William Queen
Encyclopedia
William "Billy" Queen Jr. is a retired undercover agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
(ATF), and the author of the bestselling books Under and Alone
and Armed and Dangerous.
Queen was raised in North Carolina
, the son of an ATF agent. He was in the Special Forces
during the Vietnam War
, before joining the police
. He then moved to Border Patrol
, and subsequently the ATF. Early operations involved infiltrating the Aryan Nation and the Ku Klux Klan
, two white supremacist organizations.
In early 1998, as part of an operation to infiltrate motorcycle gangs
, Queen joined the San Fernando Valley
chapter of the Mongols
as "Billy St. John", and was a member for 28 months. Despite his nickname, "Billy the Slow-Brain", he was successful within the ranks of bikers, and even rose to the position of chapter vice-president and treasurer. Thanks to evidence he gathered while in these positions, a series of raids on May 19, 2000 by almost 700 lawmen in four states led to the arrest and conviction of 54 gang members. The ATF later described Queen's time undercover as "its most successful [biker gang] penetration."
Queen was awarded the Federal Bar Association
's Medal of Honor for his successful involvement with the Mongols. After the trials of the gang members, Queen retired from the ATF, and wrote Under and Alone: The True Story of the Undercover Agent Who Infiltrated America's Most Violent Outlaw Motorcycle Gang. In 2003, while it was still only a draft, film rights to the book were sold to Icon
, the Hollywood production company owned by Mel Gibson
. The book became a bestseller upon its release in 2005.
Queen was also heavily featured in a 2008 episode of Outlaw Bikers, a series of National Geographic
documentaries
about federal agents infiltrating biker gangs.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is a federal law enforcement organization within the United States Department of Justice...
(ATF), and the author of the bestselling books Under and Alone
Under and Alone
Under and Alone is a book written by undercover ATF agent William Queen and published by Random House in 2005 which chronicles his infiltration of the violent outlaw motorcycle gang the Mongols.-Synopsis:...
and Armed and Dangerous.
Queen was raised in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, the son of an ATF agent. He was in the Special Forces
United States Army Special Forces
The United States Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets because of their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force tasked with six primary missions: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, hostage rescue, and...
during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, before joining the police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
. He then moved to Border Patrol
United States Border Patrol
The United States Border Patrol is a federal law enforcement agency within U.S. Customs and Border Protection , a component of the Department of Homeland Security . It is an agency in the Department of Homeland Security that enforces laws and regulations for the admission of foreign-born persons to...
, and subsequently the ATF. Early operations involved infiltrating the Aryan Nation and the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
, two white supremacist organizations.
In early 1998, as part of an operation to infiltrate motorcycle gangs
Outlaw motorcycle club
An outlaw motorcycle club is a type of motorcycle club that is part of a subculture with roots in the post-World War II USA, centered on cruiser motorcycles, particularly Harley-Davidsons and choppers, and a set of ideals celebrating freedom, nonconformity to mainstream culture, and loyalty to the...
, Queen joined the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
chapter of the Mongols
Mongols (motorcycle club)
The Mongols Motorcycle Club, sometimes called the Mongol Nation or Mongol Brotherhood, is a "one-percenter" motorcycle gang and organized crime syndicate. The club is headquartered in southern California and was originally formed in Montebello, California in 1969 by Hispanic Vietnam War veterans...
as "Billy St. John", and was a member for 28 months. Despite his nickname, "Billy the Slow-Brain", he was successful within the ranks of bikers, and even rose to the position of chapter vice-president and treasurer. Thanks to evidence he gathered while in these positions, a series of raids on May 19, 2000 by almost 700 lawmen in four states led to the arrest and conviction of 54 gang members. The ATF later described Queen's time undercover as "its most successful [biker gang] penetration."
Queen was awarded the Federal Bar Association
Federal Bar Association
The Federal Bar Association is the primary voluntary professional organization for private and government lawyers and judges practicing and sitting in federal courts in the United States.-Background:...
's Medal of Honor for his successful involvement with the Mongols. After the trials of the gang members, Queen retired from the ATF, and wrote Under and Alone: The True Story of the Undercover Agent Who Infiltrated America's Most Violent Outlaw Motorcycle Gang. In 2003, while it was still only a draft, film rights to the book were sold to Icon
Icon Productions
Icon Productions LLC is an American independent production company founded in August 1989 by actor/director Mel Gibson and Australian producing partner Bruce Davey.-History:Icon started when Gibson was having trouble in financing the 1990 film Hamlet...
, the Hollywood production company owned by Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson
Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
. The book became a bestseller upon its release in 2005.
Queen was also heavily featured in a 2008 episode of Outlaw Bikers, a series of National Geographic
National Geographic Channel
National Geographic Channel, also commercially abbreviated and trademarked as Nat Geo, is a subscription television channel that airs non-fiction television programs produced by the National Geographic Society. Like History and the Discovery Channel, the channel features documentaries with factual...
documentaries
Television documentary
Documentary television is a genre of television programming that broadcasts documentaries.* Documentary television series, a television series which is made up of documentary episodes....
about federal agents infiltrating biker gangs.
External links
- Author spotlight: William Queen, Random HouseRandom HouseRandom House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
website