4 Bandidos Biker Gang members indicted on charges for death of Austin man

Power, reputation, and territory. Those are the reasons the Department of Justice said an Austin man was gunned down in front of his family nearly a decade ago. Now, four men have been charged with the murder of 44-year-old Anthony Benesh.

According to court documents, Benesh was trying to start a Texas Chapter of the Hell's Angels in Austin. When word got back to the Bandidos Biker Gang, the indictment said the outlaw motorcycle organization warned him to stop, which Benesh ignored.

March 18th 2006, Benesh was shot outside a pizza restaurant in North Austin.

47-year-old "Downtown" Johnny Romo, 45-year-old year old Robert Romo, 40-year-old Jesse James "Kronic" Benavidez and 35-year-old Norberto "Hammer" Serna, Jr. are all facing a 12-count indictment.     All four are being charged with one count of discharging a firearm during a murder in aid of racketeering. Johnny and Robert Romo are also being charged with murder in aid of racketeering.

Also, included in the indictment, two of the highest ranking members of the Bandidos. National President Jeffrey Fay Pike and vice President John Xavier Portillo. Pike and Portillo are accused of directing, sanctioning, approving and permitting members of the Bandidos to carry out acts like murder, attempted murder, robbery, assault, intimidation, extortion and drug trafficking to protect and enhance the organization's power, territory, reputation and profits.

Court records show The Bandidos declared it was "At war" with the Cossacks. That war was caught on camera back in 2015 at a Waco restaurant where a shootout happened between the rival biker gangs where nine people were killed.

Pike is out on bond. Portillo is in federal jail. Both are awaiting their trials, jury selection is scheduled for August 7th. The other 4 are in are in custody. If convicted, the defendants could face up to life in federal prison.