Outlaws MC Members Charged

Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland (February 26, 2020) BTN — Eight people have been charged with trafficking cocaine as a result of an RCMP investigation into outlaw motorcycle clubs called Project Barbarian.

Six of those charged are members of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, also known as the Outlaws MC, or members of its support club the Fallen Few. Project Barbarian was a joint initiative between RCMP NL’s Federal Serious and Organized Crime Unit and the Grand-Falls Windsor RCMP.

The RCMP Emergency Response Team assisted in the arrests and containment of the Outlaws MC clubhouse* located in Grand Falls-Windsor.

“Project Barbarian reflects our priority to disrupt inter-provincial criminal networks responsible for the distribution of illegal drugs in our communities,” said Staff Sergeant Stefan Thoms. “Much of the drugs on our streets are due to organized crime, which includes 1% Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs. These gangs often try to fool the public into believing that they are just motorcycle enthusiasts who give back to the community. That is simply not true. They are known for criminal activities, as we see here with many of those arrested being members and associates of the Outlaws MC. We will continue our work to target drug trafficking networks and lay charges wherever appropriate.

Charges laid:

• Timothy Andrews, age 28 of Grand Falls Windsor, member of the Fallen Few: One count Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) CDSA
• Ryan Ballard, age 28 of Grand Falls-Windsor, probate* (probationary) member of the Outlaws MC: One count Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) CDSA
• Alonzo Brown, 62 years old of Peterview: One count Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) CDSA
• Anthony Chow, age 33 of Grand Falls-Windsor, member of the Outlaws MC: One count Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA)
• Michael Hayes, age 22 of Grand Falls-Windsor, member of the Fallen Few: Two counts Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) CDSA
• Tyson Higgins, age 27 of Botwood: Two counts Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) CDSA
• Dean Langdon, age 25 of Grand Falls Windsor, member of the Fallen Few: One count Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) CDSA
• Jimmy Lee Newman, age 36 of Grand Falls-Windsor, member of the Fallen Few: One count Trafficking cocaine, s. 5(1) CDSA

RELATED | Arrests at Outlaws Clubhouse

The investigation included a search of the Outlaws MC clubhouse in Grand Falls-Windsor. Multiple items were seized:

• Cocaine
• Several telecommunication devices
• Drug paraphernalia indicative of drug trafficking
• One full patch Outlaws MC Vest
• Two probationary Outlaws MC Vests
• Clothing and support gear related to the Outlaws MC and the Fallen Few
• Items related to the structure and organization of the Outlaws MC and the Fallen Few

Mongols MC Clubhouse Raided

Canterbury, New Zealand (February 26, 2020) BTN — Police have raided the new Canterbury headquarters of international motorcycle club the Mongols MC. No one was arrested and inquiries were "ongoing", a police spokesman said.

Part of State Highway 1 (SH1) was closed between Burnham and Rolleston on both sides about 7:00 am as the armed offenders squad and police carried out the planned search. It reopened about 8.30 am.

Stuff understands police raided the new headquarters for the Canterbury chapter of the Mongols MC, which has more than half a dozen members and associates.

Several police cars, including the mobile police bus and what looked like dog squad vans, were seen outside the headquarters at The Old Sawmill in Burnham, opposite the Burnham Military Camp.

The expansion of the Mongols, which first established itself in the Bay of Plenty last year, has created tension in Christchurch's underworld. In the past two weeks a barbershop with links to the club has been firebombed in separate attacks while a tattoo parlor was smashed into with a stolen ute.

Police are exploring whether the attacks are the work of a rival club.

A senior Canterbury-based Mongols figure was kicked out of the Hells Angels last year, which led to the disbandment of the clubs's Quake City chapter in Christchurch. He is linked to the tattoo parlor via an ex-partner.

At least one of the barbershop attacks is believed to have involved Molotov cocktail-like devices. A Mongols member has confirmed the club is connected to the barbershop, but it's unclear what that connection is.

Stuff earlier reported the Mongols MC, involved in a recent North Island shooting, had expanded into the South Island after senior members, including national president Jim Thacker, traveled to Christchurch and started the Canterbury chapter of the club.

A patched Mongols member previously said the barbershop was "sort of" connected to the club. "We haven't caused any trouble, it's just people not wanting us around … we're new to town," he said.

"We're not going out to go get some revenge or anything like that because that's just what everyone expects. That's just stupid, we'd rather just keep our family safe and move on with life, and start our businesses and be happy and ride motorbikes."

He expected police to come knocking on the doors of the clubhouse in the coming days as a result of the attacks. "They expect us to do the retaliation . . . it's just the way society is, we haven't done anything wrong but we're going to be painted out as bad people," he said.

The police spokesman said the armed offenders squad attended "as a precaution" and guarded the road at the Burnham end. Police could not provide any other details on the reason for the warrant.

SOURCE: Stuff

Arrests at Outlaws Clubhouse

Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland (February 26, 2020) BTN — An RCMP operation called "Project Barbarian" has led to multiple arrests and charges in Grand Falls-Windsor — including arrests at a motorcycle clubhouse.

Police plan to release more details today about the operation, which they said targets "drug trafficking with a connection to organized crime."

According to an RCMP spokesperson, multiple people were arrested and charged, including some who were arrested at the Outlaws Motorcycle Club clubhouse in Grand Falls-Windsor on Saturday.

The RCMP have called the Outlaws Motorcycle Club a "one-percenter" organization, and allege it has links to crime. In 2018, police said the Outlaws were looking to expand their presence in Newfoundland.

The Outlaws clubhouse in Grand Falls-Windsor displays a flag with a diamond logo containing the words "Outlaws 1%er."

According to the RCMP's website, "The common term '1% Club' distinguishes outlaw motorcycle riders from the majority of motorcycle enthusiasts who are law-abiding citizens. It's worn as a symbol by outlaw bikers and often seen as a pin, patch or tattoo."

The Outlaws clubhouse is located in a complex across from a gas station, and next to Central Health's community health building.

Three of the men arrested Saturday are facing charges of trafficking cocaine.

Jimmy Lee Newman, 36, Anthony Chow, 33, and Michael Hayes, 23, appeared in provincial court in Grand Falls-Windsor on Monday, and are all scheduled to return to court in April.

They have yet to enter a plea on the charges.

Chow has a criminal record that includes breaking and entering. The last conviction on record was for an offence in 2007.

Vagos MC Members Acquitted

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA (February 24, 2020) BTN — Eight accused Vagos motorcycle club members were acquitted Monday of all charges alleging they were part of a broad criminal racketeering enterprise that committed violent crimes for more than a decade, including the killing of a rival Hells Angels leader in a casino shootout in 2011.

Gasps erupted in the Las Vegas courtroom as U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro read the jury’s not guilty verdicts for each man.

“This is what happens when the government tries to put people away with tricks and liars,” said Daniel Hill, attorney for Pastor Fausto Palafox, former international president of the Vagos Motorcycle Club and first-named defendant in the case.

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The jury deliberated the equivalent of only about two days after more than five months of contentious testimony at the troubled trial that had some witnesses stunningly recant their own stories on the witness stand.

Defense attorneys lost bids during trial to have Navarro throw out the case as deeply flawed — including after prosecutors disavowed the testimony of their own star witness, former Vagos member Gary “Jabbers” Rudnick.

Navarro said repeatedly it would be up to the jury to decide the facts and reach a verdict.

Rudnick testified and then acknowledged fabricating his account that Palafox issued a “green light” go-ahead to kill Jeffrey Pettigrew, then-president of the Hells Angels chapter from San Jose, California.

Palafox, 56, watched Monday as the 10 women and two men filed out of the jury box, and he mouthed the words, “Thank you.”

U.S. Attorney Nicholas Trutanich declined outside court to talk about how the prosecution unfolded and whether the government will continue to trial for 13 other accused Vagos defendants in the case.

“I’m grateful for the court’s time, the jury’s consideration and the diligent work of the assistant U.S. attorneys,” Trutanich said, adding that he believed the jury reached a verdict it found “fair and just.”

The government chose to take the Vagos case to trial despite Rudnick previously recanting his testimony at a state trial that led to a murder conviction in Reno against Vagos member Ernesto Manuel Gonzalez. The Nevada Supreme Court threw out that result because of improper jury instructions. Gonzalez was awaiting a retrial when federal charges were brought.

Gonzalez, now 42, was among the defendants acquitted Monday. Others were Albert Lopez, Albert Perez, James Gillespie, Bradley Campos, Cesar Morales and Diego Garcia. None testified at trial. All are from California. They range in age from 36 to 70.

Collectively, they were accused of conspiring since 2005 to deal drugs and commit violent crimes including killings, robberies, extortion and kidnappings in California, Arizona, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Nevada.

U.S. Justice Department attorney John Han told the jury a “war” between the Vagos and Hells Angels over territory and respect in California dates to 2005 and continues today.

The focus of the case was the shooting inside the Nugget casino in Sparks. The jury was told Rudnick argued with Pettigrew, and that Pettigrew threw a first punch before pulling a gun and firing several shots while casino patrons dived under blackjack tables and behind slot machines.

The melee continued for about two minutes before Pettigrew was shot by Gonzalez. His attorney, Michael Kennedy, maintained that his client was within his rights to defend himself and others when he shot Pettigrew.

The acquittals came in the same courtroom and before the same judge who in December 2017 found flagrant misconduct by prosecutors and dismissed criminal charges against Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, his sons and supporters in a 2014 armed standoff with government agents. An appeal of that dismissal is pending.