Punjabi-origin founder of California motorcycle club gets 5 years in US jail for illegal arms trade
Club members wore patches featuring Punjab’s map and a skull
A 27-year-old man of Punjabi origin who founded the outlaw motorcycle club Punjabi Devils in California’s Stockton area has been sentenced to five years and four months in a US federal prison for illegally dealing in firearms and possessing a machine gun.
Jashanpreet Singh, a resident of Lodi, California, with roots in Punjab, was sentenced on May 12, 2026, by US District Judge Dale A Drozd. He had earlier attempted to flee to India in 2025 after the offences came to light but was arrested at San Francisco International Airport before boarding his flight.
Club’s Punjab-themed identity
The Punjabi Devils Motorcycle Club, founded by Singh, uses patches depicting the map of Punjab along with a turbaned skull, reflecting the group’s Punjabi identity. The Stockton-based outlaw motorcycle gang was reportedly associated with the Hells Angels.
According to the US Department of Justice, Singh tried to sell a large cache of weapons to an undercover officer on June 6, 2025. The arsenal included a short-barrel rifle, three assault weapons, three machine gun conversion devices and a revolver.
During a search of his residence, authorities recovered additional firearms, a fully functional machine gun, a silencer, high-capacity drum magazines and more conversion parts.
Authorities also seized a pineapple-style hand grenade fitted with a cap and fuse, along with what was believed to be a military electronic-capped Claymore mine. The explosives were safely destroyed by the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department bomb squad at the scene.
After initially facing charges in San Joaquin County, Singh failed to appear in court on July 21, 2025, triggering a bench warrant. He was arrested on July 26, 2025, at the airport while allegedly attempting to leave for India.
The investigation was carried out jointly by the FBI, ATF, DEA, Homeland Security Investigations and local California law enforcement agencies. The case was part of the US Department of Justice’s ‘Operation Take Back America’.
