Former Survivor star Brandon Hantz was arrested in Houston amid accusations he was involved in acts of arson during his time in a gang.
Hantz, 33, was among 14 people were named in a 22-count federal indictment in Houston, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas said in a news release on Wednesday.
Hantz – who authorities said went under the nicknames ‘Loco’ and ‘Gun Drop’ – faces 20 years in custody for each of the counts he’s charged with.
Hantz – the nephew of Survivor alum Russell Hantz – was a part of the CBS reality compeтιтion on two separate shows: 2011’s Survivor: South Pacific and 2013’s Survivor: Caramoan.
On the latter, Hantz was involved in a clash with another contestant, Phillip Sheppard, that concluded with him trashing his tribe’s food supply.
Prosecutors said that the reality star was taken into custody ‘following an operation targeting multiple members of an allegedly violent, transnational motorcycle gang in the Houston metropolitan area.’
Former Survivor star Brandon Hantz, 33, was arrested in Houston on Wednesday amid accusations he was involved in acts of arson during his time in a gang. Pictured in 2011
Hantz – who authorities said went under the nicknames ‘Loco’ and ‘Gun Drop’ – faces 20 years in custody for each of the counts he’s charged with if convicted
Hantz was one of the ‘current and former members’ of the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang and Mascareros Motorcycle Club who were apprehended in connection with the indictment, according to officials.
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Prosecutors said that the Mascareros are considered a ‘support club’ of the Bandidos.
‘Today’s indictment is an important step in eliminating the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang,’ Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said.
Bacon said the indictment was part of a larger measure on behalf of the Department of Justice to bring ‘peace back to our communities.’
‘Bandidos national leadership allegedly [putting] out a “smash on site” order to commit physical ᴀssaults, including murder, against B*EAST member,’ officials said. ‘The turf war has resulted in gunfire exchanged on public roadways and in public establishments with innocent civilians present.’
‘The Bandidos declare war on rivals – and they wage that war on our streets,’ Bacon said. ‘Criminal behavior like this has no place in America, and the Department of Justice is fully committed to bringing peace back to our communities.’
A federal grand jury decided to move forward with the indictment on February 11, authorities said.
Prosecutors said the indictment accuses the people arrested ‘of various crimes.’
Hantz pictured at an event at CBS Television City in LA on December 18, 2011
Hantz seen alongside Survivor host Jeff Probst in a 2013 episode of the series
They include ‘engaging in a conspiracy to commit racketeering activity and committing violent crimes in furtherance of the gang such as murder, attempted murder and ᴀssault.’
The Bandidos were involved in ‘a violent turf war’ in Houston against the rival gang B*EAST, according to prosecutors.
‘Bandidos national leadership allegedly [putting] out a “smash on site” order to commit physical ᴀssaults, including murder, against B*EAST members,’ officials said.
Authorities said that ‘the turf war has resulted in gunfire exchanged on public roadways and in public establishments with innocent civilians present.’
Multiple suspects in the indictment are slated to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo Thursday afternoon, prosecutors said.
