Will Burgess conviction shift power in Nevada Hells Angels?

David Burgess is gone. His 15-year federal prison sentence for possessing and transporting child pornography means any hope he had of rising in the ranks of the Hells Angels is unreasonable to say the least.

Nevada is a major growth area for the Angels. Las Vegas has at least two chapter houses, and Sparks has had a clubhouse for many years.

Burgess lost the appeal of his conviction this week.

From AP: "'There can be no doubt, let alone a grave doubt, that Burgess knowingly possessed child pornography as he traveled from Nevada into Wyoming,' the appeals court ruling states."

Once considered the leader of the motorcycle club in Nevada, Burgess also was the owner of the Old Bridge Brothel outside Reno.

While it’s unlikely a group as well organized as the Hells Angels will have difficulty making a smooth transition, in recent years there have been undercurrents of problems between Burgess and at least one other regional leader.

In Las Vegas, I understand, the Hells Angels have members and former members who are a successful part of organized labor. You’ll find other members with mainstream businesses.

What law enforcement suspects of the Hells Angels is something else again.

Meanwhile, Hells Angels membership continues to grow in Nevada.