FAIRFIELD, CA – Michael Mahoney, 30, of Fairfield, California, has confessed to federal firearms violations stemming from a raid connected to a violent assault allegedly committed by members of the Vallejo chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club. Mahoney pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number and an unregistered short-barreled shotgun, according to court documents unsealed today.
The case began unraveling last October when two members of a rival motorcycle club – described by investigators as a “puppet” or subordinate club to the Hells Angels – were brutally beaten by Mahoney and other Hells Angels members. The attacks were reportedly triggered by perceived violations of the Hells Angels’ strict internal rules. The beating prompted law enforcement to obtain a search warrant for Mahoney’s Fairfield residence on December 8, 2021.
During the search, agents uncovered a cache of weapons, including a Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver with its serial number deliberately scratched off, rendering it untraceable. They also seized a Sears & Roebuck 12-gauge shotgun that had been illegally modified with a sawed-off barrel, measuring only 12.75 inches in length. Crucially, Mahoney had failed to register the short-barreled shotgun with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, a direct violation of federal law.
Federal prosecutors, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron D. Pennekamp and Jason Hitt, are handling the case. The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, Solano County Sheriff’s Office, Vacaville Police Department, Vallejo Police Department, Fairfield Police Department, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The multi-agency task force suggests a concerted effort to dismantle criminal activity linked to the Hells Angels organization.
Mahoney is slated to appear before U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on May 2, 2023, for sentencing. He faces a potential maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the altered firearm. The unregistered shotgun carries a steeper penalty: up to 10 years imprisonment and a $10,000 fine. The final sentence will be determined by Judge Mendez, taking into account federal sentencing guidelines and other relevant factors.
This case is being touted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” (PSN), a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. Officials emphasize the program’s focus on fostering community trust, supporting violence prevention groups, and strategically prioritizing enforcement efforts. However, critics often point to PSN as a continuation of long-standing tough-on-crime policies with limited long-term impact.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Weapons|Organized Crime|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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