TAMPA, Fla., March 19 -- A federal racketeering trial began Monday for Harry "Taco" Bowman, leader of the infamous Outlaws Motorcycle gang, on charges of murder, extortion, drug trafficking and racketeering.
Jury selection began Monday, after a gag order was issued for both sides.
If Bowman, 49, is convicted, he could face several life sentences.
"Bowman is the head of a worldwide organization and has been for 20 years," Assistant U.S. Attorney Terry Furr said before the gag order was issued. "It has existed for many years because of a code of silence and a code of vengeance."
Most of the 10 counts involve crimes that took place from 1980 to 1997. He is charged with killing an Outlaws member in Ormond Beach, Fla., in 1982 and the president of a rival motorcycle club in 1991.
Bowman, listed as one of the FBI's 10-most-wanted for two years, was arrested in 1999.
The Outlaws, who rival Hell's Angels as one of the nation's largest motorcycle gangs, calls Florida home with eight chapters but have also been targeted by authorities in Wisconsin, North Carolina and Colorado on suspicion of murder, drug trafficking and other crimes.
Outlaw leaders were convicted in Florida in the 1980s and defense attorney Stephen Crawford said that broke the gang's back.
"The club is a shadow of what used to be here," Crawford said after a hearing last week. "Look at what an attractive target they are with the long hair and tattoos. It's a classic stereotypical villain."
