements from David Martinez. In addition, law enforcement was busy attempting to curb the escalating violence between the Mongols, the Hells Angels and the sport bike club, G-Zer Tribe. As it stands, The Suit, Doc and Little Rubes have been permanently 86'd from the Mongols by president David "Lil Dave" Santillan, who says they are " out bad ". And the flowers of spring. They shot me!. Prosecutors sought to depict David Martinez as the embodiment of the battle between the Mongols Motorcycle Club and the federal government. Catalog; For You; Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. After the weeks, months and years in jail he was desperate to be free to take care of his family. Santillan had called his wife in June 2021to beg for forgiveness. But Sullivan asserted that amidst that storm his client had acted in self defense: he shot to protect his family. At David Martinezs arraignment, he peered through the shining bars of the defendant holding dock and squinted at the occupants of the fluorescent-lit courtroom. Ethan Tate, Meghann M. Cuniff and Lauren Herstik contributed reporting. The imposing man was persistent and thorough in his interrogation. If prosecutors had decided to eschew the death penalty, that meant they had doubts. Beanbag shot is considered less lethal ammunition its meant to incapacitate the target. The Mongols are equally mystified. Case Summary. Each of their dress blues nicely ironed, all of their tie pins immaculately shined. The lawyer appeared to be a Godsend. Prosecutors refiled the charges of second-degree murder and all lesser offenses. He is now reportedly planning a group bike ride known as a 'run' to announce his membership of the Mongols . Did you ever poke it into the house? Jaime Martinez shook his head, but the damage was done. Since those early days, the Mongols have grown in number. Upon reaching the Martinez home, several officers rammed the padlocked gate that led to the backyard of the property while others announced their presence and approached the front porch. Jack Garden tossed Jaime Martinez a question. According to the California State Bar public records, Esqueda faced private reproval in 2001 for failure to respond to client inquiries, failure to promptly release a client file, and failure to keep a client informed of significant developments. In 2014, local Los Angeles and Riverside County officials were also concerned about the Mongols illicit activities. Most of the members were military veterans and all loved to ride their Harley Davidson motorcycles. The Mongols are relying on an explosive video shared by Santillan's wife, Annie Santillan, who, during a stretch when she was angry with her husband over his infidelity, had her daughter record a conversation in which he appeared to refer to protection he had received from the ATF agent. The recordings also proved that David didnt brag about his actions to the other Mongols at Montebello or during the Perkins Operation. After his incarceration, Mongols Club members voted for his removal from office in 2008. ABC is reporting that the Feds are still going after their patch. But there was one piece of the puzzle that Sullivan didnt have: a record of Davids mindset in the seconds before he pulled the trigger. Lugo immediately took hold of the situation. Jack Garden was a robust man and a confident prosecutor. The video was recorded in June of last year, when, Ms. Santillan said, she felt scorned because her husband had been unfaithful and after she had obtained a restraining order against him for what she claimed was physical abuse. The case was one of the first that Crime Story covered and at the outset it appeared simple: a coldblooded gang member had killed a cop. Insane Throttle Support Club Become a memberNow, Insane Throttle/Motorcycle Madhouse Radio YouTube and AudioDisclaimer, Meet the Insane Throttle Contributing Columnist James Hollywood Macecari, Motorcycle Clubs Riding Clubs and Associations Near Me Index &Listings, Our Policies here at Insane Throttle Publications. Sullivan also needed to prove that Martinez had been trying to leave the Mongols, that he was a just guy who liked motorcycles who got in over his head. Now the court would balance the scales. Three years after the 2018 case, the Mongols lawyers came forward last year with claims that the groups former president, David Santillan, had been surreptitiously cooperating with a special agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for years and had sabotaged the defense. Martinez didnt have much intel on the organization but the Mongols in his cell block suspected Martinez knew names and that was enough. Martinez got quiet. In other words, Ms. Santillan wrote in the text, he is a rat. In the video, played several times during the hearings, Ms. Santillan is talking to her husband on speakerphone when he informs her that Mr. Ciccone will be retiring. He was forceful in his statements, never wavering in voice or message: the embodiment of the strength and resolve of the law. Diamond was shot in the back of the base of his neck with a shotgun during the service of a search warrant. On Thursday, after hearing testimony from more than a dozen witnesses, including from Mr. Santillan himself, over the past several months, Judge David O. Carter of the Federal District Court in Santa Ana, Calif., found that there was no convincing evidence of such a claim and refused to set aside racketeering and conspiracy convictions as well as a penalty of $500,000. But after a motorcycle accident kept Martinez from working for several months, financial strain brought the family back under the same roof. New features, smoother menu and backgrounds- PLUS!! In the fall of 2017 David Martinez fired Edward Esqueda a man he would later call a liar who doesnt deserve to be called an attorney and the court reappointed Brady Sullivan as counsel. Annie Yumiko Santillan is on Facebook. Until then, his job was to use his rifle to cover the window protecting the team from potential threats inside the home. The Martinez family was also present, seated in the left side of the gallery. But Martinez didnt want a self defense case. Sandra didnt want to testify but because she and David didnt have a marriage license, their relationship was only considered a common law marriage. Noyla nodded. A jury ordered the forfeiture, but Judge Carter reversed the order, concluding that it infringed on the groups constitutional rights. Maybe thats why the Martinez family overlooked Edward Esquedas spotty legal history. Sandra was cornered. DAVID SANTILLAN, agent; Registry Page The gun that Martinez saw that made him fear for his life. Legal message boards were filled with complaints from former clients about Esquedas disrespectful attitude and incompetence, but Martinez himself was too distracted to investigate his lawyers past. This was not an act. A supervisory special agent with the A.T.F. For four hours David watched the SWAT team ransack his familys home. Join Facebook to connect with Annie Yumiko Santillan and others you may know. Sullivan let the words hang in the air. DAVID SANTILLAN Agent Address 216 SOUTH CITRUS ST STE 152, WEST COVINA, CA, 91791 Directors / Officers. No rifles were pointed at the doorway. In late 2018, federal prosecutors secured a decadeslong goal of convicting the Mongolsa motorcycle club whose members had a long history of murder, assault, and other crimesof racketeering and conspiracy. Martinez aimed his shotgun. The living arrangement hadnt always been this cramped. They had a strong self-defense case. If he couldnt show them Davids mindset before the incident, he would settle for showing them the aftermath. There were cracks in their case and he would find them. After Judge Carters ruling, he declared vindication in what he said was a contrived internal political witch hunt to smear my name and to get me dethroned.. He ran to the living room and saw his dad open the door. "Lots of brothers have tattoos of the marks on their necks and heads and everywhere," David Santillan, the national president of the club, said. His inquiries were effective, but they were undermined by constant objections leading, asked and answered, improper hypothetical, misstates the evidence. Esqueda told the family that the whole situation was a police cover-up and he was certain that they would win in court. Best Match Powered by Whitepages Premium AGE -- David Olivar Santillan Union City, CA Aliases Davi Olivar View Full Report Addresses Ventura Way, Union City, CA Each of the officers was a new battle for Sullivan, another opportunity for him to unravel the prosecutions narrative. Now, on the force for 16 years, fellow officers described Diamond as cuddly as a porcupine but compassionate toward the community he served. San Gabriel was outside of the Pomona Police jurisdiction, but it was common for the squad to assist neighboring cities when larger operations required more manpower. Follow. Martinezs worried glance at Sullivan betrayed his fear. Ever since David Santillan became the club president, in 2015, things have taken a better turn and it is said that now their unlawful activities have stopped. Martinez didnt mean to shoot anyone. The rest of the SWAT team searched the home. Crime Story Weekly Newsletter Sign-up The look in the mans eyes, the way his limbs hung, the pitch of his voice. On the day of the hearing, Esqueda took charge in the courtroom with practiced bravado. Sullivan tried to reason with his client: he still had a strong self defense case even if Martinez shot an officer. Communications with Mr. Santillan, Mr. Ciccone said, were limited to such matters as ensuring public safety at Mongols events. Marital privileges did not. When it came time for Martinez to address the court, he stood before the judge in his jail-issued orange scrubs. After reviewing the evidence Judge Olmedo ruled the tape of Martinez in the police car as inadmissible and refused to make a firm ruling on the admissibility of the Montebello or Perkins recordings. It is now scheduled to begin in January of 2021. The Mongols claimed in their motion for a new trial that Mr. Santillan had an inappropriate working relationship over the years with the lead A.T.F. For a rock solid case he needed a confession. It seemed possible that his parents were right. Prior to arriving at the house, Diamond and his fellow officers set up traffic cones representing the Martinez home and property lines in the SWAT office parking lot. On October 28, 2014, in San Gabriel, California, Mongols member David Martinez allegedly shot and killed Pomona Police SWAT Team member Shaun Diamond. This man took full responsibility for shooting a police officer. Sullivan was glad to be back on the case but he was apprehensive about Martinez, given their abrasive parting. She added that Davids mistress had been harassing her. He would go out with them and he would smoke meth with them. I assumed it was going to be her, so we videotaped, Annie told the station. Noyola responded, curt and dry, Its to provide law enforcement with inculpatory or exculpatory evidence. Sullivan then proceeded to read a series of statements that David Martinez made during the operation. The good guys had fought the bad guys and the bad had left a bloody mark. The defendant once shrouded in innocence now looked the part of a criminal drug user who might shoot a cop for bragging rights. The current president of the Mongols Motorcycle Club is David Santillan, a man who claims that the organization has changed its code of conduct to exclude drug abusers and criminals. A stand out in the series of officers was Jim Moss, the SWAT paramedic who treated Shaun Diamond immediately after he was shot. Santillan Annie Yumiko , filed a (n) Divorce,Separation - Family case against Santillan David , in the jurisdiction of Los Angeles County. The extent of the trauma was indescribable, even for Moss, who had been a rescue paramedic for 14 years. Their evidence contained several details that fundamentally shaped his understanding of the case. Im sorry. The government has filed a separate appeal on that issue, seeking a narrower forfeiture order that would take away the clubs right to trademark exclusivity over the logo. By this time, Sullivan was fuming. 247w 1 like Reply exsc3076 I am a Santillan from San Diego what up primo 26w Reply September 29, 2015 Log in He asked why they targeted his house. He and his wife, Annie, were estranged after he had an affair. The judge found sufficient cause to move forward with the trial. During the call, David, who was drunk and despondent at the time, begged for her forgiveness and said that he planned to get treatment for his drug and alcohol addictions. Disappointed by the courts rulings, Sullivan remained resolute, diving head-first into developing his defense. He climbed into bed with Sandra and was just about to fall asleep when he heard a banging noise that rattled the whole house. She recalled that Martinez told her that he was struggling with meth addiction three weeks prior to the incident. He challenged Richard Aguiar about his training, insinuating that Diamonds death was the result of friendly fire. You shot to kill that day. Martinez stood firm. Thats why he thought it was the Mongols at his door at 3am on October 28, 2014. The court was packed with police officers who got there early to place reserved signs on the gallery benches for Diamonds family. Perkins Operations are controversial because they can be performed without reading the defendant their Miranda Rights so long as the defendant hasnt been arraigned. Martinez would be arraigned and assigned counsel in the next 24 hours, at which point they could no longer enact a Perkins operation. They called themselves outlaws and one-percenters referring to a comment by the American Motorcyclist Association that 99% of motorcyclists were law abiding citizens, implying that one percent were not. On October 28, 2014, in San Gabriel, California, Mongols member David Martinez allegedly shot and killed Pomona Police SWAT Team member Shaun Diamond. The couple was adamant: David didnt shoot Shaun Diamond. Judge Charlaine Olmedo sustained nearly every objection, impeding the momentum that Sullivan gained. The act did little to ease Sandras mind. Garden reiterated the narrative that Martinez was a gang member who saw the officers and took his shot with malice in his heart. On the stand, Mr. Santillan called the claims about his daily meetings with Mr. Ciccone an absolute lie. (He acknowledged encountering Mr. Ciccone by chance at a Starbucks near the courthouse once during the trial.). If they saw him as a cold-blooded gang member, then chances of a favorable outcome were slim. Upon each stop they gained a new inmate, an undercover agent wearing a body wire. All rights reserved. The stakes of the operation had now dramatically increased. They believed Arutro had been shot by an officer and that David wasnt even in the living room when it happened. In the past, Sandra and Martinez resided in their own house with their children. When Sandra came to visit Martinez in jail, he put on a brave face, assuring her that Sullivan was going to get him out. In the Deputy District Attorneys presentation, this wasnt just a case of a police officer being killed in the line of duty; this was an assassination committed as part of a gangs war on law enforcement. The Mongols Motorcycle Club was founded in 1969 in Montebello, CA by a brotherhood of Latinx men who had been excluded from the Hells Angels. Maybe he wasnt responsible for a mans death at all. How many times did you announce yourself? But first he would have to convince the judge to admit the recordings in court a ruling she had waffled on during pretrial motions. Deputy DA Jack Garden painted a straightforward picture Martinez was a gang member who saw the officers and took his shot. While Sullivan began assembling his case, Martinez communicated with his parents, Arturo and Guadelupe. Second, police found a shotgun slug casing inside the Martinez living room, meaning that the shot that killed Shaun Diamond was fired from inside the house. Available on GOOGLE PLAY CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FROM GOOGLE PLAY STORE. Shocked and confused he shouted Im sorry. Mongols MC Chief Little Dave Santillan Was Not A Snitch 5 months ago Scott Burnstein You are unauthorized to view this page. **** IMPORTANT**** Check out the totally redesigned app!! Here the banging was even louder and the familys four dogs were barking. He was just the scapegoat taking the blame for the police firing on their own. The judge read the official charges brought against him: capital murder with the special circumstance of murder of a police offier engaged in his duties. David told me that they had been meeting every day at Starbucks before trial until Judge Carter told them not to because a juror saw them together, Mr. Stubbs testified in August. The Mongols MC will not get a second chance to clear itself of federal racketeering charges after a judge last week denied its request for a new trial. A mother of a homicide victim whose case was worked by Lugo once said, God sent Ray because he never quits. That relentless pursuit of justice was why Lugo had been assigned to this case, one that was now the top priority of LAPD because it involved the shooting of an officer. If the mission to elicit a confession was going to work, it had to be done quickly. Incensed by Sullivans refusal to accept their narrative, David and the Martinez family turned their back on the public defender. An easy no. For three weeks, officers took the stand. In the prosecutions opening Deputy District Attorney Michael Blake portrayed David as a violent gang member who saw his opportunity and took his shot. Sullivan followed Blakes blunt assessment with a more nuanced version of events. In an extraordinary move, Toby Mitchell joined his former club's main rivals last month. As Lugo and Noyola plotted their next move, Martinez was having a brief conversation with a lawyer a friend of one of Martinezs sisters who stopped by after hearing the family was in trouble. After speaking with his family, David was now convinced that the police had lied to him about the shooting. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. In 2014, prosecutors even attempted to strip the Mongols of their trademarked logo (a Genghis Khan-like figure wearing sunglasses and riding a motorcycle). He was broken and in shock without an ounce of bravado. When Sandra stepped down, David gave her a small smile as he folded and unfolded scraps of paper on the counsels table. Santillan's wife backed her husband during her testimony this week, saying she didn't know what he was talking about during the recorded phone call and denying he was a government informant.. Unfortunately, the change in environment provided no solace: Martinezs new block was filled with alleged rapists, pedophiles and child-murderers. He called Officer Noyola to the stand and asked him the purpose of the Perkins Operation. "He is a rat," Mr. Santillan's wife, Annie, suggested in a text message that became a key piece of evidence in the case against the group, which was founded in Southern California in 1969 and. Jack Garden was quick to point out that the SWAT team only used beanbag shot. The SWAT team had been issued a knock warrant meaning that they had to clearly announce themselves before entering the premises. He is a rat, Mr. Santillans wife, Annie, suggested in a text message that became a key piece of evidence in the case against the group, which was founded in Southern California in 1969 and whose members are mostly Hispanic. She added that David's mistress had been harassing her. The public defender had a plan and he wasnt going down without a fight. 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