They’re known as Hell’s Lovers, a national motorcycle gang that has been around since the late 1960s. As of Saturday, at least a dozen members were sitting in a Denver jail.
Federal agents raided several homes in the metro area Friday night and arrested at least 15 members from the gang.
Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives aren’t saying specifically what the charges are, only that the people have been arrested for “violent crime.” The gang, which was formed in Chicago almost 50 years ago, has spread to Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Tennessee and Texas.
“These members are not young. They are primarily older; some of them are grandfathers,” said Terrance Roberts, gang expert and founder of Prodigal Son Initiative in Denver.
“The members in Denver are primarily African-American,” Roberts said.
Hell’s Lovers in general has been associated with cocaine trafficking and use of weapons and explosives.
“Every one of them is dangerous. Most of them are armed. They are not in the business of contributing to society. They are in the business of taking away from it,” said Malcolm Brady, retired ATF assistant director.
One of the homes that was raided Friday night is at East 41st Avenue and Garfield Street in Denver.
All the windows on the home are blacked out, and there is a sign on the front door that says “Danger. Weapons Firing in Progress.”
One neighbor who didn’t want to be identified said he often hears gunshots being fired off inside the house.
Garry Samora has been delivering mail to the neighborhood for years. He said the gang moved in just three months ago and the members are friendly guys.
“I have been inside two or three times. They invited me in to check out their club. They are all cool, regular people. They were real cordial to me,” Samora said.
