The founder of a Stockton-based motorcycle club has been sentenced to more than five years in prison in California after being convicted of unlawfully dealing firearms and possessing a machine gun.
Jashanpreet Singh, 27, of Lodi, was sentenced on Monday by US District Judge Dale A Drozd to five years and four months in prison, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
US Attorney Eric Grant announced the sentence, saying Singh had been convicted of unlawful firearms dealing and unlawful possession of a machine gun.
According to court documents, Singh was the founder of the Punjabi Devils Motorcycle Club, which authorities described as a Stockton-based outlaw motorcycle gang associated with the Hells Angels.
Federal prosecutors said the case centred on an attempted weapons sale on June 6, 2025, when Singh tried to sell several firearms and weapon-related items to an undercover officer.
The items allegedly included a short-barrelled rifle, three assault weapons, three machine gun conversion devices and a revolver.
Authorities said a later search of Singh’s residence led to the seizure of additional weapons and parts, including a machine gun, another machine gun conversion device and a silencer.
Firearms, firearm parts, high-capacity drum magazines and other items were also seized from Singh’s vehicle and residence during the investigation.
Investigators said officers also found a single pineapple-style capped and fused hand grenade, along with what law enforcement believed was a military electronic-capped claymore mine.
The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department bomb team, through its Explosive Ordnance Detail, destroyed the items at the scene.
Singh initially faced state charges in San Joaquin County in relation to the offences.
However, authorities said he failed to appear in court on July 21, 2025, prompting the state court to issue a bench warrant for his arrest.
Two days later, on July 23, 2025, the FBI received an alert from US Customs and Border Protection that Singh had booked a ticket to India and was scheduled to depart from San Francisco International Airport on July 26.
Law enforcement officers located and arrested him at the airport before he could leave the United States.
Federal authorities said Singh has remained in custody since his arrest.
The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, Homeland Security Investigations, the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, the Stockton Police Department and US Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant US Attorney Adrian T Kinsella prosecuted the case.
Authorities said the prosecution formed part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide US Department of Justice initiative targeting violent crime, illegal immigration, cartels and transnational criminal organisations.
The case has drawn attention because of Singh’s alleged links to an outlaw motorcycle gang and the nature of the weapons involved, including machine gun conversion devices and explosive items.
Prosecutors said the attempted sale to an undercover officer, combined with the weapons recovered from Singh’s residence and vehicle, reflected serious public safety risks.
Singh’s sentencing brings the federal case to a close more than 10 months after the undercover operation that led to his arrest.
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
