The leader and members of the Set Free Soldiers are accused of attempted murder in a Newport Beach brawl with the Hells Angels, three of whom are also in custody says Tony Barboza and H. G. Reza:
Long controversial for its aggressive evangelism aimed at those with a troubled past — ex-convicts and drug addicts among them — the Anaheim-based Christian motorcycle gang known as the Set Free Soldiers found itself in deeper trouble Wednesday when its leader and half a dozen members were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Watch Video: Christian Motorcycle Gang Raided
The arrests, which followed a double stabbing in a brawl with the Hells Angels at a Newport Beach bar July 27, was the latest brush with the law for the group of black-leather-clad bikers, which has straddled the line between Christian outreach group and outlaw motorcycle gang.
By late Wednesday, authorities had arrested 10 members of the Set Free Soldiers and the Hells Angels during raids in Anaheim, Costa Mesa and Rancho Santa Margarita that started at 5 a.m., said Sgt. Evan Sailor of the Newport Beach Police Department.
The operation involved more than 150 officers, including SWAT teams and federal drug enforcement agents.
Seven members of the Set Free Soldiers, including leader Phil Aguilar, 60, have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and are each being held on $1-million bail, police said.
Three members of the Hells Angels are also in custody, including John Phillip Lloyd, a 41-year-old Costa Mesa man charged with assault with a deadly weapon. The other two were arrested on drug charges.
Others are still being sought on arrest warrants.
The arrests stemmed from a 15-person brawl at the Newport Beach bar Blackie’s by the Sea, where Set Free members allegedly stabbed two Hells Angels members.
During the brawl, the Hells Angels also allegedly struck one of the Set Free members in the head with a pool ball.
On its website, which appeared to have been taken down Wednesday evening, Set Free Soldiers call themselves “a group of men who love Jesus and love to ride hard.”
“We are not your normal motorcycle club,” the statement reads. “Some say we are too good for the bad guys, and too bad for the good guys.”
Aguilar, a Harley-riding ex-convict and former drug addict who served time for child abuse in the 1970s, converted to Christianity in prison. He became the founding pastor of Set Free Worldwide Ministries in 1982. But he and his ministry have been highly controversial.
His MySpace.com page describes Aguilar as pastor or “the Chief” of the group. Next to his photo is the statement: “Sinner or Saint you be the judge!”
Police said that through its ministry, the gang recruited people discharged from parole, state prison and county jails and has an outreach program for convicted felons.
Although Set Free has been praised for its streetwise approach, its detractors say it is an autocratic organization that exerts too much control over its members by confiscating their belongings and forcing them to break off relationships with friends and families.
Law enforcement officials and former members say that the group has devolved into a motorcycle gang like any other, and that it has ties to the Mongols, an outlaw biker gang that has engaged in warfare with the Hells Angels. Read the Full Story…
One of Jesus’ best friends was a guy named Peter who tried to kill a guy with his knife. What was Jesus doing hanging around a guy like this? Jesus hung with sinner like me and others that’s why He’s so cool.
When the Roman soldiers came to arrest Jesus the bible says they didn’t recognize Jesus because Jesus dressed and looked like the people he was reaching out to.
Jesus was falsely accused because many people hated him and said all kinds of mean things about him. The bible says “beware when all men speak well of you”. They told all kinds of lies about Him and the people of that time completely misunderstood Him.
None of us are perfect but then again Christ came for people who aren’t perfect. There was another guy named King David who was one of God’s greatest leaders. The bible called King David “a man after God’s own heart”. Yet David put a contract out on a guy’s life and had him killed. And the whole reason David did that was because David slept with the guy’s wife and didn’t want the guy to find out.
I understand those of you who have never read the bible but still hate Christianity. I also understand all the haters of Jesus because I was the same way. I use to bash Jesus and say He wasn’t real so I hear you. Just know Jesus loves you as much as He loves me so don’t worry He will be there for you if you ever change your mind.
As for the Christians reading this keep Phil in your prayers.
Jeff Seymour
SETFREE SOLDERS I WANT TO JOIN THIS CLUB WANTED TOO SENCE I FOUND OUT ABOUT THEM PLEASE GET IN TUCH WITH ME THIS CLUB CAN HELP THE PEOPLE THAT NEEDS IT THE MOST
We are to reach out to those in the world who are hurting - drug addicts, prostitutes, alcoholics, etc… but not by virtue of compromise. Thru His love, His patience, His mercy…longsuffering love and grace.
It is by our fruit (mature fruit)that we will be known. Bad tree, bad fruit. It is unfortunate that Set Free has chosen to exhibit such behavior…especially while carrying the name of Christ.
I personally know Pastor Phil and I used to be a member of his other motorcycle ministry called the Servants for Christ, I quit when they all became Set Free Soldiers. Not because I had anything against the Soldiers, just because it wasn’t my thing. Anyway, I can say from experience that I have seen peoples lives transformed at Set Free Ministries. I have seen homeless people become productive members of society, I have seen people that have addicted to drugs and alcohol their entire lives give it all up and become Christian. I have seen families restored. Set Free Ministries is a legitimate church and Pastor Phil is a legitimate Pastor. He gives all the glory to God, which is appropriate since it is the love of God and salvation through Jesus Christ that is actually changing lives. It is said at Set Free that we go where the pizza man won’t go, and that is true! I don’t know what Pastor Phil was doing in a bar, but it might have to do with his Christian outreach, reaching out to the people that need it the most, like at bars or in the streets. This is what Set Free is all about. If I was someplace and was attacked by Hells Angels I would defend myself…. The news and the Police said a lot of untrue stuff about Pastor Phil and the ministry, I was amazed at the lies that were told to sell a story. Anyway, glory to God and my prayers are with Pastor Phil and his family.
twice convicted child molester-need I say more?
why did you lie to phil,when i came in the program i seen the video on you and the minstery at the training center in san diego,ca.i use to respect you at one time but i don’t know what to think or say about you man.if i were you,”YOU BETTER START PRAYING;So you can finish the work GOD and his SON gave you to do,peace out.
i meant to say you lied to me phil,sorry!
My personal experience with Set Free.
I stayed at Set Free for awhile back in the early 90s. Pastor Phil was a very gentle person. Very caring and sincere. I was in a bad place in my life, and he reached out to me. He wasn’t like a hard biker, or druggy…or anything like that. He didn’t carry that aura on him.
Were some things in the homes inappropriate? Yes. My belief in time those things were dealt with. Some of the men should have never been made overseers, especially over women, they didn’t see the honor of leadership, rather they control tripped and maintained their street mentality in regards to women on drugs.
I can think of a couple OVERSEERS that needed someone to watch THEM. But, I can’t think of an organization that doesn’t have those types of occurences at some level…that’s the purpose of accountability.
Always know this, Phil was dealing with a large population that was considered the lepers of society. So absolutely anything could happen at any time. Most of us hadn’t slept, or eaten in days. I’m not making excuses, but rather tryting to paint the picure of what he was Shepherding. Regular society has no idea how people suffer behind addictions. They don’t have a clue..No one wants to be that way, sometimes you don’t know a way out. It’s not a moral deficit, rather a spiritual affliction.
Now, he (PAS) didn’t have the professional socialized approach to recovery. There were no warm fuzzies in getting clean in Lake Elsinore in the middle of summer. Just because one puts down the substance doesn’t mean they are in recovery…actually the learning to live sober is the hard part…now couple that with someone out of the pen, or accustomed to selling themselves, or having a predatory mentality, or finally deling with a recall of being abused in their childhood, etc. OR…someone who has not ever properly been socialized.
Serious issues amongst this particular population he was helping. In other words, he was dealing with some sick folks and I am not being pious, I was one of them. And frankly, I don’t see many churches taking on the really, really sick part of society…I am not talking about Mr. Johnny who has good health insurance with his good job, and has gotten out of control with druggin’ and drinkin’ and needs to dosappear for a while.
What Pas was dealing with was a whole different level. BTW…some of them changed beautifully and lives have turned around tremendously….I am one of them. So, let’s not forget the ones he helped. Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.
I stayed in one of the “homes”, of which there were many during that time. The overseer, was extremely unkind, juevenile and foolish. This wasn’t Phil’s fault. He simply could not watch everything.
Yes…the ‘twice convicted child molester’ helped many people and of course you are not going read about that in the papers…and some of us are blessed beyond what we have ever dreamed.
I am a Soldja! Imma a Winner!…Oh yes…it started right there in Anaheim, CA…when I walked up to SET FREE almost 18 years ago and saw Phil Aguilar standing at the door of the warehouse church, and he said, “Come on it…get something to eat.”