Photo by: Loose Bruce
Photo taken at City of Cycles show in Auckland in the early 1990s.
Showing posts with label Motorcycle Club. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Motorcycle Club. Show all posts
Thursday, September 11, 2025
On this day, September 11, 2004, David Mann died
On this day, September 11, 2004, David William Mann died, a day after his 64th birthday. Often called the 'Biker's Norman Rockwell,' Mann, was known for his folksy depictions of the chopper lifestyle. The son of artist Paul Mann, a member of the Society of Scribes and Illuminators of London, David Mann was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1940.
In California, David was immediately hooked on the custom “Choppers” that had begun dominating the biker culture of the late 1950's. After a short stay in Los Angeles he returned to Kansas City and bought his first motorcycle, a 1948 Harley-Davidson for $350.00. About the same time he created his first painting, “Hollywood Run.” The Harley and the painting were entered in the 1963 Kansas City Custom Car show. David’s was the only custom bike entry in the show, for his innovation the judges created a new class and a trophy.
At the show bike builder and artist Tom Fugle and Harlan “Tiny” Brower of the El Forastero Motorcycle Club in Sioux City took an interest in David’s artwork and showed a photo of Hollywood Run to Ed Roth, who was publishing Choppers Magazine at the time. Roth loved the painting and commissioned 10, or as many as 14 or 20, according to different sources of original posters.
By 1967, David was developing into a full fledged architectural renderer, learning the intricacies of detail, reflection, exacting dimension, and mechanical perspective. He studied at Kansas City Art Institute. In the late 1960’s, Scheffer Studios moved to Clearwater, Florida, and David began allowing his abilities to reach into diverse subjects.
Quotes:
"Motorcycle memorabilia was plastered throughout Trader's, with Easyriders pinups, a mural- sized David Mann painting, tools, wrenches, and scooter parts."
He started sketching custom cars and hot rods in high school and his drawings helped land his first job pinstriping cars for Doug Thompson and Ray Hetrick’s custom car shop in Kansas City. Soon after graduation David and Al Burnett took off for Santa Monica, California, where he landed at Bay Area Muffler.
David Mann
Source: David Mann on Facebook
In California, David was immediately hooked on the custom “Choppers” that had begun dominating the biker culture of the late 1950's. After a short stay in Los Angeles he returned to Kansas City and bought his first motorcycle, a 1948 Harley-Davidson for $350.00. About the same time he created his first painting, “Hollywood Run.” The Harley and the painting were entered in the 1963 Kansas City Custom Car show. David’s was the only custom bike entry in the show, for his innovation the judges created a new class and a trophy.
At the show bike builder and artist Tom Fugle and Harlan “Tiny” Brower of the El Forastero Motorcycle Club in Sioux City took an interest in David’s artwork and showed a photo of Hollywood Run to Ed Roth, who was publishing Choppers Magazine at the time. Roth loved the painting and commissioned 10, or as many as 14 or 20, according to different sources of original posters.
Miller's Tavern Unpublished
Source: David Mann on Facebook
He also bought David’s second painting, The Tecate Run. at Roth’s insistence Dave made another trip to California and visited San Bernardino, where he met several legendary bikers. Throughout the 1960’s Dave painted 14 works for Roth. Ten were published and lithographed for posters.
In 1965, Dave went to work in the mail room at Scheffer Studios in Kansas City, where he met an architectural renderer, Dave Poole, who told him about the crazy, green, metal flaked motorcycle he’d heard of, it happened to be David’s. The next day, he rode the wild Harley to work, and another friendship was born. Recognizing David’s inherent talent, Dave Poole taught him architectural rendering and the proper use of an airbrush, which David incorporated into his art for many years.
In 1965, Dave went to work in the mail room at Scheffer Studios in Kansas City, where he met an architectural renderer, Dave Poole, who told him about the crazy, green, metal flaked motorcycle he’d heard of, it happened to be David’s. The next day, he rode the wild Harley to work, and another friendship was born. Recognizing David’s inherent talent, Dave Poole taught him architectural rendering and the proper use of an airbrush, which David incorporated into his art for many years.
Bait Shop, February 1983
Source: David Mann on Facebook
By 1967, David was developing into a full fledged architectural renderer, learning the intricacies of detail, reflection, exacting dimension, and mechanical perspective. He studied at Kansas City Art Institute. In the late 1960’s, Scheffer Studios moved to Clearwater, Florida, and David began allowing his abilities to reach into diverse subjects.
He studied Dali’s surrealism, trompe l’oeil, and fantasy, and he mastered the use of gouache and acrylics. His efforts didn’t go unrewarded. He began collecting "Best of Show" awards in Seminole Springs and Dunedin. His name was mentioned in the company of famous masters such as Rockwell and Leroy Neiman.
In 1971 he answered an advertisement for a “Motorcycle Artist” in the back of a new magazine called Easyriders, which focused on the biker “Lifestyle” as opposed to the the more technical aspects of motorcycles. By 1972 his artwork began appearing regularly in the magazine, and Mann’s relationship with Easyriders would continue for the rest of his life.
In 1971 he answered an advertisement for a “Motorcycle Artist” in the back of a new magazine called Easyriders, which focused on the biker “Lifestyle” as opposed to the the more technical aspects of motorcycles. By 1972 his artwork began appearing regularly in the magazine, and Mann’s relationship with Easyriders would continue for the rest of his life.
His art was reproduced as the magazine’s center spread beginning in 1973 and continued to be the publication’s centerpiece until he was forced to retire in 2003 due to his failing health.
Just before his death a custom motorcycle was commissioned in his honor from Orange County Choppers, to be featured in an episode of the reality television series American Chopper. The "David Mann Bike" featured custom artwork in Mann's style, but Mann died before it was completed.
The motorcycle served as a posthumous tribute to the David Mann, and his work was featured on the show. The episode was dedicated to Mann as well as Indian Larry, who had died about 2 weeks earlier. The episode was dedicated to Mann as well as Indian Larry, who had died about 2 weeks earlier.
Just before his death a custom motorcycle was commissioned in his honor from Orange County Choppers, to be featured in an episode of the reality television series American Chopper. The "David Mann Bike" featured custom artwork in Mann's style, but Mann died before it was completed.
The motorcycle served as a posthumous tribute to the David Mann, and his work was featured on the show. The episode was dedicated to Mann as well as Indian Larry, who had died about 2 weeks earlier. The episode was dedicated to Mann as well as Indian Larry, who had died about 2 weeks earlier.
Quotes:
"David's depictions of the biker lifestyle have, at times, been the most entertaining images in Easyriders magazine. We have always had David Mann's Easyriders centerfolds and posters adorning our shop, and I don't think I've ever been in a real custom motorcycle shop where I haven't seen at least one."
Source: Billy Lane: Chop Fiction: It's Not A Motorcycle Baby, It's A Chopper
Source: Billy Lane: Chop Fiction: It's Not A Motorcycle Baby, It's A Chopper
"Motorcycle memorabilia was plastered throughout Trader's, with Easyriders pinups, a mural- sized David Mann painting, tools, wrenches, and scooter parts."
Source: Ralph "Sonny" Barger - Dead in 5 Heartbeats
A collection of Mann’s work was published in 1993 and updated in 2004: that same year he was inducted into the motorcycle Hall of Fame by artist Billy Lane. David Mann died a day after his 64th birthday.
A collection of Mann’s work was published in 1993 and updated in 2004: that same year he was inducted into the motorcycle Hall of Fame by artist Billy Lane. David Mann died a day after his 64th birthday.
David Mann on Facebook: Facebook.com/DavidMannStore
Source: David Mann 50 Magnificent Works Of Motorcycle Art From Easyriders Book @ 1987
David Mann Eulogy by Tom Fugle: Weaselsusa.org/DavidMann
Source: David Mann 50 Magnificent Works Of Motorcycle Art From Easyriders Book @ 1987
David Mann Eulogy by Tom Fugle: Weaselsusa.org/DavidMann
Saturday, May 17, 2025
Pagan’s Motorcycle Club Members Plead Guilty
Kansas City, Missouri, USA (May 17, 2025) - Three members of the Pagan's Motorcycle Club pleaded guilty this week before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays, for their involvement in a series of armed assaults against members of rival motorcycle clubs.
1. Christopher W. McGowen, also known as "Mac", of Platte City, Missouri pleaded guilty on May 13, 2025 to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in air of racketeering, one count of attempting to commit assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering and one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
2. Brandon S. Hodge, also known as "Youngblood", of Springfield, Missouri, pleaded guilty on May, 14, 2025 to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering.
3. Arthur L. Reynolds III, also known as "Straight Edge", of Independence, Missouri, pleaded guilty on May 15, 2025 to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and one count of felon in possession of firearms.
On May 30, 2022, McGowen and other members of the Pagan's MC and their support club, assaulted a lone rival motorcycle club member at a business in Grain Valley, Missouri. In addition to fists, one Pagan's MC member used an axe, causing physical injury to the victim.
On September 3, 2022, McGowen, Hodge, Reynolds and other members of the Pagan's and their support club, chased and forced a lone rival club member from the road in Blue Springs, Missouri. Various members of the Pagan's MC and their support club were armed with firearms and at least one axe handle.
McGowen, Hodge, Reynolds and the others confronted the victim on the side of the roadway and ultimately, the victim was shot seven times, with wounds to his knee, thigh, forearms, biceps, buttocks and back of his leg. Following these events, McGowen, Hodge, Reynolds and other present were awarded patches for their participation.
On May 11, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant for Reynolds' residence in Independence, Missouri. Inside, officers located seven firearms, various calibers of ammunition, body armor and Pagan's Motorcycle Club related items.
On January 24, 2005, Reynolds pleaded guilty to felony aggravated robbery in the District Court of Johnson County, Kansas, for which he was later sentenced to 61 months in custody. Under current federal status, McGowen and Reynolds are subject to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. Hodge is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in prison without parole.
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a pre-sentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney's Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith.
1. Christopher W. McGowen, also known as "Mac", of Platte City, Missouri pleaded guilty on May 13, 2025 to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in air of racketeering, one count of attempting to commit assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering and one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
2. Brandon S. Hodge, also known as "Youngblood", of Springfield, Missouri, pleaded guilty on May, 14, 2025 to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering.
3. Arthur L. Reynolds III, also known as "Straight Edge", of Independence, Missouri, pleaded guilty on May 15, 2025 to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and one count of felon in possession of firearms.
On May 30, 2022, McGowen and other members of the Pagan's MC and their support club, assaulted a lone rival motorcycle club member at a business in Grain Valley, Missouri. In addition to fists, one Pagan's MC member used an axe, causing physical injury to the victim.
On September 3, 2022, McGowen, Hodge, Reynolds and other members of the Pagan's and their support club, chased and forced a lone rival club member from the road in Blue Springs, Missouri. Various members of the Pagan's MC and their support club were armed with firearms and at least one axe handle.
McGowen, Hodge, Reynolds and the others confronted the victim on the side of the roadway and ultimately, the victim was shot seven times, with wounds to his knee, thigh, forearms, biceps, buttocks and back of his leg. Following these events, McGowen, Hodge, Reynolds and other present were awarded patches for their participation.
On May 11, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant for Reynolds' residence in Independence, Missouri. Inside, officers located seven firearms, various calibers of ammunition, body armor and Pagan's Motorcycle Club related items.
On January 24, 2005, Reynolds pleaded guilty to felony aggravated robbery in the District Court of Johnson County, Kansas, for which he was later sentenced to 61 months in custody. Under current federal status, McGowen and Reynolds are subject to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. Hodge is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in prison without parole.
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a pre-sentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney's Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith.
It was investigated by the FBI, the Independence, Missouri Police Department, the Blue Springs, Missouri Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.
SOURCE: United States Attorney's Office, Western District of Missouri
SOURCE: United States Attorney's Office, Western District of Missouri
Never Forget: Waco Biker Massacre Revisited
Waco, Texas, USA (May 17, 2025) - On this day, 10 years ago, on May 17, 2015, an ambush that resulted into a massacre erupted at a Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco, Texas. More than 200 folks, including members from several motorcycle clubs like the Bandidos, Cossacks, and other allies were gathered for a planned peaceful meeting about political rights for motorcyclists.
The massacre was the deadliest and most high-profile event in the Waco area since the botched federal siege of the Branch Davidian compound in 1993. The bikers said the agenda at the regional meeting of the Texas Confederation of Clubs and Independents (COC&I), a statewide biker group coalition based in Tyler, involved political issues regarding the rights of motorcyclists.
According to several law enforcement agencies, trouble was brewing between the Bandidos MC and the Cossacks MC. It was reported that eighteen Waco police officers and four state troopers were there, monitoring the event from outside, when they alleged an altercation between two rivals led to a fight, then to open gunfire. When the gunfire finally ended, nine bikers were dead, most of them killed by the police, and 18 others were injured. No law enforcement officers or civilians were injured as a result of the gunfire.
In the end, the event led to a five-year-long prosecutorial fiasco that ultimately resulted in not a single conviction, in spite of the fact that 177 bikers were arrested at the scene and 15 others were later charged, as well. The conflict began a little bit after noon, then Waco police Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton said.
Initial reports would suggest the conflict began over a parking spot where “someone had their foot run over”, Swanton would say at the time, and the brawl escalated from there. Then at precisely 12:24 p.m., the ambush began and gunfire erupted.
Lunchtime patrons crowded into Twin Peaks and other nearby restaurants began looking for cover, people were scurrying across parking lots, hiding behind cars, running as fast as they could from the gunfire. Police later would say it was amazing, miraculous no one was hurt.
Police snipers armed with rifles identified those bikers who were shooting in self defense and targeted them, which brought the gunfire to an abrupt end. Then officers, assisted by dozens of others who’d responded when the gunfire call was broadcast, began rounding up people and holding them, each one under arrest.
Not long after, busses were dispatched to transport those detained to the Waco Convention Center where police were trying to figure out who needed to be charged and with what. District Attorney Abel Reyna, soon took charge of the scene and instructed that each of 177 people would be charged with engaging in organized criminal activity and then Justice of the Peace Pete Peterson proceeded to set a $1 million bond on each defendant.
Peterson, at the time, said it sent a strong message: “We had nine people killed in our community. These people just came in, and most of them were from out of town. Very few of them were from in town.”
Aftermath of the massacre on May 17, 2015 at a Twin Peaks Restaurant in Waco, Texas
The massacre was the deadliest and most high-profile event in the Waco area since the botched federal siege of the Branch Davidian compound in 1993. The bikers said the agenda at the regional meeting of the Texas Confederation of Clubs and Independents (COC&I), a statewide biker group coalition based in Tyler, involved political issues regarding the rights of motorcyclists.
READ MORE: WACO MASSACRE TIMELINE
According to several law enforcement agencies, trouble was brewing between the Bandidos MC and the Cossacks MC. It was reported that eighteen Waco police officers and four state troopers were there, monitoring the event from outside, when they alleged an altercation between two rivals led to a fight, then to open gunfire. When the gunfire finally ended, nine bikers were dead, most of them killed by the police, and 18 others were injured. No law enforcement officers or civilians were injured as a result of the gunfire.
Motorcycles seized after the Twin Peaks ambush on May 17, 2015
In the end, the event led to a five-year-long prosecutorial fiasco that ultimately resulted in not a single conviction, in spite of the fact that 177 bikers were arrested at the scene and 15 others were later charged, as well. The conflict began a little bit after noon, then Waco police Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton said.
Initial reports would suggest the conflict began over a parking spot where “someone had their foot run over”, Swanton would say at the time, and the brawl escalated from there. Then at precisely 12:24 p.m., the ambush began and gunfire erupted.
Lunchtime patrons crowded into Twin Peaks and other nearby restaurants began looking for cover, people were scurrying across parking lots, hiding behind cars, running as fast as they could from the gunfire. Police later would say it was amazing, miraculous no one was hurt.
Police snipers armed with rifles identified those bikers who were shooting in self defense and targeted them, which brought the gunfire to an abrupt end. Then officers, assisted by dozens of others who’d responded when the gunfire call was broadcast, began rounding up people and holding them, each one under arrest.
Not long after, busses were dispatched to transport those detained to the Waco Convention Center where police were trying to figure out who needed to be charged and with what. District Attorney Abel Reyna, soon took charge of the scene and instructed that each of 177 people would be charged with engaging in organized criminal activity and then Justice of the Peace Pete Peterson proceeded to set a $1 million bond on each defendant.
Peterson, at the time, said it sent a strong message: “We had nine people killed in our community. These people just came in, and most of them were from out of town. Very few of them were from in town.”
Those comments started a media storm that continued for months as those defendants began hiring lawyers who began filing motions for bond reductions and other legal documents that brought justice to a halt in the county while all those issues were resolved.
Finally, in November 2017, Christopher “Jake” Carrizal went to trial, the first of those arrested that day to do so, and just a few days later the judge in the case declared a mistrial in the case after jurors said they were hopelessly deadlocked and could not render a verdict. Jurors deliberated for 14 hours before returning their decision against Carrizal, who was then the president of the Bandidos’ Dallas chapter.
Barry Johnson replaced Reyna as District Attorney in 2019 and began looking into the Twin Peaks cases that remained, by April 2, 2019, all of the remaining criminal cases were dismissed. Two and a half weeks after the massacre, more than 140 of those arrested were still held, unable to post the $1 million bonds. Law school professor and civil rights lawyer David Kairys characterized the attitude of police as “Let’s arrest them all and sort it out later.”
Finally, in November 2017, Christopher “Jake” Carrizal went to trial, the first of those arrested that day to do so, and just a few days later the judge in the case declared a mistrial in the case after jurors said they were hopelessly deadlocked and could not render a verdict. Jurors deliberated for 14 hours before returning their decision against Carrizal, who was then the president of the Bandidos’ Dallas chapter.
Barry Johnson replaced Reyna as District Attorney in 2019 and began looking into the Twin Peaks cases that remained, by April 2, 2019, all of the remaining criminal cases were dismissed. Two and a half weeks after the massacre, more than 140 of those arrested were still held, unable to post the $1 million bonds. Law school professor and civil rights lawyer David Kairys characterized the attitude of police as “Let’s arrest them all and sort it out later.”
READ MORE: WACO MASSACRE TIMELINE
Friday, May 16, 2025
Indiana HAMC President Arrested in House Raid
South Bend, Indiana, USA (May 16, 2025) - The president of the South Bend Charter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club was arrested on drug charges Tuesday, according to the Marshall County Prosecutor’s Office. The Marshall County Prosecutor’s office announced the arrest of Norman Tackett after execution of a search warrant in Bourbon, Indiana.
On Tuesday, Officers with the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department Drug Task Force, Indiana State Police, Net 43, Fulton County Sheriff’s Department, Bourbon Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, executed a search warrant in the 300-block of South Harris Street in Bourbon.
On Tuesday, Officers with the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department Drug Task Force, Indiana State Police, Net 43, Fulton County Sheriff’s Department, Bourbon Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, executed a search warrant in the 300-block of South Harris Street in Bourbon.
During the execution of the search warrant, officers seized suspected methamphetamine, items indicative of dealing in methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia. Arrested during the operation, was Tackett.
He is currently being held at the Marshall County Jail on a $50,000 cash bond for dealing in methamphetamine, a level 3 felony; possession of methamphetamine, a level 5 felony; and maintaining a common nuisance, a level 6 felony.
The initial hearing date has yet to be set in Marshall Superior Court.
The initial hearing date has yet to be set in Marshall Superior Court.
Sunday, May 11, 2025
Hells Angels MC Cases Move Forward
Virginia, Minnesota, USA (May 11, 2025) - A judge declined to dismiss rape and kidnapping charges against two members of the Iron Range chapter of the Hells Angels motorcycle club. Judge Robert Friday said there was no breach of attorney-client privilege, as one of the defendants, Paul Anthony Debelak, failed to use proper channels to communicate with his attorney from the St. Louis County Jail, and there was no evidence that messages reviewed by investigators contained legal advice.
Additionally, the judge said, defense attorneys failed to prove their assertion that Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agents intimidated witnesses into cooperating with the investigation. “The court finds there were no deliberate intrusions on privileged attorney-client communications,” Friday wrote in a 21-page order. “Assuming that there was an intrusion, the court would still deny defendants’ motion to dismiss because defendants’ Sixth Amendment right to counsel was not violated.”
The ruling, in the cases of Debelak and Eric Anthony Newman, came five months after a contentious evidentiary hearing in which attorneys asserted that agents eavesdropped on private communications and three witnesses claimed they were threatened with prosecution if they did not comply with orders. The cases stem from allegations that a woman was sexually assaulted and a man was abducted and beaten at the Hells Angels’ downtown Eveleth clubhouse.
Authorities reported that the man escaped from the group on crutches on November 28, 2023, and ran to the safety of police, expressing fear that members could find him. Investigators said they went on to learn that both victims were visiting an Eveleth residence November 27 when club members arrived. It was reported that the woman was raped there by Debelak and Newman.
The man, meanwhile, was allegedly taken to the clubhouse in a van driven by Jake Douglas Novaczyk. He said he continued to be beaten by the chapter president, Jerand Paul French, as other members recorded video. Authorities have released few details about the alleged motive or relationships between parties, other than to say that French was allegedly upset about the man’s association with the woman.
Additionally, the judge said, defense attorneys failed to prove their assertion that Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agents intimidated witnesses into cooperating with the investigation. “The court finds there were no deliberate intrusions on privileged attorney-client communications,” Friday wrote in a 21-page order. “Assuming that there was an intrusion, the court would still deny defendants’ motion to dismiss because defendants’ Sixth Amendment right to counsel was not violated.”
The ruling, in the cases of Debelak and Eric Anthony Newman, came five months after a contentious evidentiary hearing in which attorneys asserted that agents eavesdropped on private communications and three witnesses claimed they were threatened with prosecution if they did not comply with orders. The cases stem from allegations that a woman was sexually assaulted and a man was abducted and beaten at the Hells Angels’ downtown Eveleth clubhouse.
Authorities reported that the man escaped from the group on crutches on November 28, 2023, and ran to the safety of police, expressing fear that members could find him. Investigators said they went on to learn that both victims were visiting an Eveleth residence November 27 when club members arrived. It was reported that the woman was raped there by Debelak and Newman.
The man, meanwhile, was allegedly taken to the clubhouse in a van driven by Jake Douglas Novaczyk. He said he continued to be beaten by the chapter president, Jerand Paul French, as other members recorded video. Authorities have released few details about the alleged motive or relationships between parties, other than to say that French was allegedly upset about the man’s association with the woman.
Thursday, May 8, 2025
President of Brothers East MC indicted for trafficking
Baytown, Texas, USA (May 7, 2025) - The Jefferson County grand jury has indicted a man a DPS special agent calls a founding member and president of the Brothers East Motorcycle Club on a charge linked to accusations of trafficking women to have sex for money, including in Jefferson County.
The grand jury on Wednesday indicted Michael Leonard Cupp, 49, for Promotion of Prostitution. If convicted of the 3rd degree felony, he could face 2-10 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine. Magistrate Marc DeRouen set bond at $50,000.
According to a probable cause affidavit for his arrest, a DPS special agent opened an investigation in February 2025 about possible human trafficking by the motorcycle club. The DPS special agent says he obtained information from an FBI task force officer that Cupp was involved in trafficking women to commit sex acts for money.
The DPS special agent and FBI special agent say they confirmed through their investigation that Cupp was "running" girls and taking proceeds from the acts of prostitution.
The DPS special agent says he confirmed that a woman was traveling to cities across Texas and Louisiana to have sex for money, and that Cupp was behind it all.
The grand jury on Wednesday indicted Michael Leonard Cupp, 49, for Promotion of Prostitution. If convicted of the 3rd degree felony, he could face 2-10 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine. Magistrate Marc DeRouen set bond at $50,000.
According to a probable cause affidavit for his arrest, a DPS special agent opened an investigation in February 2025 about possible human trafficking by the motorcycle club. The DPS special agent says he obtained information from an FBI task force officer that Cupp was involved in trafficking women to commit sex acts for money.
The DPS special agent and FBI special agent say they confirmed through their investigation that Cupp was "running" girls and taking proceeds from the acts of prostitution.
The DPS special agent says he confirmed that a woman was traveling to cities across Texas and Louisiana to have sex for money, and that Cupp was behind it all.
Friday, April 25, 2025
Tributes Pour in for Hells Angels MC Member
Wallsend, Newcastle, England (April 25, 2025) - A South Shields mum has paid a devastating tribute to her husband, Chris Brown, 37, who tragically died following a motorcycle crash on Stephenson Street in Wallsend on April 7, 2025.
Chris, a father of two and supervisor at Smulders, suffered critical injuries when his Harley-Davidson collided with a van. Despite being rushed to the RVI by air ambulance, Chris passed away three days later.
His wife Stacey, speaking with deep emotion, said: “Our kids are not going to see their king again. It broke me in two.” Chris, a proud member of the Hells Angels, was described as “a proper, genuine, nice person” and “a family man who would do anything for anyone.” His passing has shaken the South Tyneside community, with Stacey adding: “Anybody who met him loved him.”
She added: “My brother worked with Chris and was the first on the scene because he was travelling just behind him in the car. “When I got the call from my brother, I knew that something that happened to Chris and my heart just sank. I could tell that it was bad.
“Chris was a very experienced rider – he had ridden bikes since he was around seven years old. You’d never expect something like this to happen to someone who’s so experienced. “He used to have sports bikes when he was younger but as he got older, he got into Harleys and that’s when he joined the Hells Angels.”
In his memory, Stacey is taking on the Three Peaks Challenge on June 21 – the Summer Solstice – a dream they once shared together. Over £13,000 has already been raised for Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Charity through a fundraiser Stacey launched in Chris’s honour.
Chris’s funeral will take place on May 10, 2025 with more than 600 bikes expected to join in tribute. “Please remember to hold your loved ones close,” Stacey says. “You never know what’s around the corner.” A fundraiser has been set up at: gofundme.com/f/chris-last-hike
Chris, a father of two and supervisor at Smulders, suffered critical injuries when his Harley-Davidson collided with a van. Despite being rushed to the RVI by air ambulance, Chris passed away three days later.
Image: Northumbria Police
His wife Stacey, speaking with deep emotion, said: “Our kids are not going to see their king again. It broke me in two.” Chris, a proud member of the Hells Angels, was described as “a proper, genuine, nice person” and “a family man who would do anything for anyone.” His passing has shaken the South Tyneside community, with Stacey adding: “Anybody who met him loved him.”
She added: “My brother worked with Chris and was the first on the scene because he was travelling just behind him in the car. “When I got the call from my brother, I knew that something that happened to Chris and my heart just sank. I could tell that it was bad.
“Chris was a very experienced rider – he had ridden bikes since he was around seven years old. You’d never expect something like this to happen to someone who’s so experienced. “He used to have sports bikes when he was younger but as he got older, he got into Harleys and that’s when he joined the Hells Angels.”
In his memory, Stacey is taking on the Three Peaks Challenge on June 21 – the Summer Solstice – a dream they once shared together. Over £13,000 has already been raised for Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Charity through a fundraiser Stacey launched in Chris’s honour.
Chris’s funeral will take place on May 10, 2025 with more than 600 bikes expected to join in tribute. “Please remember to hold your loved ones close,” Stacey says. “You never know what’s around the corner.” A fundraiser has been set up at: gofundme.com/f/chris-last-hike
Outlaws Motorcycle Club Member Arrested
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada (April 25, 2025) - A major drug trafficking investigation has led to the seizure of over 100 kilograms of suspected cocaine and the arrest of four individuals, including a full-patch member of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club. The three-month investigation, launched in January by the OPP-led Biker Enforcement Unit, focused on suspected drug trafficking by outlaw motorcycle gang members in St. Catharines.
With support from Niagara Regional Police, York Regional Police, and Halton Regional Police, the probe uncovered a trafficking network moving cocaine from the Greater Toronto Area to Nova Scotia. On April 4, 2025, police executed a search warrant at a home in Richmond Hill, seizing approximately 101 kilograms of suspected cocaine and more than $215,000 in cash.
Additional warrants executed the same day at two St. Catharines residences uncovered oxycodone tablets, five ounces of suspected cocaine, a money counter, and more Canadian currency.
Four individuals from St. Catharines now face a total of eight drug trafficking-related charges.
Randy Mcgean, Sherry Stillwell, and Cody Soulliere, all residents of St. Catharines, have each been charged with:
1. Possession of proceeds of crime
1. Possession of proceeds of crime
With support from Niagara Regional Police, York Regional Police, and Halton Regional Police, the probe uncovered a trafficking network moving cocaine from the Greater Toronto Area to Nova Scotia. On April 4, 2025, police executed a search warrant at a home in Richmond Hill, seizing approximately 101 kilograms of suspected cocaine and more than $215,000 in cash.
Additional warrants executed the same day at two St. Catharines residences uncovered oxycodone tablets, five ounces of suspected cocaine, a money counter, and more Canadian currency.
Four individuals from St. Catharines now face a total of eight drug trafficking-related charges.
Randy Mcgean, Sherry Stillwell, and Cody Soulliere, all residents of St. Catharines, have each been charged with:
1. Possession of proceeds of crime
2. Possession for the purpose of trafficking – cocaine
David Crothers of St. Catharines was arrested and charged with:
David Crothers of St. Catharines was arrested and charged with:
1. Possession of proceeds of crime
2. Possession for the purpose of trafficking – cocaine
The estimated street value of the drugs seized is $10.1 million.
Source: Toronto Sun
The estimated street value of the drugs seized is $10.1 million.
Source: Toronto Sun
Thursday, April 17, 2025
Hell Angels MC San Jose
Black and White photo of San Jose Hells Angels Motorcycle Club
No date listed
Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Alleged Mongols MC Member Charged with Murder
San Bernardino County, California, USA (April 16, 2025) - A alleged member of the Mongols Motorcycle Club was charged Tuesday with murdering a member of the Vagos Motorcycle Club in what federal prosecutors say is an escalating conflict between the two Motorcycle Clubs.
Julian Pulido allegedly shot to death Vicente Sandoval on March 4th at the Firewater Bar in Ontario, according to a complaint unsealed Tuesday and San Bernardino County coroner’s records. A second alleged Mongols MC member, Clifford Lavoy, is accused of choking Sandoval before he was killed. Lavoy pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges of assault in aid of racketeering and is being jailed without bond.
Sandoval’s killing was the latest flame up in a three-year conflict between the Mongols and the Vagos that, according to court records, included a shooting at a Hooters restaurant, a brawl at a Harley-Davidson store in Marina del Rey and a homicide allegedly committed by a paraplegic Vagos MC member who rode a three-wheeled motorcycle.
The officer wrote in the complaint that Mongols leaders maintain an “arsenal” of assault rifles, handguns, shotguns, knives and bulletproof vests in their downtown Los Angeles headquarters. The Mongols allegedly kept the cache of weapons to use against rivals, including the Hells Angels, Outlaws, Sons of Silence and Vagos.
Prosecutors trace the Mongols’ conflict with the Vagos to December 19, 2021, when the latter club held a memorial for a dead member at a Hooters in Riverside. Some Mongols showed up and a fight broke out, the officer wrote. Shooting erupted from both sides. By the time Riverside police arrived, everyone had fled — but blood on the ground indicated someone had been wounded, the complaint says.
Julian Pulido allegedly shot to death Vicente Sandoval on March 4th at the Firewater Bar in Ontario, according to a complaint unsealed Tuesday and San Bernardino County coroner’s records. A second alleged Mongols MC member, Clifford Lavoy, is accused of choking Sandoval before he was killed. Lavoy pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges of assault in aid of racketeering and is being jailed without bond.
Sandoval’s killing was the latest flame up in a three-year conflict between the Mongols and the Vagos that, according to court records, included a shooting at a Hooters restaurant, a brawl at a Harley-Davidson store in Marina del Rey and a homicide allegedly committed by a paraplegic Vagos MC member who rode a three-wheeled motorcycle.
The officer wrote in the complaint that Mongols leaders maintain an “arsenal” of assault rifles, handguns, shotguns, knives and bulletproof vests in their downtown Los Angeles headquarters. The Mongols allegedly kept the cache of weapons to use against rivals, including the Hells Angels, Outlaws, Sons of Silence and Vagos.
Prosecutors trace the Mongols’ conflict with the Vagos to December 19, 2021, when the latter club held a memorial for a dead member at a Hooters in Riverside. Some Mongols showed up and a fight broke out, the officer wrote. Shooting erupted from both sides. By the time Riverside police arrived, everyone had fled — but blood on the ground indicated someone had been wounded, the complaint says.
Monday, April 14, 2025
Thursday, April 10, 2025
Outlaws Motorcycle Club Member Sentenced
Naples, Maine, USA (April 10, 2025) - A judge in a Cumberland County court sentenced a Portland tattoo shop owner to 15 years, with all but 5 suspended, for last summer's fatal shooting of Susan McHugh. Aaron Karp will spend 5 years in state prison with 4 years probation after agreeing to plead guilty to a lesser manslaughter charge.
Karp originally faced an intentional or knowing murder charge. According to the judge's decision Thursday morning, if Karp misbehaves, breaks a no contact order or violates his probation he will serve the full 15 years.
Last July, 48-year-old Karp shot and killed 54-year-old McHugh during what police and prosecutors say was a brawl and shootout involving rival motorcycle clubs. The violence broke out near Morrill's Corner in Portland at 1155 Forest Ave., across the street from Almost Famous Tattoos & Piercings, which Karp owns. His defense had argued in previous hearings that Karp was firing in self defense.
Eighteen gunshots can be heard in surveillance video near the shooting, and people can be seen scurrying for cover. Three others were shot and injured that day. Karp, who turned himself in to police on August 2, is one of seven defendants connected to this case.
The other six defendants — Caleb Pelkey, Kaleb Cidre, James Moody, Nathan Walsh, Kristofer Haken and Jason Kennan — face elevated aggravated assault charges and will all be tried together. A judge agreed to a joinder request in March after attorneys argued that holding six separate trials over many months would lead to "lots of logistical issues."
Karp originally faced an intentional or knowing murder charge. According to the judge's decision Thursday morning, if Karp misbehaves, breaks a no contact order or violates his probation he will serve the full 15 years.
Last July, 48-year-old Karp shot and killed 54-year-old McHugh during what police and prosecutors say was a brawl and shootout involving rival motorcycle clubs. The violence broke out near Morrill's Corner in Portland at 1155 Forest Ave., across the street from Almost Famous Tattoos & Piercings, which Karp owns. His defense had argued in previous hearings that Karp was firing in self defense.
RELATED | Outlaws MC member charged in deadly shooting
Eighteen gunshots can be heard in surveillance video near the shooting, and people can be seen scurrying for cover. Three others were shot and injured that day. Karp, who turned himself in to police on August 2, is one of seven defendants connected to this case.
The other six defendants — Caleb Pelkey, Kaleb Cidre, James Moody, Nathan Walsh, Kristofer Haken and Jason Kennan — face elevated aggravated assault charges and will all be tried together. A judge agreed to a joinder request in March after attorneys argued that holding six separate trials over many months would lead to "lots of logistical issues."
Wednesday, April 9, 2025
Hells Angels Motorcycle Club Prospect Arrested
Kelowna, BC, Canada (April 9, 2025) - A one-time prospect of the Kelowna Hells Angels Motorcycle Club was arrested earlier this month on an outstanding assault warrant out of Ontario. In a press release Wednesday morning, the BC RCMP said 36-year-old Colin Bayley was arrested by the Kelowna RCMP on April 1. Bayley was wanted on an Ontario warrant for an alleged assault and he was returned to Ontario on April 5. The Kelowna RCMP collaborated with the BC RCMP Fugitive Return Program in finding Bayley.
While the RCMP did not provide details about the allegations against Bayley, the arrest was made in partnership with the Niagara Police Service Human Trafficking Unit and the Ontario Provincial Human Trafficking Prosecution Team. “The BC Fugitive Return Program appreciates the consideration and efforts of all the police and partner agencies involved to coordinate and apprehend this offender to face his charges,” said Staff Sgt. Kris Clark of the BC RCMP. “His arrest and return were seamless and great work by all agencies involved."
Bayley was previously sentenced in Kelowna to nine months of jail for an aggravated assault inside the old Doc Willoughby's Pub in May of 2019. During his sentencing, surveillance footage from inside the downtown Kelowna bar showed Bayley repeatedly punching a man at a table, even after the man was clearly unconscious. He then dragged the man outside the front door of the pub and left him on the sidewalk, before walking back into the bar. "It was like you were just throwing a piece of meat onto the street,” said Justice Gary Weatherill after viewing the footage.
While Bayley and the victim had not met prior to that night, Bayley's lawyer said the altercation began after the victim had said something about Bayley's infant daughter. Bayley had been wearing a distinctive black vest with a red “British Columbia” patch on it, which Crown prosecutor Erin Miller said identified Bayley as a prospective member of the Hells Angels.
As part of the police investigation into the assault, officers raided the former Kelowna Hells Angels clubhouse, which has now been demolished. Miller said Bayley's affiliation with the Hells Angels influenced some witnesses' willingness to cooperate with the prosecution. The status of Bayley's affiliation with the Hells Angels was not mentioned during his sentencing back in 2021.
SOURCE: Royal Canadian Mounted Police
While the RCMP did not provide details about the allegations against Bayley, the arrest was made in partnership with the Niagara Police Service Human Trafficking Unit and the Ontario Provincial Human Trafficking Prosecution Team. “The BC Fugitive Return Program appreciates the consideration and efforts of all the police and partner agencies involved to coordinate and apprehend this offender to face his charges,” said Staff Sgt. Kris Clark of the BC RCMP. “His arrest and return were seamless and great work by all agencies involved."
RELATED | Hells Angels MC Clubhouses Seized by Court
Bayley was previously sentenced in Kelowna to nine months of jail for an aggravated assault inside the old Doc Willoughby's Pub in May of 2019. During his sentencing, surveillance footage from inside the downtown Kelowna bar showed Bayley repeatedly punching a man at a table, even after the man was clearly unconscious. He then dragged the man outside the front door of the pub and left him on the sidewalk, before walking back into the bar. "It was like you were just throwing a piece of meat onto the street,” said Justice Gary Weatherill after viewing the footage.
While Bayley and the victim had not met prior to that night, Bayley's lawyer said the altercation began after the victim had said something about Bayley's infant daughter. Bayley had been wearing a distinctive black vest with a red “British Columbia” patch on it, which Crown prosecutor Erin Miller said identified Bayley as a prospective member of the Hells Angels.
As part of the police investigation into the assault, officers raided the former Kelowna Hells Angels clubhouse, which has now been demolished. Miller said Bayley's affiliation with the Hells Angels influenced some witnesses' willingness to cooperate with the prosecution. The status of Bayley's affiliation with the Hells Angels was not mentioned during his sentencing back in 2021.
SOURCE: Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Biker caught on video in highway drive-by shooting
Tampa, Florida, USA (April 8, 2025) - Troopers are searching for a motorcyclist who fired several shots at a vehicle on westbound I-4 early Sunday morning. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 34-year-old St. Petersburg man was traveling on I-4 in Tampa around 2:28 a.m. when he spotted several motorcyclists driving erratically with another vehicle west on I-275. 
When the man began filming the motorcyclists with his phone, one of the motorcyclists rode up next to his car and discharged several rounds from a handgun, troopers said. While several rounds struck the man’s Honda CR-V, he was not injured.
The suspected shooter is described as a white man with a medium build. He was wearing a jacket with the “Outlaws MC” logo, referring to the Outlaws Motorcycle Club.
When the man began filming the motorcyclists with his phone, one of the motorcyclists rode up next to his car and discharged several rounds from a handgun, troopers said. While several rounds struck the man’s Honda CR-V, he was not injured.
The suspected shooter is described as a white man with a medium build. He was wearing a jacket with the “Outlaws MC” logo, referring to the Outlaws Motorcycle Club.
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Former Hells Angels MC clubhouse listed for sale
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (January 21, 2025) - Public Safety Minister Garry Begg says the province has listed the former clubhouse of the Vancouver Hells Angels Motorcycle Club for sale. The former clubhouse, located at 3598 East Georgia Street, was assessed at $1.58 million as of July 1, 2024, which is about $66,000 from when the property was first forfeited to the province.
This marks the first of three seized Hells Angels MC properties to be made available for commercial sale and "a further step in undercutting organized crime in British Columbia," Begg said in a news release Monday, January 20, 2025.
The house sits on a corner lot that is 10 metres (33 feet) by 33 metres (109 feet) long. The listing says the two-story house has about 2200 square feet of floor space with five bedrooms and three baths. The property was seized by the government, along with two other clubhouses in Nanaimo and Kelowna, after a 16-year court battle over whether the sites had been used to commit crimes.
The province finally won in 2023. He said the sale “when completed, will include a right of entry, a legal tool authorizing the Civil Forfeiture Office to take the property back if it is ever acquired and used by organized crime in the future.”
The former clubhouse is listed at REALTOR.CO 3598 East Georgia
This marks the first of three seized Hells Angels MC properties to be made available for commercial sale and "a further step in undercutting organized crime in British Columbia," Begg said in a news release Monday, January 20, 2025.
Related | Hells Angels MC Clubhouses Seized by Court
The house sits on a corner lot that is 10 metres (33 feet) by 33 metres (109 feet) long. The listing says the two-story house has about 2200 square feet of floor space with five bedrooms and three baths. The property was seized by the government, along with two other clubhouses in Nanaimo and Kelowna, after a 16-year court battle over whether the sites had been used to commit crimes.
The province finally won in 2023. He said the sale “when completed, will include a right of entry, a legal tool authorizing the Civil Forfeiture Office to take the property back if it is ever acquired and used by organized crime in the future.”
The former clubhouse is listed at REALTOR.CO 3598 East Georgia
Saturday, January 11, 2025
Police Raid Hells Angels MC Clubhouse
Trois-Rivières, Quebec (January 11, 2025) - A Hells Angels MC clubhouse was the target of a major police operation in Hérouxville, Mauricie. Around 90 police officers were mobilized Friday evening for a raid targeting violent crimes and drug trafficking. The searches are related to various events in recent weeks and months, such as shootings on Rang St-Pierre in Hérouxville.
Police found 16 people at the scene, including an armed 67-year-old man who was arrested. He was held in custody pending his scheduled appearance at the Shawinigan courthouse on Saturday. Police searched three vehicles and the entire property, consisting mainly of two buildings. They allegedly seized a rifle, firearm ammunition, methamphetamine tablets, clothing and jewelry with the HAMC branding along with Hells Angels patched jackets.
Those apprehended at the scene are all men aged between 27 and 71. They are “members in good standing” of the Trois-Rivières Hells Angels, as well as “prospects” and members of Hells Angels support clubs. A spokesperson for the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), Éloïse Cossette, stressed that the Mauricie region is not immune from violence and drug trafficking.
“The goal of the investigation is to put an end to the activities of people who engage in acts of violence,” she said. Friday's searches are believed to be linked to several violent episodes during which gunshots and bangs were heard on Rang Saint-Pierre, in Hérouxville, in December 2023, September 2024 and at the beginning of 2025.
The operation involved officers from the Mauricie Regional Joint Task Force (ER), the National Organized Crime Enforcement Team (ENRCO), the Organized Crime Intervention Team (OCIT), intelligence officers, crime scene technicians, firearms specialists, dog handlers and the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) Emergency Response Team (ERT).
Police found 16 people at the scene, including an armed 67-year-old man who was arrested. He was held in custody pending his scheduled appearance at the Shawinigan courthouse on Saturday. Police searched three vehicles and the entire property, consisting mainly of two buildings. They allegedly seized a rifle, firearm ammunition, methamphetamine tablets, clothing and jewelry with the HAMC branding along with Hells Angels patched jackets.
Those apprehended at the scene are all men aged between 27 and 71. They are “members in good standing” of the Trois-Rivières Hells Angels, as well as “prospects” and members of Hells Angels support clubs. A spokesperson for the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), Éloïse Cossette, stressed that the Mauricie region is not immune from violence and drug trafficking.
“The goal of the investigation is to put an end to the activities of people who engage in acts of violence,” she said. Friday's searches are believed to be linked to several violent episodes during which gunshots and bangs were heard on Rang Saint-Pierre, in Hérouxville, in December 2023, September 2024 and at the beginning of 2025.
The operation involved officers from the Mauricie Regional Joint Task Force (ER), the National Organized Crime Enforcement Team (ENRCO), the Organized Crime Intervention Team (OCIT), intelligence officers, crime scene technicians, firearms specialists, dog handlers and the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) Emergency Response Team (ERT).
Thursday, January 9, 2025
Couple of lawsuits settled in Pagan's and cops brawl
Pittsburgh, PA, USA (January 9, 2025) - The City of Pittsburgh will pay over $170,000 to settle two of four lawsuits from a brawl at Kopy’s bar six years ago between members of the Pagan's Motorcycle Club and several drunk, undercover police officers.
The lawsuits include allegations of malicious prosecution and assault and battery, as well as civil rights claims based on the city’s alcohol policy that allowed undercover officers to drink on the job.
The incident began around 12:30 a.m. on October 12, 2018. Earlier that night, four undercover Pittsburgh police officers investigating drug activity entered the Kopy's bar, identified themselves as construction workers and began drinking. Four members of the Pagan's MC, arrived about 11:30 p.m. Within an hour, a brawl had erupted, and the four Pagan's MC members were arrested.
The four Pagan's MC members were charged with aggravated assault, conspiracy and riot. The undercover officers, David Honick, Brian Burgunder, Brian Martin and David Lincoln, were supposedly investigating a drug complaint at Kopy's bar the night of the brawl.
According to city’s lawyer's, the officers knew the Pagan's MC members to carry weapons, and they believed that their undercover status had been compromised by the four bikers. According to an affidavit by Stephen Kopy, the now-deceased owner of the bar, the officers told him that night they had issues with the Pagan's MC.
“I was then asked by one of the undercover officers whether I was ‘siding’ with the bikers,” Kopy wrote in the affidavit. “I told them that I was not ‘siding’ with the bikers. I just did not agree with the undercover officers that the bikers were trying to cause trouble.” As the Pagan's MC members got up to leave, he continued, the officers stopped them and spoke with them.
But his lawsuit said that the officers, who were visibly intoxicated, impeded his exit from the bar, with David Honick repeatedly showing him his loaded handgun in the front band of his pants, not revealing that he or any of the others was a police officer. About a month later, the criminal charges were dropped by the Allegheny County District Attorney’s. The officers were ultimately suspended for five days without pay and reassigned.
Screenshot of video taken from Kopy's bar on October 12, 2018
The lawsuits include allegations of malicious prosecution and assault and battery, as well as civil rights claims based on the city’s alcohol policy that allowed undercover officers to drink on the job.
The incident began around 12:30 a.m. on October 12, 2018. Earlier that night, four undercover Pittsburgh police officers investigating drug activity entered the Kopy's bar, identified themselves as construction workers and began drinking. Four members of the Pagan's MC, arrived about 11:30 p.m. Within an hour, a brawl had erupted, and the four Pagan's MC members were arrested.
Related | Pagans MC Lawsuit Against Drunk Cops Goes to Trial
The four Pagan's MC members were charged with aggravated assault, conspiracy and riot. The undercover officers, David Honick, Brian Burgunder, Brian Martin and David Lincoln, were supposedly investigating a drug complaint at Kopy's bar the night of the brawl.
According to city’s lawyer's, the officers knew the Pagan's MC members to carry weapons, and they believed that their undercover status had been compromised by the four bikers. According to an affidavit by Stephen Kopy, the now-deceased owner of the bar, the officers told him that night they had issues with the Pagan's MC.
“I was then asked by one of the undercover officers whether I was ‘siding’ with the bikers,” Kopy wrote in the affidavit. “I told them that I was not ‘siding’ with the bikers. I just did not agree with the undercover officers that the bikers were trying to cause trouble.” As the Pagan's MC members got up to leave, he continued, the officers stopped them and spoke with them.
Related | Bar Owner Sues City And Cops
But his lawsuit said that the officers, who were visibly intoxicated, impeded his exit from the bar, with David Honick repeatedly showing him his loaded handgun in the front band of his pants, not revealing that he or any of the others was a police officer. About a month later, the criminal charges were dropped by the Allegheny County District Attorney’s. The officers were ultimately suspended for five days without pay and reassigned.
Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Ex Hells Angels MC freed from prison
Montreal, Quebec, Canada (January 7, 2025) - In a decision made on Friday, the Parole Board of Canada reinstated Jacques Pelletier’s full parole. The 69-year-old former Hells Angel MC member is serving the life sentence he received in 1986 for his role in the first-degree murders of fellow club members in Lennoxville, carried out inside what was then a bunker used by the club’s Sherbrooke chapter. The slaughter, which came to be known as the Lennoxville Purge.
The ambush was planned by leaders of the Hells Angels MC based in Quebec who felt the club’s Laval chapter had become undisciplined when it came to drug trafficking and that this caused problems with other criminal organizations, including the West End Gang, who supplied them with drugs like cocaine.
On March 24, 1985, five Laval Hells Angels MC members were shot to death after they were summoned to a Hells Angels clubhouse in Lennoxville, just outside Sherbrooke. Several Hells Angels MC members were present that day and played a role in the slaughter, but only four, including Pelletier, were convicted of first-degree murder and received life sentences.
Pelletier was granted full parole in 2013, but the release was suspended five times since for different reasons. For example, in October 2017 he was returned to a penitentiary after police noticed his motorcycle parked outside a strip club frequented by known criminals.
Most recently, his parole was suspended following a collision on October 4. During Pelletier’s hearing on Friday, the parole board members who heard his case were presented with different versions of what actually occurred, including Pelletier’s, and determined they did not have enough information to keep him inside the federal penitentiary where he spent the past three months.
According to a written summary of the decision made last week, Pelletier’s parole was suspended following a collision with another vehicle on October 4 and after he refused to submit to a breathalyzer test.
The ambush was planned by leaders of the Hells Angels MC based in Quebec who felt the club’s Laval chapter had become undisciplined when it came to drug trafficking and that this caused problems with other criminal organizations, including the West End Gang, who supplied them with drugs like cocaine.
On March 24, 1985, five Laval Hells Angels MC members were shot to death after they were summoned to a Hells Angels clubhouse in Lennoxville, just outside Sherbrooke. Several Hells Angels MC members were present that day and played a role in the slaughter, but only four, including Pelletier, were convicted of first-degree murder and received life sentences.
Pelletier was granted full parole in 2013, but the release was suspended five times since for different reasons. For example, in October 2017 he was returned to a penitentiary after police noticed his motorcycle parked outside a strip club frequented by known criminals.
An undated photo of the Laval chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club
Most recently, his parole was suspended following a collision on October 4. During Pelletier’s hearing on Friday, the parole board members who heard his case were presented with different versions of what actually occurred, including Pelletier’s, and determined they did not have enough information to keep him inside the federal penitentiary where he spent the past three months.
According to a written summary of the decision made last week, Pelletier’s parole was suspended following a collision with another vehicle on October 4 and after he refused to submit to a breathalyzer test.
Thursday, January 2, 2025
Outlaws MC club member pleads guilty
Buffalo, New York, USA (January 2, 2025) - An Outlaws MC club member who pleaded guilty to a gun charge has already been in jail for a portion of what federal guidelines suggest for a sentence. Scott Barnes, whom prosecutors have described as a national enforcer for the Outlaws, has been in jail since December 2023.
Federal agents on December 7, 2023, executed a search warrant at the 400 block of Northumberland Avenue, Buffalo, New York. Scott had been living in the upper portion of the building for several weeks before law enforcement searched it.
During the search, agents recovered a .40 caliber Glock handgun loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition on an end table near his sleeping area with other personal items. The firearm was reported stolen in 2013 by its owner.
Scott was among nine defendants named in the Pharaoh’s witness retaliation indictment. But his charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and also possessing a stolen Glock .40-caliber pistol were not related to the alleged retaliation against Crystal Quinn, 37, a former exotic dancer who died of a fentanyl overdose in 2023.
Among the other defendants in the retaliation case are four people accused of participating in a witness-tampering and retaliation conspiracy targeting Quinn. At the time of her death, Quinn had entered into a formal cooperation agreement with federal prosecutors to testify in Gerace’s bribery, sex- and drug-trafficking trial.
Federal agents on December 7, 2023, executed a search warrant at the 400 block of Northumberland Avenue, Buffalo, New York. Scott had been living in the upper portion of the building for several weeks before law enforcement searched it.
During the search, agents recovered a .40 caliber Glock handgun loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition on an end table near his sleeping area with other personal items. The firearm was reported stolen in 2013 by its owner.
Scott was among nine defendants named in the Pharaoh’s witness retaliation indictment. But his charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and also possessing a stolen Glock .40-caliber pistol were not related to the alleged retaliation against Crystal Quinn, 37, a former exotic dancer who died of a fentanyl overdose in 2023.
Among the other defendants in the retaliation case are four people accused of participating in a witness-tampering and retaliation conspiracy targeting Quinn. At the time of her death, Quinn had entered into a formal cooperation agreement with federal prosecutors to testify in Gerace’s bribery, sex- and drug-trafficking trial.
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