Related Federal Cases
GJOMC Members Found Guilty of Kidnapping and Murder in Aid of Racketeering
In a landmark case, two members of the Gypsy Joker Outlaw Motorcycle Club (GJOMC) were found guilty of kidnapping and murder in aid of racketeering. Mark Leroy Dencklau, 61, of Woodburn, Oregon, and Chad Leroy Erickson, 51, of Rainier, Oregon, were convicted of murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping in aid of racketeering resulting in death, kidnapping resulting in death, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping resulting in death.
Dencklau was also found guilty of racketeering conspiracy. The jury acquitted Erickson and GJOMC national president Kenneth Earl Hause, 64, of Aumsville, Oregon, of racketeering conspiracy.
The case involved the 2015 kidnapping and murder of Robert Huggins, a Portland resident and former club member. Huggins was previously stripped of his club membership for allegedly stealing from the club and was kidnapped and tortured before being murdered. Dencklau, as the president of the GJOMC’s Portland chapter, directed GJOMC members to find Huggins and orchestrate his revenge.
The GJOMC is a hierarchical criminal organization that has been active in several states, including Oregon and Washington, since the 1980s. The club has international chapters in Germany, Australia, and Norway and has been involved in various acts of violent racketeering activity, including murder, kidnapping, robbery, extortion, narcotics trafficking, and witness tampering.
The GJOMC also oversees several support clubs in Oregon and Washington, including the Road Brothers Northwest Motorcycle Club, Solutions Motorcycle Club, Northwest Veterans Motorcycle Club, High-Side Riders, and the Freedom Fellowship Motorcycle Club. Support club members conduct criminal activities in support of the GJOMC and serve as a source of new members and revenue for the club.
The case highlights the dangers of organized crime and the importance of a robust, coordinated law enforcement operation in bringing perpetrators to justice. The community is safer thanks to the dedication of all involved law enforcement agencies.
Mandatory Facts:
- Defendant: Mark Leroy Dencklau
- Criminal Charges: Murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping in aid of racketeering resulting in death, kidnapping resulting in death, conspiracy to commit kidnapping resulting in death, and racketeering conspiracy
- City and State: Portland, Oregon
- Exact Date: November 30, 2021
- Sentence or Outcome: Guilty verdict
- Dollar Amounts: N/A
Key Facts
- State: Oregon
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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