Keeping it steady

Six Members of Hells Angels MC Arrested

New Roc Hells Angels facing federal drugs, racketeering charges

NEW YORK, NY ( March 16, 2017) – Six members and associates of the Hells Angels operating in Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties are facing several federal drug and racketeering charges.

Joon Kim, acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said on Thursday that six members of the New Roc Hells Angels, which operated primarily in and around Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties from at least 2008 to August 2014, had been arrested.

Kim said most of their activities included narcotics trafficking, extortion, money laundering, contraband cigarettes, and prostitution and altered motor vehicle parts.

Thomas Schmidt, Joseph Kaplan, John Calvacchio, Jeff Amato and Gary Paganelli were arrested in New York Thursday morning, Kim said, and Michael Picchone was arrested near Los Angeles. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel in White Plains federal court.

An unknown Hells Angels MC member

The six members of the New Roc Hells Angels were charged with various racketeering, narcotics and money laundering offenses, including assault of a rival club member with a hammer, Kim said.

“As alleged, through the sale of cocaine, oxycodone, and marijuana and their violent conflict with rival gangs, members of the New Roc Hells Angels wreaked havoc on the streets of Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties," Kim said in a statement. "Together with our law enforcement partners, we are determined to combat gang and drug violence throughout the Southern District of New York.”

The assault happened in December 2012, Kim said, when members of the New Roc Hells Angels beat a rival motorcycle club member over the head with a hammer in a crowded restaurant in Poughkeepsie in retaliation for encroaching "on their territory."

FBI Assistant Director William Sweeney said clubs like the Hells Angels often use violence and intimidation to protect their turf and "establish themselves."

"In this case, they allegedly used those tactics by attacking a rival club member with a hammer in the middle of a restaurant and placing innocent people in danger," Sweeney said in a statement. "Regardless of the name these men operate under, the FBI Westchester Safe Streets Gang Task Force works daily to remove these alleged violent members of our society and to create a safer community for everyone."

NEWS SOURCE: The Journal News

PRESS RELEASE: U.S. Attorney’s Office

Easyriders Magazine on Auction Block

Domains, Trademarks, Subscription Files, Facebook Page is listed.

Agoura Hills, CA (March 9, 2017) – Paisano Publications owner and publisher Joe Teresi, 76, announced last week that he’s retiring after 46 years at the helm of the company that was founded in 1971.

All assets of the company including 'In The Wind Magazine', V-Twin Magazine' Tattoo Magazine and the iconic 'Easyrider Magazine' are up for auction.

The auction package also includes: V-Twin Expo, Easyriders Events and 46 years of compiled and copyrighted photos, art, fiction and editorial articles. 

Books out of Print

Over the years, Paisano has published a variety of books sold on the newsstand and through retail channels. All of these are available to be reprinted.

Not included in auction but available for sale:

Other assists not included in the auction package but available for sale include the Easyriders Streamliner, over 400 pieces of original artwork by the legendary Biker Artist David Mann.

David Mann Original Artwork

David Mann was the Norman Rockwell of the biker world. His lifestyle paintings graced the pages of Easyriders and other Paisano titles as centerfolds, advertisements and accompaniment to fiction pieces. Paisano owns a collection of approximately 400 pieces of this original artwork.

..

INFORMATION:

Seller’s Reserve: $3,000,000

Sale Estimate: $5,000,000 to $7,000,000

Terms of Sale: Cash by wire transfer

For further information, please contact: bwood@paisanopub.com

Source and list of assets: Paisano Publications Auction

Hells Angels MC video help police catch suspect

Hells Angel Club House video helps catch man wanted for attempted murder

SPOKANE, WA ( March 3, 2017) – Video surveillance from multiple businesses along the Sprague corridor helped detectives find the man accused of shooting a man in the back of the head near the Bel Air Motel on January 9.

According to court documents, suspect Brice Bailey, 43, was driving erratically on Sprague Avenue just before midnight on Jan. 8. A witness told police Bailey had pulled up alongside his car, with his windows rolled down and proceeded to cut him off. The witness said the man, who he did not know, continued to drive strangely in front of him. He said Bailey turned his turn signal off and on, or merged in the wrong direction repeatedly.

Brice Bailey 

The witness said eventually he turned off Sprague and headed home to his house near 7th and Thierman. When he got out, the suspect was sitting in his car and fired in his direction, the witness said. Another witness said he was awoken by loud music coming from the suspect’s car and watched an arm exit the front passenger window of the car and fire at the first witness.

Later that night, just after midnight, Spokane Police officers responded to a call of a man being shot in the head in the area of East Sprague Avenue. A man staying at the Bel Air Motel called 911 after hearing gunshots and seeing a person lying in the middle of the motel parking lot. That witness described the same car as the witnesses in the previous shooting.

The motel guest went outside to the victim after calling 911 and saw that he had been shot in the back of the head.

SPD identified the shooting victim as Dakota Runge, 17. Runge was taken to Sacred Heart and initially listed in critical condition. As of Thursday afternoon, Runge was not listed as a patient.

Unknown Hells Angels MC Member

Police got video from the Hells Angels Club House across the street – along with other businesses in the area – and were able to track the involved car to Brice Bailey, according to court documents.

Bailey has a criminal history for theft and controlled substances, according to court documents. He was on supervision with the Washington State Department of Corrections and had recently refused to attend a mental health assessment.

“During a routine DOC visit, Bailey was slightly agitated and disturbed, and his mental health stability was a concern,” reported an officer in court documents.

Officials believe Bailey’s actions were random acts of violence. He is being held in Spokane County Jail on charges of first degree attempted murder, as well as a theft charge.

SOURCE: KREM2

Bandidos MC Leaders arrested

Arrest made here after new indictments returned against top Bandidos

WACO, TX (March 2, 2017) – Authorities arrested four top officials of the Bandidos motorcycle club Thursday, one of them in Central Texas, after a federal jury in San Antonio returned a second superseding indictment against the highest-ranking leaders of the club, adding four new defendants and additional murder-related charges, federal prosecutors said.

Thursday morning, authorities arrested the following:

Bandidos National Sergeant at Arms Johnny Romo, 47, of San Antonio; 

Bandidos San Antonio Centro Chapter member Robert Romo, 45, of San Antonio; 

Bandidos San Antonio Centro Chapter Sergeant at Arms Jesse James Benavidez, 40, of San Antonio, 

and Bandidos San Antonio Centro Chapter member Norberto Serna, Jr., 35,  of San Antonio for their roles in the 2006 murder of Anthony Benesh.

Johnny Romo was arrested in Waco and the other three were arrested in San Antonio.

They remained in custody Thursday night pending detention hearings next week before United States Magistrate Judge John Primomo in San Antonio.

An unknown Bandidos MC Member

The 12-count indictment, unsealed late Thursday afternoon in San Antonio, charges all four with one count of discharging a firearm during a murder in aid of racketeering.

Johnny Romo and Robert Romo are also charged with murder in aid of racketeering, prosecutors said.

Benesh was attempting to start a Texas Chapter of the Hell’s Angels in 2006 in Austin, but was warned by members of the Bandidos to abandon the effort, the indictment says.

Benesh ignored the warning.

The indictment charges that the four murdered him on March 18, 2006, outside an Austin restaurant “to protect the power, reputation and territory of the Bandidos enterprise.”

The new indictment includes previous federal charges filed against Bandidos National President Jeffrey Fay Pike, 61, of Conroe, and National Vice President John Xavier Portillo, 57, of San Antonio.

Portillo also faces a new charge of discharging a firearm during a murder in aid of racketeering for his role in the retaliation murder of Robert Lara in January 2002 in Atascosa County for killing one of their own, prosecutors said.

Javier Negrete, a member of the same Bandidos chapter as Portillo, was killed in October 2001 outside a San Antonio bar.

Pike and Portillo are charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeering Influenced Corrupt or RICO) statute; one count of conspiracy to commit violent crimes in aid of racketeering or VICAR, and one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion.

Portillo is also charged with: one count of VICAR (murder); two counts of aiding and abetting VICAR (assault with a deadly weapon); one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine; and, one count of felon in possession of a firearm.

The two are accused of sanctioning and directing members of the Bandidos to carry out such acts as murder, attempted murder, robbery, assault, intimidation, extortion and drug trafficking, prosecutors said.

Jury selection is currently scheduled for August 7, 2017.

SOURCE: KWTX

Outlaws MC rolls into Kingston

Biker club rolls into town – Outlaws MC open new clubhouse

KINGSTON, ONTARIO, CANADA (January 17, 2017) – For years, Kingston has marketed itself as a place to do business. 

Centrally located between Montreal and Toronto with border crossings close by. But it seems that marketing ploy has also caught the attention of a famous biker club.

The Outlaws — the world’s third largest motorcycle club — have set up a clubhouse in this non-descript building — across from the Kingston Centre. The only signage is this Harley Davidson logo and a warning not to take photography of any kind.

According to a former cop and expert on biker clubs, a chapter usually starts with 6 members on probation — before being elevated to full ‘patch’ status after a year.

The Outlaws aren’t hiding the fact they are opening a chapter in the Limestone City — it’s even listed on their website. Outlaws MC Canada

Morganne Campbell:

“I spoke with one club supporter and business owners who operate near the new clubhouse and they say the Outlaws have been good neighbors so far.

In fact, they haven’t had any issues since they moved into this clubhouse.

Now the Outlaws refer to themselves as a brotherhood and not a criminal organisation.”

A point highlighted on their website.

”We have families, jobs, and responsibilities just like everyone else and although the media like to portray us as being criminals, the truth is we share a common goal of enjoying life to the fullest.” Outlaws MC Canada

CKWS news reached out to the Outlaws to speak about their intentions locally.

“We respectfully decline your offer as Outlaws MC Canada does not do interviews. But thank-you and have a nice day.”

Outlaws MC Canada

A former cop and biker club expert who didn’t want to appear on camera says the arrival of the Outlaws in Kingston is a troubling scenario…. because the club could rapidly expand membership.

The last time biker clubs tried to make in-roads in Kingston was over a decade ago — but they left after covert police operations led to arrests … and the seizure of drugs, money and weapons.

So far, there’s no indication the bikers have done anything wrong… and there’s no risk to public safety. But police also made it clear — they’re watching.

SOURCE: CKWS

Former Hells Angel MC leader set free

Former HAMC leader named the ‘Teflon Biker’ after case fizzles

LONDON, ONTARIO (January 16, 2017) – A high-profile, multi-million-dollar gambling bust three years ago has sent one Londoner to jail and two more to trial, but allowed the former head of the city’s Hells Angels to keep his clean record.

The quiet withdrawal of charges against Robert Barletta last fall, the same day his trial began, adds to his reputation as the “Teflon biker” but raises many questions, biker analyst Yves Lavigne said.

“It’s highly suspect that a case in which police spent so many resources would end with the Crown withdrawing charges,” he said.

No one could blame those in Ontario’s underworld for thinking either the police messed up or Barletta played some get-out-of-jail-free card, Lavigne said.

“How can the cops bring to court the former president of the London chapter of the Hells Angels without having done their job properly? It’s incredible to me the former president would be free.”

Barletta, as usual, isn’t talking either directly, or via his lawyer, Richard Posner of Toronto.

About 400 police officers raided a Markham Super Bowl party in February 2013, busting up a multimillion-dollar online gaming site called Platinum Sports book.

Initial arrests were followed by raids a month later in 10 locations, including London, after which several London men faced charges.

The trial for Barletta and Andrew Bielli, also linked to the Hells Angels, began Sept. 12, 2016, in Toronto. Both pleaded not guilty to bookmaking for the benefit of a criminal organization and possessing proceeds of crime.

They then walked to another court to see Gordon Baird, 59, admit he was administrator of the illegal sports ring that grossed more than $103 million in 2009-13. With no criminal record and because he pleaded guilty to bookmaking as participation in a criminal organization, Baird received an 18-month conditional sentence, to be served in his home, and a $400,000 fine.

 Asked by the judge if was pressured by anyone to take the plea, Baird said, “No, sir.”

According to a clerk with the Superior Court of Justice, charges against Barletta were withdrawn the same day.

On Jan. 5, Bielli pleaded guilty to possessing property obtained by crime over $5,000 and was sentenced to 15 months in custody, the clerk said, in response to recent Free Press questions about the status of the trials. Two other London men, David Hair and Christopher Rutledge, have trial dates set for January 2018.

There were no records in the computer system for two more London men charged in 2013, Jeffrey Fuchs and Hiesam Kadri, the clerk said. Still facing trial is William (Billy) Miller, former president of the London chapter of Hells Angels, now living in Toronto.

Barletta has long balanced leadership in the Hells Angels with a squeaky clean record. He was a founding member of the London chapter when it was established in 2003 and ran a strip club that became the target of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. 

A protracted legal battle ended with Barletta losing his liquor license, despite not having a criminal record, because of his association with the Hells Angels.

SOURCE: IFPress

Old Snag's Tank

Close up of Old Snag's Gas Tank