JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club is in the headlines again as its leader and several members are facing federal racketeering charges. Tonka Ponder, 53, of Preston, Mo., along with his wife Carolynn L. Ponder, 47, were among those indicted by a federal grand jury for their alleged roles in an ongoing criminal enterprise.
The indictment names Tonka and Carolynn Ponder, Tretch Lucius Lawrence (Travis Dewain Shankle), Keith Dewayne Nolen Jr. (Seg), Paul Leon Gardner, Daniel Scot Kurtzenborn, and Robert Russell Warren (Russ) as part of the Galloping Goose chapter based in Lake of the Ozarks. All except Warren were arrested.
According to the charges, the gang engaged in acts of violence, including assault and extortion, with Tonka Ponder serving as the local chapter’s leader. The indictment claims they also conspired to assault members of other motorcycle clubs, causing serious injuries. Tonka Ponder faces multiple counts for crimes that include discharging a firearm and attempting to extort property from the Iron Celtics Motorcycle Association.
Additionally, the Ponders and Warren are accused of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in Camden and Miller Counties from August 2022 to October 2022. Tonka Ponder is charged with distributing methamphetamine himself and facilitating its illegal distribution across state lines. Kurtzeborn and Nolen are charged with possessing firearms as felons.
As the charges stand, they are merely accusations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. A detention hearing for some of the accused is scheduled for June 25th.
This case underscores the reach of federal law enforcement in combating organized crime and drug trafficking in Missouri.
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Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime|Violent Crime|Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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