I agree 100% with BigRed. As I mentioned in a previous post, if you look at many of these indictments, the crimes charged are petty. If a normal person were charged with these types of crimes at most they would get a year in jail, but more likely they would get probation. Because these guys have patches they get 20 years when a normal person would get 1 year or less.
When I have talked to some of the Ha guys, they have conceded that many of the European chapters in particular Holland, is way more powerful than any US chapter. RICO is the biggest reason for this. In my opinion, when the HA members went north to talk to Mom Boucher and asked him to stop the violence, his response showed what influence the US Angels had on him. Since Mom essentially told them to go f**k themselves, clearly the US Angels had no say on what their international chapters do. I believe this was one of the pivotal moments when the Angels realized they could no longer control the club on an international level. I think the other 1% clubs have the same issues.
There's also issues of recidivism/repeat offending. Such as with the case you mentioned in which the HA beat up some drunk guy. That's all well and good, but that's still assault. People who commit arbitrary acts of violence and have a storied history of doing so (especially if they're members of a gang notorious for doing just that...) will almost certainly receive a longer sentence... And perhaps rightfully so.
I agree that this offence does't really qualify as a RICO statute, but let's be honest, they're splitting hairs. It's one charge out on a laundry list. The fact is most of these guys probably have RAP sheets as long as their arms. The fed can and will use whatever means they can to prosecute people/groups of people prone to repeat criminal behaviour, regardless of how they try to justify it.
Right or wrong, I find it kind if hard to have any sympathy for them.
