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Biker allegedly had explosive devices

Brass Knuckle MC Member allegedly had explosive devices

HORIZON CITY, TEXAS (November 3, 2016) - More than 150 explosive devices and materials used to create them were allegedly found in the home of Horizon City biker arrested Tuesday on a federal charge of unlawful possession of a machine gun, court documents show. 

Loren Jay Bingaman, 48, was arrested by El Paso Police Department officers as part of a multi-agency investigation into an assault and robbery of two members of a motorcycle club on Aug. 3 outside Hot Chicks Wing House at 2281 N. Zaragoza Road.

Previous Story: Police arrest 7 members of various Motorcycle Clubs

Bingaman was rebooked into El Paso County jail on Wednesday on a federal charge of unlawful possession of a machine gun after local, state and federal law enforcement agencies executed a search warrant on Tuesday at his home in the 400 block of Benton Street in Horizon City, according to a complaint affidavit.

The agencies investigating the case include the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety, El Paso Police Department and the Horizon City Police Department.

State troopers allegedly found a box they suspected contained explosives in a garage at Bingaman’s home.

U.S. Army Explosives Ordnance Disposal officials were called to help identify the possible explosives, documents state.

Confiscated vest's

Ordnance disposal officials allegedly found 151 training grenade blasting caps and four military-type flares. They told ATF agents that the blasting caps and flares are “considered an explosive device that can cause bodily injury and are therefore not manufactured for the public,” the affidavit states.

Investigators also found multiple firearms in a storage room in the garage, documents state. One of the weapons was allegedly an “AK style closed bolt rifle.” Another rifle was allegedly found on a workbench in the garage.

Disposal officials also found potassium chlorate and potassium nitrate in 14 plastic containers; aluminum flakes in nine plastic containers; several bags containing potassium nitrate; and 10 grenade hulls which were welded shut at one end, the affidavit states.

Documents state that the chemical precursors, blasting caps and the grenade hulls gave Bingaman the “ability to manufacture a functional explosive device.”

ATF agents checked the National Firearms Registry Transaction Record and Federal Licensing System and found that Bingaman was not registered to possess destructive devices or machine guns, documents state.

Investigators also found another suspected machine gun in “various states of manufacture and assembly” in a storage shelf within a shed at the home, the affidavit states.

The search warrant executed on Bingaman’s home came after the El Paso Police Department arrested him and seven other bikers on Tuesday in connection with the assault-robbery case in East El Paso in August.

Believed to be a member of the Brass Knuckle motorcycle club, Bingaman was arrested on one count of engaging in organized criminal activity-aggravated robbery. He posted a $50,000 bond on the state charge on Wednesday, but was rebooked on the federal charge the same day.

According to jail records, no bond has been set on the federal charge as of Thursday afternoon. Bingaman remained in El Paso County jail at that time.

The other reputed Brass Knuckle motorcycle club member arrested in the case was Jose Luis Holguin, 41.

Also arrested were members of the One motorcycle club, including Arnulfo Ramirez, 42; Dean Rascon, 45; Alejandro Jimenez, 40; and Aaron Michael Palmer, 37.

Bandidos member Carlos Sepulveda, 48, was also arrested.

Several leaders of the Bandidos were previously arrested in August in connection with the assault-robbery case. The leaders arrested were Bandidos chapter president Juan Martinez, 60; sergeant-at-arms James Heredia, 45; and secretary Thomas Decarlo, 32.

SOURCE: ElPaso Times

When it was good

Binder full of Easyriders Magazines from the 1970's

Made to Obey

Police arrest 7 members of various Motorcycle Clubs

Military grade explosives found in home

HORIZON CITY, TEXAS (November 1, 2016) - The police department's gang unit secured arrest warrants for seven Motorcycle Club members on charges of Organizing in Criminal Activity-Aggravated Robbery.

Police said all seven were taken into custody Wednesday without incident at a residence in Horizon City Texas.

Investigators found short-barreled long rifles, numerous military ordnance, and items associated with the construction of explosive devices.

Bandidos MC Vest with Colors

The area was secured and the El Paso Police Department's Bomb Squad was notified. 

Carlos Sepulveda - member of the "Bandidos" motorcycle club. His bond was set at $50,000.

Arnulfo Ramirez - member of "One" motorcycle club. His bond was set at $75,000.

Luis Holguin - member of the "Brass Knuckle" motorcycle club. His bond was set at $50,000.

Dean Rascon - member of the "One" motorcycle club. His bond was set at $75,000.

Alejandro Jimenez - member of the "One" motorcycle club. His bond was set at $50,000.

Aaron Michael Palmer - member of "One" motorcycle club and his bond was set at $125,000.

Loren Jay Bingaman - member of the "Brass Knuckle" motorcycle club. His bond was set at $50,000.

Bingaman's mug shot will be released as soon as the formal booking process is completed.

SOURCE: KVIA News

Just some Brothers

Judge allows unusual evidence for Biker Club trial

A Nova Scotia judge has allowed prosecutors to employ a little-used type of evidence called "Extrinsic Evidence" in an attempt to prove the Bacchus Motorcycle Club is a criminal organization.

NOVA SCOTIA, CA (November 1, 2016) Normally, extrinsic evidence — something that shows similar misconduct — isn’t allowed at trial. But, in a decision released Monday, Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice Peter Rosinski ruled it will be permitted in the case against Duayne Jamie Howe, Patrick Michael James and David John Pearce, three alleged Bacchus members facing charges of uttering threats and intimidation to protect their territory.

“I conclude that the probative value of the proposed evidence outweighs any prejudicial effect on the fair trial rights of Mr. James, and that this is also true in relation to Mssrs. Howe and Pearce,” Rosinski said.

Police arrested James, and Pearce, both of Dartmouth, and Howe, of Grand Desert, in the fall of 2012. All three are slated to go to trial in the next few months.

The charges involve an alleged victim, named only as R.M., who is described as “a simple motorcycle enthusiast,” in court documents, who wanted to set up a recreational motorcycle club in Halifax County.

R.M. “decided that the club should have its own distinctive name, and logo,” to sew on members’ jackets, as well as a patch indicating they were from Nova Scotia, said Rosinski’s decision.

“Before doing so, he searched the Internet, and became convinced that he should first seek the approval of the most prominent motorcycle club in the area; consequently he sought out the approval of the Bacchus Motorcycle Club.”

R.M. “had ongoing communications and personal meetings with Patrick James, who held himself out as the representative of the Bacchus Motorcycle Club for such purposes,” said the judge’s decision.

“Mr. James persuaded him that he could not have a motorcycle club with a ‘three patch’ design as it would be seen as a provocation and sign of disrespect by existing ‘three patch’ motorcycle clubs in Nova Scotia (including the Bacchus Motorcycle Club).”

At some point in the summer of 2012, James approved R.M.’s modified proposal for a single patch that said “The Brotherhood,” associated with a motorcycle club of that name from Montreal.

In late August, R.M. and his friends traveled to Montréal for a short vacation.

An unidentified Bacchus Motorcycle Club Member

“On their return, while at the airport on August 26, one of his club members received a phone call from a neighbour that there were five members of the Bacchus Motorcycle Club at his house looking for him; shortly thereafter, R.M. received a number of text messages in close succession from Patrick James — ‘was hoping to run into you today. If I don't hear from you, I will just pop in your office tomorrow’ — and ‘in Montréal by chance?’ — and — ‘will see you as soon as you get back. Don't waste your dollars on any souvenirs’ — and ‘saw you three came out of the closet on Facebook.’ ”

A “very upset” James allegedly visited R.M. at his office the next day, wearing his leather Bacchus vest.

“‘What the f*** were you thinking? Do you think you could get away with something like that? I f***ing told you that you are not having a f***ing patch,” James allegedly told R.M.

R.M. interjected: “You told me no three-piece — you told me that the Brotherhood name was OK."

But James allegedly denied that was the case. “I f***ing told you that you were not to have a f***ing Montréal Brotherhood patch down here and you went ahead and f***ing did it. We were driving around the whole weekend looking for you because of that picture that went on Facebook, you guys getting patched over in Montréal... because those were coming off your back... you f***ing disrespected us. You more or less or might as well have told us to go f*** ourselves by putting those patches on your back.”

James offered R.M. a way to appease Bacchus. He was to take photos of their clothing and patches being cut up and email them to James, and let the Montreal club know it had no chapter in Halifax.

“R.M. had discussions with his own club members and they decided they should have their cut-to-pieces vests/patches personally turned over to Patrick James; another member of R.M.’s club delivered the remnants of their vests to Mr. James who was in the company of four or five members of the Darksiders Motorcycle Club,” say court documents.

While that appeared to appease Bacchus members, two weeks later R.M. ran into six of them at a charity event wearing their regalia.

“Mr. Howe and Mr. Pearce were among them and in close proximity to R.M., at which point Mr. Howe angrily said to him – ‘I'm telling you right f***ing now, get on your f***ing bike and get the f*** out of here. You're not f***ing welcome here. The only reason why we don't kick the living s*** out of you right f***ing now is because there's too many f***ing people around. You're not welcome at any f***ing biking event in Nova Scotia... I'm telling you to get the f*** out of here right now or you're going to get the s*** kicked out of you... What makes you think you can f***ing disrespect us and then show your f***ing face around here?... Oh, getting the f***ing patch from Montréal? You didn't f***ing disrespect us?... You go f***ing say your hellos, put your money in, and get on your bike and get the f*** out of here, and we don't want to see you anywheres at any events in Nova Scotia. You are f***ing done.’”

R.M., his wife and friends were frightened by these events, said Monday’s decision. The next day, Sept. 15, 2012, R.M. called police. Within days of his giving a statement, police arrested James, Pearce, and Howe, and executed search warrants on the Bacchus clubhouse on Hogan Road in Nine Mile River and homes on Renfrew Road and Elmwood Road in Dartmouth and Dyke Road in Grand Desert.

Investigators allegedly seized vests bearing Bacchus identification, as well as marijuana, magic mushrooms, computers and mobile phones.

At trial, the Crown is expected to try and “establish that the Bacchus Motorcycle Club is a criminal organization, and was so at the time of these offences, and that Mssrs. Howe, Pearce and James were then acting for the organization,” the judge said.

Prosecutors hope to use the evidence of another unnamed witness, dubbed S.H. in the decision released Monday, that they expect to be relevant in the case against all three men.

Defence lawyers for the three accused “argued that the probative value of the evidence is greatly outweighed by the prejudice to the fair trial rights of Mr. James and the defendants generally, and it should therefore be ruled inadmissible.”

S.H. testified that he bought a Harley Davidson in 2009, but was not interested in joining a recreational motorcycle club, despite repeated and “persistent” requests. He eventually made up a fictitious patch for a fictitious club called the Wolverines and put it on his vest along with the words Nova Scotia so people would stop bothering him.

“He had a picture taken from the back, while wearing his unique motorcycle jacket with the three-piece patch on the back. He made it his profile picture on his Facebook page,” say court documents.

In December of 2011, “a couple of members of the Darksiders [motorcycle club]” told S.H. he couldn’t wear that patch.

“I showed them a picture of it, and they said: You can’t wear that patch. There is already a club in Nova Scotia that has that, has ‘Nova Scotia’ on it, so you have to take that off. And in the spring of 2012 as well — I think it was about April or May — a couple of them sort of reinforced that idea that I couldn’t wear that and they told me I had to take the ‘Nova Scotia’ part off of it and the ‘MC’ part off as well. So I don’t think I wore it on my bike. I just had it for a profile picture. It looks good.... at that time we had a bit of a conversation on my property, in front of my barn, and at that time I think I told them that if they saw me wearing the patch, they should take it. And I wasn’t really afraid of them taking it off, because I never wore it.”

Around the end of June 2012, S.H. received a private Facebook message from James.

“He was kind of concerned about, I guess this back patch... So I blocked him. And got in touch with the RCMP to see what this was all about. At that point in time, the RCMP gave me a bit of counselling as to how to handle this, and they suggested that I unblock him and carry on the conversation to try to smooth it over, because I didn’t want to run into any trouble over a fictitious motorcycle patch and motorcycle club. So I unblocked and we carried on a bit of conversation over the course of, I think a couple of days.”

James allegedly carried on a written exchange with S.H. where he eventually agreed not to wear the patches.

“Succinctly put, the Crown alleges that during January–September 2012, Mr. James’s conduct in relation to both R.M. and S.H. reveals that he intervened in the lives of both these recreational motorcycle enthusiasts to ensure that they did not wear or display a ‘three patch’ combination regarding their real or made-up ‘motorcycle clubs,’” said the judge.

“The Crown will argue that his conduct in relation to R.M. was criminal. They say that his conduct in relation to S.H. is relevant, material and should be admissible in this trial involving R.M., because it provides direct or indirect proof of ‘the essential elements of establishing that the Bacchus Motorcycle Club is a criminal organization … and that the offences in question were committed for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with that criminal organization.’ "

SOURCE: Local Xpress

Alleged Lone Wolf MC National President Refused Bail

Erkan Keskin, 39, appeared in court charged with drug trafficking

NEW SOUTH WALES, AU (November 1, 2016) Keskin was charged by the Crime and Corruption Commission on October 26 after a witness into its ice trafficking investigation Operation Gloss came forward.

Keskin's barrister, Anthony Kimmins, offered a $700,000 property in New South Wales as surety his client would not skip bail, as well as another $1 million if it was needed.

"He has fronted up [to Queensland Police] knowing they were going to refuse bail," Mr Kimmins said.

He also argued there was a lack of detail in the commission's report into Keskin.

Magistrate Joan White denied the bail application for Keskin, who holds dual Turkish and Australian citizenship.

 Sign outside the Lone Wolf Motorcycle Clubhouse

"The intercepts show he made comment about leaving the country before they [the police] catch up with him," she said.

She said she was concerned Keskin would threaten witnesses in the Crime and Corruption Commission's investigation.

"It's too serious an offence," Magistrate White said. As he left the dock, Keskin blew a kiss to his visibly upset family.

He is due back in the Southport Magistrates Court on February 7.

SOURCE: ABC.NET