Operation Mongolian Beef: Dozens arrested after violent shootout between rival Florida biker gangs

28 arrested in Florida biker gang crackdown

Nearly four months after a violent brawl between rival biker gangs erupted into gunfire outside a gas station during Bike Week, authorities have arrested 28 people in a sweeping multi-agency operation dubbed ?Operation Mongolian Beef.?

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. - Nearly four months after a violent brawl between rival biker gangs erupted into gunfire outside a gas station during Bike Week, authorities have arrested 28 people in a sweeping multi-agency operation dubbed "Operation Mongolian Beef."

Arrests tied to alleged Bike Week shootout in March

What we know:

Authorities have arrested 28 individuals linked to a violent biker gang shootout that occurred March 8 outside a gas station in New Smyrna Beach during Bike Week. 

The confrontation involved the Mongols and Warlocks motorcycle gangs and left two people shot. Law enforcement agencies launched "Operation Mongolian Beef" in response, executing over a dozen search warrants across several states. Charges include aggravated rioting, a second-degree felony.

What we don't know:

Three suspects remain at large, and investigators have not yet revealed their identities. Officials have also not released detailed information about the weapons used, the conditions of the two people who were shot, or whether any bystanders were injured. The full scope of potential additional charges is also unclear as authorities continue to comb through surveillance footage and other evidence.

What they're saying:

The escalation on March 8 reportedly began when Warlocks were spotted at the gas station and Mongols arrived within 13 minutes, suggesting a coordinated retaliation.

"Bullets were flying… innocent people were there, children — a busy, busy, busy day," said Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood.

Warlocks v. Mongols: Mike Chitwood press conference | FULL

A violent rivalry between two so-called biker gangs -- The Warlocks Motorcycle Club and the Mongols Motorcycle Club -- has resulted in the arrests of at least 28 people, stemming from a March 2025 shootout at a Racetrac gas station in New Smyrna Beach. The Volusia Sheriff's Office, FBI, and other law enforcement agencies partnered to conduct the investigation.

The incident and subsequent investigation spotlight growing concerns about gang violence during Bike Week, which draws tens of thousands to Florida each year. 

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"If you come here, and you show your [expletive], we’re going to show ours," Chitwood added.

State Attorney R.J. Larizza called the public nature of the shootout especially troubling.

"Can you imagine what it would be like to be filling your car up with gas or taking your grandkids by the hand and walking them into a gas station and all of a sudden fighting and gunfire erupts?" Larizza said.

The backstory:

The March brawl was not an isolated incident. Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said that three of the suspects tied to the New Smyrna Beach shooting were also linked to a 2023 shooting in Titusville, indicating a longer history of gang violence in the region. 

Authorities say the investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be forthcoming as they continue reviewing evidence and surveillance footage.

Dig deeper:

The wide-ranging operation involved the execution of 14 search warrants across multiple jurisdictions, including the Mongols’ clubhouse in Edgewater and residences in Volusia, Brevard, Polk, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade counties, as well as a home in Chesterfield County, Virginia.

Agencies involved in the crackdown include the FBI field offices in Jacksonville, Tampa, Miami, Richmond, Newark, Columbia, and Charlotte; the U.S. Marshals; Homeland Security Investigations; the FBI Safe Streets Task Force; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida; and more than a dozen sheriff’s offices and police departments across Florida, including Daytona Beach, Orlando, and Palm Bay.

The arrests stem from a March 8 shootout outside a gas station in New Smyrna Beach that unfolded in broad daylight and sent bystanders scrambling for safety. Officials say the confrontation involved rival gang members and has since led to Twenty-eight people have been charged with aggravated rioting, a second-degree felony under Florida law punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Those arrested include: 

• Among those charged are:
• Tyler Maxamillian Araya
• Max Martin Bastuardo
• Gary Robert Bedsaul (arrest pending)
• John Paul Bertrand
• Christopher Allen Boyd
• Peri John Butler
• Pablo Jorge Cardoza Baptista
• Jarrad Bryce Cawley
• Francis G. Gomez
• Daniel Hernandez
• Sean Jeffery Hoholik
• Trevor Frank Kopp (arrest pending)
• Kevin Koul
• Matthew David Limperatos
• Daniel William Macumber
• Robert Brandon Maness
• Shawn Anthony Marshall
• Steve Patino-Rangel
• Justin Ballard Perry
• Chadwick Lee Price
• Michael Angel Rodriguez
• Mario Silvestri (arrest pending)
• Spencer Ryan Skipworth
• Timothy Adam Stephens
• Joseph Harry James Summerhill
• Anthony Christopher Trimboli
• Jacob Rolando Velez
• Clinton Neal Walker (previously arrested and charged in the case)
• Douglas Ray White
• Kash Williams
• Gaige Alexander Wilson

What's next:

Authorities say the investigation remains active. Three additional suspects remain at large, with active warrants issued for their arrests, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.