Punjabi Devils Founder Pleads Guilty as Stockton Prepares for 27th Annual Nagar Kirtan Parade
The founder of the Stockton-based Punjabi Devils Motorcycle Club pleaded guilty to federal firearms charges in early 2026 after prosecutors said he sold illegal weapons to an undercover officer and was arrested at San Francisco International Airport while attempting to flee to India. Meanwhile, Stockton's Sikh community prepared for the 27th annual Nagar Kirtan parade, an event rooted in more than a century of South Asian heritage in the city, drawing over 19,000 attendees each spring to celebrate Vaisakhi at Gurdwara Sahib Stockton.
Punjabi Devils Founder Enters Guilty Plea in Federal Weapons Case
Jashanpreet Singh, the 27-year-old founder and leader of the Punjabi Devils Motorcycle Club in Stockton, pleaded guilty to federal firearms charges in a case reported by the USA TODAY NETWORK and updated on February 3, 2026. According to court documents released by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District, prosecutors alleged that Singh attempted to sell illegal weapons to an undercover law enforcement officer — the act that formed the central basis of the federal charges against him. Rather than remain to face those proceedings, Singh fled court. He was subsequently apprehended at San Francisco International Airport while preparing to board a flight to India, indicating he had been planning to leave the United States to avoid prosecution. Singh, a Lodi resident, is described by authorities as the leader of a regional outlaw motorcycle gang that has established ties to the Hells Angels. The Punjabi Devils are based in Stockton, a Central Valley city where South Asian communities have maintained a strong presence for generations. The guilty plea exposes Singh to a maximum federal prison sentence of 15 years, with his sentencing hearing scheduled for May 11, 2026, at which point a federal judge will determine the specific penalty. The charges fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California, which built the case on evidence gathered during the undercover operation and information arising from Singh's flight and arrest at the airport. Singh had previously drawn law enforcement scrutiny, with his indictment on related charges reported earlier, making the guilty plea a significant milestone in the broader prosecution of the Punjabi Devils club and its alleged criminal activities in the region. [3]
🎉 27th Annual Nagar Kirtan Parade Honors Over a Century of Sikh Heritage in Stockton
Stockton Sikh Temple's 27th annual Nagar Kirtan parade was set to take place on Sunday, April 19, at the historic landmark Gurdwara Sahib Stockton, located at 1930 Sikh Temple St. The Stockton Record reported on April 17, 2026 that the event — also known as the Sikh Parade and Festival — draws more than 19,000 attendees each year, cementing its status as one of the largest annual Sikh gatherings in Northern California. The central occasion being observed is Vaisakhi, a festival that holds deep religious and cultural significance in Sikh tradition, bringing together the community through procession, devotion, and celebration. Gurdwara Sahib Stockton, also referred to as the Sikh Temple, is recognized as a historic landmark and serves as the spiritual and organizational anchor for the local Sikh community. The Stockton Record framed the event as one that honors a legacy more than 100 years strong, reflecting how deeply embedded Sikh history and Punjabi culture are in the fabric of Stockton — one of the oldest centers of South Asian settlement in the American West. Admission to the parade and festival is free, making it accessible to people of all backgrounds and drawing participants from across the broader region alongside the city's established Sikh population. Now in its 27th year in its current form, the Nagar Kirtan parade continues to serve as the most visible and widely attended expression of Sikh cultural life in the Central Valley, covered annually by local media as a major civic event. The event's consistent turnout of more than 19,000 speaks to the enduring strength of community bonds and the continuing vitality of Stockton's South Asian diaspora across successive generations. [2]
Sources: [3] The Desert Sun · [2] The Stockton Record