Edinburg police have arrested a 22-year-old Kingsville man who they say participated in a violent Valentine’s Day attack outside of a strip club on rival motorcycle gang members.
Police booked Norberto Rivera Jr. into the Hidalgo County jail on Tuesday and charged him with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and a count of engaging in organized criminal activity.
He’s accused of being part of a group of 14 men who police say are members of the Mongol and Pagan motorcycle clubs, who shot a member of the Bandidos motorcycle gang and severely beat an associate of that gang outside the Jaguar’s strip club just after 3 a.m. on Feb. 14.
Authorities say the gangs have a “smash on sight” policy when they encounter rivals and after the Mongol and Pagan’s learned that a Bandidos member was outside the strip club they went outside and the confrontation ensued.
The investigation into the violent altercation resulted in a statewide investigation involving the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI.
At a newss conference following the initial arrests, Police Chief Cesar Torres said the statewide investigation resulted in 42 arrest warrants and 10 search warrants.
In the Valley alone, police seized 19 weapons, including high-powered rifles and handguns.
All of the suspects in the confrontation are charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and a count of engaging in organized criminal activity and received $450,000 in bonds.
Those still in jail on the $450,000 in bonds include 35-year-old Allen Alberto Soriano, 39-year-old San Antonio resident Richard Aguilar, 38-year-old Weslaco resident Ronald Eric Rada, 39-year-old Elsa resident Dino Lee Trevino, 27-year-old McAllen resident Gabriel Juan Casas, 44-year-old Edinburg resident Jorge Sanchez Jr., and 40-year-old Weslaco resident Derick Morales.
Three suspects in the case have received bond reductions.
Enrique Velez Jr., a 34-year-old Brownsville resident, remains jailed on $150,000 in bonds.
Mario Alberto Palacios II, a 39-year-old La Feria resident, bailed out on $60,000 in bonds while 30-year-old Edinburg resident Ignacio Lopez Jr. bailed out on $45,000 in bonds.
Edinburg police also say Ray Caul is in custody but he doesn’t appear in a search of online jail records or in booking reports.
There are two remaining suspects authorities are searching for, including Pablo Rodriguez and Andrew Canales.
