'Survivor' alum Brandon Hantz arrested on arson and racketeering charges as part of biker gang
Brandon Hantz, the two-time Survivor contestant known for making a dramatic departure during his second stint on the reality TV series, has been arrested on charges of arson and conspiracy to commit racketeering activity as part of a sweeping case against an allegedly violent biker gang operating in the Houston metropolitan area.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of Texas announced Wednesday that 14 members and associates of the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, including Hantz, 33, have been indicted in connection with an allegedly violent 2019 turf war with the rival gang B*EAST. Some Bandidos members have been charged with crimes including murder, attempted murder, and assault.
Several of the accused are expected to make their initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo on Thursday afternoon.
Related: Survivor host Jeff Probst says strangers on the street are pitching him season 50 ideas
Contact information for Hantz's legal representation was not immediately available. Hantz, who is allegedly also known as Loco and Gun Drop, faces up to 20 years in prison per charge if convicted.
Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department's Criminal Division said in a statement Wednesday, "Today's indictment is an important step in eliminating the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang." Bacon added, "The Bandidos declare war on rivals — and they wage that war on our streets. Criminal behavior like this has no place in America, and the Department of Justice is fully committed to bringing peace back to our communities."
Hantz is the nephew of notorious Survivor villain Russell Hantz and first competed on the show in the 23rd season, South Pacific, in 2011. He was the 15th contestant voted out, ultimately leaving the game on day 36.
Hantz returned to Survivor for its 26th season, Caramoan, in 2012. He made an infamous exit to end his second appearance, pouring out his tribe's food supply during an outburst that led to the tribe intentionally forfeiting an Immunity Challenge to vote him out preemptively.In a pregame interview anticipating his Caramoan appearance, Hantz told Entertainment Weekly why he thought he would win the season. "I am going to win this time around because I capitalize on every mistake I make in my life in general, so that's just how it's gonna happen," he said. "I did one thing wrong: I allowed myself to beat me. I beat myself, man. I beat myself in the game of Survivor and that's what people saw. They saw a convicted man. They saw a person that could not even forgive himself for some of the things he did in the past."
Hantz was ultimately voted out fifth, and was eliminated on day 13 of competition.
Related: Survivor star Jonny Fairplay's grandmother dies 22 years after he lied about her death on show
Survivor host Jeff Probst told EW he had been "concerned" that the confrontation leading to Hantz's elimination might turn into a physical altercation with his rival, Phillip Sheppard. "It was clear that he was very upset. That's why I asked him to come to me, so I could separate him from the rest of the contestants," Probst explained. "Then later when I saw him getting more agitated I put my hands on his shoulders in an attempt to help him relax. It was probably also a bit of a head start on controlling him if a physical confrontation were to ensue. Because something like this had never happened before there was no plan in place. I was assessing moment to moment, making decisions based on what was playing out in front of me."
Probst also said that he was "whispering instructions" to the crew so that security would "be ready to assist" if the situation escalated.
Related: Survivor winner Rachel LaMont to cohost On Fire With Jeff Probst podcast (exclusive)
"It was clear that Brandon wanted out of the game," Probst recalled. "I was very proud of Brandon for making the choice to stay next to me and not turn this into a physical altercation. I was equally proud of Phillip and the other contestants for their restraint. It was obviously a historic moment from a show point of view, but the overriding concern was the mental and physical health of the contestants."
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
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