Motorcycle Club Runs Continued

 

Large group of Motorcycle Club members rolling down the road  

Vagos Motorcycle Club

 

Undated photo of unidentified members of the Vagos Motorcycle Club

Feds want the Grim Reapers MC clubhouse

Evansville, Indiana USA (September 20, 2023) - After indicting and sentencing more than a dozen members of the Grim Reapers Motorcycle Club, the federal government is wanting to seize the MC's clubhouse. United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zach Myers, filed a formal civil complaint in December, 2022 asking a judge to forfeit the building at located 1104 East Diamond Avenue in Evansville, Indiana “to the United States of America.”

 

The civil case, featured an amended complaint and the dropping of a defendant, is still working it's way through court system. The newest filing came on September 5, 2023. The amended complaint, issued in late June, says the building is “subject to forfeiture because it was used, or intended to be used, to commit, or to facilitate, the commission of drug-trafficking offenses.”

It’s the culmination of years of investigation. The feds kicked off the criminal portion of the case in November 2019, when members of the FBI, Drug Enforcement Agency, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, among others obtained a search warrant and knocked down the Motorcycle Club’s front door.

RELATED | Former Grim Reapers MC Prez Sentenced

They reportedly seized 10 pounds of meth, 23 guns, $35,000 in cash and a couple of motorcycles. The dope alone reportedly had an estimated street value of more than $250,000. What followed next was a bunch of indictments over the coming months and now years. The latest sentence was handed down in February of this year.

Besides going after the Grim Reapers MC, the main defendant in the civil side of the case is former Grim Rreapers MC leader Gary Wayne Forston. He was sentenced in October to 16-and-a-half years in prison after he plead guilty to four of the 12 counts against him. He’s currently serving his sentence in Texarkana, Texas.

As part of Wayne's plea deal that he signed in July 2022 “Forston agreed that the defendant property was subject to forfeiture and consented to the forfeiture of his interest in the defendant property,” the amended complaint says. Prosecutors accuse Forston of living at the clubhouse while the dope ring was doing business. The feds want the court to block Grime Reapers MC members from using the building and ultimately hand it over to the U.S. government.

Outlaws MC Member Accused of Fleeing Deputies

Daytona, Florida, USA (October 25, 2022) - A member of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club faces seven charges after a deputy sheriff spotted him going over 100 miles per hour on a motorcycle in Flagler County after fleeing a traffic stop in Ormond Beach.

 

Among the new charges are two felony counts of fleeing and eluding with disregard of safety to persons or property. He’s also received seven traffic citations in connection to this incident, including reckless driving, failing to obey law enforcement and knowingly driving with a suspended license.

The Ormond Beach Police Department (OBPD) also filed fleeing and eluding charges against Wilson and his motorcycle was seized by FCSO.

With #Biketoberfest 2022 in full swing, we arrested a motorcycle gang member for speeding, a Palatka man who wrecked his vehicle while fleeing a traffic stop and a convicted felon with fentanyl in one of his socks.

MORE: https://t.co/aA69nea6DD#GotYa #FlaglerCounty #FCSO pic.twitter.com/uvzUSlg88W

— FlaglerSheriff (@FlaglerSheriff) October 18, 2022

Source: Flagler County Sheriff's Office

Driver found not guilty in 2019 fatal crash

Concord, New Hampshire (August 10, 2022) - A jury on Tuesday acquitted a pickup truck driver of causing the deaths of seven members of the Jarheads Motorcycle Club in a head-on collision in northern New Hampshire back in 2019.

Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, 26, of West Springfield, Massachusetts, had pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of negligent homicide, manslaughter, driving under the influence, and reckless conduct, although some of the charges were dropped during the trial. He has been in jail since the crash on June 21, 2019, in Randolph. His trial began on July 26.

Read More: Driver Acquitted in Deaths of Jarheads MC Members

Sonny Barger Dead at 83

Oakland, California, U.S.A. (June 30, 2022) - Sonny Barger, founding member of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club has died at 83.

 

The announcement of Sonny’s death came on his official Facebook page with a post containing a farewell message written by Sonny.

“If you are reading this message, you’ll know that I’m gone. I’ve asked that this note be posted immediately after my passing,” the post says. “I’ve lived a long and good life filled with adventure. And I’ve had the privilege to be part of an amazing club.”

 

Sonny died of cancer, according to the Facebook post, which says he was surrounded by his wife, Zorana, and other loved ones.

Born Ralph Hubert Barger, the Modesto native moved to Oakland as a kid, enlisted in the U.S. Army as a teen, and gravitated toward motorcycles at a young age. In his autobiography, Sonny wrote that the Hells Angels were a small San Francisco club that almost gone before he joined. He and other bikers picked up the name and started the Oakland Hells Angels, which is now known as the club’s most significant charter.

“As a street tough, I looked the part. I wore my Levi’s jeans with one-inch-wide cuffs at the bottom, smoked Camels, had the attitude, and rode a motorcycle,” Sonny wrote in his autobiography, describing his formative years in Oakland before joining the Hells Angels. 

Barger was often a target of law enforcement throughout his life, he spent lengthy period in prison. In the early 1980's, Sonny was diagnosed with throat cancer and required the removal of his vocal chords. After surviving that health scare, Sonny began to publicly advocate against smoking, tailoring his message with the Hells Angels’ textbook anti-establishment attitude: “Want to be a rebel? Don’t smoke as the rest of the world.”

 

Sonny moved to Arizona in the late 90's for health reasons, but reportedly returned to Alameda County in 2016. In his final years, he largely kept a low profile, though his 81st birthday in 2019 was a major event that was hosted at the Hells Angels Oakland clubhouse.



His farewell message says he died peacefully and, despite his public persona, valued time with his family and friends the most.

“Keep your head up high, stay loyal, remain free, and always value honor,” Sonny wrote.

Our deepest condolences the Hells Angles Motorcycle Club, loved ones and family of your loss, 

MLH&R  from The Biker Trash Network   

Prez of Gypsy Jokers MC Wants Harley Returned

Portland, Oregon, USA (June 1, 2022) - The president of the Portland chapter of the Gypsy Joker Motorcycle Club, Mark Dencklau, went to trial and was convicted and sentenced to life for planning the kidnapping, torture and killing of ex club member Robert “Bagger” Huggins Jr. in 2015.

As he appeals his sentence, he’s urging a judge to order the government to give him Robert's 2011 Harley-Davidson motorcycle back. Robert was outbad in the club in 2014 and beaten after he stole money from the Portland clubhouse to support a heroin addiction, prosecutors said. Club members took Robert’ motorcycle and truck as well, and Mark eventually obtained the title for the Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

 

Inside Gypsy Jokers MC Portland Clubhouse - Photo: Court Exhibits

When police raided Marks’s home, they seized the bike. Mark argues he’s the lawful owner of the Harley and police unlawfully took it from his home. But prosecutors say Mark has it all wrong. He stole the motorcycle from Robert and doesn’t deserve to get it back, they argue. The government plans to return the bike to Robert’s family, prosecutors told the court.

Mark’s lawyer cites testimony from his co-defendant, Earl Fisher, who said at trial that Robert signed over the title as part of  “paying the debt for the money he had stolen” from the club. Fisher, who was treasurer of the Portland chapter, said he deposited the title into the club’s treasury.

Mark later approached the club about trading another bike for it, which he did, according to Erik Eklund, Mark’s lawyer. He submitted to the court a copy of the title in Mark’s name, dated June 6, 2014, with what appears to be Robert’s signature. The date of transfer shows June 6, 2014, when the bike’s odometer read 18,500 miles.

“This Court should issue an Order compelling the government to return Mr. Dencklau’s property to him or his designated representative,” Eklund wrote to U.S. District Judge Michael W. Mosman. According to prosecutors, Robert bought the Harley Davidson motorcycle on July 18, 2013, for $21,638 from Columbia Harley Davidson.

 

Inside Gypsy Jokers MC Portland Clubhouse - Photo: Court Exhibits

In June 2014, the Gypsy Joker club booted Robert out for stealing from the club. Mark testified he suspected Robert had taken about $18,000 from the club. In response, Mark and other club members beat Robert in the club basement for several hours, using batons, weight plates and fists. Members and associates also forced Robert to turn over his motorcycle and truck to the club, according to prosecutors.

“Even if Huggins owed the Club a debt, stealing property from Huggins by force is not a lawful form of recourse,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Bolstad wrote to the court. “Dencklau stole this motorcycle. He was not then, and is not now, a lawful owner of this motorcycle.’’

As payback for getting kicked out of the club and forced to relinquish his bike and truck, Robert later robbed Marks’s Woodburn home in June 2015, prosecutors argued at trial. Later that month, club members kidnapped Robert, 56, from a home in Portland, drove him to a shed in Washington state and beat and killed him on June 30, 2015, before dumping his body in a remote field, prosecutors said.

According to Mark’s lawyer, however, co-defendants Tiler Pribbernow and Fisher both described how Robert signed over the title to his motorcycle to satisfy a debt to the club and Mark later exchanged another motorcycle for it with the support of other club members.

“Registering this motorcycle in defendant’s name does not change the facts about how it came into defendant’s possession – he and other club members forced Huggins, during a brutal hours-long beating in the clubhouse basement, to sign over title,” Bolstad responded in her filing.

Alleged Club Members Involved in Bar Fight

Dundalk, Maryland, USA (September 2, 2021) - A fight between rival motorcycle clubs at an Essex bar led to the arrest of seven men, two of whom are from Dundalk, according to court records.

The men, who are allegedly members of the Pagan’s motorcycle club, were pulled over on their motorcycles on August 23, after police were dispatched to a report of a fight involving a gun at Sylvester’s Saloon in Essex, according to charging papers filed against the seven men who were arrested.

 

The charging papers allege nine members of the Pagan's motorcycle club beat Kenneth Burr, who was seen in surveillance footage sitting with three Pagan's motorcycle club members before one of them, later identified as Daniel Chesnavage, came around the table and struck Burr on the head.

Burr’s wife drew a pistol, according to charging papers, but she was surrounded by five alleged Pagan's motorcycle club members, one who drew a gun and another two of whom, identified as William Dickens and Christopher Beatty, allegedly pinned her down and took her pistol.

The Pagan's motorcycle club members allegedly ripped a Knights motorcycle club jacket off Kenneth Burr, as well as Roy Rockafellow and John Eacho, who each initially told police they did not know what happened, and that nothing was taken from them, charging papers say.

Sons of Silence MC Member Arrested and Released

Rock Island, IL, (August 15, 2021) - A man was released on bond after an Iowa State Trooper found a loaded gun and a small amount of crystal methamphetamine on his motorcycle. Jeffrey Sebree, 51, of Indianapolis, Indiana faces a felony charge of carrying weapons, court documents say.

Shortly after 6:00 p.m. Friday, the trooper stopped Sebree, who was driving a Harley-Davidson near Mile Marker 291 on the eastbound side of Interstate 80. The motorcycle was stopped for going 90 mph in a 70 mph zone.

 

Sebree, who was alone, was wearing a Sons of Silence MC leather vest, “identifying him as being a member of this motorcycle club,” the affidavit says. The trooper asked whether Sebree had a gun. He said he did and that it was locked up on his bike.

“I also observed a red cut-down plastic straw w/ white residue on it sticking out of a pocket on his vest,” the trooper wrote in the affidavit. “Based on my training and experience this item was consistent with snorter straws that (a) drug user will use to snort drugs with.”

The trooper deployed his drug-detection K9, and the dog alerted toward the side of the motorcycle with luggage compartments and a backpack. A probable-cause search produced a “very small personal amount” of crystal methamphetamine and another snorting tube with white residue on it, the affidavit says.

The trooper also found a Kimber .45 caliber handgun with a fully loaded magazine and a round in the chamber.

When the trooper did a background check on Sebree, he discovered Sebree is prohibited from possessing guns. The gun and contraband were seized and submitted into evidence storage, the affidavit says.

SOURCE: Our Quad Cities

Bandidos MC Members Rides Into Salvation Army

Spokane, Washington, U.S.A. (December 13, 2020) BTN - A Bandidos Motorcycle Club chapter in Spokane began a new holiday tradition Saturday as it unloaded hundreds of dollars in food, blankets, hygiene products and toys from a trailer and onto pallets for the Salvation Army.

“A lot of us belong to groups and we’re constantly wondering how can I or my group impact a community,” Salvation Army Maj. Ken Perine said. “It helps the group with their cohesiveness and it also helps people who they’ll never meet but who will be forever thankful.”

Bandidos MC club members said collecting donations for the Salvation Army was a spur-of-the-moment idea that grew into an organized effort. As they unloaded the donations, a few men wore sequin Santa hats with their red and gold leather or denim jackets. 

Local club leaders asked their members to bring “as much stuff as possible.” They also set up about 15 holiday-wrapped bins outside local businesses in Spokane, Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene for shoppers to drop donations.

The local Bandidos chapter organized a food drive at a Grocery Outlet in Cheney. The club spent $400 on food and the store matched it, filling giant plastic bins with nonperishable goods.

Cassandra Cram, Community Services Program Manager with the Salvation Army, said the club called her and asked to set it up. She said she expected a regular food drive, but it developed into a drive for a variety of products, plus an event in which Bandidos rode in on their bikes to unload the truck of food.

She hopes it will inspire other clubs to jump in to help their community. “All they gotta do is notify us,” Cram said . “If they want to do something, just do it.”

Perine told the group, despite all their work, they won’t get to see the people receiving their donations. “But we do,” Perine said. “One of the reasons we get to do what we do is because of people like you.”

Perine described how during a recent toy drive at Target, a woman came in with several interactive, animatronic teddy bears to donate. “We’d helped her years ago and she said it was her chance to give back,” Perine said. “She was just so happy to be able to give back.”

SOURCE: The Spokesman Review

FBI Nabs Wanted Motorcycle Club Member

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. (December 11, 2020) - Federal authorities were looking for a man who is wanted as part of an ongoing investigation into the Pagan's Motorcycle Club. Dominic Quarture was taken into custody Thursday evening, according to the FBI. Richard Lee White III was in custody earlier in the day. 

Thirty other members and associates of the Pagan's Motorcycle Club are in federal custody after they were charged with drug trafficking and firearms charges, U.S. attorney Scott Brady announced Wednesday.

RELATED | Feds Charge Pagans MC Members

“The Pagan's have used violence to control cocaine, heroin and meth trafficking in Allegheny, Westmoreland, Erie, Fayette and Washington counties,” Brady said in a video that was released on Youtube.



Following a yearlong investigation, law enforcement executed search warrants on 11 locations, finding several firearms including an Uzi; “significant amounts” of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl; and $28,000 in cash and jewelry.

“This is the most significant motorcycle club prosecution in this office since the 1980's,” Brady said. “It is a good day for the good guys.”

R. Joseph Rothrock, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh division, said the members engaged in a “wide array of organized criminal activity, which included significant narcotics and firearms trafficking and violence.”

The investigation, which was widespread, also resulted in identifying large-scale suppliers of narcotics not only to members and associates of the Pagan's, but to drug traffickers and suppliers within the greater Pittsburgh region.

Outlaws MC Member Free On Bail

Fall River, Massachusetts, USA (September 26, 2020) - Joseph (“JoJo”) Noe walked out of Fall River Superior Court Friday with a GPS bracelet around his ankle after posting $50,000 in bail. Outside, several members of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, some wearing masks, greeted Noe with hugs as he emerged from the courthouse.

Noe is accused in the shooting death of Oak Bluffs firefighter Eric Voshell, who was a member of the Sidewinders Motorcycle Club, an affiliate of Hells Angels.

Noe, who had been held for a year without bail, was granted bail earlier this week by Judge Renee Dupuis. He had to test the GPS ankle bracelet by walking around the outside of the Fall River Justice Center under the guard of court officers. Members of the Outlaws MC followed them around the building.

Noe was in court Friday for a series of motions in the case.

Voshell’s wife appeared to be watching the court proceedings via Zoom.

Outside the courthouse, defense attorney Rob Galibois spoke on Noe’s behalf saying he’s grateful for the court’s decision. “We were grateful of course for the court paying careful attention to the evidence over the course of the two-day hearing. I think the best comment that could possibly be made on the state of the evidence comes directly from the court herself. From her decision to release my client on bail, her honor wrote, ‘the facts of this case call into serious question the strength of the commonwealth’s case given the lack of evidence tending to support the commonwealth’s ability to prove that the defendant did not act in proper defense of another.’”

“In other words,” Galibois added, “the evidence shows he did act properly in defense of another.”

Earlier in the week, Dupuis ruled that the prosecution failed to demonstrate premeditation required for a first-degree murder charge during at two-day bail hearing. Video evidence from outside JC’s Cafe in Fall River where the altercation between the rival clubs played out shows a chaotic scene, Dupuis wrote.



Galibois successfully argued that Noe was defending his uncle who was being beaten by members of the Sidewinders who were brandishing cylindrical objects, brass knuckles and knives. The Outlaws were outnumbered 3-1, according to the judge’s description of the videos.

Noe showed some restraint before pulling out his gun that night. “When a woman appeared to be pleading for calm, one of the Sidewinders swung a hammer at her face. Noe took out his firearm and pointed it toward the ground,” Dupuis wrote.

When he noticed his uncle getting beaten, he fired the gun. Voshell was killed and two others were injured.

Galibois said he expects the case to go to trial in September.

SOURCE: Martha's Vineyard Times

Pagan's MC Helps Local School

Huntington, West Virginia, USA (September 13, 2020) - It takes a village to get students and teachers properly prepared for a new school year, and a local motorcycle club helped in a big way.

The Pagan's Motorcycle Club recently took a weekend ride through Huntington’s Southside neighborhood, where they dropped off much needed supplies for students and teachers at Southside Elementary School.

Art teacher Courtney Arnold carries a box of supplies as the Pagan's Motorcycle Club rides by Southside Elementary School after donating classroom items to the students and teachers.

The Pagan's Motorcycle Club rides by Southside Elementary School after donating supplies to the students and teachers.

Teachers and students alike were there to greet the the many motorcycle riders, collect all the donations and offer their thanks for the support of their school and local community.

SOURCE: The Herald Dispatch 

Iron Horsemen Clubhouse Destroyed

Hamilton, Ohio, USA (May 7, 2020) BTN - A fire early Wednesday morning destroyed the Iron Horsemen Clubhouse along with two other houses. Several people called 911 to report fire and smoke at houses in the 600 block of Ludlow Street, according to Butler County dispatchers. The fire was so large, residents who live several streets over also called 911, they said.

Firefighters arrived on scene shortly after neighbors detected the fire around 2:00 a.m. By the time firefighters were able to put out the fire, the damage was already done. Five houses had been damaged with three of them total losses.

“Usually we’re still able to look at the structure and see kind of where it started,” said Chief Mark Mercer with the Hamilton Fire Department. “This one has totally burned to the ground, and there’s just nothing left of it.”

We’re on the scene of multiple house fires this AM in Hamilton.
One home fully destroyed, two others, badly damaged @FOX19 pic.twitter.com/wHJQXo9znK

— Lauren Artino (@FOX19Lauren) May 6, 2020

The chief said the fire started in the one-story home in the middle. The home to the left was the clubhouse of the Iron Horseman Motorcycle Club.

Hamilton Police Department say they’ve had no problems with anyone at that address in recent history. Just a couple of car stops out front. Foul play is not suspected.

The only camera known to have captured anything began shooting after the fire started, the Hamilton Fire Department says they will continue investigating.

SOURCE: Fox19

Musician Charlie Brechtel Dies In Motorcycle Crash

Copperopolis, California, USA (April 27, 2020) BTN — Charlie Brechtel died in a motorcycle crash on O’Bynes Ferry Road on Saturday, April 25 at 5:52 pm.

Charlie was riding his 1987 Harley-Davidson motorcycle when his motorcycle crossed the double-yellow line, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Charlie’s Harley-Davidson collided with the front left corner of a 2013 Chevy Equinox being driven the opposite direction by Briana Mason, 29, and Evan Gorder, 29, both of Davis.


Charlie was ejected from his motorcycle and was pronounced dead at the scene. Neither Briana nor Evan were injured. No arrests were made, and the Highway Patrol accident report states that drugs and alcohol do not appear to be factors in the collision.

Brechtel was a nationally known figure among motorcycle enthusiasts, and was nicknamed “Good Time Charlie.” Charlie Brechtel’s music is in an honest to goodness tribute to the biker lifestyle that he loved.

His top notch musical group, the Charlie Brechtel Band, had been featured in many motorcycle films.

Charlie’s music has been featured on the Sons of Anarchy TV series as well as many other biker movies, books and events. Charlie worked with the likes of John Lee Hooker, Deacon Jones, Gregg Allman, B.B. King, Dr. John, Buddy Miles, Aaron Neville, Freddy Fender, Steppenwolfe and much.

He had his own stage every year at The Buffalo Chip in Sturgis and headlined every night.


Charlie has opened for artists such as Dave Mason, Foghat, Edgar Winter, Jackyl and a host of others. He was also a Composer, Arranger, Songwriter and Producer. Brechtel was 62-years-old.

Cops seize $6.5 Million worth of meth in Manitoba

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (December 10, 2019) BTN — RCMP have arrested 11 people and seized over 65 kilograms of meth and cocaine, amounting to $6.5 million, in what officers call the largest meth bust in Manitoba’s history. The arrests and seizures are a result of an ongoing investigation into organize crime that started over a year ago.

The investigation dubbed Project Declass first started in August 2018, after two people from Winnipeg were arrested trying to bring 40 kilograms of cocaine into the province, according to RCMP Superintendent Lisa Moreland.

The RCMP, along with the Canada Border Service Agency and the U.S. Enforcement and Administration launched the investigation.


Moreland said the investigation uncovered several different crime organizations are involved in the current drug trade in Manitoba and Western Canada.

“Investigators uncovered an integrative network of individuals belonging to different organized crime groups, that were working together in a resourceful fashion,” said Moreland, adding the RCMP identified several people from different organizations who played a role in distributing drugs in Manitoba.

Throughout the investigation, officers were able to seize over 20 kilograms of meth and over 40 kilograms of cocaine.

The day of the bust on Dec. 4, over 150 RCMP officers gathered in Winnipeg and Stonewall to prepare for the arrest and search.

RCMP officers in Calgary along with members of the Calgary Police Service also gathered to arrest a fully-pledged Hells Angels member who was staying at a hotel in the city.

Moreland said at 6 a.m., nine search warrants were executed, seven in Winnipeg, one in St. Laurent, Man., and one in Calgary.

Nine people were taken into custody and another two were also arrested the next day.

“The investigation is still on-going, thus far a total of 66 charges have been laid.”

Charges include:

• Trafficking of meth and cocaine
• Conspiracy to traffic fentanyl
• Possession of proceeds of crime
• Money laundering

LARGEST METH BUST IN MANITOBA

“The total amount of the drugs seized throughout this investigation to date, is 22 kilograms of meth, 43 kilograms of cocaine, with a street value of $6.5 million,” said Moreland.

Five vehicles were also seized including a 2018 Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Moreland said this investigation resulted in the largest amount of meth seized in Manitoba history.

RCMP WARNS AGAINST THE GLAMOUR OF MOTORCYCLE GANGS

Assistant Commissioner Jane MacLatchy, commanding officer of the Manitoba RCMP, said people need to be aware of motorcycle gang members.

“Despite what they want you to believe, outlaw motorcycle gangs such as the Hells Angels are criminal organizations whose illegal activities cause harm and victimization across Canada,” said MacLatchy.

MacLatchy said motorcycle gangs are heavily involved in the drug trade as well as fraud, money laundering and the sex trade.

She urged Manitobans to gain knowledge about motorcycle gangs and to try and keep young people away from them as they have a direct correlation to the meth problem in the province.

JUSTICE MINISTER THANKS RCMP FOR SERVICE

Justice Minister Cliff Cullen said he thanks all of those who were involved in the investigation.

Cullen added there are four important takeaways from this investigation.

“First of all, by seizing this volume of illicit drugs it will have a net positive impact to many families here in Manitoba,” said Cullen. “Two, by making the arrests it will impact the chain and flow of illicit drugs into Manitoba as well.”

“Three, there is consequences for criminal activity, and we appreciate this by the number of arrests made.”

“Four, in addition, there is money and goods recovered. These goods and this money can be used as proceeds of crime, to be put back to front line police operations, so we can reinvestigate that money to fighting the bad guys.”

SOURCE: CTV News

Hells Angels funeral in Bonn

Bonn, Germany (April 26, 2019) BTN — At the North Cemetery in Bonn, around 300 members of the Hells Angels have gathered to bury a man from their own ranks. About 70 came on motorcycles, the police shows presence around the cemetery.

The memorial service lasted for about an hour on a grassy area outside the cemetery. Two daughters of the deceased held funeral speeches in front of the assembled rockers and emphasized that their father had not been "a criminal" or "thug", but had spent his entire life doing honest work. At 4 pm the Hells Angels started their journey home in small groups. According to police, there were no incidents.

The late 58-year-old was a full member of the Hells Angels, confirmed Frank Hanebuth, longtime boss of the Hanoverian charter of Rockergang General-Anzeiger. "He has been with us for about two years," says Hanebuth. "A reliable man with experience in the security industry." The dead man comes from the Bonn region; his family chose the Nordfriedhof for the urn burial.

There were mourners from all over Germany, some from the Netherlands and Great Britain. What the rocker has died, according to Hanebuth seems to be unclear. The results of the autopsy are still pending, said the Hells Angels president.


In Spain, Hanebuth and 45 others are charged with forming a criminal organization allegedly active in Mallorca. The rocker boss himself sat on the holiday island long in custody and is released after media reports on bail. According to charges, he faces 13 years imprisonment and a fine of 4.2 million euros.

The prosecutor Hanover is currently investigating on suspicion that Hanebuth in the spring of 2018 had been involved in a protection racket in Langenhagen. The victim was said to have been a workshop owner. Hanebuth denies the allegations.

SOURCE: Express

Hells Angels member on trial for attempted murder

Milliken, Colorado (March 22, 2019) BTN —  The attorney for a member of the Hells Angels motorcycle club argued on Thursday his client did not intend to kill a Milliken police officer when he fired on her during a high-speed chase in the summer of 2017.

Colorado Public Defender Brian Connors represents John Lockhart, 38, of Eaton, who is accused of two counts of attempted first-degree murder, among others. The charges stem from separate shootings during the early morning hours of June 11, 2017, in Greeley and Milliken.

On Thursday, a Weld County jury heard closing arguments in Lockhart’s case, during which Connors argued for a conviction on a lesser charge of attempted manslaughter, saying it was impossible for Lockhart to shoot to kill Milliken officer Katherine Lines in the midst of a high-speed chase.

Lines encountered Lockhart and his passenger, Amber Eaton, about 1:30 a.m. June 11, 2017, as they sped into Milliken on his Harley Davidson motorcycle. When Lines attempted to pull Lockhart over, he accelerated to speeds exceeding 100 mph and fired three shots at her cruiser. One of those bullets entered the cruiser near the driver’s side headlight. Lines was uninjured.

“Mr. Lockhart was controlling the bike with one hand, shooting with his left hand around a passenger, while also going over 100 mph,” Connors said. “What kind of aim, what kind of accuracy, what kind of intent can you have?

“There is plenty of evidence Mr. Lockhart fired a gun that night, but no evidence he intended to kill officer Lines.”

Connors explained to the jury the difference between an attempted first-degree murder conviction and an attempted manslaughter one comes down to whether or not Lockhart acted with intent or acted recklessly when he squeezed off three rounds in Lions’ direction. “Mr. Lockhart’s actions in Milliken are the very portrait of what it means to act recklessly,” Connors said. “The only way he could have acted more recklessly is if he was blindfolded.”

Weld Chief Deputy District Attorney Tony Perea painted a simpler picture of the events during his closing argument, saying Lockhart could only have had one intention in mind when he pointed a gun at another person and pulled the trigger. In officer Lines’ case, Perea cited a couple pieces of damning evidence against Lockhart that was brought up at trial.

The first was a portion of Lockhart’s taped interview with police following his arrest in June 2017. During the interview, Lockhart tells a Greeley police investigator he believes driving is a right, not a privilege, and that he doesn’t believe in pulling over for anyone.

The second piece of evidence came from a recorded telephone conversation to a friend Lockhart made from the Weld County Jail about a month after his arrest. “I did shoot at that (expletive),” Lockhart says in a snippet of the conversation played during Thursday’s hearing. “Her dash cam is gonna show that she tried to hit me, twice.”

Perea noted Lockhart made the decision to not only run from Lions after she activated her emergency lights, but to also shoot at her during the chase. “He (Connors) wants to argue that shooting at a police officer is reckless,” Perea said. “Does, ‘I did shoot at that (expletive)’ sound reckless? Shooting three times at a police officer is not the definition of reckless.”

Prior to the incident in Milliken, Lockhart was involved in a shooting with Faustino Garcia while driving on 8th Avenue through Greeley. That shooting occurred about 12:30 a.m. June 11, 2017, about an hour before Lockhart’s chase with Milliken police.

Lockhart is accused of firing seven times at Garcia, who was driving a Ford SUV. Garcia admitted at trial he had been drinking at the White Horse Bar in Garden City and that the shooting was the result of a road rage incident.

The jury began its deliberations shortly after 10 a.m. A verdict has not yet been announced.

SOURCE: GreeleyTribune

Cop and firefighter ringleaders in drug ring

Middletown, NY  (February 6, 2019) BTN — A Middletown firefighter and a retired Spring Valley police officer were among the dozens arrested as part of a sweep of allegedly drug dealing bikers in Orange County Tuesday.

Authorities say more than 20 people were taken into custody when search warrants were executed at 15 locations in connection with two separate drug rings, with the same man -- fire Lieutenant Paul Young -- at the center of both.

Related | New York State Police Press Release

In all, 29 people were targeted for arrest, and investigators say leaders of the drug rings were so brazen that they sometimes met at the fire house.

Officials say the investigation, dubbed "Operation Bread, White and Blues," centered on several motorcycle organizations that allegedly distributed cocaine, fentanyl, marijuana and steroids.

The suspects were identified as:

--Paul Smith, 48, of Deerpark

--Robert Dunham, 46, of Middletown

--Marquis Gable, 34, of Nyack

--John Beltempo, 49, of New Windsor

--Kenneth Nunez, 39, of Spring Valley

--Garry Michel, 48, of Wallkill

--Joel Gamble, 44, of Cuddebackville

--Samuel Marino, 30, of Campbell Hall

--Arthur Mays, 30, of Middletown

--George Thomas, 61, of Bloomingburg

--David Lebel, 55, of Middletown

--Jennifer Peterson, 46, of Chester

--Vincenza Ferrante, 35, of New Windsor

--Shawn Daniels, 52, of Monroe

--Salvatore DiStefano, 36, of Westtown

--Melissa Delrosso, 35, of Middletown

--Raymond Chong, 49, of Middletown

--Tara Schoonmaker, 48, of Wurtsboro

--Crystal Crozier, 36, of Middletown

--Donald Johnston, 46, of Middletown

--Anthony Fields, 44, of Middletown

--Desmon Pierson, 36, of Middletown

--Dominick Guardino, 55, of Middletown

--Sunshine Wall, 40, of Cuddebackville

--Nicholas Ciccone, 47, of Port Jervis

--Charles Kavanaugh, 31, of Newburgh

--Gary Caldwell, 33, of Wappingers

--Justin Antona, 27, of Slate Hill

--Andrew Bendig, 23, of Middletown

The drugs reportedly came from both domestic and foreign sources, with the suspect allegedly selling the drugs throughout Orange County.

Most raided locations were in Orange County, but one location where the bikers allegedly purchased the drugs was at the Warren Hills apartment complex in Nyack, Rockland County. Authorities say they were then sold in Orange County.

State police, DEA agents and the FBI agents executed the warrants. Law enforcement officials recovered more than $200,000 in cash, 25 handguns, one assault rifle, multiple rifles, 10 vehicles, two motorcycles, more than 2.5 pounds of cocaine and 1,300 Fentanyl pills.

Authorities say Smith, a paid lieutenant of the City of Middletown Fire Department, has been charged with crimes including operating as a major trafficker as the alleged ringleader of both operations, working in tandem with Dunham.

Gamble and Michel, also charged with crimes including operating as major trafficker, are alleged to have been "profiteers" in the conspiracies to sell cocaine and narcotics pills. It is alleged that it was Gamble's role to provide cocaine to other members of the conspiracy, while Michel was to sell narcotic pills that were marketed to buyers as containing oxycodone but which actually contained fentanyl.

The pills were colored, stamped, and marked to appear to be oxycodone pills.

Beltempo previously worked for the Village of Spring Valley Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff's office and the Town of Wallkill Police Department.

SOURCE:  ABC7 

Loners MC clubhouse have some concerned

Cornwall, Ontario (January 26, 2019) BTN – There may be at least one motorcycle club that has quietly set up a clubhouse in Cornwall, in the heart of Le Village.

According to the building’s owner Wolfe Vracar, the Loners Motorcycle Club moved into its current location in the basement of a building on Montreal Road just over a year ago, in December of 2017.

A few motorcycles parked outside the door believed to be leased by the Loners MC in Cornwall, Ont. 

Originally founded in Ontario decades ago, the Loners is a one-percenter club and advertises the fact by including a “1%” symbol alongside its main patch. Other clubs that claim to be one percenters include the Hells Angles, Satan’s Choice, the Lobos among many others.

“The term one percenter derives from the belief that the remaining 99 per cent (of motorcycle riders) are law-abiding citizens,” explained Cornwall Community Police Service Staff Sgt. Rob Archambault, of the criminal investigation division.

A local news source began investigating the possibility of a Loners MC clubhouse in Cornwall after being told by another tenant in the building who has since moved out. That tenant said the Loners’ presence downstairs was the reason for the departure. 

The new source also spoke to some of the residential tenants of the building, who said they didn’t know much about the motorcycle club in the basement other than the fact they could be very noisy.

Vracar acknowledged he had rented the basement to the Loners MC.

When asked why he was comfortable having a one-percenter club as a tenant, Vracar said he tries not to prejudge people, and noted they have been good tenants for the past year. He refuted the concerns of his former tenant, saying he believed that tenant left for business reasons.

“I could put them out any time that I want, but they have been very respectful and there haven’t been any issues of any kind. I don’t paint anybody black until they do it themselves,” said Vracar.

On Wednesday, someone answered the door to the basement unit said to be leased by the Loners. He confirmed he was a club member, but said he did not know where the person who signed the lease was or when that person would return to the clubhouse.

He was also asked to pass along an interview request. Word of Vracar’s tenants came up as CCPS was increasing its enforcement efforts and officer training to deal with motorcycle clubs as part of a new initiative that has been dubbed “Project One Percent.”

In late November, the CCPS received a nearly $100,000 from the provincial government’s Civil Remedies Grant Program to help fund Project One Percent in Cornwall. The official description of the initiative’s goal was to “help to decrease outlaw motorcycle gang activity.”

“We are using this money for a variety of different things within the service and within the community,” said Archambault. “We are going to provide training to our officers in recognizing different criminal elements, we will also be reaching out to our community and business partners in the community to provide them with the ability to observe, notice and report criminal activity. ”

When asked outright if the CCPS was aware of any one per cent motorcycle club in Cornwall, including the Loners’ possible presence on Montreal Road, Archambault would not comment on any specifics, but said CCPS is aware of the presence of biker gangs in the city.

“We are aware of many possible locations where motorcycle gangs might be frequenting, but we are not at liberty to say what the locations are that we suspect,” he said, explaining that to share any detailed information or confirm knowledge of a specific club could jeopardize any investigations that might currently be underway.

Archambault said motorcycle clubs can be involved in the same illicit activities that other organized crime groups are. This includes smuggling everything from drugs to humans, which is a prominent issue in Cornwall.

“In Cornwall, we suspect the main source of their criminal activity is likely drug trafficking,” he said.

The CCPS’ street crime unit has the issue well in-hand, said Archambault, and there’s no reason for the public to be worried. But the police are encouraging anyone who does see something suspicious or concerning to call and tell them about it.

SOURCE: Standard Freeholder