#329 Justin DeLoretto - Ex-Mongols President Reveals What Really Happens Inside a 1% Club

Justin DeLoretto’s journey from street gangs and motorcycle club violence to becoming a licensed therapist and advocate for at-risk youth is marked by deep search for identity, the push-pull of loyalty and belonging, and an ultimate reckoning with trauma and responsibility. His memoir, The Ride of My Life, From Street Gangs to Motorcycle Clubs to Social Worker, documents this evolution from chaos and violence to healing and service.

Early Experiences Shaped Pursuit of Identity and Belonging

Growing Up As an Identical Twin in an Italian Family With an Imprisoned Father and Supportive Stepfather Created Stability and Exposure to Criminal Systems

Justin grew up in Salem, Oregon, as an identical twin in a tight-knit Italian family, surrounded by the stability of Sunday dinners, holidays, and a network of supportive relatives, most of whom were teachers. His parents were never married. His biological father was incarcerated for a decade starting when Justin was six, exposing him early to the realities of the prison system through regular visits and correspondence—a normalcy he later realized was far from common. His stepfather, entering his life at age five, provided a role model of engagement, stability, and kindness, contrasting sharply with the instability stemming from his biological father’s involvement in drug dealing, addiction, and the outlaw motorcycle club scene. Family dynamics were further complicated by incidents of violence and addiction on his father’s side and episodes of physical altercations between his parents.

Despite the turbulence, Justin’s mother was proactive about maintaining connections to both fathers. His exposure to scenes like cash on the tables, weapons, robberies, and drug-related activity at his father’s home left an indelible mark. Yet, discipline and consequence were enforced—family did not turn a blind eye, but supported with accountability, creatively redirecting his and his brother’s misbehavior.

Sports Participation: Structure, Accountability, and Team Brotherhood Through Wrestling

The DeLorettos’ struggles with fighting and troublemaking in school led supportive family members to channel their energy into organized sports. Wrestling, especially, taught Justin discipline, team accountability, and offered tangible goals—successes and failures were solely his own but still interdependent with the group’s. The lessons of self-reliance, role within a team, and consequences for transgressions shaped his values early.

Punk Rock and Anti-Racist Skinhead Culture in High School Led To Gang Involvement and Felony Charges By 18

High school marked a shift to punk rock and anti-racist skinhead subcultures. Justin aligned himself with the anti-racist faction, adopting the aesthetics and fighting racism in a climate dominated by white supremacist gangs. The escalations were violent—stabbings and serious altercations were common—and Justin’s sense of self as a protector slipped into the reality of gang conflict. By 16, he faced his first felony charge for assault, followed by another at 18, leading to probation, anger management, and a brush with the criminal justice system that further solidified his outsider status.

From Violence to Punk Rock: A Respite From Gang Life

Touring With a Punk Band For Four Years Allowed For Channeling Leadership Skills Into Creative Endeavors While Maintaining Gang Affiliations

After high school, Justin immersed himself in the punk rock scene, pouring his leadership and organizing skills into a touring band. For four years, he booked national tours, released albums, and networked within the music world, all the while maintaining connections to his old circles.

Success in Mainstream Contexts Like Cbgbs, Warped Tour, and Established Label Recordings, yet the Pull Toward Motorcycle Club Culture Remained Strong

The band achieved moderate success, playing iconic venues like CBGBs and the Warped Tour, releasing music on established labels, and forming lasting friendships. This period offered him a legitimate arena for brotherhood and identity, but the gravitational pull of outlaw motorcycle clubs—in which the structure, security, and protocol resonated with his experience and values—proved irresistible.

Motorcycle Clubs, an Alternative to Street Gangs, Come With Escalating Risks

Prospecting With Outsiders MC Revealed Value Misalignment With Old-school Biker Culture, Despite Admiring Their Military-Like Structure

Justin’s fascination with structure led him to prospect with the Outsiders MC. He admired the Hells Angels for their discipline and military-like organization but realized a cultural misalignment with some of the old-school values he observed. His entry into motorcycle clubs was fueled by longing for belonging and meaning.

Joining the Vagos in Nevada Led To Rapid Advancement but Internal Conflicts, Violence, and Leadership Tension Loomed

Upon joining the Vagos in Oregon, Justin quickly moved beyond partying to navigating escalating tensions with rival clubs like Hells Angels. The realities of MC politics, old rivalries, and the threat of violence overtook any romantic notions of brotherhood, as club warfare became a dominant feature of his life.

Starting Oregon Mongols Chapter Thrust Him Into Intense Warfare Dynamics Requiring Tactical Sophistication

From six Members to Multiple Chapters: Implementing Security, Strategic Presence, and Non-violent Deterrence

Justin began the first chapter of the Mongols in Oregon in late 2007, rapidly expanding to multiple chapters across the Northwest. Drawing on his punk and gang experience, he implemented security measures, cultivated strategic presence, and orchestrated non-violent deterrence by blending supporters with members and manipulating optics for safety.

First Legal Battle With Fbi Pursuit, Interrogation Over Attempt to Run Federal Agents Off the Road, Resulting In Jail, Probation, and Cognitive Dissonance About Club Path

An incident in which Justin and others followed a car—unbeknownst to them, occupied by federal agents—led to a dramatic standoff, arrest, and eventual indictment on a suite of felonies sensationalized in the media. After a lengthy legal ordeal and trial, he was acquitted of most charges but served jail time and probation for misdemeanors. The heavy surveillance and “cat and mouse” pursuit by law enforcement, coupled with serious restrictions on his freedom, contributed to mounting doubts about the price of club loyalty.

Leadership Expansion Expanded Mongols' Presence, Introducing Political Complications

Midwest Regional Representative Leading Expansion, Establishing Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee Chapters and Raiders Support Club, Leading To Political Targeting

As a regional representative, Justin led the Mongols’ expansion from single members to multiple chapters in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Tennessee, and oversaw the Raiders support club to serve as a farm team for new recruits. These initiatives, however, drew increasing political scrutiny from rivals and authorities.

Contradictions of Progressive Programs in Trad ...

The world of 1% motorcycle clubs is governed by complex structures, rigid codes, and an ongoing cycle of conflict, particularly among notorious clubs such as the Mongols and Hells Angels. While the broader public imagines battles over ethnicity, money, or territory, the true origins and persistence of many rivalries are far more personal, driven by betrayal, ego, and efforts to maintain club power and prestige.

Mongols-Hells Angels Conflict Originated From Personal Betrayal, Not Ethnic or Territorial Dispute

According to Justin DeLoretto, few can even state why the Mongols and Hells Angels have been at war since the late 1960s—yet the conflict’s roots lie not in ethnicity or turf but in a tangle of personal betrayals. The trouble traces to an incident in the mid-70s involving George, a well-known Northern California Hells Angel. The Hells Angels dosed two visitors with acid at a party, killed them, and disposed of the bodies in a ranch well. After testifying as an informant in the murder trial, Chester Green, a Hells Angel, relocated to Southern California and joined the Mongols with his brother Bud.

Complications intensified when Keith Ball, a prominent Hells Angel and Easy Rider Magazine writer, had his wife leave him for Bud, now a Mongol. Their son, Frank, found himself caught between father (a Hells Angel) and stepfather (a Mongol). This tangled familial drama erupted publicly at a motorcycle swap meet, where Keith confronted and punched Bud, triggering a brawl between the Mongols and Angels. The aftermath escalated when Hells Angels gunned down two Mongols, Redbeard and Jingles, and their wives as they rode from Los Angeles to San Diego—killing one woman and paralyzing the other. At the victims' funeral, Hells Angels planted red and white roses and detonated a car bomb, followed by more bombings, including one at a motorcycle shop in East LA. Retaliatory murders, cold wars, and cycles of revenge soon defined decades of animosity between the clubs, spiraling out of control to the point where, as DeLoretto notes, "most people don't even know why" the war continues—only that losses on both sides have entrenched hatred and fueled perpetual violence.

Motorcycle Club Hierarchy Enforces Conformity Through Territories and Power Dynamics

1% motorcycle clubs operate with clearly enforced territorial boundaries and power structures. The leading clubs—Hells Angels (North California), Outlaws (Midwest and South), Mongols (Southern California), Bandidos (Texas/South), Pagans, and Sons of Silence—dominate their respective regions. Clubs' presence and expansion are dictated by patch protection rules, which prohibit the poaching of members from other dominant clubs and require explicit permission to open new chapters on a rival’s perceived territory.

Many smaller or "support" clubs, like the Renegades, often view alliance with big clubs as a stepping stone to full membership, but dominant clubs police these ladders strictly. Prospective chapters must gain approval and often wear support patches or attend "parties" for the territory’s ruling club. Friendship or fraternization across rival clubs is discouraged. Violating the rule against poaching—such as recruiting ex-members from rival clubs—can ignite immediate conflict, as happened when DeLoretto moved members from the Vagos into the Mongols, leading to threats and escalated drama.

Club Governance Mirrors Military or Corporate Structures With Constitutions, Bylaws, and Officer Roles

Clubs are formally governed with constitutions, detailed bylaws, and an internal hierarchy resembling a corporate or military institution. The Mongols, for instance, are overseen by their “Mother Chapter,” with regional representatives acting as liaisons to ensure compliance with club protocols and to handle patch-overs. New recruits undergo exhaustive background checks, detailing every personal history element, with investigators ensuring no one is a sex offender or informant.

Key governance happens in “church,” the weekly chapter meetings. Church is held for discussing business, making decisions, mediating conflicts, enforcing discipline, and executing strategy. These meetings can devolve into rumor-mongering or internal drama when business is light. Discipline for rule violations involves financial penalties or re-prospecting, and major club decisions—such as starting new chapters or expanding—require input from both the local chapter and the national leadership.

While the president’s office is technically elective, club politics and high risks (expulsion or prison) often make it an undesirable or dangerous position. DeLoretto recounts that attempts to run for or hold the presidency often lead to targeting, demotion, or being "thrown under the bus" due to internal power struggles. Changes in club demographics have also altered constitutional requirements, such as the previously California-based presidency, to reflect national expansion.

Club Warfare Driven by Ego, Territory, Disrespect Over Economic Gain

Contrary to the myth of economic gain or straightforward land grabs, most 1% club warfare emerges from wounded pride, ego, and perceived disrespect. Territorial moves—such as starting chapters in another club’s stronghold, wearing a rival’s color, or not checking in before entering an area—are interpreted as direct challenges to supremacy. For example, the Mongols’ adoption of the “California” bottom rocker after initial violent clashes with the Hells Angels signaled open challenge and escalated hostilities.

Conflicts often play out as “cold wars,” involving ongoing surveillance, intimidation, and symbolic standoffs where violence is threatened but not always enacted. High-stress standoffs, spotter cars, and the constant flexing of muscle keep clubs in a state of readiness. Nonetheless, cycles of revenge violence persist, triggered by tit-for-tat murders, funeral bombings, and retributive shootings—feeding a culture where reputation outweighs even freedom or life. Leaders have sometimes instructed members to commit violent acts for the club’s “respect,” underscoring the link between pride and violence.

Internal Politics Undermine Brotherhood Through Rivalries and Power Grabs

While clubs preach brotherhood, internal politics often sow division. Leaders' insecurities can significantly delay younger members' elevation to “full-patch” status—a fate DeLoretto describes personally, ...

Justin DeLoretto’s journey from street gangs to the Mongols Motorcycle Club, and later social work, reveals how the search for brotherhood and belonging can shape, and at times warp, a person’s life across various subcultures and activities. His arc demonstrates the powerful role that the need for connection, respect, and shared struggle plays—starting with his identity as a twin and continuing through sports, punk bands, and ultimately the violent world of outlaw motorcycle clubs.

Twin Brother Relationship Shaped Brotherhood and Drove Identity Differentiation

Growing up as an identical twin, Justin always had someone at his side, sharing everyday experiences—from family vacations to run-ins with authority. This deep connection shaped his pursuit of brotherhood throughout his life.

Twin Pressure Led to Separate Schools for Individual Identity

Justin explains that twins often have difficulty developing individual identities because they are treated as a unit—dressed the same, in the same classes, and sharing the same peer groups. To help the brothers develop their own identities, Justin's parents sent them to different high schools: one to a city school, the other to a country school. The stated reason was to avoid them competing in the same wrestling weight class, but the true aim was personal differentiation. Still, their social circles and reputations overlapped, and even physical separation couldn't fully resolve their shared identity.

Twins in Subcultures Reflect Shared Values and Upbringing

Despite school separation, Justin and his twin ended up involved in similar subcultures. Justin’s entry into skinhead and punk rock scenes led his brother to follow, even though he mingled with different crowds—wanting to “be a roper” and roping in his backyard. Their experiences often converged because others couldn't tell the twins apart, and his brother "became his beef too," getting involved in Justin’s conflicts and eventually joining in his activities.

Twin's Near-Fatal Beating by Hells Angels Allies Causes Brain Damage, Deafness, and Disability, Influencing Leadership and Member Protection Decisions

A pivotal event in their journey was a brutal assault on Justin’s twin by men associated with later Hells Angels allies. Targeted while traveling with a group, his brother was singled out, beaten with a club until he suffered catastrophic injuries—brain damage, deafness, and debilitating equilibrium issues that left him using a walker. This trauma required Justin to care for his brother, helping him relearn to walk, and deeply affected Justin's later club leadership, instilling an acute awareness of the need to protect members.

Sports and Activities Offered Pro-social Models For Belonging & Accountability

Justin points out the critical role of sports and structured extracurricular activities for youth, highlighting their capacity to provide a pro-social sense of belonging, discipline, and accountability—contrasting sharply with the dangers of unsupervised time and gang involvement.

Wrestling Taught Discipline, Accountability, and Team Contribution Satisfaction

Wrestling, in particular, taught Justin accountability: losses and wins were his own, but he also experienced the satisfaction of contributing to a team's success. Team travel and the camaraderie of sports shaped his early conceptions of positive group belonging.

Multi-Sport Participation Established a Framework For Seeking High-Stakes, Clear Hierarchies

He grew up playing every sport, thanks to a family of teachers and coaches, which provided a foundation for his lifelong search for high-stakes, clear pecking orders in other environments.

Felony Charge Ends Wrestling, Redirects Competitive Drive Into Dangerous Outlets

However, after a felony charge cut short his wrestling aspirations, Justin’s drive for challenge and belonging was redirected into more dangerous outlets: street gangs and subcultural brotherhoods.

Punk Rock, Anti-Racist Skinheads Justified Gangs

Justin moved from the team structure of sports into the tribal identity of the punk rock and anti-racist skinhead scene.

Anti-Racist Ideology Masks Gang Involvement's Tribalism, Suggesting Moral Justification Legitimizes Impulses

He rationalized his involvement in violent groups as “anti-racist social justice,” while, in reality, it was “us versus them” gang behavior masked by moral justification—a tribal search for belonging.

Punk Rock Touring and Band Membership Formed an Alternative Community With Travel, Creative Expression, and Brotherhood Without Death's Threat, yet Motorcycle Clubs' Tough Reputation Ultimately Appealed More

Band life introduced him to touring and an alternative brotherhood of travel, creative expression, and strong bonds—community without the existential risks of gang violence. Yet, after violent fallout from gang entanglements and the collapse of his band, Justin gravitated toward motorcycle clubs, attracted by their tough reputation and the promise of an even tighter, more exhilarating brotherhood.

Smooth Transition: Punk Rock to Motorcycle Clubs Through Rebellion, Brotherhood, Travel, Identity, Leadership

The leap from punk subculture to motorcycle clubs was natural—both celebrated rebellion, brotherhood, travel, and tough identity. Justin recounts his and his brother’s upgrade from Vespas to Harley Sportsters, marking their transition, and notes that many connections from the punk scene resurfaced later in motorcycle club circles.

Motorcycle Club Membership: The Next Step For Brotherhood After Other Outlets Fail

Justin cycled through several motorcycle clubs, always seeking a more authentic brotherhood after experiencing limits in the previous ones.

The Outsiders Club's Members Were Older Men With Whom Justin Shared Little Except Motorcycles, Showing the Appeal Wasn't Friendship but Prestige and Association With Known Tough Individuals

His time with the Outsiders MC, a traditional chopper club, revealed that beyond age gaps and different lives, the real draw was not friendship but the club’s outlaw prestige and association with respected tough individuals. Justin, far younger than most, realize ...

Regional Representative Status: Authority to Implement Programs Contrary to Traditional Club Culture

Justin DeLoretto leveraged his regional leadership status to reshape club culture through innovative programs. Using the authority of the regional representative position, he mandated that every member maintain visible means of income, instituted a no-[restricted term] policy in certain regions, and, most notably, required all members to work out three days a week. He built consensus by organizing votes and persuading members, making them feel ownership over the changes. Recognizing diverse abilities and conditions, DeLoretto adapted the workout requirement: if an older member couldn't train in a gym, walking at the park or regular visits to the shooting range sufficed, so long as members stayed active.

Crucially, DeLoretto also shifted the emotional and social landscape of the club. Within church meetings, he encouraged open conversations about mental health, normalizing emotional expression among men and strengthening interpersonal bonds that defied traditional masculine norms. Rather than centering activities around drinking in bars, club gatherings increasingly focused on skills development and physical challenge. Members bonded over weightlifting, jiu-jitsu, wrestling, and even stick and knife fighting. These activities not only fostered camaraderie but replaced drama-fueled partying with positive, health-oriented engagement, transforming out-of-shape stereotypes into fit, disciplined club members.

Regional Representative Program Reduced External Leadership Cultural Conflict

DeLoretto’s regional representative program fundamentally changed how the club managed internal governance and external relationships. Instead of outsiders or the distant mother chapter dictating local chapter affairs, trusted and knowledgeable figures from within each region—elected by their peers—acted as liaisons, ensuring adherence to protocol while accounting for local nuances. Local leaders now negotiated directly within nationally agreed frameworks, reducing friction with other clubs such as the Gypsy Jokers. This approach minimized the resentment that arose when decisions were imposed by outsiders unfamiliar with local dynamics. The program, rolled out across the nation and eventually internationally, was a structural innovation that allowed club governance and culture to adapt and thrive as the organization expanded.

Raiders Support Club Seeks Farm-System Link While Upholding Ethics

Recognizing the challenges of recruiting committed members, DeLoretto revamped the Raiders support club, making it both a proving ground and a bridge to full Mongol membership. Prospects joined the Raiders for a year, during which time they demonstrated commitment, learned organizational culture, and proved their reliability before any vote on full membership. This period acted as a trial, filtering out unsuitable recruits, and reducing rushed or inappropriate membership decisions.

Many joined the Raiders attracted to the camaraderie and lifestyle, but some ultimately found the full-time demands of a "one percenter" club too great. This clarified whether individuals sought the rigorous commitment or simply the social aspects—an important distinction as motorcycle club culture became mainstream enough to attract more casual participants. The farm-system structure worked: many Raiders, after this immersive experience, ultimately patched over to become Mongols, validating the approach and strengthening the club with proven, dedicated members.

Club Peace Efforts Hampered Despite Personal Ties and Respect

While leadership reforms produced personal bonds and periods of local harmony, entrenched patterns of conflict at the club level persisted. DeLoretto describes personal friendships with members of rival clubs, such as the Bandidos, with whom he’d socialized and built trust. Yet when national leadership pursued expansion into contested territories, such as Bandidos and Hells Angels str ...

Justin DeLoretto’s journey from a motorcycle club lifestyle to a career in therapy and social work shapes his unique approach to helping at-risk youth, domestic violence perpetrators, and men transitioning out of high-commitment subcultures.

Choosing Therapy Over the Motorcycle Club Lifestyle

After repeated jail sentences largely for probation violations, DeLoretto recognized the cycle as unsustainable. A pivotal moment came when a guard told him he didn’t belong in jail—a sentiment Justin internalized, realizing he was not a drug dealer or criminal at heart. With a felony conviction and public notoriety surrounding his club affiliations, most employment avenues were closed to him, particularly teaching, his original ambition. Seeking a career where he could help others, DeLoretto chose drug and alcohol counseling and pursued degrees in counseling and social work.

Despite the obstacles of his criminal record and visible “Mongols” tattoo, DeLoretto committed himself to education, earning an associate’s degree in drug and alcohol counseling, followed by a bachelor’s in social behavioral studies, and later a master’s in social work from George Fox University, a Christian institution, despite his largely agnostic beliefs. His pursuit of professional therapy work often ran parallel to his continued involvement in martial arts and ongoing transition away from club life, an improbable path Shawn Ryan notes as “rare for a one-percent biker gang dude,” but one DeLoretto shares with others, like Richie Richie, an active member with a PhD in clinical psychology.

Peer-Led Reform in Domestic Violence Perpetrators

Starting traditional therapy in Illinois, DeLoretto found a calling in counseling domestic violence perpetrators. He facilitated peer-led groups for court-ordered men, focusing on challenging notions of possessiveness, control, and “clothes-policing”—all learned behaviors. One participant, initially defending the control of partners’ dress, was corrected not by DeLoretto but, months later, by another man whose own beliefs had shifted thanks to group engagement. This peer correction exemplifies how cultural scripts around masculinity and control are reshaped more effectively through collective discussion than through authoritarian enforcement. DeLoretto observes that even outside group sessions, men he’d counseled introduced him publicly as someone who genuinely changed their outlook, illustrating the lasting impact of peer influence well beyond formal therapy settings.

Multi-Systemic Therapy Tackles Juvenile Delinquency Via Family Intervention and Skill-Building

DeLoretto’s work with at-risk youth (age 11–17) employs multi-systemic therapy, focusing on systemic drivers of behavior rather than trauma alone. He and his team consider factors like home supervision, peer influence, access to substances, and family awareness. Therapy teams provide intensive, in-home intervention—two to four visits per week for up to 120–150 days—allowing professionals to observe issues in context. This direct observation (such as attending morning routines to identify causes for not waking up for school) informs tailored interventions, routines, and rewards systems designed to develop sustainable new skills in parents and children.

Many client families are single-parent households headed by working parents who themselves lacked positive role models and parenting knowledge. DeLoretto underscores that the goal is not to blame parents for unresolved issues, but to equip them with practical strategies for supervision and communication, supporting sustained improvement after therapy ends. He notes the scarcity of pro-social opportunities for youth and emphasizes skill-building and resource provision as critical, especially in under-resourced communities.

Devil's Advocate Supports Identity Rebuilding for Those Exiting High-Commitment Subcultures

To address the unique difficulties men face when shedding identities tied to clubs, gangs, or military service, DeLoretto started the Devil’s Advocate group—a men’s group meeting weekly. Members, many of whom are former club or gang members, military veter ...