Long Island Hells Angels donate thousands of toys

Patchogue, New York, USA (December 23, 2019) BTN — Sometimes even angels need a Christmas miracle. Debbie Loesch, founder of the Patchogue-based community outreach thrift store and group Angels of Long Island, was worried earlier this month when her warehouse was low on toys for their fifth annual toy giveaway. Every holiday season, the Angels of Long Island accept applications for local families who fell on hard times and need help giving their children gifts to put under the tree.

While she received a few dozen donations from the community, it just wasn’t enough compared to those in need of presents this holiday season.

“I had to stop accepting applications because I was worried about the lack of toys,” she said. Then she got a surprising phone call from another group of angels — the local chapter of the Hells Angels.

The motorcycle group heard about the struggle Loesch and her nonprofit was facing and offered their assistance. Normally secretive, members of the group have been quietly involved with helping nonprofits across Long Island, the group said.

And when they heard the Angels of Long Island’s story, the group sprung into action to help out their Patchogue neighbors.

“We got word that the Angels of Long Island needed toys and we wanted to help them out,” said Billy, a sergeant of arms for the group, who refused to state his full name. “We start collecting early on in the year with different events, including our Christmas party, where everyone brings an unwrapped gift to donate.”

The Hells Angels of Long Island moved into their new Suffolk County clubhouse located in Centereach this last year, and since then, they have been working with the community hosting food drives, clothing drives and this Christmas toy drive. “Love us or hate us, the Hells Angels are here to help,” said Billy.

After negotiating their partnership with Loesch last week, the motorcycle group was able to drop off eight truckloads of gift, toy and coat donations within a few days.

“We try to keep everything in the community,” Billy said last week looking at the shelves. “This place is going to fill up.”

Before the drop off, the Patchogue warehouse’s shelves were empty, enough items for maybe a toy or two per child. As of the morning of Sunday, December 22nd, thousands of items filled the shelves, turning the space into a pop-up, mini department store.

That day, Loesch decided she didn’t want to do a handout of toys but instead create a space where parents could come in and “shop” around finding the perfect gifts for their little ones. A dozen Hells Angels help people find things and to check the recipients in.

Distribution started at 10 a.m. and went until 4 p.m. Groups of Hells Angels rode their bikes into the lot to help Loesch and other volunteers set up. Helping 50 families shop was on the agenda throughout the day, with extra toys available to families who weren’t on the initial list.

“We don’t want to see any kids without toys this Christmas,” said Ronny, one of the volunteering Hells Angels. Over 500 stuffed animals, video games, dollhouses, action figures and teenage beauty items were set up around the space, neatly organized by category for easy shopping.

One donation consisted of several brand new bicycles for toddlers and teens, wrapped in a sparkly red bow. Each family also received a ham and food donation for their Christmas dinners.

“I feel like it’s a blessing that when times are hard, there are people out there who want to help others,” said a Patchogue mother who received gifts for her kids. “I’m very thankful for Angels of Long Island… and seeing the Hells Angels ride up was so cool!”

Mario, president of the Hells Angel Long Island chapter, said that all the local riding groups and their families will help donate whenever possible.

“We really couldn’t do it without the biker community across Long Island,” he said. “We do this for the kids… every year we do something for them and whoever needs help, we do what we can.”

By the end of the day, all different angels gave up their weekend to bring a little Christmas cheer. “I like helping out the kids,” said Lee, another Hells Angel helped hand out toys. “I’m blessed, so I wanted to pass it onto the community and make sure the kids have a good Christmas.”

Photos from Thursday’s drop-off and Sunday’s event taken by Julianne Mosher
SOURCE: Greater Patchogue

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House burns in Hells Angels linked gambling probe

London, Ontario, Canada (December 21, 2019) BTN — A police investigation into the Hells Angels prompted in part by suspicious fires now has another to such probe – at the home of a London woman arrested in the bust of an alleged gambling ring run by the Hells Angels.

About 12 hours after the OPP announced the arrest of Habiba Kajan, 43, on Thursday, her house at 203 Commissioners Rd. E. caught fire.

She wasn’t there, remaining in custody awaiting a bail hearing in Brampton Friday.

Suspicious is the official and about the only word London police are saying so far about their investigation into the blaze, which destroyed the $1-million home located between Wortley Road and Carnegie Lane in London.

Related | Hells Angels members involved in gambling ring

They’re investigating a possible connection between the fire and the arrests, but said it’s too early to reach any conclusions, But one source close to the Hells Angels suspects the fire wasn’t random, that someone is sending a message to police that they’re not going to keep all the assets they seized.

“It’s not over. There will be more ‘lightning,’ ” the source said.

That source doesn’t buy speculation the fire might have been set to destroy evidence. It doesn’t make sense to burn the house to destroy evidence after the police search, the source said.

An aerial photo shows the home at 302 Commissioners Rd. E. the day after a Thursday night fire. The home had been raided by police on Dec. 12 as part of an organized crime sweep in Ontario. 

(Mike Hensen/The London Free Press) 

A neighbour said she called 911 after noticing flames shooting from the home shortly before 11 p.m. “It was raging and it was moving very fast,” said the neighbour, who did not want to be identified.

Firefighters and police responded at about 10:50 p.m. There were no injuries and no one was home at the time of the fire , police said. Emergency crews told the neighbouring woman and her family they had to leave for their own safety, she said, adding the flames coming from the roof were more than three metres high.

“It could have spread,” she said.

The home was searched by provincial police on Dec. 12 as part of a two-year investigation called Operation Hobart, which led to the arrests of 28 Ontario residents on 228 charges and the dismantling of an alleged multimillion-dollar, online gambling operation.

OPP say they launched the project in January 2018 in response to a spike in violence across Ontario and Quebec, including attempted murders, assaults, extortion and suspected arsons.

That led to an investigation into an alleged Mississauga gaming house and online sites, resulting in a news conference at the OPP’s headquarters in Orillia at 11 a.m. Thursday to detail the results of the probe.

The OPP contend Londoner Robert Barletta, 49, was one of three Hells Angels members who ran the gambling operation using five websites. The former president of the London chapter of the Hells Angels is facing 12 charges, largely firearms- and gambling-related and another for income tax evasion.

Nicknamed the “Teflon biker” because he’s kept a clean record, Barletta also had a bail hearing in Brampton Friday.

Kajan is charged with 10 firearms and gambling offences. Sources have linked her to Barletta.

It’s not known if either was released on bail.

The OPP allege the gambling operation had made $131 million in illegal revenue over five years and was connected to a prominent, alleged Mafia crime family.

Seized or restrained in searches across Ontario last week were 18 vehicles, gold and silver coins, luxury watches and jewelry, and 21 firearms, police said.

Nine properties valued at slightly more than $8.1 million were also seized, police said, without listing the addresses.

The head of the Ontario biker enforcement unit, Staff Sgt. Anthony Renton, directed questions to London police on Friday.

SOURCE: Toronto Sun

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Outlaws MC Prez indicted on firearm charges

Boston, Massachusetts, USA (December 21, 2019) BTN — The regional president of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in Boston for possession of an unregistered firearm.

Bruce Sartwell, a.k.a. “Monster,” 48, of East Bridgewater, was indicted on one count of possession of an unregistered firearm. Sartwell was charged by criminal complaint and arrested in October 2019.

As alleged in the charging documents, Sartwell is the Regional President of the Brockton/East Bridgewater Chapters of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club. On Oct. 19, 2019, agents intercepted a package originating in China and addressed to Sartwell that was declared as a “Fuel Filter” but actually contained a firearm silencer.

A review of importation records revealed that Sartwell had received approximately 65 shipments from Asia (over 55 from China), many of which were labeled as innocuous items that could have been more easily and cheaply purchased in the United States.

On Oct. 30, 2019, a search was executed at Sartwell’s residence where an AR-15 styled “ghost gun” – a firearm without any manufacturing or serial numbers – and firearm manufacturing tools, assembly parts including milling equipment, buffer spring, buffer tube, air-powered water Dremel polish and a drill press were recovered.

In addition, two firearm silencers were found concealed in false bottom compartments, a guide for assembly and disassembly of an AR-15 rifle, 20 knives, a black powder handgun, a flare gun and various ammunition compatible with the AR-15 style rifle.


In the basement of the house, a floor-length mirror concealed the entrance to a hidden storage area that was found to contain a safe with silencer parts and a firearm assembly instruction book.

The charge of possession of an unregistered firearm provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.


United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Jason Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, New England Field Division made the announcement today. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Customs and Border Protection; Massachusetts State Police; East Bridgewater Police Department; Bristol County Sheriff’s Office; and the Massachusetts Environmental Protection Agency provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Linsey Weinstein of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

SOURCE: WBSM

Ohio: Coalition of Clubs donate 10 grand of toys to kids

Dayton, Ohio, USA (December 20, 2019) BTN — A statewide motorcycle organization generously donated time and toys for children in foster care.

The Ohio Coalition of Clubs is a group of 60 motorcycle clubs. On Saturday, they delivered donated bikes and toys for children in foster care at the Haines Children’s Center on North Main Street in Dayton.

Keith Tickle says, “The purpose was really to give back to the children to make sure they know they’re not forgotten this holiday season. We come together as a unified group of bikers to truly spread blessings this holiday season.”

Three trailers were needed to deliver all the toys, which totaled about $10 thousand.


SOURCE: WDTN