Three Hells Angels sentenced to life in case centered on murder, betrayal and clandestine cremations

SAN FRANCISCO — Three prominent members of the Hells Angels motorcycle club have been sentenced to life in prison in a case rife with murder, mayhem, clandestine cremations and secret government informants.

Santa Rosa residents Jonathan “Jon Jon” Nelson, 46, and Russell “Rusty” Ott, 70, and Brian Wendt, 45, of Tulare, were all sentenced to life in prison for their roles in the murder of Joel Silva, a Hells Angels sergeant. -weapons disappeared 10 years ago. Prosecutors say Silva was lured to Fresno, Wendt shot her in the back of the head and she was illegally cremated at a nearby funeral home.

The three men were found guilty in 2022 in a trial that relied on the word of two former Hells Angels who left after receiving beatings that became emblematic of the biker gang. Other key government witnesses included former associates and members of subsidiary motorcycle clubs, as well as the director of the Fresno funeral home, who claimed he was intimidated into burning several bodies of murder victims at the request of a Hells Angel from Fresno.

Nelson, the former president of the club's Sonoma chapter, was convicted of helping lead the plot to kill Silva, whose increasingly erratic behavior and drug use were becoming a source of concern in within the club. The tipping point came when Silva threatened a friend of Salem/Boston chapter president Christopher “Rain Man” Ranieri, who was convicted of his role in the murder plot in a separate trial the year last.

Wendt – a Hells Angel from Fresno who sports a “Filthy Few” tattoo that prosecutors say is a symbol of murder – shot Silva inside the Fresno clubhouse under the pretense of showing him marijuana, according to prosecution witnesses. He later called it “one of my best victories.” Before Wendt was sentenced, one of his friends, James Arce, wrote a letter to the court describing him as a warm and generous man, full of empathy for others.

“Brian’s caring nature has created a positive ripple effect in my life and I am extremely grateful for his presence. In good times and bad, Brian is a pillar of reliability and warmth,” Arce’s letter said. “His friendship is a treasure and I feel lucky to have him by my side.”

Ott was found guilty of helping lure Silva to his death, as he was one of the only men Silva trusted at that time. His defense, in a nutshell, was that he was too drunk to have been involved in a murder plot.

Last year, a member of the Fresno chapter, Merl Hefferman, was sentenced to four years in prison for cremating Silva's body. Prosecutors said he was responsible for disposing of the bodies of murder victims on behalf of the Hells Angels and was responsible for extorting money from the funeral home director. They blamed him for three other clandestine cremations of missing people Robbie Huff, Arthur Carasis and Juan Guevara, all of whom were members of the club. Hefferman denied attending more than one event.

Ranieri and Raymond “Ray Ray” Foakes are still awaiting sentencing. Foakes was convicted of racketeering and mayhem for beating a former member who later testified for prosecutors, but that was the case. not involved in the plot to kill Silva.

The U.S. Attorney's Office announced the sentences in a news release Friday.

“The record in this case describes a brutal brotherhood whose actions should shock the conscience of all of us,” U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey said in a written statement. “While life sentences cannot undo the harm done to the defendants' victims, it should provide some comfort to our communities to know that these three defendants will never again have the opportunity to continue their destructive activities on our streets.