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According to a clerk with the Superior Court of Justice, charges against Barletta were withdrawn the same day.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

Australian bikie clubs heading to Capital

Australian Bikie clubs heading to Canberra because of soft laws 

SYDNEY, AU (January 15, 2017) – Bikie Clubs have declared Canberra a “free for all” zone, with one outfit targeting the nation’s capital because of its lack of consorting laws.

The Dutch Satudarah is among a number of Bikie clubs which have been given legal advice that the ACT would be easier to operate out of rather than other states, where tough anti-bikie laws are in place.

The development is a reflection of the “free for all” declaration — which basically means gangs do not need permission from rival gangs to operate in the area, usually a necessary requirement under loose bikie protocols.

SATUDARAH BIKIE CLUB  | FAST FACTS

* Formally founded in the Netherlands in 1990

* Name originated in Indonesia and translates to “one blood”

* Has 44 chapters with 2000 members in 19 countries

* Established in Australia in 2015

On December 3 and 4 last year the national conference of the Comancheros met and trucked in nearly 70 bikes before riding around Lake Burley Griffin in their colours..

Previously, the Rebels were the only bikie club in Canberra, but now the Nomads and the Comanchero club have established clubhouses and the Finks recently held a national meeting there.

ACT Attorney-General Gordon Ramsay confirmed that while the ACT did not currently have specific consorting laws, it did have a dedicated task force called Nemesis to deal with gangs.

“ACT policing, through Taskforce Nemesis, has executed 131 search warrants across Canberra, seizing weapons, cash, drugs and anabolic steroids,” he said. “As of 30 October 2016, 71 OMCG members had been brought before the court, charged with a total of 217 offences.”

However, NSW Police sources have revealed their exasperation at how the ACT situation is hampering their battle against the bikie menace. “A lot of clubhouses have been closed down and bikies are no longer roaming in packs in NSW but it’s frustrating that they can still operate freely in Canberra,” a senior NSW officer said.

“It means they can have their state and national meetings and plan their criminal activities with less fear of being arrested.”

NSW’s tough consorting laws mean the traditional bikie “runs’’ and wearing colours in public had almost vanished.

On its website Satudarah claims to have chapters in Sydney and Glen Innes but the NSW Gang Squad said the clubs’s presence was nothing more than a “cyber” existence, with no clubhouse or even motorbikes.

“They tried to set up in Sydney and we shut them down. The same in northern NSW,’’ Superintendent Detective Debbie Wallace, head of the Gang Squad, said. “We have not seen physical evidence they are active apart from on Facebook.”

Detective Wallace said NSW’s tough consorting laws mean the traditional bikie “runs’’ and wearing colours in public had almost vanished.

Satudarah’s dream of establishing in Sydney was shattered in November 2015 when police raided a Bankstown garage being used as its first clubhouse.

SOURCE: Daily Telegraph

Iron Horsemen MC Members on Trial

Iron Horsemen MC Members trial to begin Jan 30

GEORGETOWN, Ohio (January 13, 2017) – Almost 10 months after an alleged altercation at an Aberdeen, Ohio, night spot, four of five men charged with alleged gang, assault and riotous activities are heading to a bench trial.

According to the indictments of Wesley A. Gibson, 34 of Hillsboro, Ohio, Robert Bowling, 59, of Cincinnati, John A. McIntosh Jr., 49, of West Union, Ohio, and Franklin Delano Griffith, 36, of Manchester, Ohio, the incident happened on April 17, 2016.

A fifth man is already serving his sentence. Lawrence Wayne Allen Jr. entered a guilty plea to a count of aggravated riot, in August 2016, and was sentenced to two years of probation.

All five are members of the Iron Horsemen Motorcycle Club of Cincinnati, who allegedly approached the business doorman at approximately 1:30 a.m., and were denied entry.

The business worker was allegedly assaulted and Aberdeen police and EMS were called to the scene.

The worker and one of the bikers were taken to a hospital for treatment, police said.

Aberdeen police filed the original complaint...

Security camera image from April 17, 2016

“We reviewed the security video and compared the timelines to determine who was doing what,” said Aberdeen Police Chief Fred Hampton, in April 2016. “We then took what we had to the Brown County Prosecutor, who also reviewed the video and decided to move forward with charges.”

According to Ohio Revised Code 2917.11, a riot is considered disorderly conduct with four or more individuals where violence is involved.

In October 2016, Brown County Prosecutors office requested to join the remaining four cases for trial purposes, which was approved by mutual agreement of the defendants' attorneys and ordered by Judge Scott Gusweiler, court officials said.

“The four cases are being tried at one time, in front of the judge, without a jury,” said Brown County prosecutor Zac Corbin. “The trial begins Jan. 30.”

All four are charged with second-degree participation in criminal gang, second-degree felonious assault with a criminal gang activity specification; fourth-degree riot with a criminal gang activity specification; misdemeanor assault; first-degree misdemeanor trespass; and fourth-degree misdemeanor aggravated criminal trespass.

According to police, security video at the scene helped identify alleged participants in the incident. 

SOURCE: The Ledger Independent