Both men survived the attack.
In Augusta County Circuit Court on Tuesday, one of the
alleged shooters, Anthony Milan, 28, of East Elmhurst, New York, a Hells Angel
prospect at the time of his arrest, pleaded guilty to malicious wounding by a
mob and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
"He was a triggerman," Augusta County prosecutor
Tim Martin said.
Milan was sentenced to eight years in prison.
Three other defendants, none of them one of the two
shooters, were sentenced to four years in prison. Nathaniel A. Villaman, 28, of
East Brunswick, New Jersey; Joseph Anthony Paturzo, 52, of the Bronx, New York;
and Richard E. West, 53, of Baldwin, New York, all pleaded guilty to malicious
wounding by a mob.
The second shooter is alleged to be Dominick J. Eadicicco,
48, of Staten Island, New York. He is scheduled for trial March 18.
Martin said he was pleased with the guilty verdicts, and
noted: The shooting victim was not cooperating with authorities and wouldn't be
a witness at trial.
Motions in the case were scheduled to be heard Tuesday
before the plea deals were reached.
Two other Hells Angels members who were not charged in the
attack face drug and gun charges.
Earlier evidence showed ambush
Motel video surveillance viewed at an earlier bond hearing
in October showed five Hells Angels were lying in wait after two members of the
rival Pagans Motorcycle Club were spotted across the street at the Pilot Travel
Center during the early-morning hours of Sept. 10.
Roughly 90 minutes later, shortly before 3 a.m. as the two
Pagans pulled into the motel parking lot on their motorcycles, an ambush was
unleashed, video evidence showed.
One of the Pagans was shot, the other knocked off his
motorcycle and beaten with a hammer.
Prior to the shooting, after the two Pagans were seen at the
travel center, one of the motorcycle club members rousted four others from
their rooms at the Hometown Inn, which is near Greenville.
After the men took off their Hells Angels gear and changed
into different clothing, one of the Hells Angels kept close tabs on the Pagans
across the street with binoculars. Another was seen holding an iPad in their
direction as he presumably filmed them, video evidence showed. Other Hells
Angels club members were nearby.
When the Pagans went to the Hometown Inn, the clerk, unaware
there were now rival gang members registered at the motel, gave them a room
next to one of three rooms rented by the Hells Angels, according to evidence.
As the Pagans pulled up to their room, one following the
other, the second rider was knocked off his motorcycle as it was still moving.
The rider in front wiped out as he attempted to escape the ambush, skidding his
bike to the ground. As he ran, two Hells Angels opened fire on him, video
showed. An investigator testified four to five gunshots were fired.
The victim was struck once in the lower left side of his
back. He survived the shooting and was released from the University of Virginia
Medical Center in Charlottesville after a week-long stay, according to
testimony.
The beating victim was not seriously injured.
Both victims were members of the Pagans Motorcycle Club out
of southern Virginia, the sheriff's office said.
Seven suspects were arrested at the scene. Two guns and a
shell casing were recovered at the motel by investigators.
At a press conference held after the shooting, Augusta
County Sheriff Donald Smith said both groups were passing through the area
following an unidentified convention.
SOURCE: News Leader