To hell and back

    Jay Dobyns is terrifying. From dealing with napalm-peddling meth addicts to kicking back with some of America’s most feared men, he has done it all.

   Dobyns’ book documenting his time as an undercover agent with the Hells Angels, No Angel, paints a picture of a hardened agent, thick-skinned and tired from carrying the weight of a double life on his back. In person, he is anything but that.

   Dobyns spoke at Phillips Hall May 18 to a crowd where the number of students attending was matched by the number of law enforcement. His impassioned delivery was peppered with expletives and snide remarks that captivated the audience.

   He is a humble man, violating the stereotype of the cocky federal agent so often seen on tv and movies, Dobyns made it clear that he wasn’t in it for awards, fame or money.

   “I’m nobody’s hero. I’m nobody’s knight in shining armor. I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I’m not here to brag or tell you all a bunch of glory stories.” Dobyns said.

   He became a federal agent with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms in 1987. Four days into the job, he took a gunshot to the chest. A former high school and college football star, Dobyns felt an adrenaline rush like never before. He was hooked on the job.

   “I had a bullet go through my
chest before I even got a paycheck.”
Dobyns said.

   After a long recovery, Dobyns continued with the bureau, working minor undercover operations and participating in the investigation of the Columbine shootings. His biggest feat and topic of his New York Times best-seller was Operation Black Biscuit. Dobyns was assigned to go undercover with one of the most ruthless and violent biker gangs in the country – the Hells Angels.

   Posing as a member of a different gang, he crept into the seedy world of the Hells Angels. He was inducted after staging the murder of a member of the Mongols, a rival California biker gang. During his two years undercover, Dobyns carefully assimilated into the criminal underworld, never forgetting his job.

   “I never lost sight of my role. I always knew I was there in representation of my agency, government and country. I never felt like I was a bad guy and I was never consumed with being a criminal.”

   Shortly after his acceptance, the bureau moved in and made the necessary arrests, but the case fizzled due to internal bickering inside the ATF.

   Getting back to his life before Black Biscuit wasn’t easy. He described himself as a physical, emotional and spiritual wreck, wanting nothing more than to quit.

   “As long as it takes to create the battle damage, it takes just as long or longer to recover from it.”

   Now, Dobyns tours as a motivational speaker and has filed suit against the ATF for failing to protect him and
his family.

   After being outed as an agent, Dobyns has received multiple death threats from Angels members and his house was burned down in August of 2008. Despite the turmoil, Dobyns maintains an optimistic, tough attitude.

   “I’m not going to be chased away. I know just what these guys are capable of. They’ve got their PhDs in violence and intimidation. I have chosen to live my life with caution, not fear. If I run away, they win. I wasn’t out there committing rapes and murders and running guns. My role was to handle America’s business. I’m the good guy.”