Hells Angels clubhouse raided for selling booze

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (September 19, 2019) BTN — Winnipeg police raided two Manitoba Hells Angels clubhouses and charged three people with selling liquor without a licence under the Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Act.

The search warrants were executed in December 2018 after police said they received information from three people that the Hells Angels were selling liquor without a licence inside two clubhouses in rural Manitoba houses. One is in the rural municipality of Rosser, the other on Redonda Street in the rural municipality of Springfield.

Winnipeg police executed search warrants at two Hells Angels clubhouses in Manitoba in December 2018, including this property on Road 65 N. in the rural municipality of Rosser.

Police affidavits say the informants told investigators there is a set price for booze at the clubhouse bars and the Angels believed that law enforcement couldn't investigate them if they put up signs that said "Donations."

The details were sealed by a provincial court judge in December but the documents were recently unsealed, although some information was redacted to protect the identities of confidential informants.

"Each clubhouse advertises that any alcoholic drink or non-alcoholic drink is not for sale but individuals can 'donate' the $3 or $5 to the Hells Angels," the police affidavit says.

Police were told the Hells Angels have a book behind the bar with a running tab for people who owe money for drinks, and the motorcycle club put the money in a bank account along with proceeds of their clothing sales — an account with more than $60,000 in it, the affidavit says.

To verify some of the source information they received, police said they relied on a number of things, including statements they got from officers in the organized crime unit who had observed the bar while arresting a suspect in the Redonda Street home in 2017.

Police said they also saw photos of a fully stocked clubhouse bar and fridge on the Facebook page of a prospective member of the Hells Angels and in the background of photos of a woman wearing support gear on the Manitoba Nomads website, which sells Hells Angels support clothing to the public.

Winnipeg police search warrant documents say the Hells Angels were selling liquor inside two Manitoba clubhouses without a licence to do so, and the setup included a donation jar to keep law enforcement away. (Provincial Court of Manitoba)

"If they want money for a drink, they're gonna get money for a drink, whether it's put in a jar or handed to someone in a parking lot," said Peter Edwards, Toronto Star crime reporter and organized crime author.

"I think there's all sorts of criminal activity in Hells Angels, but I think that the liquor licence type stuff is, I don't know.… I just don't see it as something that's going to make the streets safe."

Last December following the raids, Winnipeg police charged three men for selling liquor without a licence: Dale Donovan, who now goes by the name Kelland and is the president of the Manitoba Nomads, which is a chapter of the Hells Angels; Lorne Corlett, a full patch member of the gang; and prospect Cameron Barron.

The crime is punishable by a fine of up to $100,000, up to a year in jail, and forfeiture of any items seized by law enforcement.

In the 43-page search warrant documents, police said they received photographs from other Canadian police agencies that had conducted similar raids that showed "donation bins" posted in other Hells Angels clubhouse bars.

"All chapters of the Hells Angels across Canada follow the same rules and structure. The Hells Angels have world rules, Canada rules and then chapter rules," the police affidavit said.

In search warrant documents, Winnipeg police say in September 2018 a Hells Angels prospect posted these photos on his Facebook page. Officers said the photos were taken in a Hells Angels clubhouse and show a fully stocked bar, which supports allegations they were selling liquor without a licence. (Provincial Court of Manitoba)

Police said raids were done in Kelowna, B.C., Sudbury, Ont., St. Catharines, Ont., Ottawa and Toronto. CBC News also found video on YouTube showing police in Australia have done the same.

"It's an incredibly sophisticated organization with significant financial backing, so it makes it very difficult for police to take action against them," said Kelly Sundberg, an associate professor in the department of economics, justice and policy studies at Mount Royal University in Calgary.

"The police are limited by geography and by budgets. The Hells Angels are not."

Sundberg said regulatory approaches are one of the only tools police have to combat criminal organizations like the Hells Angels.

Winnipeg police search warrant documents say police in Ottawa raided a Hells Angels clubhouse in December 2017 and photos showed it had a similar setup to other Hells Angels clubhouses in other parts of the country. (Provincial Court of Manitoba)

"With the hopes that by taking that regulatory action against the organization that they'll discover a criminal act that will open the door for a criminal investigation that allows them to proceed on larger charges," Sundberg said.

Edwards, who has written 10 books on organized crime, understands why police would crack down on the Hells Angels in any way that they can, but he believes investigations like this will do nothing more than garner sympathy for them.

"They're not gonna keep piles of cocaine laying on the table in their clubhouse," Edwards said.

"What they're trying to do is crack down on criminal activity, drug trafficking, and this sort of thing is kind of, it's sort of a nuisance thing but its not going to put anyone out of business."

The Hells Angels have a long record of violence in Canada, including the murder of two justice officials in Quebec in 1997. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Quebec branch of the Hells Angels was warring with a rival outlaw motorcycle gang, the Rock Machine. That resulted in an estimated 150 murders over the course of a decade, and extensive drug trafficking and related crimes in Manitoba, the RCMP and Manitoba Justice say.

In 2014, Manitoba became the first government in North America to formally list the Hells Angels as a criminal organization. Similar designations have been made in Ontario and British Columbia.

But Sundberg said over the years, the Hells Angels have worked hard to change their public image by holding fundraisers for charity and organizing community events.

"I would not be surprised if the Hells Angels secure some of the best marketing and communications people money can buy. They've done an excellent job … in steering that lens of criminality away from them and even put it into the minds of the public that they are in fact a legitimate organization."

He said the narrative the Hells Angels present today is that the negative press has been manufactured by law enforcement and that they've been unfairly targeted.

"The Hells Angels are incredibly sophisticated. They have some of the best lawyers and accountants. The resources available to them, they're global in scope," Sundberg said.

SOURCE: CBC

MC and Cops share different views over raid

Fresno, California, USA (September 10, 2019) BTN — A group of local motorcyclists say Fresno anti-gang officers overreacted in a raid on their clubhouse Saturday, but a sheriff’s spokesman said the officers had no choice after an armed Hells Angel ran and hid inside the building.

“It was crazy, bro,” said Jay Upton, vice president of the Savage Assassins. “We were racially profiled.” Upton said he is heavily tattooed, and “my appearance sometimes doesn’t accommodate people.”

The sheriff’s spokesman, Tony Botti, said there were two armed Hells Angels at the event and dismissed the idea that members of the MAGEC gang unit should have let club members eject the fleeing suspect, identified as Rey Rodriguez, 32, of Fresno, instead of serving a warrant and searching the property.

“That’s not the way it works,” said Botti. His advice: Don’t hang out with the wrong people.

Rodriguez was arrested on charges of being an armed gang member. The other man identified as an Angel, Stephen Meza, 58, of Tulare, was arrested on the same charge as well as carrying a stolen gun. Rodriguez and four others at the party were cited for obstructing an investigation and one person was held on an outstanding DUI warrant.

Related | Hours long standoff at clubhouse ends with arrests

Upton said the Savage Assassins staged an end of summer event that began Saturday afternoon at their clubhouse on Belmont Avenue east of First Street. A barbecue, cold drinks and a wet T-shirt contest were on the schedule. Upton said he noted a heavy law enforcement presence in the area early in the day, but said he talked the event over with at least one sheriff’s sergeant and it appeared there was a mutual understanding: No alcohol was being sold, only a plate of food.

Flyer for the Savage Assassins MC party

Upton said Christian biker groups were also at the event. “I’m not here to make a nuisance in my city,” he said. Things went south when a MAGEC detective reported seeing that Rodriguez was armed. Confronted, Rodriguez fled inside a steel fence and others inside locked the gate, Botti said. Upton refused permission for officers to go inside to detain Rodriguez. “Not my call,” he said. The Savage Assassins wanted to see a warrant.

That led to officers obtaining one. In the hours that followed, Upton said party goers were detained with zip ties. Some of the detainees, including Upton’s father, Mike, were in their 60s and 70s, he said. Upton added that his father, who suffers from a heart ailment and COPD, is still in the hospital as a result of the stress.

Upton said MAGEC detectives “destroyed the clubhouse and damaged a steel door at a next-door radiator shop in a search for weapons. Botti said a total of three were recovered: two in possession of Rodriguez and Meza, and one on a motorcycle.

Upton said the incident was “blown way out of proportion,” but members of his club were suffering consequences Monday when they went back to work: “Their jobs are in jeopardy.” Botti said the party goers have themselves to blame for obstructing the investigation: “As the night went on, a lot of them were drunk,” and uncooperative.

As for the potential of any unwarranted damages, Botti said a claim could be filed with the county’s risk management unit.

SOURCE: The Fresno Bee

Ex-Gypsy Joker MC member fears retaliation in custody

Portland, Oregon, USA  (September 10, 2019) BTN – A former member of the Gypsy Joker Motorcycle Club facing federal racketeering, kidnapping and murder charges argued Monday that he’s at more risk of retaliation behind bars than he would be outside while awaiting trial.

Joseph Duane Folkerts is a target, said his defense lawyer, Andrew Kohlmetz. “It’s easier to get to him in jail than out of custody,’’ Kohlmetz said.

U.S. District Judge Robert E. Jones denied the request to release Folkerts, noting that he’s currently in protective custody and faces a potential life sentence if convicted. Folkerts, 62, is one of four co-defendants who face similar charges and remain behind bars pending an April trial. Two others have pleaded guilty.

Folkerts’ attorneys, by day’s end, filed a notice they plan to appeal Jones’ ruling to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Prosecutors said Folkerts wasn’t involved in the initial abduction of former club member Robert “Bagger’’ Huggins, 56, who was taken from a home in Northeast Portland to a rural property in southwest Washington, where he was beaten, tortured and killed.

Related | Gypsy Joker MC murder trial continues
Related | Gypsy Joker MC national president released
Related | Gypsy Joker MC members face charges

But Folkerts did witness the 2015 beating in Washington, helped restrain Huggins with zip ties around his wrists during the assault and then drove Huggins’ body to a field near Ridgefield, Washington, where it was dumped, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Mygrant.

Huggins’ body was found by loggers on July 1, 2015 in the Clark County field. He had a fractured skull, a broken rib, a broken leg, a removed nipple, nails driven through his boots, slash wounds to his back and face and many blows to his face. Mygrant said Folkerts was a member of Road Brothers, a different motorcycle club at the time of Huggins’ death. After the killing, he got a patch to join the Gypsy Joker club as a reward, the prosecutor said.

Folkerts’ lawyer challenged that characterization. Kohlmetz said Folkerts was forced to join the Gypsy Jokers after the beating of Huggins. “It’s not a reward,’’ Kohlmetz said. “It’s a threat, purchasing his silence. … ‘Here’s you patch, sir. You’re in.’"

Sometime in the summer and fall of 2016, Folkerts was assaulted by a number of Gypsy Joker club members at the clubhouse and elsewhere and knocked unconscious by one of his current co-defendants, Kohlmetz told the court. Folkerts also had his motorcycle and identification stolen by Gypsy Jokers, his lawyer said.

He was basically “beat out’’ of the motorcycle club, Kohlmetz said.

When he arrived at the Multnomah County Detention Center in downtown Portland after his arrest, he learned from another inmate in his dorm that he had been “green lit,’’ meaning that word had come from co-defendant Earl Fisher that it would be OK to assault Folkerts, Kohlmetz said.

So he was moved to Inverness Jail in Northeast Portland, but once there, he came into contact with two of his co-defendants, Kohlmetz said. He was then shipped out to the Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Institution in The Dalles for his own protection. Somehow, he was housed in a dorm with the son of a Gypsy Joker member and told face-to-face to “shut up," Kohlmetz said. He’s now in protective custody at his own request, according to court testimony.

The prosecutor urged the judge to consider the severity of the allegations. Huggins was water-boarded and struck in the head with a baseball bat, Mygrant said, though he conceded that Folkerts wasn’t involved in the torture. Folkerts has pleaded not guilty to racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping in aid of racketeering resulting in death, kidnapping resulting in death and conspiracy to commit kidnapping resulting in death.

Fisher and Tiler Evan Pribbernow – two of the six charged in the kidnapping and murder - have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in racketeering. Pribbernow has been described as the government’s "star witness,’’ who delivered the fatal blow to Huggins with the bat.

A seventh defendant, Kenneth Earl Hause, the national president of the outlaw motorcycle club, was accused only in the racketeering conspiracy and released from custody in February pending trial.

SOURCE: Oregon Live

Hours long standoff at clubhouse ends with arrests

Fresno, California, USA (September 9, 2019) BTN — Eight people were arrested on Saturday after an hours-long standoff at a MC's clubhouse came to an end, according to the Fresno County Sheriff's Office.

It all started at around 6 p.m. on Saturday, when anti-gang enforcement deputies were investigating weapon offenses and possible gang members at the Savage Assassins motorcycle clubhouse near Belmont and First.

Deputies say they spotted a man standing outside of the clubhouse with a gun on him.

The man ran back into the clubhouse and deputies followed him in, but left after a verbal confrontation took place inside.

Since the man had a gun, S.W.AT. was called out to the scene, leading to an hours-long standoff.

After receiving a search warrant, deputies started ordering people out of the clubhouse, one by one.

One man came out with a gun and was arrested by police without incident.

Eight people were arrested and 42 others were detained while deputies began to search the clubhouse.

One woman with a heart condition was taken from the scene to Community Regional Medical Center, police say she was not injured during the standoff.

9-08 SWAT Standoff at Motorcycle Club
Fresno County's Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium says one of its deputies was after ONE guy, who ran into the Savage Assassins Motorcycle Club. Him fleeing led to 42 people being detained and 8 arrested Saturday.
Posted by Marie Edinger KMPH on Sunday, September 8, 2019

The man who was seen outside of the clubhouse with a gun was arrested for being a felon with a firearm.

Once everyone was out, officers began to search the clubhouse.

The search continued until around 3 a.m. on Sunday.

SOURCE: Fox26 News

Hells Angels support charity with bike show

Albir, Costa Blanca, Spain (September 2, 2019) BTN — The ninth Costa Blanca custom bike show rolled into the town of Albir on sunday, September 1st to the sound of roaring exhaust pipes and live, very load rock music.

Bikes arrived from as far afield as Rumania, lined up in the streets with chrome as far as the eye could see.

Hell of a Bike show Credit: Steve Kenyon

The event was organised, as in the years before, to support a local charity, by the 20 members of the Costa Blanca Hells Angels under the banner of The Custom Bike Show. This year, working with the Alfaz Del Pi town hall and Local Police, all monies raised will go to providing school books to those families not in a position to purchase them themselves.

The beautiful and serene surroundings of Albirs Eucalyptus park was transformed for the day into a bikers paradise with pop up shops selling everything from clothing, jewelry, Harley Davidson rental to custom resprays. Supporting the local Hells Angels were many other bike clubs including the Devil Dolls of Sweden and Alicantes Black Riders.

On stage the music was provided throughout the day by the bands Happy Freuds, Reverend Wet finger and The London Blues Company playing a combination of original material, classic rock and punchy blues.

Beneath the cover of the huge Eucalyptus trees, hundreds of leather clad revellers enjoyed the music, fuelled and refreshed by burgers, hot dogs and beers from the nearby catering tents.

The highlight came with the judging of the selected bikes, with the winner of the peoples vote going to Big Steve with his bike Big Dog Chopper in candy red with 24 karat gold leaf (see photo).

Both 1st and 2nd prizes from the judges choices went to Rune Skullerud from Norway (see photo of man with two bikes). Rune owns the motorbike workshop Iron-Boys in Torrevieja were he builds and sells custom bikes.

As the day drew to an end and the park returned to its usual tranquillity, you could only feel a debt of gratitude to the guys and girls that had organised the event.

Not only for the important charity work they had done but for creating an annual festival that grows in size and importance year after year.

SOURCE: Euro Weekly

Cops harass and give tickets to Bandidos MC

Rapid City, South Dakota, USA (August 31, 2019) BTN — Rapid City Police have issued 40 citations and made one arrest after law enforcement came in contact with members of the Bandidos motorcycle club Thursday.

The RCPD says they continued to come into contact with other members of the Bandidos and are concerned for public safety. "We have a plan in place to keep them and the residents of Rapid City safe during the run," Medina said.

He said 16 motorcycles were pulled over for traffic violations as the group exited I-90 near Omaha. 30 citations have been issued for traffic violations, eight citations for possession of a firearm on a motorcycle, and two citations for possession of marijuana. Eight firearms were seized in the process.

22-year-old Antonio Silva of Los Luna, NM was arrested during a traffic stop and charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, carrying a firearm on a motorcycle commission of a felony with a firearm, and following too closely. According to jail records, Silva appeared in court Friday morning.

According to the police, a large gathering of the Bandidos motorcycle club members is going on in the Black Hills.

SOURCE: Rapid City Journal

Reward for murderer of Pagan's MC member

Spring Hill, Florida, USA (August 31, 2019) BTN — The Florida Sheriffs Association is offering a $5,000 enhanced reward for information leading to the killer of a member of the Pagan's Motorcycle Club in January. The reward will be combined with a $3,000 reward offer by Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay.

At 6:52 on Jan. 16, Pasco County Fire Rescue received a call about a gunshot victim at 14838 Glenrock Road in Spring Hill. When they arrived, they found James William Earl, 32, dead in his driveway as his fiance, Stephanie Harper, stood over his body, inconsolable.

While Earl was a documented member of the Pagan's Motorcycle Club, he didn't fit the stereotypical profile. He grew up in Fairfield, Illinois, where he lettered in track and field at Fairfield High School. He joined the U.S. Navy and was stationed in Afghanistan, returning home with a collection of combat medals pinned to his uniform. The father of a young daughter, Earl had an associate's degree in nursing and was enrolled in the National Aviation Academy in Clearwater at the time of his death.

Related | Member of Pagan's MC found dead

But it was his affiliation with the motorcycle club that piqued the interest of the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents and fueled speculation of an impending motorcycle clubwar. The day after his murder, the FBI arrived to search Earl's home. The agency has yet to say what they were searching for.

Earl is the second member of a motorcycle club to be murdered in Pasco County.

On Dec. 22, 2017, Paul Anderson, the president of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, was murdered execution style during rush hour traffic near the Suncoast Parkway and State Road 54.

Three members of the rival motorcycle club, the 69ers, were arrested.

SOURCE: Patch

Facility shocked at Hells Angels party

Aldergrove, B.C (August 30, 2019) BTN — A party with booze and multiple strippers, allegedly attended by Hells Angels Motorcycle Club members, was held in one of Langley Township’s own facilities earlier this spring, according to an internal Township email.

The email exchange between staffers was sent a few days after the April 6 party, in which a group rented a room at the George Preston Recreation Centre.

“It was brought to my attention by another staff member that the Hells Angels rented a room at George Preston Arena on Saturday, April 06, 2019,” the email says. “This group is apparently known to Township staff due to having brought strippers to previous facility rentals.”

The staff member went on to write that there were eight strippers at the April 6 event.

One staff member was told there was a problem in one of the washrooms, and walked in to find eight naked women inside. “Staff were very uncomfortable,” the email exchange said. A more senior staff member replied and noted that both the clerical and facilities departments of the Township would be looking into the matter.

The email was provided to the Langley Advance Times by a Township staffer who asked to remain anonymous. The staffer said the event was not a secret within the Township.

Activities at the event did violate the Township’s terms and conditions for room rentals, confirmed Peter Chevrier, the Township’s manager of corporate communications. Chevrier said the April 6 event was booked as a birthday party.

“We can confirm that the event was booked by an individual and not a group,” Chevrier wrote in an email. “This individual had not rented this facility previously.”

The Township has not responded to questions about whether there were complaints from staff about the previous incidents involving the same group and strippers, or whether staff had a policy of refusing admittance to gang members.

There may be some changes to policies on renting Township facilities to the public in the near future.

“Currently, rental terms and conditions are embedded within our rental contracts, but to better manage our room rentals we have been working on an overarching policy for all of our facilities,” Chevrier wrote in an email to the Langley Advance Times.

He did not comment on what the results were of the Township’s internal review nor investigation after the April 6 party.

The same evening that the party with strippers was booked at the George Preston Recreation Centre, a Loonie and Toonie Public Skate was scheduled for 7 to 8:15 p.m. It is unclear if the party overlapped with the public skate or not.

SOURCE: Aldergrove Star

$1M bond set for Pagan's MC member

Fairmont, West Virginia, USA (August 28, 2019) BTN — Jason “Jay Bird” Edward Harris of Fairmont, is being held on a $1,000,012 bond on one count each of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit a felony. Harris was one of four men who carried out a pre-planned attack on a New York man on Aug. 3 outside of the BFS Foods convenience store in White Hall.

During the fight, the attackers struck Kenneth Murphy of Hilton, N.Y. with a baseball bat, as well as cut and stabbed Murphy with a knife.

“This is based upon a police investigation which is supported by physical evidence, surveillance video, witness statements, and personal observations,” states the complaint.

Harris, a member of the Pagan's Motorcycle Club, was arrested Friday night in Fairmont after staff with the U.S. Marshals Service in Clarksburg received a confidential tip. Witnesses at the scene the day of the attack said Murphy was wearing a Hells Angels Motorcycle Club jacket.

Murphy was transported to Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown where he was placed in a medically-induced coma for treatment, according to the criminal complaint.

The U.S. Marshals Service began assisting the White Hall Police Department in locating Harris shortly after the incident occurred. Early Friday night, authorities received information that led investigators to a friend of Harris’ on Oregon Avenue in Fairmont.

Harris’ arrest is the third in the Aug. 3 melee.

Along with Harris, White Hall Police charged James Cody Biggie, 37, of 202 Skyline Dr., of Rivesville, and Bruce Evan Davis, 53, of 135 Pine Ln., of Fairmont, with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit a felony.

According to the original criminal complaint, Biggie and Davis, along with Harris and a fourth man, carried out what police called “a pre-planned physical confrontation with several male individuals in the parking lot of the BFS Foods in White Hall.”

The incident has been described as a fight between the Hells Angels and Pagan's motorcycle clubs. At 1:50 p.m. on Aug. 3., a Monongalia Emergency Centralized Communication Agency 911 report stated there was “a fight/stabbing in Fairmont between Hells Angels club and Pagan’s Motorcycle Club, and that one of the Hells Angels members was being transported to Ruby Memorial Hospital.”

Since their arrests, Davis and Biggie have appeared in court where their attorneys asked that their bail be reduced.

On Aug. 12 at his preliminary hearing, Davis’ bail was reduced from $750,00 to $450,000.

Then, on Aug. 13 at his preliminary hearing before Marion County Magistrate Todd Rundle, Biggie’s bail was reduced from $1,030,000 to $500,000. Biggie, who attended, waived the preliminary hearing and his case is now headed to Marion County Circuit Court.

Police are still searching for the fourth suspect in the case. That suspect’s name has not been released.

If found guilty of attempted murder, Harris could face 15 years in prison.

SOURCE: Time West Virginian

Hells Angels lose clubhouse to forfeiture

Nanaimo, BC, Canada (August 26, 2019) BTN — The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club and seven members have failed to have the province’s attempt to seize three of their clubhouses thrown out of court.

In a roughly 15,000-word ruling in advance of his decision in the civil forfeiture case, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Barry Davies rejected the Angels’ arguments that their rights had been violated in the proceedings to grab their properties in Nanaimo, the East End of Vancouver and Kelowna.

The fulcrum of the petition was the legality of the RCMP’s disclosure to the Civil Forfeiture Office of information gleaned from “Project Halo,” “Project E-Pandora” and “Project E-Predicate” — investigations involving the motorcycle enthusiasts.

Related | Hells Angels MC still fighting for their clubhouse

Davies said in the decision published Monday that there was no support for the club’s claims.

“I share some of the concerns raised by the petitioners with respect to the potential that exists for lack of notice and lack of record-keeping in the transmission of information and have observed that the relationship between the police and the CFO with the attendant possibility of conflict arising from the intersection of criminal law substance and procedure and civil forfeiture law substance and procedure may require not only evidentiary oversight by the court but may also engage charter scrutiny,” Davies wrote.

“I have also, however, determined that there is no evidentiary foundation for an argument that any lack of notice or record-keeping has compromised the ability of these petitioners or any of the other defendants in the related forfeiture proceedings to defend those proceedings.”

A vehicle belonging to The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia sits in front of the former Nanaimo Hells Angels clubhouse in Nanaimo. Photo: Richard Lam/Postmedia

The Director of Civil Forfeiture seized the Nanaimo Hells Angels clubhouse in Nov. 2007 and commenced proceedings in Nov. 2012 against the East End and Kelowna clubhouses.

The two proceedings were joined for trial in Aug. 2015 based upon the allegation that each clubhouse was an “instrument of unlawful activity” because “in future, they were likely to be used to engage in unlawful activity that may result in the acquisition of an interest in property and/or cause serious bodily harm to persons.”

The Angels filed counterclaims that asserted the “instruments of unlawful activity” provisions of the Civil Forfeiture Act were unconstitutional.

The trial of the forfeiture proceedings commenced on April 23, 2018.

In Oct. 2018, the Angels filed the petition under the Judicial Review Procedures Act seeking to quash the forfeiture litigation and obtain orders prohibiting the Director from continuing the proceedings. After hearing the petition in early April, Davies reserved judgment; he completed the trial of the forfeiture proceedings on April 30. His decisions on the forfeiture applications as well as on the Angels’ counterclaim are pending.

Given the importance of the petition decision, however, it had to be delivered before Davies ruled on the underlying litigation. “I am satisfied that the Director had lawful authority to collect information from the RCMP and to commence and conduct the related forfeiture proceedings,” Davies concluded.

“Accordingly, while I find that entering into the (Memorandum of Understanding) with the RCMP by the Director and the creation of the CFO RCMP Program Manager Position was lawfully authorized, I am also satisfied that, in some circumstances, the relationship between the police and the CFO with the attendant possibility of conflict arising from the intersection of criminal law substance and procedure and civil forfeiture law substance and procedure may require not only evidentiary oversight by the court but also engage charter scrutiny.”

The Nanaimo Clubhouse and contents, except for some released by agreement of the parties, have been in the continuing possession of the CFO for almost 12 years.

SOURCE: Vancouver Sun

Hardliners MC photo provokes city officials

Haarlem, Netherlands (August 12, 2019) BTN — More than twenty members of the new motorcycle club MC Hardliners posed in full colors on the platform of the Haarlem city hall on Thursday afternoon. The photo session was with the back to the camera. MC Hardliners was founded from prison by Lysander de R., the former leader of the Haarlem Hells Angels.

Provocation

According to Noordhollands Dagblad, the municipality of Haarlem does not want to respond to this provocation and the police do not want to say much. At least 25 especially young members of MC Hardliners posed with their backs to the camera on the steps of the Haarlem city hall on Thursday afternoon. Around 5.30 pm the police asked the club members to leave the catering business in the center because wearing full colors in public is not permitted. The members left without problems. Almost a week earlier, around eight Hardliners drove through the center in Haarlem with a lot of noise on their motorbikes.

Mayor Jos Wienen

The photo session at the town hall is striking. The MC Hardliners are looking for a clubhouse in Noord-Holland and perhaps Haarlem. Earlier, mayor Jos Wienen of Haarlem closed the clubhouse of the Hells Angels. Wienen has been threatened since September 2018. It is unclear who is behind those threats, but outlaw motorcycle gangs are also mentioned in this context.

The same place

When it became clear in Haarlem last year that Wienen was being threatened, there was a well-attended demonstration on the Grote Markt in support of the mayor. The members of MC Hardliners posed on Thursday exactly where Wienen stood and spoke on 14 October (the landing of the town hall).

Logo The logo of MC Hardliners is very similar to that of the Hells Angels (see photo). The font of the emblems is the same, the color red-white and also the wing is prominent, but instead of a skull there is a shark.

Lysander de R.

Lysander de R., former leader of the Haarlem Hells Angels, founded MC Hardliners from prison in May. The R. was sentenced to nine years in prison last year because he was guilty of mistreatment, extortion, threat, arson and possession of weapons with two other leaders. Previously it had been claimed against him for fourteen years . He will be detained until at least November 2022. According to the court, a 'rock-hard and beastly chapter' was created under the leadership of De R. in which 'a real reign of reign' was conducted in Haarlem and the surrounding area.

Motorclub MC Hardliners poseert voor stadhuis in Haarlem https://t.co/IQgMolpXPX pic.twitter.com/T15COA5EIq

— haarlem (@haarlem) August 9, 2019

SOURCE: CrimeSite

Alleged killers of Hells Angel member appear in court

Toronto, Ontario (August 6, 2019) BTN — Two young men charged with murdering Hardside Hells Angel Suminder “Ali” Grewal will appear in Surrey Provincial Court Tuesday morning.

Calvin Junior Powery-Hooker, 20, and Nathan James De Jong, 21, were arrested minutes after Grewal was shot to death in the drive-thru of a Starbucks in South Surrey about 9:20 a.m. Friday morning. Each faces one count of first-degree murder, Sgt. Frank Jang, of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, said late Saturday.

Members of the Hells Angels, including members of affiliated support clubs, attend the funeral for slain HA Hardside chapter member Chad Wilson, at the Maple Ridge Alliance Church. Photo: Jason Payne

He said IHIT and its partners have been working continuously since Grewal’s murder and “have forwarded their findings so far in the investigation for charge approval consideration to the B.C. Prosecution Service.”

“The two accused men are known to police and investigators are firm in their belief that this was a targeted incident,” he said. “We urge anyone who had recent contact with Calvin Powery-Hooker and/or Nathan De Jong to contact IHIT as soon as possible. IHIT is appealing to the public for dash cam video from drivers who were travelling along 152 Street between 32 Avenue and 96 Avenue around the time of the shooting.”

Neither Powery-Hooker or De Jong have any criminal history in B.C., according to the online court data base. But Powery-Hooker faced an aggravated assault and unlawful confinement charge in St. Albert, Alberta two years ago. The charges were then stayed in January 2018. He was referred to at the time as a resident of Edmonton.


De Jong also appears to be from the Edmonton area. Grewal, 43, was shot to death as he sat in his Dodge Viper in the 3000-block of 152 Street, surrounded by other vehicles and passers-by. Jang said earlier that Grewal died at the scene.

“Immediately following the shooting, members of the public phoned police with information regarding a suspect vehicle which was quickly passed on to all officers. Frontline officers of the Surrey RCMP, members of CFSEU’s Uniformed Gang Enforcement Team and Police Service Dog Garner of the Integrated Police Dog Services (IPDS) responded promptly and were able to intercept the suspect vehicle and subsequently arrest two men in connection with the earlier homicide,” Jang said.

He said investigators are doing a neighbourhood canvass searching for video surveillance footage and witnesses. “IHIT’s crime scene manager will be working with forensic specialists from the Integrated Forensic Identification Services to complete a fulsome forensic examination of the suspect vehicle and the physical evidence collected at the scene of the shooting,” he said.

“Mr. Grewal was a well-established member of an organized crime group and it is believed that his homicide was targeted. IHIT will be engaging with numerous gang enforcement units throughout the Lower Mainland region that will be working to mitigate any on-going violence.”

Personal property records show Grewal leased or purchased on credit a Dodge Viper from Langley’s Willowbrook Motors on Sept. 10, 2015. Last November, Chad Wilson, 43, another member of the Hells Angels Hardside chapter, was found murdered under the Golden Ears Bridge. IHIT continues to investigate that murder.

Grewal and Wilson were both former members of the club’s Haney chapter in Pitt Meadows before helping form the Surrey-based Hardside chapter in early 2017. Mounties in Surrey reviewed all legal means to block the setting up of a clubhouse, but had no legal authority to deny anyone from purchasing or renting a residence.

Police are still probing several theories in connection with the Nov. 18, 2018 slaying of Wilson. Grewal was the Hardside Hells Angel who created a formal link between his chapter and the volatile Brothers Keepers gang. That alliance meant that conflicts the Brothers had with other clubs or over specific incidents of violence could then become issues for Grewal, too.

The Brothers Keepers has had a more direct involvement in shootings and murders that have become part of what police describe as the Lower Mainland gang conflict. Dang said that despite the arrests made Grewal’s shooting, “there is much work ahead for our detectives and partners this long weekend.”

SOURCE: Vancouver Sun

Gun and drugs found in Bandidos clubhouse raid

Melbourne, Australia (August 5, 2019) BTN —A man has been arrested after police seized a loaded firearm and drugs believed to be steroids from the Bandidos MC clubhouse in Melbourne's north.

The police raided properties in Brunswick and Doveton in Melbourne's south-east on Thursday as part of the anti-bikie Echo Taskforce.

The State Emergency Service assisted police with floodlights, as it was still dark, at an address on Weston Street in Brunswick on Thursday morning, a spokeswoman confirmed.

Along with the firearm and drugs, a 48-year-old man was subsequently arrested at the Brunswick property, and charged with possessing an unregistered handgun and unlicensed ammunition as well as a drug of dependence.

No one was arrested and no items were seized at the Doveton property.

Victoria Police said the two search warrants had been executed as part of an ongoing operation.

"Echo Taskforce detectives have executed two warrants this morning, one each in Brunswick and Doveton, as part of an ongoing operation," a spokeswoman said. "As the investigation is ongoing, it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time."

The clubhouse has been the scene of violence in the past.

Former Bandidos enforcer Toby Mitchell was shot by two gunmen in an attempted hit outside the Brunswick clubhouse in 2011.

In 2014 a drunken passerby was beaten to death after taunting a dog tied up outside the clubhouse.

Echo Taskforce was launched in 2011 to tackle Victoria's outlaw bikie gangs.

SOURCE: The Age

Hells Angels play softball for local charity

Clemson, South Carolina, USA (August 1, 2019) BTN — It’s day three of the summer rally for the Hells Angels motorcycle club in Clemson.

On Wednesday, the bikers took to the field to play softball for a local charity. The east coast bikers played against the west coast to raise money for the Pickens County Advocacy Group.

Related | Hells Angels MC members gathering today

There was some concern from the community as the “outlaw motorcycle club” headed to town, but we heard from a local “Hells Angels” biker for the first time who said it’s been a great week.

“All I can say is we are having a good time here in Clemson and everything’s been great,” said Phil Sierputowski.

Sierputowski tells 7News that the club picked Clemson for their annual rally because it’s the home of the national champions.


There was extra security on hand from Clemson Police and several federal agencies due to the crowds.

The bikers will have their last official event Wednesday evening, but officials anticipate many staying through the end of the week.

SOURCE: 7News

Defendants point fingers for killing Outlaws president

Tampa, Florida, USA (July 31, 2019) BTN – Two men this week will stand trial in the 2017 assassination of a rival motorcycle club leader who authorities said was shot and killed while sitting in his pickup truck in rush hour traffic in Pasco County.

The two defendants, Christopher “Durty” Cosimano, 31, and Michael “Pumpkin” Mencher, 52, are both alleged members of the Hillsborough County chapter of the 69’ers Motorcycle Club.

They sat together at the defense table as their murder trial started Tuesday. But their lawyers told jurors that someone else was to blame for the slaying of Paul Anderson, 44, president of the Cross Bayou chapter of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club:

Mencher’s attorney told the jury that Cosimano shot Anderson.

Cosimano’s attorney said someone else — he did not say who — was responsible.

But prosecutors said it was Cosimano who pulled the trigger, and if he missed then Mencher was there to finish the job.

Related | Outlaws MC President was killed over club colors

Related | Outlaws MC President gunned down in Florida, suspects arrested

Related | Sheriff: Motorcycle MC member targeted in deadly shooting in Florida

Assistant U.S. Attorney Natalie Adams walked the 16-person jury through the Dec. 21, 2017 assassination and the violent feud that led to it. Cosimano and Mencher rode motorcycles behind Anderson, tracking him. Both carried loaded guns, prosecutors say, and wore masks to hide their faces.

When Anderson took an exit on the Suncoast Parkway and stopped at a red traffic light near State Road 54, Cosimano walked up to the truck’s window, tapped on the glass, then shot the Outlaws leader several times with a Glock 45 semiautomatic pistol, according to prosecutors. “He was dead with his foot on the brake, and a phone in his hand,” said Adams as Cosimano and Mencher looked on, quietly.

The state accused Mencher of being Cosimano’s backup, prepared to kill Anderson if the 69’ers’ president messed up the hit. Anderson, the Outlaw leader, was killed “to claim territory, to demand respect,” Adams said. But Cosimano and Mencher’s attorneys challenged the state’s account of what happened and what motivated the shooting.

Defense attorney Anne Borghetti said her client, Mencher, was told by Cosimano that he wanted to go riding on Dec. 17, 2017. That’s all.

Cosimano never mentioned anything about Anderson, she said, or any plan to execute him. She also tried to minimize Mencher’s ties to the 69’ers, saying the gang treated him poorly, even sometimes leaving him behind at club events. They called Mencher “the village idiot,” she said, and Cosimano’s plan “was to blame Michael Mencher” for the shooting.

Cosimano’s attorney, J. Jervis Wise, said someone else executed Anderson in 2017, but did not name that person. Instead, he described the incident as a “rogue act” that the leader didn’t know about. The attorney said prosecutors are relying on testimony from 69’ers members who will do anything they can to reduce their jail time for involvement in the case.

“They will tell the government what they think the government wants to hear,” Wise said.

Both Cosimano and Mencher faces charges of first-degree murder and a slew of related charges, including conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering activity and use of a firearm in a crime of violence causing death. If convicted, each faces up to life in prison. Mencher also faces drug-related charges for his involvement in a cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine ring that prosecutors accuse the 69’ers of running.


Members of the 69’ers, including at least one who has already pleaded guilty to charges related to this case, are expected to testify on behalf of the government, the state told jurors. Three members of the 69’ers — Allan Burt “Big Beefy” Guinto, Erick Richard “Big E” Robinson and Cody James “Little Savage” Wesling — were indicted along with Cosimano and Mencher and accused of taking part in the plot to kill Anderson. They took plea deals earlier this year.

Authorities said the 2017 murder of Anderson was part of an escalating conflict between local chapters of two prominent and motorcycle clubs, the Outlaws and the 69’ers, whose Hillsborough branch called itself the “Killsborough” chapter.

The trial is expected to take three weeks.

SOURCE: Tampa Bay Times

Jury selection begins in Vagos MC case

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA (July 30, 2019) BTN — Jury selection began Monday in U.S. District Court for a trial scheduled to begin with openings August 12 and stretch until about Thanksgiving.

The eight men, all from California and ranging in age from 36 to 70, represent the first of three groups totaling 21 defendants in a sweeping case that prosecutors allege involves Vagos and crimes in California, Arizona, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Nevada.

The centerpiece of the case is the shooting death of Jeffrey Pettigrew, president of the Hells Angels chapter in San Jose, California, during a brawl at a crowded Reno-area casino that sent gamblers diving under blackjack tables and left bullet fragments in slot machines.

September 23, 2011: Police officers keep an eye on handcuffed men at the east entrance to John Ascuaga's Nugget hotel-casino after a shooting in Sparks, Nevada - The Reno Gazette-Journal

Two Vagos members received non-fatal gunshots in the exchange of gunfire and one was wounded while riding his motorcycle several hours later in what authorities called a retaliatory drive-by shooting.

“The Vagos are always trying to be the big dog. In some areas they are,” said Terry Katz, a retired Maryland State Police lieutenant and gang expert with the International Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Investigators Association.

“Everybody’s heard of the Hells Angels, the Pagan’s, the Bandidos, the Outlaws. But the Vagos are right up there,” Katz said. “To kill Pettigrew in a setting like a casino shows that they just don’t care. It’s not like there are no cameras around.”

Now, nearly eight years later, prosecutors plan to tell a jury the case goes well beyond allegations that the eight defendants plotted to carry out a “green light order” to kill Pettigrew.

“That’s the enterprise. They’re the Vagos,” Daniel Schiess, the assistant U.S. attorney heading the prosecution, told Chief U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro during a recent pretrial hearing. “The entire conspiracy for the enterprise is admissible against everyone.”


A 12-count indictment filed in 2017 accuses the 21 defendants of being a transnational gang with a hierarchical chain-of-command in which members reach leadership posts by adhering to club rules and committing acts of murder, kidnap, assault, extortion, robbery and witness intimidation as well as drug and weapons trafficking.

Charges date from a January 2005 bar brawl in Los Angeles; include allegations of cocaine and methamphetamine smuggling into the U.S. from Mexico; and point to a September 2011 kidnapping at gunpoint of a Vagos member suspected of violating gang rules. Prosecutors say he was beaten and robbed of his jewelry, guns and motorcycle.

The case relies on hundreds of recorded telephone conversations, reports by confidential informants and accounts by an undercover law enforcement officer who posed as a Vagos member in 2011 and 2012.

One allegation is that club members in Utah were ordered in August 2012 to pay a $100 tax to support lawyers for Ernesto Manuel Gonzalez, who was convicted in state court in Reno of Pettigrew’s death and sentenced to life in prison.

The Nevada Supreme Court overturned Gonzalez’s conviction in December 2015 due to faulty jury instructions at trial. He was awaiting a retrial when the federal racketeering indictment was filed.

He and his co-defendants — Pastor Palafox, Albert Lopez, Albert Perez, James Gillespie, Bradley Campos, Cesar Morales and Diego Garcia — have each pleaded not guilty. Each faces up to life in prison if he’s convicted.

SOURCE: My Northwest

Hells Angels MC members gathering today

Clemson, South Carolina, USA (July 29, 2019) BTN — The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club are gathering  today in Clemson for their annual summer rally. Clemson police Chief Jimmy Dixon said he expects more than 500 bikers from the motorcycle club.

"They're not coming here to cause problems," Chief Dixon said. "I know everybody thinks that the world is getting ready to come to an end. But I can assure you that that it is not."

Dixon said the Hells Angels will come from all across the country to meet for their annual rally starting on July 29 through Friday, August 2. Dixon compares the visit to a family reunion and while some know about their old reputation, but are rolling out the welcomes.

"I think that's in the past, I think they have evolved from that," Connie McKee said. McKee works in downtown Clemson and said the visit will help revenue, especially during a time when this college is lacking thousands of students.

Pierce Womack and Denise Kwiatek say Pickens County Emergency Management will be heavily involved. People in the area will see a command post set up in case an emergency were to arise.


Local law enforcement said they've checked in with other states who have hosted Hells Angels before. The Department of Justice has cited the Hells Angels as "an outlaw motorcycle gang". But that's hasn't impacted their stay in other states like Missouri and Virgina; all of whom say it was a pleasant experience.

"To quote Sheriff Holcombe, he would tell you he 'would have them back tomorrow.' He said it was one of the best weeks they've ever had," Dixon said.

Dixon added expect to see more traffic on the roads and more of his officers along with state and federal agencies. He wants to make sure everyone to remain safe during this time.

SOURCE: 7News

Alleged leader of local Deadly Sins MC arrested

Carson City, Nevada, USA (July 27, 2019) BTN — A 49-year-old Carson City man was arrested by the Tri-County Gang Unit on five felony charges, one gross misdemeanor charge, and three misdemeanor charges after he allegedly committed felony domestic battery.

According to the report, David Sanchez is the president of the Deadly Sins Motorcycle Club Carson City Nevada chapter and he is associated with the Vagos Motorcycle Club and was arrested early Friday morning.

Late Thursday evening, upon arrival, deputies made contact with Sanchez and his child. Deputies took Sanchez into custody for felony domestic battery.

Just before 2 a.m. on Friday, deputies were granted a search warrant of the property and found the following evidence, which was confiscated and booked:

— A Glock 17 9mm pistol was located in a clothing hamper of the master bedroom that Sanchez resides in along with magazines.

The gun was verified through dispatch as stolen out of Carson City. Sanchez is a registered ex-felon and he has prior history of domestic batteries.

— 14.56 grams of Cocaine in a small plastic bag was located in the master bedroom in a desk drawer on the west wall. The Cocaine was Nartec tested and yielded positive results.

— Additionally $521 U.S. currency was located next to the Cocaine in the drawer, and $251 U.S. currency was located in a pair of jean pants approximately three feet from the desk drawer containing the Cocaine.

— A digital scale and numerous small plastic bags were located next to the Cocaine as well

— A vile of Testosterone without a prescription was located in the same desk as the Cocaine

— A small plastic bottle with no prescription was located on the east night stand. The contents of the bottle were 17.5 counts of Cyclobenzaprine 10mg and one count Cyclobenzaprine 10mg with a separate imprint

— Three separate plastic bags of marijuana weighing approximately 10.2 ounces were located in the master bedroom. Each package had a hand written name on it, indicating it did not come from a legal dispensary.

— Samples of blood located in the residence along with clothing containing blood drops were collected in respect to the domestic battery that occurred

The door to Sanchez’s room is approximately ten feet from his child’s bedroom, which was unlocked. He was additionally charged with child endangerment.

Full list of charges:

Trafficking controlled substance (Cocaine)
Possession with intent to sell
Possession of a stolen firearm
Ex-felon possessing a firearm
Possession of a controlled substance (Testosterone)
Possession of dangerous drug without a prescription
Possession of drug paraphernalia
Possession of less than one ounce of marijuana
Child Endangerment

SOURCE: Carson Now

DA: End of the road for local motorcycle club

Columbus, Georgia , USA (July 24, 2019) BTN — Lloyd Jefferson Harris, a member of the Iron Cross Motorcycle Club, was sentenced to 20 years to serve three after pleading guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and violation of the Georgia Street Gang and Terrorism Prevention Act.

According to Investigator Ryan Foles with the Coweta County DA’s office, the Iron Cross had been on the radar of law enforcement prior to an incident in 2016, which saw the group thrust into the spotlight.

Foles also stated "The sentencing of four local men associated with an outlaw motorcycle group has signaled the end of that group in Coweta County – and a victory for local law enforcement in their battle against gangs."

In November 2016, two teenage girls were chased along U.S. Hwy. 29 into Newnan by members of the Iron Cross and Knights of Solomon motorcycle clubs after a biker lost control of his bike and crashed.

Confiscated patches belonging to the Iron Cross Motorcycle Club

Club members blamed the driver of the car and began pursuing her. At one point during the chase, Harris pointed a firearm at the occupants and shot at least one round in their direction.

The chase ended after the bikers were intercepted by deputies near the intersection of Bullsboro Drive and Ga. Hwy. 154. A handgun was recovered at the scene.

After the chase, Harris was arrested and charged with discharging a weapon near a public highway, pointing a gun at another, and reckless conduct.

Three other members of the club were ultimately sentenced to probation.

Stephen Maxwell Kemp was given 12 months probation for aggressive driving, while Thomas Joseph Lewandowski and Ricky James Hartfree were both sentenced to six months’ probation. All four men were ordered to have no contact with the Iron Cross Motorcycle Club or any other motorcycle clubs.

District Attorney Herb Cranford Jr. said his office could not prove the other bikers involved in the incident knew Harris pulled a gun on the girls while chasing them, so the office only pursued felonies against the most culpable defendant.

“This case was about a group of bikers, all wearing their club patches, chasing down two teenage girls because the girls had disrespected the bikers on the road,” Cranford said. “The girls did not get in a wreck with any bikers, and there was no lawful reason to chase them.

“Nevertheless, we are satisfied that the defendant who pulled a gun and fired one round into the air was sentenced to prison following his non-negotiated guilty plea,” Cranford added.

Following the shooting, the investigation into the group escalated, resulting in the search of its clubhouse on East Jones Street in March 2017.

The house was allegedly being run and managed under the name of a deceased Iron Cross member and was serving as an illegal alcohol establishment for those in the biker culture.

Defunct Iron Cross MC Clubhouse in Columbus, Georgia 

Inside, investigators reportedly recovered two truckloads of evidence connecting the bike group to gang culture, hate groups and other “1-percenters” across the state and nationwide – including membership documents and oaths.

Foles said the search of the clubhouse was successful for many reasons, one of which included the discovery of over 50 Christmas cards sent from other 1-percenter clubs across the country – each card containing the names, pictures and addresses of its members.

Foles shared this – and other information collected from the clubhouse – during the summer conference of the Georgia Gang Investigators Association.

The Iron Cross case was significant, Foles said, because local law enforcement agencies are rarely successful at shutting down motorcycle clubs. It is a task typically handled by federal agencies.

Foles said the success was in part to the Security Threat Group Unit (STGU), which operates in the Coweta County Jail, where detention officers help identify gang members and collect evidence for prosecution.

“From the help of the 911 operator to the officer who made original arrests all the way to the detention officers collecting evidence for gang charges – the case was a success because of everyone working together,” Foles said. “They’re pioneers in what they’re doing and are continuing to make the program even better.”

Cranford said biker clubs who associate with the Outlaws, a widely known motorcycle club like the Hells Angels, should be scrutinized by law enforcement and should not be allowed to intimidate and threaten the citizens of Georgia.

“Those Outlaw affiliated biker clubs, like the Iron Cross, give a bad name to law-abiding motorcycle clubs and others who simply enjoy riding motorcycles,” Cranford said. “The sheriff's department should be commended for this investigation which appears to have had the result of removing this Outlaw-affiliated biker gang from our community."

SOURCE: The Newnan Times-Herald

Pagan's MC: Ruling could toss out evidence in case

Providence, R.I. (July 19, 2019) BTN —In what could be a major blow to a criminal case that targeted two motorcycle clubs, a judge ruled a mass of wiretapped phone conversations should be tossed from trial.

The decision came after defense attorneys successfully argued the wrong judge signed off on an extension of the order to authorize wiretaps in the case.

On Wednesday, Superior Court Judge Netti Vogel ruled in favor of the defense, saying the wiretap extension was improperly signed off on and the evidence at the center of the case for many of the defendants could not be used at trial.

In May, state police, along with federal and local authorities, arrested 50 people in what authorities called the single largest take down in R.I. State Police history.

The raids were the result of a year-long investigation called Operation Patched Out, which focused on two motorcycle clubs – the Pagans and Kryptmen – operating in northwestern Rhode Island.

Related | Rhode Island grand jury indicts MC members and associates

Among those arrested was Deric “Tuna” McGuire, who police identified as the head of the Pagan's motorcycle club. McGuire was hit with 221 drug-related counts.

It’s unclear how much of the evidence could be affected. Kristy dosReis, a spokesperson for Attorney General Peter Neronha, did not answer that question, but said in an email, “We respect the court’s decision in this case and intend to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.”

At issue is who signs off on the paperwork that allows investigators to listen in on phone conversations. By law, the presiding justice of the Superior Court is authorized to do so. In this case, Presiding Justice Alice Gibney did OK the order on the original request, but was unavailable when detectives asked for an extension.


Legal experts say the next senior-most judge is then supposed to take the responsibility, but defense attorneys in the biker case say that didn’t happen.

Prosecutors argued Gibney assigned a different judge because there was a conflict of interest with the next jurist in line. But the argument didn’t resonate with Vogel, who issued her decision from the bench.

Veteran defense attorney Jack Cicilline represents McGuire and was one of the attorneys who spotted what they saw as a mistake in evidence gathering and filed the motion. His son, John M. Cicilline, represents Yevgeniy Mazo, of North Providence – known as “the Russian.” John Cicilline said he believes it will be a “significant amount” of the evidence that will have to be tossed from the case.

“This ruling could impact 20-something defendants,” said Cicilline.

Some defendants had already pleaded no contest in the case.

At the time of the arrests, the state police said several rival clubs were competing for turf in Rhode Island, “resulting in increasingly violent confrontations – including three shootings that were never reported to law enforcement.”

Because of the growing tensions, Lt. Col. Joseph Philbin said at the time the decision was made to execute the search and arrest warrants. Police said they obtained the warrants with evidence detailed in a 1,300-page affidavit, including thousands of phone conversations and text messages.

The Raids took place in several communities, including Woonsocket.

It is unclear when the state’s high court will take up the appeal.

SOURCE: WPRI 12

Another suspect arrested in Pagan's MC assault

Charleroi, Pennsylvania, USA (July 19, 2019) BTN -A 10th suspect has been arrested in a brutal assault by alleged members of the Pagan's Motorcycle Club at a Charleroi social club in April.

Online court records indicate the suspect who solicited the assault, Brian A. Keruskin, 57, of Charleroi, was arrested Tuesday afternoon and sent to Washington County jail without bond.

Testimony at a preliminary hearing that morning for six other suspects in the case showed that Keruskin talked on the phone after the assault at the Slovak Club with the man who let the group of Pagan's into the bar at 700 McKean Ave.

“I told him it was really bad,” Zachary Yagnich, 26, a club officer testified about his conversation with Keruskin.

“I was scared,” he said.

Prosecutors have not revealed a motive in the April 18 assault of Troy Harris, who had left the Pagan's to join a rival group known as Sutars Soldiers.

Related | Pagan's MC members charged

Harris suffered severe trauma to his head, causing him to have a stroke and cognitive problems, his wife, Michele, testified Tuesday.

District Judge Larry Hopkins, who presided over Tuesday’s hearing, found sufficient evidence to hold the six suspects for trial, and he sent them all back to area jails without bond.

The suspects who were charged with attempted homicide and other offenses are: Corey Volk, 24, of West Newton; Paul Cochran, 54, of Charleroi; John Sadvary, 39, of Penn Hills; Matthew Vasquez, 30, of Monessen; Joshua Pagliei, 43, of Monongahela; and Jason Huff, 40, of Plum.

Washington County Judge John F. DiSalle has scheduled a bond reduction hearing for the suspects at noon today.

Yagnich also faces an attempted homicide charge, and he has waived his case to court. Vasquez’ fiancée at the time, Jamie Granato, is awaiting a preliminary hearing on charges including conspiracy.

Keruskin and another suspect who was arrested in the case this week, Joseph Olinsky, 45, whose address was not immediately known, are scheduled to appear for a preliminary heating at 10 a.m. Aug. 7 before Hopkins.

All of the cases remained sealed Wednesday.

Keruskin was sentenced in October 2002 to 27 months in a federal prison after pleading guilty to one felony count of assault with a dangerous weapon, online court records show.

He was among 73 Pagan's who carried out a surprise attack on a group of Hells Angels at a motorcycle and tattoo exposition in Long Island in February of that year. One member of the Pagan's died in the attack.

SOURCE: Observer-Reporter

Last suspect arrested in Hells Angels meth bust

Modesto, California, USA (July 19, 2019) BTN — Michael Pack, 32, a prospect with the Modesto Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, has been arrested in connection with an alleged methamphetamine distribution ring.

A Department of Justice spokeswoman said that Pack was subsequently arrested after federal agents failed to locate him during a June 25 sweep that netted club president Randy Picchi, 61; his wife, Tina Picchi, 51; and Michael Mize, 61. Pack, a Modesto resident, was arraigned in federal court in Fresno on Tuesday.

Related | Modesto Hells Angels President Arrested

Search Warrants Executed at Seven Locations

Officers executed search warrants at seven locations June 25 in Stanislaus County, including the Hells Angels clubhouse in Modesto.

Court documents allege that Randy Picchi led a drug conspiracy and directed his wife to regularly deliver drugs to Mize and others in Ceres. Randy Pichi also enlisted Pack to help obtain methamphetamine on at least one occasion. Pack was stopped by law enforcement officers and was found with 499 grams of meth on him.

In addition, the court documents allege that Randy Picchi directed Tina Picchi to drive from Modesto to Redding to deliver meth to a customer. On the way, Tina Picchi was stopped by law enforcement and found with approximately 4 ounces of meth, which she had wrapped in a plastic glove and hidden in a cup of soda.

Defendants Face 10-Year Minimum Sentences

This case involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the IRS Criminal Investigation, the Central Valley Gang Impact Task Force, the Modesto and Turlock police departments, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the California Highway Patrol.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Pearson and Laurel Montoya are prosecuting the case. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a $10 million fine.

SOURCE: GV Wire

Pagan's MC members charged

Charleroi, Pennsylvania, USA (July 17, 2019) BTN - Six members of the Pagan's Motorcycle Club have been charged with attempted homicide after allegedly attacking a former member inside a bar in Charleroi, authorities said.

Surveillance video of the attack, which happened in April inside the Slovak Club, was shown in court Tuesday as the six men faced a judge.

The video shows the victim and his wife sitting at the bar. When the men walked in, the victim can be seen reaching out to shake hands before being punched, kicked and stomped on.

The attack lasted less than a minute, police said.


The victim, a former local chapter president of the Pagan's who is now with another motorcycle club, was flown to a hospital. He continues to recover.

Defense attorneys for the suspects argued Tuesday that the video does not capture what is happening on the ground.

The victim’s wife testified she crawled between the suspects’ kicking legs in an attempt to get to her husband.

“I went for my gun because I was afraid they were going to kill him,” she said.

The victim’s wife said her husband suffered a traumatic brain injury, two broken eye sockets, a broken nose and had a stroke. He now walks with a cane.

All six men charged in the attack are being held without bond. In addition to attempted homicide, they are charged with conspiracy.

Two more members of the Pagans have been arrested and their hearings are in August.

SOURCE: WPXI

Hells Angels MC members charged after attack

Lisbon, Portugal (July 11, 2019) BTN - Portuguese prosecutors charged 89 members of the Hells Angels motorcycle club with involvement in organized crime, attempted murder, robbery and drug trafficking. The club members were also charged with qualified extortion and possession of illegal weapons and ammunition.

"According to the indictment, the accused belong to Hells Angels Motorcycle Club," said the chief prosecutor's statement.

Dozens of the group's Portuguese and members from other countries have been arrested following a long investigation.

Out of the 89 members charged by Portugal, 37 are in pre-trial detention, five are under house arrest, and two are detained in Germany awaiting extradition to Portugal, the prosecutors said.

Related | Hells Angels MC members arrested

Prosecutors allege that the motorcycle club members tried to kill four people and seriously injured others last year at a restaurant on the outskirts of Portugal's capital, Lisbon. The restaurant was destroyed in the Hells Angels attack.

At the time of the restaurant attack, the Hell Angels was involved in a war for control of illicit guns and drug trade, according to authorities.

SOURCE: WSAV