The Iron Horsemen Motorcycle Club is a national outlaw motorcycle gang that was founded in the 1960s. It has the distinction of being one of a handful of one-percenter clubs, a reference to the American Motorcycle Association statistic that only one percent of motorcyclists are members of criminal biker gangs. Like any criminal enterprise, the Iron Horsemen are shrouded in secrecy. Little is known about their founding and the process of inducting new members.
But in recent years, biker gangs have become the focus of new TV shows like Sons’ of Anarchy and Mayans M.C. And with this newfound popularity, many people want to learn the truth about outlaw motorcycle clubs.
Thanks to a few testimonials from former members of the Iron Horsemen and other outlaw biker gangs, we have a small window into life inside these secretive clubs.
Joining The Iron Horsemen
According to one former Iron Horsemen, the process of becoming a full member is extremely rigorous. As a prospective member, you must prove your loyalty to “patched” or fully inducted members by doing anything they ask of you. And with outlaw gangs like the Iron Horsemen, one can only imagine what this might involve. According to American Gangsters, Then and Now: An Encyclopedia, that prospective members of Hell’s Angels do a lot of the dirty work for the gang including carrying out hits and selling drugs.
What Makes The Iron Horsemen Outlaws
Although not much is known about the founding of the Club, we know a lot about their criminal activity from the news and arrest reports. It’s pretty clear that Iron Horsemen chapters across the country have been involved in the sale and distribution of illegal drugs.
In 2008, two members of the Kentucky chapter were arrested for conspiracy to distribute meth. But this was by no means an isolated incident. In 2016 the former president of the Iron Horsemen, Richard Szpyt pleaded guilty to a drug conspiracy charge for his part in a coke distribution ring. But the gang is also not afraid of violence, in September of 2015, Anthony Love and Alex Mazzaro, both associated with the Iron Horsemen, stabbed multiple people in Mount Adams Ohio.
Enemies And Allies
With so much drug money on the line, it comes as no surprise that a gang like the Iron Horsemen has made some enemies over the years. Among the gangs they have come into conflict with are the Detroit Highwaymen and the Iron Order, both motorcycle clubs. Oftentimes, the violent crime that is associated with the Iron Horsemen are disputes with members of these gangs. However, they still maintained solid relations with the Phantoms and the Brothers 8 Clubs.