According to court documents, Smith, 64, of Mount Clemens,
was convicted along with the national vice president and national warlord, and
three others, for their participation in various criminal acts, including RICO,
violent crimes in aid of racketeering, methamphetamine production and
trafficking, illegal firearms offenses, obstruction of justice, subornation of
perjury and other federal offenses.
“The life sentence imposed on this defendant is a clear
indication of the seriousness of the violence he engaged in and how committed
the law enforcement community is to stop this kind of organized violence,” said
Special Agent in Charge Timothy R. Slater, Detroit Division of the FBI.
“The FBI, our state and local partners and the U.S. Attorney’s offices across the region will not rest until all who would harm the peace and safety of our residents are brought to justice, regardless of where those threats originate."
“The FBI, our state and local partners and the U.S. Attorney’s offices across the region will not rest until all who would harm the peace and safety of our residents are brought to justice, regardless of where those threats originate."
Awaiting sentencing are four remaining defendants, three
from Michigan, who were found guilty by a jury of engaging in a RICO
conspiracy, methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy, conspiracy to obstruct
justice, violent crimes in aid of racketeering and various substantive charges.
Those individuals include National Vice President Paul
Anthony Darrah, of Macomb Township, Victor Castano, of St. Clair Shores, and
David Randy Drozdowski, of Fair Haven, Michigan.
Drozdowski was separately found guilty by a jury of committing violent crimes in aid of racketeering and being a felon in possession of ammunition, while Castano was separately found guilty of obstruction of justice and subornation of perjury.
According to evidence presented at these trials, the Devils
Diciples (which is intentionally misspelled) is a motorcycle club with its
national headquarters in Clinton Township. For decades, the Devils Diciples
operated regional chapters in cities throughout Michigan, Alabama, Arizona,
California, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, and engaged in criminal activities to
protect the enterprise and for financial gain.
Prosecutors said members are required to own Harley-Davidson
motorcycles and are required to follow orders from the clubs’s leadership,
including orders to assault, threaten and intimidate others, to transport and
distribute drugs, to lie to law enforcement and to hide or destroy evidence.
According to evidence presented at trial, Smith and Darrah
were responsible for overall management of the activities of the other Devils
Diciples members and chapters, including giving final approval to any activity
generally affecting the club as a whole and a individuals, including members
and associates of the club, were beaten and robbed, and Smith also participated
in this activity directly.
In addition to the four trial defendants sentenced recently,
over 50 members and associates of the Devil’s Diciples have pleaded guilty to
various crimes as result of this investigation. The investigation further
resulted in the seizure of more than 60 firearms and more than 6,000 rounds of
ammunition and the dismantling of eight methamphetamine manufacturing
laboratories across the country.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Michigan State
Police, the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office and the County of Macomb Enforcement
Team, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives, and the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office.
SOURCE: Click on Detroit