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Under and Alone: The True Story of the Undercover Agent Who Infiltrated America's Most Violent Outlaw Motorcycle Gang
In 1998, William Queen was a veteran law enforcement agent with a lifelong love of motorcycles and a lack of patience with paperwork. When a "confidential informant" made contact with his boss at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, offering to take an agent inside the San Fernando chapter of the Mongols (the scourge of Southern California, and one of the most dangerous gangs in America), Queen jumped at the chance, not realizing that he was kicking-starting the most extensive undercover operation inside an outlaw motorcycle gang in the history of American law enforcement.
Nor did Queen suspect that he would penetrate the gang so successfully that he would become a fully "patched-in" member, eventually rising through their ranks to the office of treasurer, where he had unprecedented access to evidence of their criminal activity. After Queen spent twenty-eight months as "Billy St. John," the bearded, beer-swilling, Harley-riding gang-banger, the truth of his identity became blurry, even to himself.
During his initial "prospecting" phase, Queen was at the mercy of crank-fueled criminal psychopaths who sought to have him test his mettle and prove his fealty by any means necessary, from selling (and doing) drugs, to arms trafficking, stealing motorcycles, driving getaway cars, and, in one shocking instance, stitching up the face of a Mongol "ol' lady" after a particularly brutal beating at the hands of her boyfriend.
Yet despite the constant criminality of the gang, for whom planning cop killings and gang rapes were business as usual, Queen also came to see the genuine camaraderie they shared. When his lengthy undercover work totally isolated Queen from family, his friends, and ATF colleagues, the Mongols felt like the only family he had left. "I had no doubt these guys genuinely loved Billy St. John and would have laid down their lives for him. But they wouldn't hesitate to murder Billy Queen."
From Queen's first sleight of hand with a line of methamphetamine in front of him and a knife at his throat, to the fearsome face-off with their decades-old enemy, the Hell's Angels (a brawl that left three bikers dead), to the heartbreaking scene of a father ostracized at Parents' Night because his deranged-outlaw appearance precluded any interaction with regular citizens, Under and Alone is a breathless, adrenaline-charged read that puts you on the street with some of the most dangerous men in America and with the law enforcement agents who risk everything to bring them in.
Nor did Queen suspect that he would penetrate the gang so successfully that he would become a fully "patched-in" member, eventually rising through their ranks to the office of treasurer, where he had unprecedented access to evidence of their criminal activity. After Queen spent twenty-eight months as "Billy St. John," the bearded, beer-swilling, Harley-riding gang-banger, the truth of his identity became blurry, even to himself.
During his initial "prospecting" phase, Queen was at the mercy of crank-fueled criminal psychopaths who sought to have him test his mettle and prove his fealty by any means necessary, from selling (and doing) drugs, to arms trafficking, stealing motorcycles, driving getaway cars, and, in one shocking instance, stitching up the face of a Mongol "ol' lady" after a particularly brutal beating at the hands of her boyfriend.
Yet despite the constant criminality of the gang, for whom planning cop killings and gang rapes were business as usual, Queen also came to see the genuine camaraderie they shared. When his lengthy undercover work totally isolated Queen from family, his friends, and ATF colleagues, the Mongols felt like the only family he had left. "I had no doubt these guys genuinely loved Billy St. John and would have laid down their lives for him. But they wouldn't hesitate to murder Billy Queen."
From Queen's first sleight of hand with a line of methamphetamine in front of him and a knife at his throat, to the fearsome face-off with their decades-old enemy, the Hell's Angels (a brawl that left three bikers dead), to the heartbreaking scene of a father ostracized at Parents' Night because his deranged-outlaw appearance precluded any interaction with regular citizens, Under and Alone is a breathless, adrenaline-charged read that puts you on the street with some of the most dangerous men in America and with the law enforcement agents who risk everything to bring them in.
260 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
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August 2, 2008
"Shooting pool is a mainstay of the biker lifestyle. So is getting shitfaced on Jack Daniels and being an asshole, but I decided to try pool first."
Memoir by a federal Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agent who spent two years undercover in the Mongols, a motorcycle gang less famous than (but probably even more deadly than) the Hells Angels.
I figured that anybody who joined a biker gang would feel contempt for rules of any kind. Then I read this book and found out that the Mongols, a motorcycle gang, have a 70-page constitution. And a three-page membership application. And a multistage interview process for new candidates. Plus a fight song. Sheesh.
(The fight song is every bit as dirty as you'd think.)
The memoir is straightforward and sometimes even funny. Queen said that talking with Red Dog, a Mongol who hated him, was "like getting hit in the face with a wet squirrel." That's some bad breath, dude.
Here are some interesting terms I learned:
black-and-whites: members of the Mongols biker gang
cage: what bikers call a car; one never wears one's biker colors while in a cage
colors: patches that bikers wear; these show hierarchy within the group
drug-dealer time: habitual lateness
felony stupid: how Queen describes some of his informants
full-patch member: full member of the gang, entitled to wear a complete set of gang colors
OMG: outlaw motorcycle gang
one-percenters: outlaw bikers who reject the rules of society, feared and despised by the 99 percent of motorcyclists who are productive members of society (If you see a biker wearing a 1%ER patch, back up, my friend.)
patched in: becoming a full-fledged member of a biker gang
red-and-whites: members of the Hells Angels
sleeved out: being covered with tattoos from wrist to shoulder
I am probably the only person ever to listen to this audiobook while doing embroidery. That's how I roll, dog.
Memoir by a federal Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agent who spent two years undercover in the Mongols, a motorcycle gang less famous than (but probably even more deadly than) the Hells Angels.
I figured that anybody who joined a biker gang would feel contempt for rules of any kind. Then I read this book and found out that the Mongols, a motorcycle gang, have a 70-page constitution. And a three-page membership application. And a multistage interview process for new candidates. Plus a fight song. Sheesh.
(The fight song is every bit as dirty as you'd think.)
The memoir is straightforward and sometimes even funny. Queen said that talking with Red Dog, a Mongol who hated him, was "like getting hit in the face with a wet squirrel." That's some bad breath, dude.
Here are some interesting terms I learned:
black-and-whites: members of the Mongols biker gang
cage: what bikers call a car; one never wears one's biker colors while in a cage
colors: patches that bikers wear; these show hierarchy within the group
drug-dealer time: habitual lateness
felony stupid: how Queen describes some of his informants
full-patch member: full member of the gang, entitled to wear a complete set of gang colors
OMG: outlaw motorcycle gang
one-percenters: outlaw bikers who reject the rules of society, feared and despised by the 99 percent of motorcyclists who are productive members of society (If you see a biker wearing a 1%ER patch, back up, my friend.)
patched in: becoming a full-fledged member of a biker gang
red-and-whites: members of the Hells Angels
sleeved out: being covered with tattoos from wrist to shoulder
I am probably the only person ever to listen to this audiobook while doing embroidery. That's how I roll, dog.
May 10, 2024
Deep cover to the point of psychological immersion...questions of loyalty and the definition of true friendship are examined in this telling (and rare) look into the world of 1%ers. This book pulls no punches: William Queen was not sitting in an office somewhere; he was getting 'down and dirty' and risking his life on a daily basis!
December 17, 2017
I had the privilege of hearing William Queen speak and teach last year. He told us this story, the fascinating account of his two years posing as an outlaw in one of America's most dangerous biker gangs, the Mongols. It was a constant balancing act, not only to maintain his cover, with the unrelenting fear of exposure, but also to maintain who he was. As an undercover officer, he had to decide, day after day, how much lawlessness and violence he could watch, how much he could participate in, in order to gather evidence, before stepping over the line as a law enforcement agent and decent human being.
The Mongols were involved in many illegal money-making activities, from drugs, to weapons, to extortion. But unlike some other gangs, they were also composed of men who saw themselves as outside the law by choice, more interested in the lifestyle than the money. When they rode down a city street, a hundred strong on their bikes, and the city cops could only watch as they stopped traffic and controlled the town, that was power, that was pleasure, that was what they lived for.
Queen heard about rapes and murders, witnessed beatings and extortion, robbery and abuse. His superiors, when asked for guidelines of where he had to draw the line, told him to use his own judgment. He managed, by luck sometimes, not to have to choose between watching a murder and dying trying to stop it. He dodged having to take drugs with a good story and a strong persona. In the end, he brought in evidence that put dozens of Mongols in jail on charges from drugs to murder.
But in the process, he paid a heavy price in his family and personal life, and in his emotions. Living with someone as a "brother" for two years cannot happen without becoming attached to them. The tight emotional bond among the Mongols, even tempered as it was by constant violence, meant that for two years he was closer to some of these guys than his family or colleagues. And in the end he paid a price for his service to the common cause.
This book was a good read, although his lecture, in a steady voice that still carried the pain and fear from those years beneath the surface, was even better. This story is fascinating for its details, for its look at both law enforcement and biker gangs, and for its picture of what we ask of men (and women) who serve.
The Mongols were involved in many illegal money-making activities, from drugs, to weapons, to extortion. But unlike some other gangs, they were also composed of men who saw themselves as outside the law by choice, more interested in the lifestyle than the money. When they rode down a city street, a hundred strong on their bikes, and the city cops could only watch as they stopped traffic and controlled the town, that was power, that was pleasure, that was what they lived for.
Queen heard about rapes and murders, witnessed beatings and extortion, robbery and abuse. His superiors, when asked for guidelines of where he had to draw the line, told him to use his own judgment. He managed, by luck sometimes, not to have to choose between watching a murder and dying trying to stop it. He dodged having to take drugs with a good story and a strong persona. In the end, he brought in evidence that put dozens of Mongols in jail on charges from drugs to murder.
But in the process, he paid a heavy price in his family and personal life, and in his emotions. Living with someone as a "brother" for two years cannot happen without becoming attached to them. The tight emotional bond among the Mongols, even tempered as it was by constant violence, meant that for two years he was closer to some of these guys than his family or colleagues. And in the end he paid a price for his service to the common cause.
This book was a good read, although his lecture, in a steady voice that still carried the pain and fear from those years beneath the surface, was even better. This story is fascinating for its details, for its look at both law enforcement and biker gangs, and for its picture of what we ask of men (and women) who serve.
June 13, 2009
This is such a amazing story that it completely didn't matter that the actual writing was terrible. This undercover cop (who became a patched-in member of the biker Mongol gang) has more than a book-full of interesting and dangerous stories to tell about his 2-year undercover assignment.
The author is not the articulate type and even admitted in his book that he hates writing. I'm sure there was a ghost writer or a zealous editor who put a lot of work into turning the author's raw notes into this book. There are some chapters that skirt the edge of good writing, but most of it is simply a play-by-play account of what happened. I can't imagine what it would have been like without the ghost writer...in any case, this completely doesn't matter becuse the account itself is so compelling. This book is great, I recommend it to anyone.
The author is not the articulate type and even admitted in his book that he hates writing. I'm sure there was a ghost writer or a zealous editor who put a lot of work into turning the author's raw notes into this book. There are some chapters that skirt the edge of good writing, but most of it is simply a play-by-play account of what happened. I can't imagine what it would have been like without the ghost writer...in any case, this completely doesn't matter becuse the account itself is so compelling. This book is great, I recommend it to anyone.
August 20, 2022
William Queen went undercover as "Billy St. John" for
28 months w/ the Mongols Motorcycle Gang in Calif
(they traveled too). The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco
& Firearms. (ATF) employed him. ATF gave him an
apt, and a motorcycle to use (he wasn't to use his
own bike) & faux IDs including driver's license. And
anyone looking to verify his background IE HS or
his current 'job', would be talking w/ an ATF agent.
The gang had an application & a background check
into education, finances (w-2s ) employment etc.
Queen's objective was to prove the Mongols sold drugs,
stole/ resold firearms, & stole/ resold motorcycles.
Queen started as a "prospect' (go-for) for the gang
& graduated to "patched in": an official gang member
after proving his firearm proficiency. Many in the gang
used weed, coke, and meth, some had hair trigger
tempers. Many had pointed steel-toed shoes which
they used in fights. ATF mgt. reminded him if he used
street drugs w/ the gang (under pressure for his life),
he'd need to go to a ER soon thereafter to be drug-tested.
His supervisor was ATF Special Agent John Ciccone.
Who shadowed Queen when they expected violence.
Queen mostly gave up his private life: seeing his sons
who lived w/ his ex-wife & he was not free to come
and go. The gang called him for favors & rides & so
on. They 'partied' together.
Queen had frightening encounters when his safety felt
at risk. He heard 2 separate gang members speak of
his plan to kill someone. As a law enforcement agent
he had to 'think on his feet' to prevent these murders.
He prevented some gang-rapes. Ironically the police
pulled over "St. John" b/c they thought him suspicious.
Queen provided evidence and 42 Mongol members were
arrested in So. Calif. And a few more locales. ATF officers
and LA Sheriff officers helped seize gang members, illegal
guns, cocaine and stolen motorcycles. This lead to 54 fed-
eral indictments and 53 convictions. And a few state indict-
ments. 2 faced murder charges. Queen spent a fair amt
of time testifying against gang members.
This book read like a thriller, and had some sad aspects too.
We, the public, take for granted the dangerous life of those
in law enforcement?
28 months w/ the Mongols Motorcycle Gang in Calif
(they traveled too). The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco
& Firearms. (ATF) employed him. ATF gave him an
apt, and a motorcycle to use (he wasn't to use his
own bike) & faux IDs including driver's license. And
anyone looking to verify his background IE HS or
his current 'job', would be talking w/ an ATF agent.
The gang had an application & a background check
into education, finances (w-2s ) employment etc.
Queen's objective was to prove the Mongols sold drugs,
stole/ resold firearms, & stole/ resold motorcycles.
Queen started as a "prospect' (go-for) for the gang
& graduated to "patched in": an official gang member
after proving his firearm proficiency. Many in the gang
used weed, coke, and meth, some had hair trigger
tempers. Many had pointed steel-toed shoes which
they used in fights. ATF mgt. reminded him if he used
street drugs w/ the gang (under pressure for his life),
he'd need to go to a ER soon thereafter to be drug-tested.
His supervisor was ATF Special Agent John Ciccone.
Who shadowed Queen when they expected violence.
Queen mostly gave up his private life: seeing his sons
who lived w/ his ex-wife & he was not free to come
and go. The gang called him for favors & rides & so
on. They 'partied' together.
Queen had frightening encounters when his safety felt
at risk. He heard 2 separate gang members speak of
his plan to kill someone. As a law enforcement agent
he had to 'think on his feet' to prevent these murders.
He prevented some gang-rapes. Ironically the police
pulled over "St. John" b/c they thought him suspicious.
Queen provided evidence and 42 Mongol members were
arrested in So. Calif. And a few more locales. ATF officers
and LA Sheriff officers helped seize gang members, illegal
guns, cocaine and stolen motorcycles. This lead to 54 fed-
eral indictments and 53 convictions. And a few state indict-
ments. 2 faced murder charges. Queen spent a fair amt
of time testifying against gang members.
This book read like a thriller, and had some sad aspects too.
We, the public, take for granted the dangerous life of those
in law enforcement?
August 2, 2011
Talk about Courage ..., July 3, 2008
As with most books I've read, there is always something I see or hear that piques my interest in a topic/subject matter creating a domino effect that leads to obsessive reading. This seems to be the case here: "Gimme Shelter" led to Sonny Barger's "Hell's Angel" which led to the "Gangland" television series and then to searching Amazon.com for books about outlaw biker clubs, starting with "Under and Alone".
The first chapter of this book was such an effective teaser that it actually fooled me into believing the book was ghost-written due to the author not surviving his undercover assignment ... it worked, because I couldn't put it down.
The thought of a law enforcement officer having the courage to take such an assignment is one thing ... to follow through with that assignment and actually become a full-patched member of such an organization is simply amazing. Even more impressive is the fact that Queen does such an excellent job of taking the reader along with him ... a true "fly on the wall" perspective throughout the book.
Every chapter contains moments where you feel as if Queen wouldn't survive his assignment and you almost breathe a sigh of relief when oftentimes, a random moment of good fortune is all that saves him.
What makes "Under and Alone" such a good read is that the action never lets up ... it is nothing but a continuous series of battles: the battle to hide his true identity from a group in which every member is a potential murderer, the battle to portray himself as outlaw biker material yet not participate in criminal activity, the battle of being a father to his kids and maintain their safety during/after the assignment, the struggle of actually developing a fraternal relationship with men who he will eventually be sending to prison and the constant battle with the expected ineptitude of the agency responsible for keeping him alive. The best battle of all, however, is the continuous grief Queen endures from one particular Mongol ... "Red Dog".
I found myself constantly flipping to the pictures in order to place a face with the name of those Mongols he writes about ... even "Red Dog".
The book left me with a feeling of appreciation that there are people out there willing to do such dangerous work voluntarily. My only regret is that there is understandably no "where are they now" chapter because I would really like to know how certain Mongols personally felt about Queen and the success of his undercover work.
As with most books I've read, there is always something I see or hear that piques my interest in a topic/subject matter creating a domino effect that leads to obsessive reading. This seems to be the case here: "Gimme Shelter" led to Sonny Barger's "Hell's Angel" which led to the "Gangland" television series and then to searching Amazon.com for books about outlaw biker clubs, starting with "Under and Alone".
The first chapter of this book was such an effective teaser that it actually fooled me into believing the book was ghost-written due to the author not surviving his undercover assignment ... it worked, because I couldn't put it down.
The thought of a law enforcement officer having the courage to take such an assignment is one thing ... to follow through with that assignment and actually become a full-patched member of such an organization is simply amazing. Even more impressive is the fact that Queen does such an excellent job of taking the reader along with him ... a true "fly on the wall" perspective throughout the book.
Every chapter contains moments where you feel as if Queen wouldn't survive his assignment and you almost breathe a sigh of relief when oftentimes, a random moment of good fortune is all that saves him.
What makes "Under and Alone" such a good read is that the action never lets up ... it is nothing but a continuous series of battles: the battle to hide his true identity from a group in which every member is a potential murderer, the battle to portray himself as outlaw biker material yet not participate in criminal activity, the battle of being a father to his kids and maintain their safety during/after the assignment, the struggle of actually developing a fraternal relationship with men who he will eventually be sending to prison and the constant battle with the expected ineptitude of the agency responsible for keeping him alive. The best battle of all, however, is the continuous grief Queen endures from one particular Mongol ... "Red Dog".
I found myself constantly flipping to the pictures in order to place a face with the name of those Mongols he writes about ... even "Red Dog".
The book left me with a feeling of appreciation that there are people out there willing to do such dangerous work voluntarily. My only regret is that there is understandably no "where are they now" chapter because I would really like to know how certain Mongols personally felt about Queen and the success of his undercover work.
September 3, 2009
I enjoyed this book, but not quite as much as Dobyns No Angel I don't know if it's because I read Dobyns book first or what; I can't quite put my finger on it. It was still a very good story, and Queen's undercover work paid a lot more dividends than Dobyns in terms of convictions and the number of bad guys that went to prison. This story was similar to Dobyns story in the way that they both started sympathizing with their suspects, and really started feeling like family with them. I thought it was interesting that Queen's Mongel friends, known as the most violent biker gang in America, offered condolences and comforted Queen when his Mother passed away, while his ATF buddies didn't say a word. I can see how you would form a bond with guys and that would make it hard to do what you ultimately are there to do. In the end however, Queen stood by his morals and ethics and completed the job he set out to do. I have nothing but respect for a guy like that. It's one thing to be an outlaw biker, but to be a fed and become an outlaw biker, all the while knowing that if the bikers find out you are a dead man, thats badass.
May 23, 2013
This was a very interesting book. You really get to understand the emotions he was feeling as he was navigating his way through the undercover role. For example: At one point his mother dies and he has to leave his undercover work for some time. He tells the biker gang that his mother just died and he will be gone for a few days. When he gets back none of the ATF agents ask him about his mother or tell him that they are sorry to hear about it. But when he goes back into his undercover role every single Mongol sends their regards and tells him that they were sorry to hear about his mom. The brotherhood and love within the gang is amazing and stands in stark contrast to the violence and mayhem they invite every day into their lives.
The books gives you a detailed view of what its like on a day to day basis in an outlaw motorcycle gang.
The books gives you a detailed view of what its like on a day to day basis in an outlaw motorcycle gang.
March 17, 2009
Of all the criminal elements in this world, biker gangs are possibly the quintessential American product. In other countries you have urban gangs, the mafia, government goons, weapon runners and drug smugglers. But at the heart of those enterprises is the desire for money and power. Traditional gangsters engaged in gangster shit as a job, a way to earn some scratch. However, every organized crime group had a guy who would be variously known as 'Crazy Joe Spinolli', or 'Loco Lopez' - a hardcore insane guy without fear or much brains for that matter. A killer, murderer, torturer. Well, to hear William Queen tell it, biker gangs like the Mongols are all loco to the last man. As Queen points out numerous times, it isn't about just being an 'outlaw, it was about living The Life'. Bikers live the Life of a gangster from waking to dreaming. Breakfast is a beer and a joint, and dinner is Jack Daniels with a chaser of meth. Raping, murdering, stabbing, plotting... it's all part of the Life. You have to live it day in and day out or you never will fit into this subculture. Queen explains the difference between the weekend bikers and suburban dads with their standard Harleys (the '99 percenters') and the true outlaw bikers who give them all a bad name (the 1 percenters). The most famous of the 1 percenters are the Hells Angels, of course. They are by far the largest and most successful. They are opposed by various regional gangs such as the Outlaws, the Bandidos, and the Mongols. Queen infiltrates the latter, which has been a fixture in the So Cal landscape since the '60s. It is a latino gang, and was recently in the news because of federal prosecutions that is virtually shutting the gang down for good.
Queen does a remarkable thing in this operation: as an older white guy, he gains the trust of the Hispanic bikers and rises from a mere prospect being abused and untrusted, to a fully 'patched' member of the San Fernando Valley Mongols. He even becomes the Treasurer of the gang, which allows for some convenient looks into the financial doings of the gang for that all important RICO prosecution! Wow, no one ever said bikers were smart. Queen certainly loses no opportunity to point that out. The timing of this book for me was spot on: it is probably because of Queen's own dangerous and pioneering work into this gang that the Mongols were recently infiltrated by no less that *four* undercover operatives from the federal and state level, who all got patched as full members. They brought the whole Mongol organization in California down late last month (October, 2008). Remarkable undercover work. I absolutely love the intricacies of this genre. It has made me very appreciative of just how ballsy undercover ops are and makes me sit up when I hear about some UC operation on the news.
This book is filled with a host of shady characters, some of them endearing, others scary, and almost all of them certifiably insane. This is a culture filled with incessant partying, hard drug use, defiance of the law, and violence. Lots of violence. The Mongols used violence to solve anything and everything. It got them the respect they needed to live their outlaw existences. Random beatdowns, drug fueled rages and liquored up bar brawls are part and parcel of the standard night out in biker bars. Basic hygiene and civilized behavior was not a Mongol trait, indeed it was frowned upon; a particularly memorable biker named Rancid hadn't washed his waist length hair in months, and showered even less. The pungency wafted through the pages. I can only imagine how Queen kept from throwing up.
Unlike a mafioso who may blend in with the Brooklyn neighborhood he runs rackets in, the Mongols have no desire to blend in with larger society - they are a force unto themselves. Memorable is a scene where hundreds of Mongols ride through a suburban California neighborhood, blocking intersections and openly defying cops, who gape at the motorcade to a fallen biker's funeral. At the grave site, Queen recalls getting hammered with his biker friends and listening in horror as they planned to ambush, torture and kill a young deputy who was keeping watch over the macabre gathering.
Drugs are a major problem for an undercover. Gangs know that the truest test of a potential member is to force drugs on them - undercover cops aren't exactly coke fiends. Queen comes up on this problem repeatedly in his memoir but never owns up to doing drugs. It is kind of hard to believe that the Mongols would patch a prospect like Queen unless he engaged in more criminal behavior and drug taking than he recounts in this book. But that does not really take anything away from this memoir. The story he tells is quick and dirty, even though it encompasses a 2 year investigation. A compelling, powerful read. If you like undercover memoirs, this should be on your list.
Queen does a remarkable thing in this operation: as an older white guy, he gains the trust of the Hispanic bikers and rises from a mere prospect being abused and untrusted, to a fully 'patched' member of the San Fernando Valley Mongols. He even becomes the Treasurer of the gang, which allows for some convenient looks into the financial doings of the gang for that all important RICO prosecution! Wow, no one ever said bikers were smart. Queen certainly loses no opportunity to point that out. The timing of this book for me was spot on: it is probably because of Queen's own dangerous and pioneering work into this gang that the Mongols were recently infiltrated by no less that *four* undercover operatives from the federal and state level, who all got patched as full members. They brought the whole Mongol organization in California down late last month (October, 2008). Remarkable undercover work. I absolutely love the intricacies of this genre. It has made me very appreciative of just how ballsy undercover ops are and makes me sit up when I hear about some UC operation on the news.
This book is filled with a host of shady characters, some of them endearing, others scary, and almost all of them certifiably insane. This is a culture filled with incessant partying, hard drug use, defiance of the law, and violence. Lots of violence. The Mongols used violence to solve anything and everything. It got them the respect they needed to live their outlaw existences. Random beatdowns, drug fueled rages and liquored up bar brawls are part and parcel of the standard night out in biker bars. Basic hygiene and civilized behavior was not a Mongol trait, indeed it was frowned upon; a particularly memorable biker named Rancid hadn't washed his waist length hair in months, and showered even less. The pungency wafted through the pages. I can only imagine how Queen kept from throwing up.
Unlike a mafioso who may blend in with the Brooklyn neighborhood he runs rackets in, the Mongols have no desire to blend in with larger society - they are a force unto themselves. Memorable is a scene where hundreds of Mongols ride through a suburban California neighborhood, blocking intersections and openly defying cops, who gape at the motorcade to a fallen biker's funeral. At the grave site, Queen recalls getting hammered with his biker friends and listening in horror as they planned to ambush, torture and kill a young deputy who was keeping watch over the macabre gathering.
Drugs are a major problem for an undercover. Gangs know that the truest test of a potential member is to force drugs on them - undercover cops aren't exactly coke fiends. Queen comes up on this problem repeatedly in his memoir but never owns up to doing drugs. It is kind of hard to believe that the Mongols would patch a prospect like Queen unless he engaged in more criminal behavior and drug taking than he recounts in this book. But that does not really take anything away from this memoir. The story he tells is quick and dirty, even though it encompasses a 2 year investigation. A compelling, powerful read. If you like undercover memoirs, this should be on your list.
June 27, 2021
Well written, gripping story of a brave ATF agent who infiltrated the Mongols motorcycle club, considered an outlaw motorcycle gang. Story takes place in southern CA from 1998-2000.
Didn’t feel like there was any filler or pointless fluff to fill pages IMO, the agent keeps to the story.
I liked that he didn’t talk himself up, making himself out to be some superhuman badass as these stories can sometimes do.
If you’re a true crime fan check this one out.
Didn’t feel like there was any filler or pointless fluff to fill pages IMO, the agent keeps to the story.
I liked that he didn’t talk himself up, making himself out to be some superhuman badass as these stories can sometimes do.
If you’re a true crime fan check this one out.
February 20, 2012
Not usually what I would choose to read but I LOVED it!! I knew someone had to survive and write the "based on reality" novel, but I was still on the edge of my seat. I was so scared something horrible would happen! Great read!
October 11, 2013
I knew I wouldn't like what William (Billy) Queen (St. John) was going to do as soon as I started reading. He betrayed people he tricked into trusting him.
So, I had to try to figure out why this bothered me so much.
1. I have lived in Tujunga CA. I owned a house there about 1/2 mile from the intersection of Lowell and Foothill Blvd. I knew the areas he was talking about and didn't feel frightened of any biker activity going on when I lived there. If anything the bikers were polite to the general populace. Unlikely to flip you off while driving, that kind of thing.
2. These bikers are outlaws and I wouldn't hang around them or go in bars (I don't go in bars anyway) where I see dozens of bikes outside. But they are mostly destructive to themselves. They take drugs, they fight, they steal stuff, they commit a large amount of domestic violence but generally they are not a threat to the larger population. They probably are a threat to businesses they want to take over or extort from. They are a threat to law enforcement.
3. I guess I just don't see them as the threat that I see white supremacy groups or Islamic terrorist groups to be. OMGs would be likely to leave you alone if you leave them alone. They aren't killing people because they are the wrong color or wrong religion.
4. They have a very strong code of brotherhood amongst themselves. Billy will tell you about that. They took him in as a brother and loved him and he completely betrayed them. (Of course if they knew who he was they would have killed him without compunction. But they didn't go out and look for an ATF agent to kill, they would have killed him for infiltrating their group)
Maybe I am not making any sense, maybe there is some factor in my personality that is just wrong-headedly sympathetic to outlaws (I was also sympathetic to Jesse James, Ned Kelly and the Barefoot Bandit) and unsympathetic to law enforcement.
I feel like the gangs of L.A., like say the 13th street gang or the Crips and the Bloods, are a different type of criminal than the OMGs. They seem more dedicated to violence against innocent people, as does the Mafia. Of course some members of the OMGs are mentally ill or deranged from drugs. That makes them unpredictably violent. The OMGs also don't graffiti up the city. The Hell's Angels even run that Toys for Tots every Christmas.
The OMGs are terrible to women but as Billy points out, these women choose this lifestyle. And any woman who is not attached to a biker and goes into a biker bar is an idiot in my opinion, she is asking for trouble.
There really are true victims here and those are the children. Children of bikers are often necessarily the children of drug addicts. No kid deserves a meth addict for a parent or a parent whose lifestyle is likely to lead to jail or a violent death.
So, I had to try to figure out why this bothered me so much.
1. I have lived in Tujunga CA. I owned a house there about 1/2 mile from the intersection of Lowell and Foothill Blvd. I knew the areas he was talking about and didn't feel frightened of any biker activity going on when I lived there. If anything the bikers were polite to the general populace. Unlikely to flip you off while driving, that kind of thing.
2. These bikers are outlaws and I wouldn't hang around them or go in bars (I don't go in bars anyway) where I see dozens of bikes outside. But they are mostly destructive to themselves. They take drugs, they fight, they steal stuff, they commit a large amount of domestic violence but generally they are not a threat to the larger population. They probably are a threat to businesses they want to take over or extort from. They are a threat to law enforcement.
3. I guess I just don't see them as the threat that I see white supremacy groups or Islamic terrorist groups to be. OMGs would be likely to leave you alone if you leave them alone. They aren't killing people because they are the wrong color or wrong religion.
4. They have a very strong code of brotherhood amongst themselves. Billy will tell you about that. They took him in as a brother and loved him and he completely betrayed them. (Of course if they knew who he was they would have killed him without compunction. But they didn't go out and look for an ATF agent to kill, they would have killed him for infiltrating their group)
Maybe I am not making any sense, maybe there is some factor in my personality that is just wrong-headedly sympathetic to outlaws (I was also sympathetic to Jesse James, Ned Kelly and the Barefoot Bandit) and unsympathetic to law enforcement.
I feel like the gangs of L.A., like say the 13th street gang or the Crips and the Bloods, are a different type of criminal than the OMGs. They seem more dedicated to violence against innocent people, as does the Mafia. Of course some members of the OMGs are mentally ill or deranged from drugs. That makes them unpredictably violent. The OMGs also don't graffiti up the city. The Hell's Angels even run that Toys for Tots every Christmas.
The OMGs are terrible to women but as Billy points out, these women choose this lifestyle. And any woman who is not attached to a biker and goes into a biker bar is an idiot in my opinion, she is asking for trouble.
There really are true victims here and those are the children. Children of bikers are often necessarily the children of drug addicts. No kid deserves a meth addict for a parent or a parent whose lifestyle is likely to lead to jail or a violent death.
June 14, 2010
So this dude basically goes undercover to bust some bad bad folks in a motorcycle club. But then he ends up getting a little deeper in than he really planned.
It's a quick read, and if you know nothing about motorcycle clubs, it's not a bad place to start. You'll end up learning a lot about this subculture that is still running strong today, and in Colorado no less. That's the good stuff.
The bad stuff is that the book tends towards the real-crime genre in that it tries to horrify you with the different shit that goes down in the MC. And here's the other thing: The guy goes undercover, and as happens in classic undercover stories, finds himself somewhat hesitant to actually bust some of these dudes. I understand what he's saying at times, but mostly he tells about one guy or another busting open a woman's face stabbing an innocent dude, beating the living hell out of somebody, or completely not giving a damn that it's his son's birthday. So I guess the part where I'm supposed to feel bad falls a little flat.
It's a quick read, and if you know nothing about motorcycle clubs, it's not a bad place to start. You'll end up learning a lot about this subculture that is still running strong today, and in Colorado no less. That's the good stuff.
The bad stuff is that the book tends towards the real-crime genre in that it tries to horrify you with the different shit that goes down in the MC. And here's the other thing: The guy goes undercover, and as happens in classic undercover stories, finds himself somewhat hesitant to actually bust some of these dudes. I understand what he's saying at times, but mostly he tells about one guy or another busting open a woman's face stabbing an innocent dude, beating the living hell out of somebody, or completely not giving a damn that it's his son's birthday. So I guess the part where I'm supposed to feel bad falls a little flat.
July 22, 2011
Amazing first eye glimpse into the daily workings of one the nastiest biker gangs to ever emerge from the flames of hell. These desperadoes aren't the sharpest tools in the shed, but they're certainly the most dangerous. I liked how the copy I checked out of the library had portions where the author explains certain ingenious acts of criminality underlined. Like, did you know that if you remove a car's air filter, you've just created a perfect spot to stash a handgun or two? Well, now you do, and I remembered that mostly because it was underlined.
August 25, 2009
Well written account of an ATF agent infiltrating the Mongols motorcycle gang and his 2.5 years undercover with the gang. You really feel how an undercover agent can become torn, in one respect he is doing a job, in another respect he becomes friends with all these guys, plus some heart-rending scenes where the author becomes detached from his family with unintended consequences. Recommended
March 17, 2015
Very quick fast paced action packed full of great information on MC's. A great peek into what a real MC is like.
November 16, 2016
Couldn't put this one down. The risks this guy took to take down an OMG are hair-raising.
December 9, 2018
This book isn't just the fascinating story of an ATF agent who was undercover with the Mongols motorcycle gang for two years; it's an extremely well written tale that is both compelling and human. The author is the agent who went undercover, and at times you feel as if you're right there with him. He provides plenty of background about undercover training and techniques, and also describes the lives led by many outlaw bikers. He's not immune to the allure of that life, especially the brotherhood that the bikers show him, but he witnesses so many acts of violence and intimidation that he carries the assignment through to its end. A highly engrossing read.
March 23, 2023
Under and Alone was quite a gripping story. Hard to put it down. It got in the way of my work. Although it won't top Sonny Barger's biography in the Hells Angels, it was still up there for 1% literature pieces. This biography was clearly written from the point of view of a federal agent rather than a brother of Mongols MC. You could argue that he was a fully patched member of Mongols MC but that was just his job and he didn't fully recognize the brotherhood that the Mongols MC brings. I really enjoyed a lot of the stories. A lot of them were fun while a lot of them were also sad. I felt as if some of the stories should have been left out of this narrative out of respect for the Mongols. Good read. I recommend every patched motorcyclist to read this book. Especially if you are a patched member in the Southern California heart of 1% MCs.
January 18, 2025
Excellent description of an ATF agents time undercover. Retired and current law enforcement officers will enjoy agent queens insights and descriptions. Very easy audible listen and the narrator is excellent. My only critique is that the ending of the book was not very fleshed out. I would have loved to know about more of the court proceedings and any updates 20 years after the fact. Very highly recommended for anyone interested in a realistic law enforcement tale.
February 22, 2024
After reading this amazing book, you really get to see how the one percent lives. The way that William Queen is able to write this story with such detail keeps you engaged the whole time. The contrast between the elements of suspense and humor urges the reader to continue to turn the page. Personally I thought that the stories and all of the little details that Queen was able to add into this book really amazed me. When Billy St. John (William Queen) needed to think quickly to get out of bad situations, I could really picture it happening as if I was there. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone! There are some parts in this book that can be a bit graphic for those who are a little sensitive, but this is to be expected when you are writing about being undercover in a violent biker gang.
March 25, 2019
A friend recommended this to me and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The author is a total rockstar and I am probably going to be staying clear of motorcycle gangs for the rest of my life.
January 1, 2020
It was actually very interesting.
July 16, 2025
First read this book about 15 years ago and I really enjoyed it it then. The 2nd time through I enjoyed the book even more. The story is a face paced, action packed wild ride.
October 26, 2018
I Loved The Book Under Alone Because I like Reading, Talking, And Learning about Police, Federal Agents And Everything Police Related
April 1, 2021
There’s nothing wrong with the story-telling here. I didn’t have high expectations for this machismo-filled topic and it more or less met my expectations.
September 3, 2023
My boss told me about this book after I talked about seeing all these bikers on the highways and interstates on my trip to California. This book and insight into the Mongol Motorcycle Club world was scary and raw. The brotherhood Queen/Billy St. John experienced was extraordinary. This book does a fantastic job of bringing the reader into the perimeter and showing a glimpse of that harrowing world.
January 8, 2013
The life of an undercover agent is incredibly stressful and dangerous, a thankless job requiring unbelievable personal sacrifice. During his undercover career with the ATF William Queen lost his wife, saw his kids practically grow up without him, lost another girlfriend, and very nearly lost his life on numerous occasions. He lived an isolated life for two years while infiltrating the vicious Mongols motorcycle gang, during which time be bonded with them like family and brothers all the while enduring the draining emotional torture of knowing that eventually he would have to turn on them and send them to prison.
99% of motorcycle clubs are made up of law abiding citizens. ATF agent William Queen went after the self-proclaimed "One Percenters," the outlaw motorcycle gangs involved in the illegal gun trade, drug trafficking, extortion, car and motorcycle theft, rape, and murder. Undercover as Billy St. John, Queen infiltrated the San Fernando Valley chapter of the Mongols, eventually rising to the coveted status of full member. He even became club treasurer, enabling him to build evidence in the case. Eventually the operation developed into the most extensive undercover operation into a motorcycle gang in the history of American law enforcement. Queen's undercover work with the Mongols led to the indictments of 54 people, of which 53 were convicted.
Queen's background includes a stint in the Special Forces in Vietnam where he earned the Silver Star. He then became a Federal Agent with the ATF like his father and conducted undercover operations against Ku Klux Klan and Skinhead organizations. After the Mongols' investigation he was awarded the Federal Bar Association's Medal of Honor, but to tell his story Queen has paid the price by having to live in hiding under the Federal Witness Protection Program.
Under and Alone is an adrenaline-filled read and a real page turner. Besides just documenting the illegal activity of the gang, Queen lives in constant fear having to worry about being found out and probably murdered because of it. There are instances of him being stopped by unknowing regular police who very nearly blow his cover on a number of occasions. He has to keep a close eye on things around him in case he has to break cover himself to prevent a rape or murder, and uses his diplomatic skills many times to talk his way out of difficult situations. He fights with the Mongols, drinks with them, drives the getaway car, and bonds with them in a way neither he nor we expect. In one telling instance Queen's mother dies while he is on assignment, and his Mongol brothers are there for him in a way that his co-workers at the ATF never are.
Despite these unimaginably dangerous situations and conflicting emotions, William Queen maintains his integrity, a personal "line in the sand" that he will not cross. It is this integrity that makes Queen stand out as a Federal Agent and makes his account in Under and Alone stand out as a classic in its genera.
99% of motorcycle clubs are made up of law abiding citizens. ATF agent William Queen went after the self-proclaimed "One Percenters," the outlaw motorcycle gangs involved in the illegal gun trade, drug trafficking, extortion, car and motorcycle theft, rape, and murder. Undercover as Billy St. John, Queen infiltrated the San Fernando Valley chapter of the Mongols, eventually rising to the coveted status of full member. He even became club treasurer, enabling him to build evidence in the case. Eventually the operation developed into the most extensive undercover operation into a motorcycle gang in the history of American law enforcement. Queen's undercover work with the Mongols led to the indictments of 54 people, of which 53 were convicted.
Queen's background includes a stint in the Special Forces in Vietnam where he earned the Silver Star. He then became a Federal Agent with the ATF like his father and conducted undercover operations against Ku Klux Klan and Skinhead organizations. After the Mongols' investigation he was awarded the Federal Bar Association's Medal of Honor, but to tell his story Queen has paid the price by having to live in hiding under the Federal Witness Protection Program.
Under and Alone is an adrenaline-filled read and a real page turner. Besides just documenting the illegal activity of the gang, Queen lives in constant fear having to worry about being found out and probably murdered because of it. There are instances of him being stopped by unknowing regular police who very nearly blow his cover on a number of occasions. He has to keep a close eye on things around him in case he has to break cover himself to prevent a rape or murder, and uses his diplomatic skills many times to talk his way out of difficult situations. He fights with the Mongols, drinks with them, drives the getaway car, and bonds with them in a way neither he nor we expect. In one telling instance Queen's mother dies while he is on assignment, and his Mongol brothers are there for him in a way that his co-workers at the ATF never are.
Despite these unimaginably dangerous situations and conflicting emotions, William Queen maintains his integrity, a personal "line in the sand" that he will not cross. It is this integrity that makes Queen stand out as a Federal Agent and makes his account in Under and Alone stand out as a classic in its genera.
August 21, 2015
A fascinating trip into the world of working undercover.
William Queen, a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is given what begins as a simple assignment; go undercover and hang out with members of the Mongols MC to learn about their drug-dealing and gunrunning activities. It soon becomes clear to Queen and his superiors that to learn anything of value, Queen will have to go deeper than simply hanging around with outlaws. A lot deeper.
Under and Alone is the story of a law officer who put his real life on hold to enter the otherwise off-limits world of the Mongols MC, one of the most violent and dangerous criminal groups in the country. Working his way from "hang-around" (groupie) to "prospect" (member-in-training) and finally to fully-patched member, Queen carefully toes the line between acting the outlaw and remaining true to his real identity as a law officer.
So true, in fact, that while reading I got the distinct impression some of Queen's behavior was left out of the text. With as often as the Mongols tried to "test" Queen by getting him to perform illegal acts (drugs, violence etc.) I find it difficult to believe that they accepted him despite any proof. A minor quibble, but still...
The various Mongol members Queen interacted with during his stint undercover are three-dimensionally drawn; while most are vicious and violent (a couple crossing the line into "insane"), all have their moments of humanity. Indeed, the deep bond of brotherhood which forms the backbone of biker life is well-rendered here. The biggest example; Queen's mother passes away during his time undercover. While his fellow ATF agents treat the event with indifference, the other Mongols shower him with hugs and well-wishes...dealing with this left Queen deeply conflicted about his role in events, a theme which continues throughout the book.
Apparently the classic "become what you pretend to be" theme in fictional works regarding undercover cops is no fiction at all.
The writing quality in Alone is hit-or-miss; Queen is not shy about hiring a book doctor, and his amateur status as a writer is on display. The book is at its best when the authors forget to try too hard; some parts flow naturally, others were clearly crafted to sound "like writing", which speaking as an author is always a mistake. Truly cheesy passages rub shoulders with straight-up honesty more at home in a Robert B. Parker novel. In the end, the intensity of the subject matter (and the knowledge that the events in Alone actually happened) allow the so-so prose to hold up.
I recommend this one. It is not a long read, and there's plenty of good grist for the crime author looking for inspiration. I know this book will stay on my reference shelf.
William Queen, a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is given what begins as a simple assignment; go undercover and hang out with members of the Mongols MC to learn about their drug-dealing and gunrunning activities. It soon becomes clear to Queen and his superiors that to learn anything of value, Queen will have to go deeper than simply hanging around with outlaws. A lot deeper.
Under and Alone is the story of a law officer who put his real life on hold to enter the otherwise off-limits world of the Mongols MC, one of the most violent and dangerous criminal groups in the country. Working his way from "hang-around" (groupie) to "prospect" (member-in-training) and finally to fully-patched member, Queen carefully toes the line between acting the outlaw and remaining true to his real identity as a law officer.
So true, in fact, that while reading I got the distinct impression some of Queen's behavior was left out of the text. With as often as the Mongols tried to "test" Queen by getting him to perform illegal acts (drugs, violence etc.) I find it difficult to believe that they accepted him despite any proof. A minor quibble, but still...
The various Mongol members Queen interacted with during his stint undercover are three-dimensionally drawn; while most are vicious and violent (a couple crossing the line into "insane"), all have their moments of humanity. Indeed, the deep bond of brotherhood which forms the backbone of biker life is well-rendered here. The biggest example; Queen's mother passes away during his time undercover. While his fellow ATF agents treat the event with indifference, the other Mongols shower him with hugs and well-wishes...dealing with this left Queen deeply conflicted about his role in events, a theme which continues throughout the book.
Apparently the classic "become what you pretend to be" theme in fictional works regarding undercover cops is no fiction at all.
The writing quality in Alone is hit-or-miss; Queen is not shy about hiring a book doctor, and his amateur status as a writer is on display. The book is at its best when the authors forget to try too hard; some parts flow naturally, others were clearly crafted to sound "like writing", which speaking as an author is always a mistake. Truly cheesy passages rub shoulders with straight-up honesty more at home in a Robert B. Parker novel. In the end, the intensity of the subject matter (and the knowledge that the events in Alone actually happened) allow the so-so prose to hold up.
I recommend this one. It is not a long read, and there's plenty of good grist for the crime author looking for inspiration. I know this book will stay on my reference shelf.
June 18, 2014
A very "truth can be stranger than fiction", real-life account of Federal Agent William Queen's deep-undercover life with the Mongols Motorcycle Club. To say that the Mongols have a storied, crime-ridden history would be an understatement; if you can think of it, they've probably done it. Their most modern incarnation may be clean now - I'm not sure (and it's not really relevant) - but the events Queen recounts during his time with them are troubling, to say the least.
Life in and among a "one-percenter" club is essentially full-time work for all of its members, but especially Queen, as he has to keep up the illusion of his membership. It is fascinating to read about how his entire life as Billy St. John has to be fabricated from the ground up, so that the Mongols truly believe he is one of them as they dig into his past. Queen even has to fake drug use to appear like he's one of the gang - hardly an easy thing to do. One false move or mistake and literally Queen's life is over. Sadly, this does take its toll on his real life and relationships, not the least of which is with his children.
Scrutiny on Queen is at a fever pitch while he is a prospect - that is to say, before he is a full-fledged, trusted member. He's essentially an errand boy and at times, not a trusted one. Several members even threaten him with death if they find out he's a cop. Undeniably, this section of the book really builds the tension of what Queen's life is like for the sake of his job.
There are some blurring of the lines here, too. As in life, not everyone in the Mongols is automatically horrible, and Queen feels a connection to some of the people he is deceiving. Similarly, people in law enforcement who don't know he's undercover treat him like dirt. He
mentions how he suffers a personal loss and is readily consoled by his one-percenter family
without hesitation - because they think he is family to them - and, yet, receives absolutely no consolation from his law enforcement brothers and sisters. It is quite the dichotomy.
A minor criticism of this book by me is not a fair one, and that is my belief that this would make an amazing autobiography if it went into lengthier detail of William Queen's life before and after the Mongols. There are probably reasons of privacy and safety that precluded that from happening to begin with, which I completely respect. Nevertheless, it's a great story that pulls back the curtain on a life the vast majority of people will never know a thing about.
Life in and among a "one-percenter" club is essentially full-time work for all of its members, but especially Queen, as he has to keep up the illusion of his membership. It is fascinating to read about how his entire life as Billy St. John has to be fabricated from the ground up, so that the Mongols truly believe he is one of them as they dig into his past. Queen even has to fake drug use to appear like he's one of the gang - hardly an easy thing to do. One false move or mistake and literally Queen's life is over. Sadly, this does take its toll on his real life and relationships, not the least of which is with his children.
Scrutiny on Queen is at a fever pitch while he is a prospect - that is to say, before he is a full-fledged, trusted member. He's essentially an errand boy and at times, not a trusted one. Several members even threaten him with death if they find out he's a cop. Undeniably, this section of the book really builds the tension of what Queen's life is like for the sake of his job.
There are some blurring of the lines here, too. As in life, not everyone in the Mongols is automatically horrible, and Queen feels a connection to some of the people he is deceiving. Similarly, people in law enforcement who don't know he's undercover treat him like dirt. He
mentions how he suffers a personal loss and is readily consoled by his one-percenter family
without hesitation - because they think he is family to them - and, yet, receives absolutely no consolation from his law enforcement brothers and sisters. It is quite the dichotomy.
A minor criticism of this book by me is not a fair one, and that is my belief that this would make an amazing autobiography if it went into lengthier detail of William Queen's life before and after the Mongols. There are probably reasons of privacy and safety that precluded that from happening to begin with, which I completely respect. Nevertheless, it's a great story that pulls back the curtain on a life the vast majority of people will never know a thing about.
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