TACOMA, WA – Karl Twilleager, 66, the self-proclaimed “King Karl” of the Ghost Riders motorcycle gang, is headed to federal prison for five years. U.S. District Judge Ronald B. Leighton handed down the sentence today after Twilleager was convicted of possessing an unregistered short-barreled shotgun and being a felon in possession of explosives. The Spanaway resident has been cooling his heels in custody since a June 13, 2013 raid turned up a frightening arsenal.
The bust, conducted by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), revealed more than two sticks of dangerous Emulsion explosives and four blasting caps stashed in a Spanaway storage locker rented by Twilleager. A subsequent search of his home and the Ghost Riders’ clubhouse uncovered a further six firearms – three rifles, two shotguns, and a handgun – along with a stockpile of ammunition. Most damning was the discovery of a J.C. Higgins model 20 12-gauge short-barreled shotgun, its barrel a mere 15.5 inches long and stripped of any identifying serial number.
U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan didn’t mince words, stating, “The possession of illegal firearms and explosives by violent felons endangers a whole community.” According to court documents, the weapons weren’t collected for show. Prosecutors successfully argued that the Ghost Riders were actively preparing for a retaliatory attack on their rivals, the Bandidos motorcycle gang. “This defendant and his gang planned a violent attack on rivals that could have caused serious injuries or deaths,” Durkan added, warning that innocent bystanders could have been caught in the crossfire.
The motive? A beatdown suffered by Twilleager and approximately eight Ghost Riders “brothers” at ‘Uncle Sam’s Bar and Grill’ in Spanaway on June 2, 2012 – almost exactly a year before the ATF raid. The planned attack on the bar, a known Bandidos hangout, was intended as payback. The government presented evidence suggesting the explosives and firearms were specifically gathered for this purpose. The potential for widespread carnage was clear, and the illegal storage of explosives posed an additional risk to the public, even without a direct attack.
Twilleager’s criminal history sealed his fate. A second-degree murder conviction in Grant County, Washington, in 1994 permanently barred him from possessing firearms or explosives. This wasn’t a first-time offender; it was a hardened criminal doubling down on dangerous behavior. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory A. Gruber successfully prosecuted the case, highlighting the seriousness of the charges and the threat posed by the Ghost Riders gang.
The ATF investigation received critical support from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad, the Washington State Patrol SWAT Team, the South Sound Gang Task Force, and the Seattle Police Department. This case serves as a stark reminder that law enforcement agencies are actively targeting violent gangs and working to keep illegal weapons off the streets. ‘King Karl’ may have ruled his roost for a time, but his reign is over, and he’ll have five years to reflect on his choices from behind bars.
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Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime|Weapons|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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