Fresno, California - Criminal charges have been filed against multiple Mongolian Boys Society gang members in both the Fresno County Superior Court and in the United States District Court related to the murders of four (4) victims and the attempted murders of twelve (12) victims at a Sunday Night football watch party on the evening of November 17, 2019, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office and the United States Attorney’s Office have announced.
The Federal Felony Complaint filed in U.S. District Court today alleges that Fresno residents Pao Vang, 30; Jhovanny Delgado, 19; and Johnny Xiong, 25, conspired to commit murder in aid of racketeering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1959(a)(5).
According to the criminal complaint, on Nov. 17, 2019, members and associates of the Mongolian Boys Society conspired to commit murder. At a meeting, the defendants and others selected a target residence, chose shooters, provided them with guns, and drove to the target location. Vang, Delgado, and Xiong attended the meeting outlining the planned retaliation and understood that the objective was to murder individuals at the designated target residence. They were designated as lookouts and positioned themselves on street corners near the target residence to report the presence of law enforcement.
The partnership of federal agencies with local law enforcement is critical in the fight against violent crime. Federal agencies investigating this case are the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court.
The Felony Complaint filed in Superior Court alleges that Ger Lee (27, of Fresno), Anthony Montes (27, of Fresno), Porge Kue (26, of Fresno), and Billy Xiong (25, of Fresno) committed the crimes of:
- Four Counts of Murder [P.C. § 187(a)];
- One Count of Conspiracy to Commit Murder [P.C. § 182/187(a)]; and
- Twelve Counts of Attempted Murder [P.C. § 664/187(a)].
The murder charges also include two (2) special circumstances as to the four named defendants pursuant to Penal Code section 190.2 that allege:
1.) The defendants committed multiple murders [P.C. § 190.2(a)(3)]; and
2.) The murders were committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang [P.C. § 190.2(a)(22)].
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That Complaint also contains the additional allegations that the four named defendants committed the crimes for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with a criminal street gang [P.C. § 186.22(b)], that they personally and intentionally discharged a firearm that caused great bodily injury or death [P.C. § 12022.53(d)], and that they personally and intentionally discharged a firearm [P.C. § 12022.53(c)].
If convicted of these charges in State Court, these defendants face a sentence of either Death or Life in Prison. The District Attorney’s Office is currently conducting a necessary investigation, and will make a determination and announcement regarding the death penalty at a later date.
The charges are allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.