Finks bikie club in South Australia has been served with an anti-consorting notice by police under the state's tough anti-gang laws.The notices were issued last week but details were only revealed by bikies spokesman and Finks member Mick MacPherson on Tuesday.He said police went to the homes of every Finks member early on Friday morning to hand-deliver the notices which were issued under section 35 of the Serious and Organised Crime Control Act.Since the club has been named a declared organisation under the act, Finks members can be issued with notices to warn them of the risks of associating with one another more than six times a year.The notices can also be used to stop other people from regularly associating with Finks members.
However, Finks members or other bikies cannot be issued with tougher control orders after the South Australian Supreme Court recently ruled that part of the anti-gang laws were invalid.The state government is appealing against that ruling in the High Court.Mr MacPherson said he believed the actions by police were another attempt to silence the United Motorcycle Council of South Australia in its challenge to the anti-gang laws."One of the most disgraceful aspects of these laws is that you can never know when your number's up," he said."As a citizen, you may come into contact with a member of a declared organisation at the petrol station, at the cricket, wherever."If you collect six strikes against your name, whether you've committed a crime or not, the police can come knocking on your door."In a statement, police said the action taken against the Finks was in line with the declaration on May 14 that the club was a declared organisation."The notices set out that police believe the recipient to be a member of the Finks, that the Finks has been declared pursuant to the Serious and Organised Crime Control Act (and) that section 35 creates an offence in respect of associating with a member of a declared organisation," the statement said."The notices also pointed out the exceptions listed in the act and invited the recipient to obtain legal advice if they were in doubt about their position."
Police said the notices were intended to assist clear understanding of the anti-gang legislation.But Mr MacPherson said if police moved to arrest and charge him, then he would fight the matter in court."If they arrest and charge me then we'll take it to the courts, just like we have with the other matters," he said."And we'll win again."
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Thursday, 3 December 2009
undercover investigation had targeted the Finks motorcycle gang headquarters on the Gold Coast
Three men have appeared in a Brisbane court charged with drug offences after a two-year investigation targeting a motorcycle gang on the Gold Coast.The three men were charged after an operation involving the Australian Crime Commission and Queensland police. David John Grech was granted bail, but Darren James Watson and Phillip Bruce Main have been remanded in custody. Legal representative for Watson and Main, Bill Potts, told reporters outside the court that the undercover investigation had targeted the Finks motorcycle gang headquarters on the Gold Coast. He said the allegations are quite serious and relate to amphetamines, methamphetamines and ecstasy. The men will appear in court again in January.
Monday, 30 November 2009
Gypsy Jokers, Hell's Angels, Rebels, Finks and Descendents bikie club members will for the first time join together
Gypsy Jokers, Hell's Angels, Rebels, Finks and Descendents bikie club members will for the first time join together in protest against the Serious and Organised Crime Control Act, which came into effect in June last year.Dubbed the Freedom of Association Protest Poker Run, about 400 bikies from SA and interstate will mass in Gawler, north of Adelaide, and ride through the Barossa Valley together on Saturday.
And as if that isn't a defiant enough show of unity, a group of motorcycling enthusiasts, including members of opposing clubs, are only a few application process steps away from forming a legitimate political party.The unlikely alliance, known as the FREE Australia Party, hopes to hit South Australia's premier where it hurts - in parliament.The party's leader, Paul Kuhn - a committee member of the Motorcycle Riders Association of SA and a Justice of the Peace - said the group was formed because of deep concern anyone associated with a member of a club would be found guilty under the law."The Government is now controlling and dictating relationships," he said."Not all bikers are criminals and this Act doesn't differentiate between the two."Mr Kuhn is not the only member of the public questioning the civil liberties said to be lost under the Act.The SA Law Society, the SA Council of Social Services, various Aboriginal groups, the Greens and the Australian Democrats have all voiced concern about the legislation.
"This law is designed exactly to find people guilty by association," Descendants club member Tom Mackie told AAP."We are a lot of the things that are said about us, but we are not all of them."
However, Premier Mike Rann said the lawyers who represented bikies and civil libertarians had painted an "almost fairytale concoction" that could lead the public to believe gang members had been awarded Australian of the Year.
And as if that isn't a defiant enough show of unity, a group of motorcycling enthusiasts, including members of opposing clubs, are only a few application process steps away from forming a legitimate political party.The unlikely alliance, known as the FREE Australia Party, hopes to hit South Australia's premier where it hurts - in parliament.The party's leader, Paul Kuhn - a committee member of the Motorcycle Riders Association of SA and a Justice of the Peace - said the group was formed because of deep concern anyone associated with a member of a club would be found guilty under the law."The Government is now controlling and dictating relationships," he said."Not all bikers are criminals and this Act doesn't differentiate between the two."Mr Kuhn is not the only member of the public questioning the civil liberties said to be lost under the Act.The SA Law Society, the SA Council of Social Services, various Aboriginal groups, the Greens and the Australian Democrats have all voiced concern about the legislation.
"This law is designed exactly to find people guilty by association," Descendants club member Tom Mackie told AAP."We are a lot of the things that are said about us, but we are not all of them."
However, Premier Mike Rann said the lawyers who represented bikies and civil libertarians had painted an "almost fairytale concoction" that could lead the public to believe gang members had been awarded Australian of the Year.
Tuesday, 24 November 2009
49-year-old career criminal and police snitch Franco Atanasovic is back in court, accused of bilking friends and neighbours of tens of thousands
49-year-old career criminal and police snitch Franco Atanasovic is back in court, accused of bilking friends and neighbours of tens of thousands of dollars each while living under the witness protection program.
The Winnipeg Sun is not identifying Atanasovic's alleged victims, where the incidents occurred, or any other details that might reveal his whereabouts. The alleged victims say the fraud occurred as Atanasovic was set to testify against local Hells Angels Ian Grant and Ernie Dew.
Two of the alleged victims say they notified Atanasovic's RCMP handler of his activities and were threatened with arrest if they exposed him.
"I said maybe a guy should go to the media so that other people aren't getting taken by this guy," said one man. "That's when he proceeded to tell me that if I did he would have me arrested with interfering with an RCMP investigation."
The Sun has confirmed that Atanasovic, under a new name, is before a provincial court outside Manitoba charged with fraud. His alleged victims say he convinced them to give him up to $60,000 each in return for goods that were never delivered.
Atanasovic's testimony was instrumental in the convictions of Grant and Dew. Grant was found guilty at trial of drug trafficking and extortion and sentenced in May 2007 to 15 years in prison.
Dew, the former Manitoba chapter president, was found guilty of drug and organized crime charges and sentenced last March to eight and a half years in prison. The Manitoba Court of Appeal has since overturned his conviction and ordered a new trial.
One victim who lived on the same street as Atanasovic claims he told him his real name and that he worked undercover for police.
"He actually told me the first time I met him that he worked undercover for them against the Hells Angels in Winnipeg," the man said. "He said that was why he had the motorcycle in the garage. He said the RCMP bought him the house and moved him here."
The man claims Atanasovic strung him along for months, promising him delivery of the goods he had bought.
When the man met another neighbour who also claimed to be a victim and learned about Atanasovic's criminal background, the man demanded Atanasovic give him his money back.
The man says Atanasovic continued to stall him, promising imminent delivery of his goods. Atanasovic later moved to a $1.5-million home in the same city and allegedly continued to defraud new victims, one man told the Sun.
Two subsequent victims said they never would have been cheated if police had taken action when warned of Atanasovic's alleged activities. One man, who allegedly lost $50,000 to Atanasovic, said RCMP "turned a blind eye" to Atanasovic's criminal activities. "I can't believe that they can put a guy in witness protection, knowing he is continuing criminal activities, and not get involved," he said. Victims say their complaints went unanswered by the RCMP, who advised them to file civil lawsuits against Atanasovic. He was eventually charged criminally following an investigation by municipal police. Atanasovic was set to testify against local Hells Angels Ian Grant and Ernie Dew. Two of the alleged victims say they notified Atanasovic's RCMP handler of his activities and were threatened with arrest if they exposed him. "I said maybe a guy should go to the media so that other people aren't getting taken by this guy," said one man. "That's when he proceeded to tell me that if I did he would have me arrested with interfering with an RCMP investigation."
court outside Manitoba charged with fraud. His alleged victims say he convinced them to give him up to $60,000 each in return for goods that were never delivered.
Atanasovic's testimony was instrumental in the convictions of Grant and Dew. Grant was found guilty at trial of drug trafficking and extortion and sentenced in May 2007 to 15 years in prison. Dew, the former Manitoba chapter president, was found guilty of drug and organized crime charges and sentenced last March to eight and a half years in prison. The Manitoba Court of Appeal has since overturned his conviction and ordered a new trial. One victim who lived on the same street as Atanasovic claims he told him his real name and that he worked undercover for police.
"He actually told me the first time I met him that he worked undercover for them against the Hells Angels in Winnipeg," the man said. "He said that was why he had the motorcycle in the garage. He said the RCMP bought him the house and moved him here." The man claims Atanasovic strung him along for months, promising him delivery of the goods he had bought. When the man met another neighbour who also claimed to be a victim and learned about Atanasovic's criminal background, the man demanded Atanasovic give him his money back. The man says Atanasovic continued to stall him, promising imminent delivery of his goods. Atanasovic later moved to a $1.5-million home in the same city and allegedly continued to defraud new victims, one man told the Sun. Two subsequent victims said they never would have been cheated if police had taken action when warned of Atanasovic's alleged activities. One man, who allegedly lost $50,000 to Atanasovic, said RCMP "turned a blind eye" to Atanasovic's criminal activities. "I can't believe that they can put a guy in witness protection, knowing he is continuing criminal activities, and not get involved," he said.
Victims say their complaints went unanswered by the RCMP, who advised them to file civil lawsuits against Atanasovic. He was eventually charged criminally following an investigation by municipal police.
The Winnipeg Sun is not identifying Atanasovic's alleged victims, where the incidents occurred, or any other details that might reveal his whereabouts. The alleged victims say the fraud occurred as Atanasovic was set to testify against local Hells Angels Ian Grant and Ernie Dew.
Two of the alleged victims say they notified Atanasovic's RCMP handler of his activities and were threatened with arrest if they exposed him.
"I said maybe a guy should go to the media so that other people aren't getting taken by this guy," said one man. "That's when he proceeded to tell me that if I did he would have me arrested with interfering with an RCMP investigation."
The Sun has confirmed that Atanasovic, under a new name, is before a provincial court outside Manitoba charged with fraud. His alleged victims say he convinced them to give him up to $60,000 each in return for goods that were never delivered.
Atanasovic's testimony was instrumental in the convictions of Grant and Dew. Grant was found guilty at trial of drug trafficking and extortion and sentenced in May 2007 to 15 years in prison.
Dew, the former Manitoba chapter president, was found guilty of drug and organized crime charges and sentenced last March to eight and a half years in prison. The Manitoba Court of Appeal has since overturned his conviction and ordered a new trial.
One victim who lived on the same street as Atanasovic claims he told him his real name and that he worked undercover for police.
"He actually told me the first time I met him that he worked undercover for them against the Hells Angels in Winnipeg," the man said. "He said that was why he had the motorcycle in the garage. He said the RCMP bought him the house and moved him here."
The man claims Atanasovic strung him along for months, promising him delivery of the goods he had bought.
When the man met another neighbour who also claimed to be a victim and learned about Atanasovic's criminal background, the man demanded Atanasovic give him his money back.
The man says Atanasovic continued to stall him, promising imminent delivery of his goods. Atanasovic later moved to a $1.5-million home in the same city and allegedly continued to defraud new victims, one man told the Sun.
Two subsequent victims said they never would have been cheated if police had taken action when warned of Atanasovic's alleged activities. One man, who allegedly lost $50,000 to Atanasovic, said RCMP "turned a blind eye" to Atanasovic's criminal activities. "I can't believe that they can put a guy in witness protection, knowing he is continuing criminal activities, and not get involved," he said. Victims say their complaints went unanswered by the RCMP, who advised them to file civil lawsuits against Atanasovic. He was eventually charged criminally following an investigation by municipal police. Atanasovic was set to testify against local Hells Angels Ian Grant and Ernie Dew. Two of the alleged victims say they notified Atanasovic's RCMP handler of his activities and were threatened with arrest if they exposed him. "I said maybe a guy should go to the media so that other people aren't getting taken by this guy," said one man. "That's when he proceeded to tell me that if I did he would have me arrested with interfering with an RCMP investigation."
court outside Manitoba charged with fraud. His alleged victims say he convinced them to give him up to $60,000 each in return for goods that were never delivered.
Atanasovic's testimony was instrumental in the convictions of Grant and Dew. Grant was found guilty at trial of drug trafficking and extortion and sentenced in May 2007 to 15 years in prison. Dew, the former Manitoba chapter president, was found guilty of drug and organized crime charges and sentenced last March to eight and a half years in prison. The Manitoba Court of Appeal has since overturned his conviction and ordered a new trial. One victim who lived on the same street as Atanasovic claims he told him his real name and that he worked undercover for police.
"He actually told me the first time I met him that he worked undercover for them against the Hells Angels in Winnipeg," the man said. "He said that was why he had the motorcycle in the garage. He said the RCMP bought him the house and moved him here." The man claims Atanasovic strung him along for months, promising him delivery of the goods he had bought. When the man met another neighbour who also claimed to be a victim and learned about Atanasovic's criminal background, the man demanded Atanasovic give him his money back. The man says Atanasovic continued to stall him, promising imminent delivery of his goods. Atanasovic later moved to a $1.5-million home in the same city and allegedly continued to defraud new victims, one man told the Sun. Two subsequent victims said they never would have been cheated if police had taken action when warned of Atanasovic's alleged activities. One man, who allegedly lost $50,000 to Atanasovic, said RCMP "turned a blind eye" to Atanasovic's criminal activities. "I can't believe that they can put a guy in witness protection, knowing he is continuing criminal activities, and not get involved," he said.
Victims say their complaints went unanswered by the RCMP, who advised them to file civil lawsuits against Atanasovic. He was eventually charged criminally following an investigation by municipal police.
Mark Larner handed himself in to police in the Bristol area earlier this month
Mark Larner was granted bail after being found guilty of riot at Birmingham Crown Court in May, but failed to appear for sentencing alongside seven other bikers in June.The 47-year-old, formerly of Tudor Road, Upper Gornal, near Dudley, handed himself in to police in the Bristol area earlier this month.Three other members of the Hell’s Angels and four members of the Outlaws motorcycle gang were convicted of riot for their part in violent clashes which erupted at Birmingham International Airport on January 20 last year.Larner, whose co-defendants were each jailed for six years, was due to be sentenced by Judge Patrick Thomas QC at Birmingham Crown Court
Mahmoud "Mick" Hawi, 29, chief of the Comacheros will face prosecution over the murder of Anthony Zervas, 29,
LEADER of an Australian motorcycle gang has been charged with murder over a fatal fight involving rival biker gangs at Sydney airport, Australia.
Mahmoud "Mick" Hawi, 29, chief of the Comacheros will face prosecution over the murder of Anthony Zervas, 29, who was bludgeoned to death during a mass brawl involving up to 20 bikers at Sydney's domestic terminal in March.
Police said they arrested Hawi at his home Tuesday and charged him with the murder of Zervas, the brother of a Hells Angel gang member.
Mahmoud "Mick" Hawi, 29, chief of the Comacheros will face prosecution over the murder of Anthony Zervas, 29, who was bludgeoned to death during a mass brawl involving up to 20 bikers at Sydney's domestic terminal in March.
Police said they arrested Hawi at his home Tuesday and charged him with the murder of Zervas, the brother of a Hells Angel gang member.
Mark Larner, 47, was found guilty of rioting in a biker gang punch-up in May this year, but fled to South Africa while on bail before being sentenced.
HELLS ANGEL who was recently rearrested by Police after being convicted of taking part in a riot at Birmingham International Airport has been jailed for six years.Mark Larner, 47, was found guilty of rioting in a biker gang punch-up in May this year, but fled to South Africa while on bail before being sentenced.Seven rival gang members who took part in the airport brawl in January 2008 were sentenced in June for six years each for rioting.
Friday, 30 October 2009
footage of Hunter S. Thompson debating with club treasurer of the Hells Angels, over issues raised in Thomspon’s novel Hell’s Angels
footage of Hunter S. Thompson debating with club treasurer of the Hells Angels, over issues raised in Thomspon’s novel Hell’s Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gang
Amazing footage of Hunter S Thompson debating with club treasurer of the Hells Angels, over issues raised in Thomspon’s novel Hell’s Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs.
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Friday, 18 September 2009
Hells Angels return to Cabarete
After keeping a relatively low profile in town over the spring and summer, the Hells Angels have a presence in Cabarete again. There’s new activity in their bunker (which, if it was ever properly seized in the first place, has been returned to them), the local prostitutes are suddenly flush and the bar they recently opened behind the HA-affiliated “Bozo beverage house” saw some 200 bikers stopping by to initiate its grand opening a couple weeks ago. So while Tiny and Aurèle sit in Canadian jails waiting to face murder and various other charges stemming back to the biker wars of the 1990s, it appears to be only a matter of time until life returns to normal in Cabarete, with our very own Québécois outlaws once again ruling the roost in their adopted homeland of the sunny Dominican Republic. As they like to say around here, welcome to paradise.
David George Gerow was caught by police within hours of a province-wide warrant issued for his arrest.
The member of The Renegades Motorcycle Club, a local affiliate of the Hells Angels, was charged with a number of offences on Monday but did not bring himself forward to police. Instead, said police, they caught him not far from the site of the alleged crimes. Gerow was initially charged with assault causing bodily harm, break-and-enter with intent to commit an assault, forcible entry, and theft valued at less than $5,000 against a male and female in a house north of the city's core.
"He showed back up at the alleged victims' residence just shortly before 10 p.m. last night and he knocked on the door," said RCMP spokesman Cpl. Dave Tyreman. "A friend of the victims' came to the door. Gerow saw the friend and took off. They called the police, and we came and started a search of the area."
A police service dog was one of the responders. The dog and handler found a scent trail quickly and Gerow became their quarry, all within minutes of the complaint call.
"We did about a three-hour dog track," said Tyreman. "For us to track for three hours meant he had to be on the move for three hours. If he hides, the dog will be on him right away."
Just before 1 a.m., Gerow was located by the dog in the 1400 block of Aberdeen Road, which amounted to only a few blocks from where the search began, but the path was meandering.
He was remanded in custody pending a court appearance that could be held as early as today.
"He showed back up at the alleged victims' residence just shortly before 10 p.m. last night and he knocked on the door," said RCMP spokesman Cpl. Dave Tyreman. "A friend of the victims' came to the door. Gerow saw the friend and took off. They called the police, and we came and started a search of the area."
A police service dog was one of the responders. The dog and handler found a scent trail quickly and Gerow became their quarry, all within minutes of the complaint call.
"We did about a three-hour dog track," said Tyreman. "For us to track for three hours meant he had to be on the move for three hours. If he hides, the dog will be on him right away."
Just before 1 a.m., Gerow was located by the dog in the 1400 block of Aberdeen Road, which amounted to only a few blocks from where the search began, but the path was meandering.
He was remanded in custody pending a court appearance that could be held as early as today.
shooting death of a local motorcycle gang leader Dwight Alan Sluder has investigators trying to come up with fresh leads.
Murder of a local motorcycle gang leader has investigators trying to come up with fresh leads.A quiet home nestled in the trees along Baux Mountain Road on the far north end of Forsyth County turned into a bloody crime scene on July 15.Forsyth County sheriff's deputies said they found the body of 48-year-old Dwight Alan Sluder dead from a gunshot to the head.The case is turning out to be more complicated than most, police said, because Sluder was president of the Winston-Salem Hell's Angels motorcycle gang and the killer left virtually no clues.Police said there were no signs of forced entry, no signs of a robbery and no signs of a struggle.After talking to hundreds of people, investigators said they know one thing: whoever killed Sluder knew him.Police said the person who killed the 48-year-old could have been a business acquaintance or a rival gang. They said they don't know for sure, but no theory is off the table.Investigators with the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office, the State Bureau of Investigation and even federal agencies have already devoted hundreds of man hours to the case. However, it could be that one anonymous call to Crimestoppers that finally solves the mystery.
Thursday, 2 July 2009
Andrew E. Seekings going 140 mph.
Andrew E. Seekings, of 1515 N. Madison St., told McHenry police he didn’t see them as he drove a 2006 Yamaha on North Oak Drive and Prairie Avenue near William H. Althoff Park.A police officer clocked him going 65 mph in a 20 mph zone on North Oak Street near Route 120 about 6:40 p.m. Thursday, police said. They found him soon after thanks to help from witnesses who saw him speed by, McHenry Deputy Chief John Jones said.“He said he had been in a fight with his girlfriend,” Jones said. “He wasn’t running from police, because he never saw police. He just took off.”
But Seekings’ driver’s license had been revoked, and he didn’t have the requirement needed to drive a motorcycle, Jones said. He was charged with possession of a controlled substance and 10 traffic offenses, including reckless driving, two counts of speeding and two counts of improper lane use.Prairie Street is a long, residential street without sidewalks, Jones said. Seekings told police he saw adults and children near and on the street. Police said Seekings also told them he had been going 140 mph.“We’re glad no one was hurt,” Jones said. “It very easily could have turned tragic if someone were to walk in front of that motorcycle.”If convicted of the drug charge, Seekings faces between one and three years in prison. He is next due in court Wednesday after posting 10 percent of his $15,000 bail Friday.
But Seekings’ driver’s license had been revoked, and he didn’t have the requirement needed to drive a motorcycle, Jones said. He was charged with possession of a controlled substance and 10 traffic offenses, including reckless driving, two counts of speeding and two counts of improper lane use.Prairie Street is a long, residential street without sidewalks, Jones said. Seekings told police he saw adults and children near and on the street. Police said Seekings also told them he had been going 140 mph.“We’re glad no one was hurt,” Jones said. “It very easily could have turned tragic if someone were to walk in front of that motorcycle.”If convicted of the drug charge, Seekings faces between one and three years in prison. He is next due in court Wednesday after posting 10 percent of his $15,000 bail Friday.
Sunday, 14 June 2009
20 "Hell Angel's" members in custody for criminal association with the objective of committing robbery, extortion, violence
State Police in Verona have taken 20 "Hell Angel's" members into custody for criminal association with the objective of committing robbery, extortion, violence, resisting public officials, and aggravated damages. The investigations, conducted by the Flying Squad of Verona, Vicenza, Padua, Treviso, Rome, Milan, Turin, Trieste, Cuneo, La Spezia, Pordenone, Lucca, Pavia, and Massa Carrara, were coordinated by the Central Operations Service of the State Police, while the Police-Europol International Cooperation Service have started to try to locate and capture residents of Germany and France who are under investigation. Logistically, their headquarters were located at a hotel where 140 Hell's Angels were located who were continually guarding the location. When travelling, they always moved in groups, using two buses and six vans. The group carried mouth guards, cups, protective vests, as well as brass knuckles, chains, sprays, tire irons, barriers, bottles, all used as weapons. Various firearms were also found and confiscated including the notorious 22 calibre "pen gun", axes, swords, scimitars, and irritating chemicals. During the operation, various "club houses" in several Italian cities were seized. These headquarters were when the group's illegal activities were planned and discussed.
Central Saanich police badge and identification found during a raid on the home of a Hells Angels member
Central Saanich police badge and identification found during a raid on the home of a Hells Angels member this week in Nanaimo was stolen from an officer's car last month, police say.Const. Janis Jean of the Central Saanich police said yesterday the badge was taken from an off-duty officer's private car, which was parked in a downtown Victoria parkade May 1.The officer had locked his car, but returned to find a window had been smashed and the badge and other personal items were gone.The officer reported the stolen badge immediately to his department, which issued a bulletin about the theft.The badge and identification was found by Nanaimo RCMP on Wednesday, along with RCMP clothing, loaded firearms and stolen electronics, during a search of the home of a known member of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang. Jean said there is no evidence the officer's car was targeted for the badge, which was stolen along with its accompanying identification -- the name and rank of its owner.By leaving the badge in the car, Jean said, the officer was violating a Central Saanich police policy that officers must carry their badges with them at all times, regardless of whether they are on duty.Jean was reluctant to say if there would be repercussions for the officer, who is described as a "seasoned officer."
"Clearly he's recognizing the consequences of his mistake," she said. "He made a mistake, but in all honesty, we all make mistakes."Jean said incidences of missing badges are rare, citing only one other occasion that she is aware of in her 21-year career in which a badge has been stolen or gone missing.Police are continuing to investigate the theft.
"Clearly he's recognizing the consequences of his mistake," she said. "He made a mistake, but in all honesty, we all make mistakes."Jean said incidences of missing badges are rare, citing only one other occasion that she is aware of in her 21-year career in which a badge has been stolen or gone missing.Police are continuing to investigate the theft.
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
Neale Harrison, 46, from Coventry and 50-year-old Mark Price of Nuneaton, were among those found guilty of rioting at Birmingham airport
Neale Harrison, 46, from Coventry and 50-year-old Mark Price of Nuneaton, were among those found guilty of rioting at Birmingham airport, while another, 44-year-old Marc Wilden was cleared of the charge.Taking part in what has been called a 'battle' by prosecutors in Birmingham's International Airport on January 20 involved members of the Hells Angels and the Outlaws, some of whom had arrived on a flight from Spain and allegedly left onlookers frightened and distressed.Knuckle-dusters, hammers and a meat cleaver were among the weapons recovered by police following the brawl.
Three men were injured in the violence and were taken to hospital, one of whom was seriously injured after being hit on the head.These recent convictions brings the total number found guilty in the incident to eight with three other cleared and a jury failing to reach a verdict on another. Four of those convicted are Outlaw members and the other four are known to be Hell’s Angels. The violence allegedly erupted after some gang members of the Outlaws and Hell’s Angels flew home on the same flight from Alicante, Spain, where it is believed the Outlaws were trying to set up a chapter on Hell’s Angels territory. Some gang members then called ahead, asking others to meet them at the airport with weapons.
Three men were injured in the violence and were taken to hospital, one of whom was seriously injured after being hit on the head.These recent convictions brings the total number found guilty in the incident to eight with three other cleared and a jury failing to reach a verdict on another. Four of those convicted are Outlaw members and the other four are known to be Hell’s Angels. The violence allegedly erupted after some gang members of the Outlaws and Hell’s Angels flew home on the same flight from Alicante, Spain, where it is believed the Outlaws were trying to set up a chapter on Hell’s Angels territory. Some gang members then called ahead, asking others to meet them at the airport with weapons.
Hells Angels Darby Road clubhouse in Welland was seized by the attorney general's office.
President Gerald Ward, is serving a long term in prison. Its membership has been so decimated the chapter was forced to bring in out-of-towners. And now, the club is on the verge of being homeless. During a police raid yesterday, the gang's Darby Road clubhouse in Welland was seized by the attorney general's office. The courts will determine how the building will be disposed of. About 15 officers from the Niagara Regional Police and OPP descended on the rural fortress, which was empty.
One of the property's owners, Hells Angel Tim Panetta arrived shortly after, dressed in a black Hells Angels Nomads shirt. Police officers served Panetta with papers.
NRP spokesman Const. Jacquie Forgeron said the seizure was driven by evidence gathered during a 2006 joint forces, province-wide police operation called Project Tandem.
One of the property's owners, Hells Angel Tim Panetta arrived shortly after, dressed in a black Hells Angels Nomads shirt. Police officers served Panetta with papers.
NRP spokesman Const. Jacquie Forgeron said the seizure was driven by evidence gathered during a 2006 joint forces, province-wide police operation called Project Tandem.
Friday, 22 May 2009
Hells Angel was arrested over a raid on a drug lab at Mawson Lakes nearly two months ago.
Hells Angel was arrested over a raid on a drug lab at Mawson Lakes nearly two months ago.The bikie, 22, from Walkley Heights was arrested along with an Athelstone man, 51. A Mawson Lakes man, 33, was arrested at the time of the raid.Police have alleged the lab was being used to manufacture methamphetamines.When police searched the mens' homes, they allegedly found a tazer, ammunition and nearly $3000 in cash.
Tuesday, 19 May 2009
Highwaymen Motorcycle Club national president Joseph "Little Joe" Whiting held in jail to await trial on racketeering, conspiracy to murder
federal judge on Monday ordered Highwaymen Motorcycle Club national president Joseph "Little Joe" Whiting held in jail to await trial on racketeering, conspiracy to murder, and other federal charges. But U.S. Magistrate Judge R. Steven Whalen ordered the release of two other Highwaymen officials over the objections of prosecutors. Detroit attorney Ben Gonek won the release of Robert "Kwik" Flowers and attorney Lawrence Shulman won the release of Gary "Junior" Ball Jr. However, Ball's release was stayed pending an appeal Tuesday to U.S. District Judge Nancy G. Edmunds. The government agreed to the release of three other Highwaymen defendants, based on Whalen's rulings on Flowers and Ball. More detention hearings are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Detroit. The men were among 74 people named in a racketeering indictment unsealed Thursday against alleged Highwaymen members and associates. The indictment alleges a wide range of illegal activity, from drug dealing to trafficking in stolen goods to violent acts and conspiracies to murder. The FBI has been investigating the club since 2005. Attorney Tim Attalla, who was named in a drug conspiracy charge in the indictment, has been placed on paid administrative leave from Miller Canfield, law firm chairman Michael W. Hartmann said Monday.
Sunday, 3 May 2009
Human remains unearthed in Ste. Genevieve County about 10 days ago were not the first that police have connected to the Invaders motorcycle gang
Human remains unearthed in Ste. Genevieve County about 10 days ago were not the first that police have connected to an "outlaw" motorcycle gang called the Invaders investigators have suspected gang members of killing Randy Greenman, 39, and George Whitter, 36, who vanished in September 2007. Weeks later, their mutilated remains were found miles away and miles apart.The two were not believed to be members, and the motive for their murders is not clear.In addition, a Drug Enforcement Administration agent's affidavit accuses two Invaders members of the 2007 disappearance and presumed murder of fellow gang member Alan Henry Little, 61, of St. Louis County. Investigators theorize that Little was killed for cooperating with authorities. Whether the remains recovered at St. Mary, Mo., were of Little has not yet been determined, authorities said. The remains were found on property that until recently belonged to the parents of an Invader.Earlier this year, police and federal agents in Missouri arrested more than a dozen Invaders and associates on charges of dealing marijuana. Officials seized drugs, cash, hundreds of weapons and more than a dozen motorcycles.
Defense attorneys say they believe that prosecutors filed the marijuana case to pressure defendants into providing information about the killings. Nobody has been charged in the murders.But the brutality of the slayings, coupled with the gang's violent reputation, have given both sides pause. Last year, an Invader with a past murder conviction was charged in Illinois with a federal firearm violation after investigators allegedly caught him with silencers and explosives.Prosecutors are concerned about the safety of their witnesses. A defense attorney has expressed concern about the welfare of his staff. And police told relatives of at least one murder victim to stay clear of the investigation for their own good.
The Invaders Motorcycle Club was founded in Gary, Ind., in 1965, and now has chapters in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Colorado. Its logo is an "angry green monster" in a white vest on a motorcycle. The FBI says total membership is probably fewer than 100.A woman cannot join but can participate if "owned" by a male member, according to court testimony.The Missouri chapter was founded in 1967 and went underground in 1971 because of "pressure from local law enforcement," according to the DEA. The group resurfaced in 1990.Ron Holmes, a former agent of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, who spent two decades investigating bikers, said the Invaders had a long history of drugs and crime.Holmes, postal inspectors and state and local police built a racketeering case against almost a dozen members and "hang-arounds" — including the national president and two chapter presidents — in the mid-1980s. It was called "Operation Gherkin," because officials thought the "monster" looked like a pickle.
Continuing law enforcement pressure started to fracture the gang last year, with federal indictments in Indiana accusing the Invaders of making methamphetamine. A lab raid there netted at least 40 firearms and 10,000 rounds of ammunition, court documents show. Plea agreements show that some of the accused have admitted crimes and agreed to cooperate with authorities.Most of the members who appeared in federal court in St. Louis last month to face drug charges sported long hair, goatees and tattoos on their arms and necks.Their attorneys portrayed them as middle-aged family men with either relatively clean, nonviolent or old criminal records. Attorneys said their clients knew for months that charges were coming, and chose to stay and defend themselves in court.
But prosecutors and investigators apparently see it differently.
At a hearing March 25, U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Mummert said in court that two prosecutors had raised concerns with him early on. "There's some scary issues here in terms of people's safety," Mummert suggested.Assistant U.S. Attorney Ed Rogers has tried to block the customary release of some search warrant information to the defense, warning that it could put people at risk.
The attorney for one alleged Invader charged in the marijuana case told Mummert in a hearing that he was not comfortable letting his staff see evidence in fear that their safety would be imperiled if they knew too much.Mummert said he briefly considered ordering defense attorneys not to share investigators' information with their clients. Ultimately, he decided he could not do that.Defense attorneys say Rogers still will not give them information about witnesses against the Invaders until after their testimony at trial — an unusual move.
Not much information is available about the investigation into Alan Little's disappearance May 31, 2007. Neighbors said police and the DEA searched his home in the 10500 block of Niblic Drive in St. Louis County.A DEA affidavit filed last year says that while Little was in jail on unrelated charges, his then-girlfriend found something in his house that suggested he had cooperated with investigators against another Invaders member.The affidavit also says "witnesses have provided evidence" that after the Invaders found out, two members were involved in Little's disappearance and presumed murder. David Rosener, whose client is one of those two members, said his client was now in protective custody. "Emphatically and absolutely, (my client) did not kill anyone,'' Rosener said. "He's not lily white. He's not perfect, but none of us are.''The attorney for the other Invaders member had no comment.
Greenman, who was separated from his wife and was the father of a young son, had called friends to hang out the night he disappeared.
Court documents show the police investigation into their murders quickly focused on at least one Invaders member in early September, about the time a small wooden yard sign appeared in front of his home accusing the gang of the killings.Phone records showed that Greenman called a phone "commonly used" by the suspect the morning Greenman disappeared and got a call back from a pay phone near the suspect's house in south St. Louis County.St. Louis police interviewed that suspect on Sept. 5, 2007.On Sept. 12, an anonymous caller told St. Louis County police that the suspect and a second Invaders member had killed Whitter and Greenman at the South County house during an "altercation," and that the Invaders had dumped the bodies in Illinois, documents show.Greenman's partial remains were found in Festus in September 2007. Whitter's were found in West Alton two months later. Both had bullet wounds in their heads and appeared to have been mutilated, perhaps with a chain saw, the DEA said.Late that September, a police dog trained to sniff out human blood and bone called its handler's attention to the South County home's front door and a basement window, court documents show.The next day, a contractor started to demolish the house. County officials found out and blocked the demolition. Police searched the home, finding what appeared to be traces of blood. They also noticed that a bathtub and other bathroom fixtures had been removed.
A witness told police the tub and other items had been moved to a used car lot in St. Louis. Police searched the lot that Oct. 29, and seized two tubs and other fixtures.All police agencies involved in the murder investigation either declined to comment or did not return calls seeking comment on the investigation.The home in South County has since been demolished. The driveway now leads to an empty lot covered in grass, with a faint outline where a pool once stood.Attorney Richard Sindel, who represents the home's owner, said his client knew he was on the investigators' "radar screen" because of police interviews and searches. Sindel said he assumed that the murders ramped up the ongoing federal investigation into the gang's marijuana ring.But he was skeptical of the evidence against his client — and allegations against the Invaders.
"I don't see that as going anywhere," he said. "An anonymous phone call?"The other suspect's attorney, Richard Fredman, said, "The only thing that I can tell you is that it's our belief that (he) had no involvement at all in any murders. And to be quite honest with you, the government agrees with me that he has no involvement."
Whitter's widow, Kyrstin Whitter, said she hoped the indictments would lead to answers.When her husband of 17 years went missing, Kyrstin Whitter and her mother-in-law began a frantic search for information. They told anyone who would listen about the night Whitter and Greenman vanished. They posted fliers with his face everywhere they could. And they promised themselves and each other never to give up.But it turned out to be a promise too dangerous to keep.Police told them they suspected the Invaders were involved and asked that relatives, out of concern for their safety, leave the search for answers to the professionals.Kyrstin Whitter said she knew nothing of the Invaders. But, just in case, she cut ties to people she and her husband knew, fearing they could be part of the underground world she said they never knew existed around them.
"It's been a rough year for me, being alone," she said. "If it wasn't for God, I wouldn't have made it. Nothing is going to bring my husband back. But if George's death has taken a lot of really bad people off the streets and out of society, then hopefully he died for a good cause."
Defense attorneys say they believe that prosecutors filed the marijuana case to pressure defendants into providing information about the killings. Nobody has been charged in the murders.But the brutality of the slayings, coupled with the gang's violent reputation, have given both sides pause. Last year, an Invader with a past murder conviction was charged in Illinois with a federal firearm violation after investigators allegedly caught him with silencers and explosives.Prosecutors are concerned about the safety of their witnesses. A defense attorney has expressed concern about the welfare of his staff. And police told relatives of at least one murder victim to stay clear of the investigation for their own good.
The Invaders Motorcycle Club was founded in Gary, Ind., in 1965, and now has chapters in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Colorado. Its logo is an "angry green monster" in a white vest on a motorcycle. The FBI says total membership is probably fewer than 100.A woman cannot join but can participate if "owned" by a male member, according to court testimony.The Missouri chapter was founded in 1967 and went underground in 1971 because of "pressure from local law enforcement," according to the DEA. The group resurfaced in 1990.Ron Holmes, a former agent of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, who spent two decades investigating bikers, said the Invaders had a long history of drugs and crime.Holmes, postal inspectors and state and local police built a racketeering case against almost a dozen members and "hang-arounds" — including the national president and two chapter presidents — in the mid-1980s. It was called "Operation Gherkin," because officials thought the "monster" looked like a pickle.
Continuing law enforcement pressure started to fracture the gang last year, with federal indictments in Indiana accusing the Invaders of making methamphetamine. A lab raid there netted at least 40 firearms and 10,000 rounds of ammunition, court documents show. Plea agreements show that some of the accused have admitted crimes and agreed to cooperate with authorities.Most of the members who appeared in federal court in St. Louis last month to face drug charges sported long hair, goatees and tattoos on their arms and necks.Their attorneys portrayed them as middle-aged family men with either relatively clean, nonviolent or old criminal records. Attorneys said their clients knew for months that charges were coming, and chose to stay and defend themselves in court.
But prosecutors and investigators apparently see it differently.
At a hearing March 25, U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Mummert said in court that two prosecutors had raised concerns with him early on. "There's some scary issues here in terms of people's safety," Mummert suggested.Assistant U.S. Attorney Ed Rogers has tried to block the customary release of some search warrant information to the defense, warning that it could put people at risk.
The attorney for one alleged Invader charged in the marijuana case told Mummert in a hearing that he was not comfortable letting his staff see evidence in fear that their safety would be imperiled if they knew too much.Mummert said he briefly considered ordering defense attorneys not to share investigators' information with their clients. Ultimately, he decided he could not do that.Defense attorneys say Rogers still will not give them information about witnesses against the Invaders until after their testimony at trial — an unusual move.
Not much information is available about the investigation into Alan Little's disappearance May 31, 2007. Neighbors said police and the DEA searched his home in the 10500 block of Niblic Drive in St. Louis County.A DEA affidavit filed last year says that while Little was in jail on unrelated charges, his then-girlfriend found something in his house that suggested he had cooperated with investigators against another Invaders member.The affidavit also says "witnesses have provided evidence" that after the Invaders found out, two members were involved in Little's disappearance and presumed murder. David Rosener, whose client is one of those two members, said his client was now in protective custody. "Emphatically and absolutely, (my client) did not kill anyone,'' Rosener said. "He's not lily white. He's not perfect, but none of us are.''The attorney for the other Invaders member had no comment.
Greenman and Whitter disappeared after leaving the House of Rock bar in Ronnie's Plaza, in south St. Louis County, on Aug. 30, 2007. Police do not believe either was an Invaders member, although the DEA said that Greenman headed a marijuana distribution cell for the gang.Whitter's family and friends said he worked as a bouncer at a bar Greenman once managed in south St. Louis. They said Whitter was not close with Greenman and had not seen Greenman for about a month before they disappeared.
Greenman, who was separated from his wife and was the father of a young son, had called friends to hang out the night he disappeared.
Court documents show the police investigation into their murders quickly focused on at least one Invaders member in early September, about the time a small wooden yard sign appeared in front of his home accusing the gang of the killings.Phone records showed that Greenman called a phone "commonly used" by the suspect the morning Greenman disappeared and got a call back from a pay phone near the suspect's house in south St. Louis County.St. Louis police interviewed that suspect on Sept. 5, 2007.On Sept. 12, an anonymous caller told St. Louis County police that the suspect and a second Invaders member had killed Whitter and Greenman at the South County house during an "altercation," and that the Invaders had dumped the bodies in Illinois, documents show.Greenman's partial remains were found in Festus in September 2007. Whitter's were found in West Alton two months later. Both had bullet wounds in their heads and appeared to have been mutilated, perhaps with a chain saw, the DEA said.Late that September, a police dog trained to sniff out human blood and bone called its handler's attention to the South County home's front door and a basement window, court documents show.The next day, a contractor started to demolish the house. County officials found out and blocked the demolition. Police searched the home, finding what appeared to be traces of blood. They also noticed that a bathtub and other bathroom fixtures had been removed.
A witness told police the tub and other items had been moved to a used car lot in St. Louis. Police searched the lot that Oct. 29, and seized two tubs and other fixtures.All police agencies involved in the murder investigation either declined to comment or did not return calls seeking comment on the investigation.The home in South County has since been demolished. The driveway now leads to an empty lot covered in grass, with a faint outline where a pool once stood.Attorney Richard Sindel, who represents the home's owner, said his client knew he was on the investigators' "radar screen" because of police interviews and searches. Sindel said he assumed that the murders ramped up the ongoing federal investigation into the gang's marijuana ring.But he was skeptical of the evidence against his client — and allegations against the Invaders.
"I don't see that as going anywhere," he said. "An anonymous phone call?"The other suspect's attorney, Richard Fredman, said, "The only thing that I can tell you is that it's our belief that (he) had no involvement at all in any murders. And to be quite honest with you, the government agrees with me that he has no involvement."
Whitter's widow, Kyrstin Whitter, said she hoped the indictments would lead to answers.When her husband of 17 years went missing, Kyrstin Whitter and her mother-in-law began a frantic search for information. They told anyone who would listen about the night Whitter and Greenman vanished. They posted fliers with his face everywhere they could. And they promised themselves and each other never to give up.But it turned out to be a promise too dangerous to keep.Police told them they suspected the Invaders were involved and asked that relatives, out of concern for their safety, leave the search for answers to the professionals.Kyrstin Whitter said she knew nothing of the Invaders. But, just in case, she cut ties to people she and her husband knew, fearing they could be part of the underground world she said they never knew existed around them.
"It's been a rough year for me, being alone," she said. "If it wasn't for God, I wouldn't have made it. Nothing is going to bring my husband back. But if George's death has taken a lot of really bad people off the streets and out of society, then hopefully he died for a good cause."
Hells Angels brother of a man bludgeoned to death at Sydney airport. has been gunned down at his home in Sydney's southwest
Hells Angels brother of a man bludgeoned to death at Sydney airport. has been gunned down at his home in Sydney's southwest .
Peter Zervas, 32, was shot in the chest, arm and abdomen about 11.30pm (AEDT) last night while getting out of his vehicle in an underground carpark at a unit block in Punchbowl Road, Lakemba.
It is believed the attackers were lying in waiting and fled the scene shortly after the shooting. While police would not speculate whether the injured man was Mr Zervas, the unit block is believed to be where Hells Angel Peter Zervas and his family live.
The man was found slumped on the ground, bleeding heavily from his injuries. Four ambulance officers, under police guard, battled to keep him alive in the back of the ambulance as he was taken to St George hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery early this morning. He is currently in a serious but stable condition.
The public order and riot squad were stationed at the hospital early today. Three armed security guards were stationed in the emergency department while two police cars and Polair were patrolling outside the building. Mr Zervas's parents, his mother dressed in black, were escorted out of the hospital by two police officers just before 1pm (AEDT). They got in the back seat of a black car with tinted windows that then drove away from the hospital. Officers from Strike Force Raptor, the anti-bikie operation which was officially launched last week, are now investigating the shooting. Police last night locked down a 300m stretch of Punchbowl Rd as forensic officers, detectives and police dogs scoured the street looking for shell casings and other clues.
Police are appealing for the driver of a white motor vehicle, who encountered a man who fled the scene, to come forward. The man was described as being around 173cm tall, of muscular build, with long dark collar length hair and wearing a dark long sleeved jacket and dark jeans. The driver had to sound his horn while avoiding the man running across Punchbowl Road shortly after the gunshots were heard.
NSW police Gang Squad Commander Mal Lanyon refused to confirm the identity of the latest victim but did say he was a member of the Hells Angels. "We're not actually revealing how many times he was shot," Detective Superintendent Lanyon told ABC Radio. "He was certainly shot a number of times." When asked whether the shooter was a bikie, he said: "I think it's probably realistic that we will be looking at other motorcycle gangs." Det Supt Lanyon would not say whether police had information that Peter Zervas was in any danger prior to the shooting. He said public should not believe the gangs were a law unto themselves and police were putting as many resouces as possible into stemming the violence. "The police are in control of these matters, the police are certainly taking them seriously," he said. "Obviously I'm not about to tell you these matters will stop today but certainly we treat them seriously."
He said violence between gangs was common and escalated from time to time. Shortly after the shooting police were also called to a business in Kings Cross which had been sprayed with gunfire.Several shots were fired and penetrated the structure of the business but no one was injured. Two men were seen leaving the area on foot shortly after the shots were heard.
Peter Zervas, 32, was shot in the chest, arm and abdomen about 11.30pm (AEDT) last night while getting out of his vehicle in an underground carpark at a unit block in Punchbowl Road, Lakemba.
It is believed the attackers were lying in waiting and fled the scene shortly after the shooting. While police would not speculate whether the injured man was Mr Zervas, the unit block is believed to be where Hells Angel Peter Zervas and his family live.
The man was found slumped on the ground, bleeding heavily from his injuries. Four ambulance officers, under police guard, battled to keep him alive in the back of the ambulance as he was taken to St George hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery early this morning. He is currently in a serious but stable condition.
The public order and riot squad were stationed at the hospital early today. Three armed security guards were stationed in the emergency department while two police cars and Polair were patrolling outside the building. Mr Zervas's parents, his mother dressed in black, were escorted out of the hospital by two police officers just before 1pm (AEDT). They got in the back seat of a black car with tinted windows that then drove away from the hospital. Officers from Strike Force Raptor, the anti-bikie operation which was officially launched last week, are now investigating the shooting. Police last night locked down a 300m stretch of Punchbowl Rd as forensic officers, detectives and police dogs scoured the street looking for shell casings and other clues.
Police are appealing for the driver of a white motor vehicle, who encountered a man who fled the scene, to come forward. The man was described as being around 173cm tall, of muscular build, with long dark collar length hair and wearing a dark long sleeved jacket and dark jeans. The driver had to sound his horn while avoiding the man running across Punchbowl Road shortly after the gunshots were heard.
NSW police Gang Squad Commander Mal Lanyon refused to confirm the identity of the latest victim but did say he was a member of the Hells Angels. "We're not actually revealing how many times he was shot," Detective Superintendent Lanyon told ABC Radio. "He was certainly shot a number of times." When asked whether the shooter was a bikie, he said: "I think it's probably realistic that we will be looking at other motorcycle gangs." Det Supt Lanyon would not say whether police had information that Peter Zervas was in any danger prior to the shooting. He said public should not believe the gangs were a law unto themselves and police were putting as many resouces as possible into stemming the violence. "The police are in control of these matters, the police are certainly taking them seriously," he said. "Obviously I'm not about to tell you these matters will stop today but certainly we treat them seriously."
He said violence between gangs was common and escalated from time to time. Shortly after the shooting police were also called to a business in Kings Cross which had been sprayed with gunfire.Several shots were fired and penetrated the structure of the business but no one was injured. Two men were seen leaving the area on foot shortly after the shots were heard.
Anthony Zervas, 29, was bludgeoned to death during a brawl in the domestic terminal at Sydney Airport on the afternoon of March 22.
He was killed during a fight between 15 members of the Hells Angels and the rival bikie gang the Comancheros. Five people have been charged with affray over the brawl but no one has been charged with Zervas' death after security footage at the airport did not directly show the brawl. Amid public cries outlaw bikie gangs were out of control, an additional 75 police officers added to Strike Force Raptor to help target the gangs and their alleged illegal activities.
Sunday, 26 April 2009
Jeff Garvin "Fat Dog" Smith of Mount Clemens, is charged with drug trafficking and illegal possession of body armor.
The club's national president, Jeff Garvin "Fat Dog" Smith of Mount Clemens, is charged with drug trafficking and illegal possession of body armor.Macomb County judge says he's been questioned by the FBI about a case involving the Devil's Disciples motorcycle club.District Judge Paul Cassidy said Friday agents took records from the courthouse in their investigation of whether he gave club members preferential treatment.
Cassidy said he was a boyhood friend of 54-year-old Smith. He said he'd presided over cases involving club members but gave no special treatment.A number of arrests have been made since the investigation began in 2002. Smith contends his group is just a club for people who like Harley-Davidsons.
Cassidy said he was a boyhood friend of 54-year-old Smith. He said he'd presided over cases involving club members but gave no special treatment.A number of arrests have been made since the investigation began in 2002. Smith contends his group is just a club for people who like Harley-Davidsons.
Thursday, 23 April 2009
50 people with insignias of the Renegades Motorcycle Club
Danny Justice, William Wolf and Jerry Gurganus, charged in connection with the abduction and beating of William Roberts on East Washington Street on Jan. 7, were charged with abduction, assault by mob and conspiracy to commit abduction, charges that were certified to the grand jury.As about 50 people with insignias of the Renegades Motorcycle Club looked on, General District Judge Jim Moore ruled that prosecutors did not prove that the three men were members of the same motorcycle gang that was implicated in illegal acts in federal court in 1988 and 1989.judge on Monday dismissed gang-membership charges against three men but convicted them on misdemeanor assault charges and sent felony charges to a grand jury.
Justice, who was accused of punching Roberts in the face when Roberts went into Monk's Auto Salvage on Jan. 5 to buy a used auto part, was found guilty of misdemeanor assault and sentenced in the lower court to six months with five months suspended. He was also sentenced to six months, with five months suspended, on the Jan. 7 assault charge.Wolf and Gurganus were found guilty of the assault charge on Jan. 7. Wolf was sentenced to the same term as Justice, and Gurganus was sentenced to a year with six months suspended.The three men will have a bond hearing at 9 a.m. Thursday. They were denied bond when originally charged.The disagreement started when Roberts visited Justice's junk yard. Roberts testified that he left the business after being struck by Justice. But two days later, when visiting a motorcycle shop on East Washington, near the police station, he said he was blocked into a parking lot and beaten in the face by Gurganus. Justice and Wolf stood by his car while Gurganus hit him, he said.Roberts said he didn't intend to file charges until he was approached by a police officer who witnessed the assault. Roberts said the men told him he had made the Renegade nation mad and that he had 24 hours to leave town.Prosecutor Marie Walls said the gang charges could still be pursued on direct indictment.
Justice, who was accused of punching Roberts in the face when Roberts went into Monk's Auto Salvage on Jan. 5 to buy a used auto part, was found guilty of misdemeanor assault and sentenced in the lower court to six months with five months suspended. He was also sentenced to six months, with five months suspended, on the Jan. 7 assault charge.Wolf and Gurganus were found guilty of the assault charge on Jan. 7. Wolf was sentenced to the same term as Justice, and Gurganus was sentenced to a year with six months suspended.The three men will have a bond hearing at 9 a.m. Thursday. They were denied bond when originally charged.The disagreement started when Roberts visited Justice's junk yard. Roberts testified that he left the business after being struck by Justice. But two days later, when visiting a motorcycle shop on East Washington, near the police station, he said he was blocked into a parking lot and beaten in the face by Gurganus. Justice and Wolf stood by his car while Gurganus hit him, he said.Roberts said he didn't intend to file charges until he was approached by a police officer who witnessed the assault. Roberts said the men told him he had made the Renegade nation mad and that he had 24 hours to leave town.Prosecutor Marie Walls said the gang charges could still be pursued on direct indictment.
Sunday, 19 April 2009
Biker Gangs of Canada
Biker Gangs of Canada
Hells Angels
Criminal Intelligence Service Canada describes the Hells Angels as the largest "outlaw motorcycle gang" in the country, with active chapters concentrated mostly in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia.In its 2004 report, CISC said the Angels derives "significant financial income" from criminal activities such as prostitution, fraud and extortion but primarily relied on drug trafficing for income.The gang moved into Ontario in 2000. Before that, its only presence in the province was with a chapter of the Nomads, the club's elite branch. The Nomads doesn't tie itself to geographical locations and doesn't have formal clubhouses, like other chapters.Within a year, the Angels had absorbed members of the Para Dice Riders, Satan's Choice and Last Chance, giving them at least 100 members in the Toronto area — the highest concentration of Hells Angels in the world.In mid-April 2009, police targeted more than 150 people linked with the Hells Angels in early-morning raids mostly in Quebec, but also in New Brunswick, France and the Dominican Republic. They also seized four suspected Hells Angels bunkers.
Bandidos
It's considered world's second-most powerful criminal biker gang, with more than 2,000 members in 14 countries, according to NGIC's 2009 report, which describes the Bandidos as a "growing criminal threat."The Bandidos was founded in the 1960s in Texas. The club's old guard was said to be against its absorption of the Rock Machine's Ontario branches for fear of igniting the same kind of war with the Hells Angels that gripped Quebec for much of the 1990s and left at least 150 people dead.In April 2006, eight people — all Bandidos members or associates — were found dead in a farmer's field near the small town of Shedden, Ont., about 30 kilometres southwest of London. Police said the killings virtually wiped out the Toronto chapter of the Bandidos.
Outlaws
First established in the United States in 1935, the gang came to Canada in 1978 when several chapters of Satan's Choice in Montreal changed allegiance and set up shop as the Outlaws Motorcycle Club of Canada. The group is known to detest members of the Hells Angels.
Rock Machine
Second only to Hells Angels in Quebec. A long-running turf war with the Angels left more than 150 people dead as the two fought over the lucrative trade in illegal drugs. The war also led to the passage of anti-gang legislation by the federal government.
As the Hells Angels expanded into Ontario, so did the Rock Machine. The organization established three chapters. In 2001, it aligned itself with the Bandidos.
Satan's Choice
Once one of Ontario's strongest motorcycle gangs, Satan's Choice became part of the Hells Angels' 2000-2001 expansion into Ontario. Satan's Choice had branches in Keswick, Kitchener, Oshawa, Sudbury, Simcoe County, Thunder Bay and Toronto — but nothing outside the province.
Para Dice Riders
Another group that was once among Ontario's strongest biker gangs. Its membership was limited to the Toronto area. The group was absorbed by the Hells Angels in 2001, when the Angels moved into Ontario.
Last Chance
Another small Ontario-based biker gang that agreed to switch over to the Hells Angels when the world's most power biker gang moved into the province.
Lobos
Originally concentrated in the Windsor, Ont., area, the Lobos motorcycle gang decided to take up the Hells Angels on its offer of merger in 2001.
Loners
The Loners Motorcycle Club was founded in Ontario in 1979 with a handful of chapters, including a now-defunct one in southwestern Ontario that was headed by Wayne Kellestine. As part of its Ontario expansion drive, the Hells Angels tried to persuade the St. Thomas Loners chapter to join the Angels. Kellestine — who was injured in an assassination attempt in 1999 — resisted.
The club has expanded to the United States and Europe, but in Ontario, its highest profile in recent years was a legal fight by a Toronto chapter to keep its mascot on its property north of the city, in 2001. The neutered, declawed lion named Woody was moved to an animal sanctuary.
Vagabonds
Another Ontario-based motorcycle gang that was more or less absorbed by the Hells Angels when it expanded into Ontario in 2000-2001.
The Red Devils
Said to be the oldest motorcycle gang in Canada, the group is made up of a couple of dozen members concentrated in the Hamilton, Ont., area.
Friday, 17 April 2009
Emery “Pit” Martin, the only full patch member of the Hells Angels known to be living in the province, was arrested
Emery “Pit” Martin, the only full patch member of the Hells Angels known to be living in the province, was arrested. His associates Reginald Martin of Sainte-Anne-de-Madawaska, Eric Martin of Grand Falls and Michel Rivard of Saint-Quentin are also facing charges.Four men have been charged following a joint forces operation targeting a Hells Angels cell operating in northwestern New Brunswick.They include conspiracy to traffic in controlled substances, gangsterism, being members of an organized crime group, and committing a criminal act for a criminal organization. Martin is also charged with conspiracy to commit murder. Police seized drugs, drug equipment and firearms during operation Jacoby on Tuesday.
Saturday, 11 April 2009
Lost Breed v Red Devils
Red Devils are known as a "puppet gang" for the Hells Angels, who are notorious for organised criminal activity.Lost Breed spokesman Rick Sanders said the club did not want any confrontation."We've already had one confrontation down the track, and we don't want any more," he said, referring to a confrontation with visiting Highway 61 members at Nelson's mardi gras in 1979.He said the Lost Breed was trying to go forward. "We don't want to be gangsters we are part of this community, so really it's sort of a new beginning."
The Lost Breed wanted to get on with the community, and was even planning an open day with neighbouring businesses at its clubrooms, which sported a circular bar so members could ride around it.
Mr Sanders described the 33-year-old club, whose members ranged in age from mid-20s to 60s and had regular jobs, as an extended family whose members helped each other.It had enjoyed a resurgence, with older members who had drifted away returning. "They've gone back because their families have grown up. We're all still very close friends and we're into our motorcycles."He said they had plans to join the poker run, advertised as being organised by Nelson Motorcycle Events, but then learned what was going on. "It was a bit of a setup."Mr Sanders described the new gang as a business, out to make money, that possibly saw an opening in Nelson.He said Nelsonians should be worried."It is a big organisation. They are local boys involved in it, but it is the bigger picture you have to take into account."The Nelson public needs to stand up and say, `We don't want them'."The community needed to come together and work with the police, he said.It was also possible that the Mongrel Mob would move into Nelson, he said. "They don't get on with the Hells Angels. They're battling them all around New Zealand, so where they go, the Mongrel Mob usually go."Gang confrontations have escalated in Australia, with a Hells Angel clubhouse bombed, a man bashed to death at Sydney Airport and his brother later gunned down."It's all to do with business which we are not interested in," Mr Sanders said. "It's to do with turf and what goes on moneywise."
He expected that law changes would be introduced to protect the public.Asked what would happen if Lost Breed members were not allowed to wear their colours, he said: "Not a problem; we would face that and work around it."Antisocial clubs should be outlawed, he said.Nelson Bays police area commander Inspector Brian McGurk said: "It is admirable that the Lost Breed are against family violence and P, but I wonder if they are also against the use of cannabis and the unrestricted sale of alcohol."The fact remained that some members had been engaged in criminal activity, he said.
Mr Sanders said this was individuals, not the club. "They have all gone some of them have been pushed, some have gone on their own. They are people who have abused our club and used it for their own gain. The Lost Breed as a club has never been involved in any of that."It was a club rule that if a member was caught being involved in P, they were out. "They are not allowed in the club, and that goes for any white powder."Mr McGurk said the Lost Breed were feeling threatened by another group in the area. "They have some concerns, as we do, but our motives are slightly different."
The Lost Breed wanted to get on with the community, and was even planning an open day with neighbouring businesses at its clubrooms, which sported a circular bar so members could ride around it.
Mr Sanders described the 33-year-old club, whose members ranged in age from mid-20s to 60s and had regular jobs, as an extended family whose members helped each other.It had enjoyed a resurgence, with older members who had drifted away returning. "They've gone back because their families have grown up. We're all still very close friends and we're into our motorcycles."He said they had plans to join the poker run, advertised as being organised by Nelson Motorcycle Events, but then learned what was going on. "It was a bit of a setup."Mr Sanders described the new gang as a business, out to make money, that possibly saw an opening in Nelson.He said Nelsonians should be worried."It is a big organisation. They are local boys involved in it, but it is the bigger picture you have to take into account."The Nelson public needs to stand up and say, `We don't want them'."The community needed to come together and work with the police, he said.It was also possible that the Mongrel Mob would move into Nelson, he said. "They don't get on with the Hells Angels. They're battling them all around New Zealand, so where they go, the Mongrel Mob usually go."Gang confrontations have escalated in Australia, with a Hells Angel clubhouse bombed, a man bashed to death at Sydney Airport and his brother later gunned down."It's all to do with business which we are not interested in," Mr Sanders said. "It's to do with turf and what goes on moneywise."
He expected that law changes would be introduced to protect the public.Asked what would happen if Lost Breed members were not allowed to wear their colours, he said: "Not a problem; we would face that and work around it."Antisocial clubs should be outlawed, he said.Nelson Bays police area commander Inspector Brian McGurk said: "It is admirable that the Lost Breed are against family violence and P, but I wonder if they are also against the use of cannabis and the unrestricted sale of alcohol."The fact remained that some members had been engaged in criminal activity, he said.
Mr Sanders said this was individuals, not the club. "They have all gone some of them have been pushed, some have gone on their own. They are people who have abused our club and used it for their own gain. The Lost Breed as a club has never been involved in any of that."It was a club rule that if a member was caught being involved in P, they were out. "They are not allowed in the club, and that goes for any white powder."Mr McGurk said the Lost Breed were feeling threatened by another group in the area. "They have some concerns, as we do, but our motives are slightly different."
Thursday, 9 April 2009
Gypsy Jokers from Craigmore will face 13 charges
Five associates of the Gypsy Jokers motorcycle gang have been arrested in a series of raids across South Australia.Police say about 100 officers searched 20 properties in Adelaide and at Peterborough, Mount Gambier, Carpenter Rocks and Sedan.Detective Superintendent Des Bray says the most significant seizure was at Peterborough - a locked trunk containing an array of guns, swords and instructions for making bombs and amphetamines.
"They're shotguns that have been modified for no other purpose than to be used as a weapon and a quite devastating weapons at that," he said.
He says a man surrendered to police when they contacted him about the discovery."We searched the premises where the weapons were stored and he obviously wasn't there,' he said.And we'll allege at some time previous that he put the weapons there because it was a safe location or safe house for him if you like and when we recovered the weapons today we made contact with him and he then surrendered."A Gypsy Jokers member, 34, from Craigmore will face 13 charges.Police have charged four other Gypsy Jokers associates with guns and drug offences and say more people are being sought.
"They're shotguns that have been modified for no other purpose than to be used as a weapon and a quite devastating weapons at that," he said.
He says a man surrendered to police when they contacted him about the discovery."We searched the premises where the weapons were stored and he obviously wasn't there,' he said.And we'll allege at some time previous that he put the weapons there because it was a safe location or safe house for him if you like and when we recovered the weapons today we made contact with him and he then surrendered."A Gypsy Jokers member, 34, from Craigmore will face 13 charges.Police have charged four other Gypsy Jokers associates with guns and drug offences and say more people are being sought.
Saturday, 4 April 2009
Don Bryce Lyons, 36, pleaded guilty yesterday to one charge of conspiracy to traffic in cocaine.
Don Bryce Lyons, 36, pleaded guilty yesterday to one charge of conspiracy to traffic in cocaine. He was among 18 drug dealers and Hells Angels associates arrested in late 2007 after a year-long undercover police investigation targeting organized crime, dubbed Project Drill. Lyons, a resident of Kelowna, came to the attention of Manitoba investigators through his association with Project Drill target Lester Jones, then vice-president of the Kelowna Hells Angels. Court heard Jones was a longtime friend of Scott Robertson, a career criminal who was paid more than $600,000 to buy drugs from Project Drill suspects while police recorded the proceedings.
Lyons belonged to a gang of drug dealers who called themselves the Independent Soldiers, said Crown attorney Chris Mainella. He was also Jones' primary source for drugs. Robertson purchased several kilograms of cocaine through Jones before arranging a drug buy with Lyons in a Kelowna hotel room. Police video cameras captured Lyons exchanging 1 kg of cocaine for $26,000. Police arrested Lyons in December 2007 and executed search warrants at two luxurious rental homes in Kelowna and Vancouver. Despite having a declared income that year of just $354, Lyons was living a life of lavish extravagance, Mainella said. The Kelowna home he shared with his common-law wife and young son cost $3,500 a month to rent, which he paid in cash. The couple drove luxury automobiles -- Lyons a 2007 Cadillac Escalade, his wife a 2006 BMW XS. Their fleet of vehicles also included three motorcycles and a new pickup truck. Police seized an arsenal of weapons from the homes, including 19 guns, two Tasers, several silencers and a grenade. Police also seized six handguns from hidden compartments inside the Escalade. Lyons had never set foot in Manitoba prior to his arrest, Mainella said. A stiff sentence was necessary to send the message "that this is not a friendly place for drug-dealing," Mainella said. As part of his sentence, Lyons agreed to forfeit $75,000 in property and paid a $26,000 fine. Justice John Scurfield gave Lyons double credit of 30 months for time served, reducing his remaining sentence to six years.
Lyons belonged to a gang of drug dealers who called themselves the Independent Soldiers, said Crown attorney Chris Mainella. He was also Jones' primary source for drugs. Robertson purchased several kilograms of cocaine through Jones before arranging a drug buy with Lyons in a Kelowna hotel room. Police video cameras captured Lyons exchanging 1 kg of cocaine for $26,000. Police arrested Lyons in December 2007 and executed search warrants at two luxurious rental homes in Kelowna and Vancouver. Despite having a declared income that year of just $354, Lyons was living a life of lavish extravagance, Mainella said. The Kelowna home he shared with his common-law wife and young son cost $3,500 a month to rent, which he paid in cash. The couple drove luxury automobiles -- Lyons a 2007 Cadillac Escalade, his wife a 2006 BMW XS. Their fleet of vehicles also included three motorcycles and a new pickup truck. Police seized an arsenal of weapons from the homes, including 19 guns, two Tasers, several silencers and a grenade. Police also seized six handguns from hidden compartments inside the Escalade. Lyons had never set foot in Manitoba prior to his arrest, Mainella said. A stiff sentence was necessary to send the message "that this is not a friendly place for drug-dealing," Mainella said. As part of his sentence, Lyons agreed to forfeit $75,000 in property and paid a $26,000 fine. Justice John Scurfield gave Lyons double credit of 30 months for time served, reducing his remaining sentence to six years.
Christian Birch, 38 was allegedly found with a fully loaded .45 calibre black semi-automatic pistol down his pants
outlaw motorcycle member Christian Birch, 38, who also works as a labourer, was allegedly found with a fully loaded .45 calibre black semi-automatic pistol down his pants when police pulled him over on his Harley Davidson motorcycle on Friday. Police said Birch was wearing full Hell's Angels club colours before officers from Strike Force Raptor pulled him over on Garden Street, Alexandria, about 4.30pm (AEDT) on Friday. Birch, a disqualified driver, told police he had a pistol down the front of his pants, police facts tendered to Parramatta Local Court allege. 'In light of recent violent events, police exercised extreme caution in stopping the accused and he was instructed to lay face down on the road,' the police fact sheet says. Birch is currently disqualified from driving until 2012. 'The accused is the holder of an R (restricted) learner licence and as such is restricted to riding motorcycles with a capacity below 660ml. 'The cycle he was riding exceeded this limit and is not a learner-approved motorcycle.' Police said Birch had a good behaviour condition attached to his licence and a one-year suspended sentence. Officers from Strike Force Raptor and the State Crime Command Gangs Squad also raided two homes - at Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, and Wyndham Street, Alexandria - after the arrest.
Officers seized a shotgun, a bulletproof helmet, a large amount of ammunition, Hells Angels colours and a large amount of liquid thought to be a derivative of GBH during the Alexandria raid, police allege. Birch has been charged with two counts of possessing a prohibited firearm and one count each of possessing a loaded firearm in a public place, not keeping a firearm secure, possessing ammunition and driving while disqualified. He did not appear in court and did not apply for bail after his legal team requested the matter be adjourned. Bail was formally refused and the matter adjourned to Sydney's Central Local Court on Tuesday.
Officers seized a shotgun, a bulletproof helmet, a large amount of ammunition, Hells Angels colours and a large amount of liquid thought to be a derivative of GBH during the Alexandria raid, police allege. Birch has been charged with two counts of possessing a prohibited firearm and one count each of possessing a loaded firearm in a public place, not keeping a firearm secure, possessing ammunition and driving while disqualified. He did not appear in court and did not apply for bail after his legal team requested the matter be adjourned. Bail was formally refused and the matter adjourned to Sydney's Central Local Court on Tuesday.
Friday, 3 April 2009
Frank (Bam Bam) Salerno, was shot at no fewer than nine times.
Six gang members or associates are now on trial in Ontario Superior Court here in connection with the deaths of eight fellow Bandidos in April three years ago. All of the accused men face eight counts each of first-degree murder and all are pleading not guilty.Since the discovery of the bodies, stuffed into four vehicles abandoned on a country road southwest of London, the deaths have been widely described as execution-style killings, a term which evokes a picture of crisp if not merciful efficiency.Earlier this week, for instance,
With the Toronto branch on the outs with the group's head office in Texas, and also embroiled in an internal battle for control with a probationary Bandidos group in Winnipeg, the decision was made to "pull the patches" of the Toronto crew, leaving Winnipeg as the only Canadian chapter.Mr. Kellestine, who reportedly had aligned himself with the Winnipeg group, is alleged to have lured his Toronto colleagues to his farm, located just 14 kilometres from the site where the vehicles crammed with bodies were later found.
He and his five co-accused - Michael (Taz) Sandham, Dwight (Dee) Mushey and Marcello Aravena, all from Winnipeg, and Frank Mather from Toronto - allegedly donned gloves and armed themselves in preparation for the patch-pulling, with Mr. Sandham, a former police officer and soldier, allegedly hiding in the loft of the barn where the meeting was held.After a brief exchange of gunfire between Mr. Raposo and Mr. Sandham - it left the former bleeding from the neck and chest and the latter complaining his bulletproof vest had been hit - Mr. Gowdey said the rest of the Toronto Bandidos were searched and held at gunpoint."In the hours that followed," Mr. Gowdey told the jurors, the remaining men "were taken outside, unarmed, and shot one by one in their vehicles ... Not everyone [who is accused] actually shot and killed, but everyone participated and contributed ... People who deliberately help or encourage killing may be equally guilty as those who pulled the trigger."The revelations of the apparent cruelty of the men's deaths came late yesterday, and could not have contrasted more with the testimony of the morning.These early witnesses - several OPP officers who were first on the scene, a paramedic who had the unenviable task of checking the bodies for signs of life and who found instead in some the onset of rigor mortis - included a gentle woman named Mary Steele.She lives with her husband on the Stafford Line, near where the abandoned cars were found on April 8, 2006. Retired dairy farmers, the Steeles learned that there were cars on and near their property when at the breakfast table they got a call from a neighbour, an older man who every morning brought the day's newspaper over.She described this man, Forbes Oldham, as one of the retired farmers who, used to the early hours of rural life, routinely keep boredom at bay by going on "crop tours" of the area.
Eventually, the Steeles went to check out the cars themselves, albeit from a distance because, as Mrs. Steele said, "My husband and I watch CSI. We decided we weren't going to touch anything."
They phoned the police - twice, in fact - and were on the road when they heard the first officer cry that he'd found a body and learned that CSI was at their doorstep.
Elgin County Crown attorney Kevin Gowdey told the jurors in his opening statement that most of the men died of gunshot wounds to the head, most delivered at close range. And a day later, jurors saw for the first time close-up photographs of the men's bloody and fatal head wounds. But what they learned yesterday was that one of the victims, Luis (Chopper) Raposo also had his right middle finger amputated and that another, John (Boxer) Muscedere, the supposed Canadian president of the Bandidos, was not only shot three times, but also suffered multiple fractured teeth and severe abrasions to both knees, the reasonable inference that he had been forced to kneel at some point.As well, another victim, 28-year-old George (Crash) Kriarkis was shot no fewer than seven times - four times in the face or head and once each in the shoulder, chest and abdomen.Mr. Kriarkis's mother was in court yesterday when Ontario Provincial Police Constable Ross Stuart, the main forensic identification officer on the case, was describing the men's injuries as the jurors watched a slide show of pictures documenting them. She fell weeping into the arms of friends and once cried aloud, "Why?"Another victim, Frank (Bam Bam) Salerno, was shot at no fewer than nine times.Five of the shots connected - one to the bridge of his nose, another to his right cheek, another to his right ear, one to his right hand and one to the right thigh. Three more grazed his lower right leg, another grazed the top of his right hand.In total, not counting any that may have missed the mark, 33 shots were fired at the eight victims.In addition to gunshot wounds, Constable Stuart said, many of the men suffered other lacerations or abrasions, several to their wrists or hands, sometimes interpreted as wounds incurred when people try to defend themselves. Other injuries, such as the laceration to the top of Jamie (Goldberg) Flanz's head, may have been inflicted by the alleged ringleader of the plot, Wayne (Wiener) Kellestine, whom Mr. Gowdey described as having kicked one victim in the face and hit another, all the while dancing and singing bizarrely.According to the prosecutor, all the victims were members or associates of the tiny Toronto Bandidos branch called the No Surrender Crew.
With the Toronto branch on the outs with the group's head office in Texas, and also embroiled in an internal battle for control with a probationary Bandidos group in Winnipeg, the decision was made to "pull the patches" of the Toronto crew, leaving Winnipeg as the only Canadian chapter.Mr. Kellestine, who reportedly had aligned himself with the Winnipeg group, is alleged to have lured his Toronto colleagues to his farm, located just 14 kilometres from the site where the vehicles crammed with bodies were later found.
He and his five co-accused - Michael (Taz) Sandham, Dwight (Dee) Mushey and Marcello Aravena, all from Winnipeg, and Frank Mather from Toronto - allegedly donned gloves and armed themselves in preparation for the patch-pulling, with Mr. Sandham, a former police officer and soldier, allegedly hiding in the loft of the barn where the meeting was held.After a brief exchange of gunfire between Mr. Raposo and Mr. Sandham - it left the former bleeding from the neck and chest and the latter complaining his bulletproof vest had been hit - Mr. Gowdey said the rest of the Toronto Bandidos were searched and held at gunpoint."In the hours that followed," Mr. Gowdey told the jurors, the remaining men "were taken outside, unarmed, and shot one by one in their vehicles ... Not everyone [who is accused] actually shot and killed, but everyone participated and contributed ... People who deliberately help or encourage killing may be equally guilty as those who pulled the trigger."The revelations of the apparent cruelty of the men's deaths came late yesterday, and could not have contrasted more with the testimony of the morning.These early witnesses - several OPP officers who were first on the scene, a paramedic who had the unenviable task of checking the bodies for signs of life and who found instead in some the onset of rigor mortis - included a gentle woman named Mary Steele.She lives with her husband on the Stafford Line, near where the abandoned cars were found on April 8, 2006. Retired dairy farmers, the Steeles learned that there were cars on and near their property when at the breakfast table they got a call from a neighbour, an older man who every morning brought the day's newspaper over.She described this man, Forbes Oldham, as one of the retired farmers who, used to the early hours of rural life, routinely keep boredom at bay by going on "crop tours" of the area.
Eventually, the Steeles went to check out the cars themselves, albeit from a distance because, as Mrs. Steele said, "My husband and I watch CSI. We decided we weren't going to touch anything."
They phoned the police - twice, in fact - and were on the road when they heard the first officer cry that he'd found a body and learned that CSI was at their doorstep.
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Bullet-holed body of slain motorcycle gang leader Richard Roberts.
Bullet-holed body of slain motorcycle gang leader Richard Roberts. Australia's motorcycle gangs are at war and police in the national capital are out in the streets making sure vengeance is left to another day.
'He was a hard-working man, a heart of gold. He was respected by many people,' Rebels Motorcycle Club national president Alex Vella said at the funeral of the convicted drug dealer.Killings, fire-bombings and drive-by shootings have led state governments to promise legislation making the Rebels and other gangs illegal. Roberts, whose flag-draped coffin was followed by 300 motorcycles, may be the last to get a big send-off from his mates. 'Your days are up. It's finished,' declared New South Wales state Premier Nathan Rees. 'We'll move whatever laws we need to stop it occurring.' Leaders in other jurisdictions have pledged to follow suit, fearing that a crackdown in one state will see the hoodlums setting up somewhere else.
Ross Coulthart, who has written extensively about gangs, welcomes a change in the public perception of motorcycle gangs. Gone is the notion that members are unreconstructed Anglo-Saxon males who hold down jobs during the week and like drinking and getting into fights at the weekend. The reality now is that some motorcycle clubs are criminal gangs and that the sometimes deadly skirmishing is over control of the drug trade. 'Much of the present bikie wars is a simple battle for dominance between gangs, sparked by the entrance onto the local drug-dealing scene of a self-styled Middle Eastern bikie gang calling itself Notorious,' Coulthart wrote. Australian Crime Commission head John Lawler has spoken of the difficulty of taking on motorcycle gangs. A vow of silence means those dragged in for questioning opt to be charged for obstructing police rather than give evidence. There is terrible retribution for those who break ranks. 'They are quasi-military groups who depend on strong bonds of internal trust and honour, which is what makes them so hard for police to counter,' says Duncan McNab, author of a book on the Bandidos club. In the past, the clubs themselves kept each other in line. But the big money to be had in drug dealing has led to defections and the formation of clubs where the focus is amphetamines, not Harley Davidsons, and where money-laundering is what's important rather than weekends away. Many, perhaps most members of motorcycle gangs, still maintain they are law-abiding citizens who join for the camaraderie, the joy of riding bikes and the fun to be had in patches and leather. Yet many of those who claim to abhor drugs and violence were in Canberra to pay tribute to Roberts, who had just served seven years on drug offences and was up on an assault charge when he was shot dead.
Notorious club president Allan Sarkis was arrested last week and charged with possessing drugs. He denies he's the head of a crime gang and denies dealing in drugs. 'We don't want to be portrayed to the public as we've been,' Sarkis said. 'We want to be acknowledged and respected as a motorcycle club, not as gangsters.'Criminologists question whether Rees and other state leaders have the stomach to take on motorcycle gangs. They note that anti-gang laws on the books since 1929 are not being used for fear of touching off an all-out war. Monash University's Professor Arthur Veno is the pre-eminent authority on Australia's motorcycle gangs. He see the solution not in a police crackdown but in club leaders meeting together to thrash out their differences.
Sunday, 29 March 2009
Gold Coast Bikie invasion
Bikie numbers on the Gold Coast could dramatically swell if proposed tough new laws to ban them are passed in NSW.A leading criminologist has warned that passing such laws in the southern state could see a surge of the outlaw gangs move across the border where they were legally allowed to operate.University of Queensland organised crime expert Dr Andreas Schloenhardt also said banning the gangs would magnify the problems as clubs went underground.
He said he strongly believed NSW's push for jail terms of two to five years for bikie gang members caught associating with one another after the gang was banned would not work.A Supreme Court judge would decide the fate of the outlaw clubs and if they should be banned.
The fatal brawl between rival gangs the Hell Angels and the Comancheros in Sydney last Sunday prompted the proposal to change the legislation.
Saturday, 28 March 2009
200 arrests frozen more than $10 million in bikie gang assets
200 arrests frozen more than $10 million in bikie gang assets since being formed in late 2007 when the Coffin Cheaters’ Bayswater clubhouse was firebombed by the powerful Sydney-based Comancheros.
“Having read the review, I will be putting together a proposal to the Police Commissioner for Jupiter to be a fixture in the fight against outlaw motorcycle gangs in WA,” Assistant Commissioner Wayne Gregson said. “But I won’t elaborate further because I don’t want to compromise the operational integrity of what we’re doing right now.” Mr Gregson yesterday praised the success of Jupiter but after this week’s bloodshed in NSW and Canberra warned the “bikie scourge” was as potent as ever. “These groups continue to trade in illicit markets and will adapt and change,” he said. “Our focus is to dismantle and disrupt them or stop them from further establishing themselves in WA.” The most notable shift in the WA bikie landscape came last year when members of the South Australian Finks crossed the border to set up shop under an arrangement with ousted Coffin Cheater Troy Mercanti. It was met with a quick response. Shots were fired as part of an ambush while Mercanti and three Finks rode near the Lakes Roadhouse in Wooroloo. One of the four men was hit in the shoulder but the shooter has never been found. Despite Mercanti’s jailing in December for a nightclub assault, the ties between him and the gang appear close. Finks members and associates share a house in Olney Court, Balga, which was bought in July last year by Mercanti’s wife Tammy for $335,000.
A month earlier, a company was registered by Mrs Mercanti and a relative of senior Finks bikie Francesco Condo. Its name — Mercondo Investments — is testament to the union.
“Having read the review, I will be putting together a proposal to the Police Commissioner for Jupiter to be a fixture in the fight against outlaw motorcycle gangs in WA,” Assistant Commissioner Wayne Gregson said. “But I won’t elaborate further because I don’t want to compromise the operational integrity of what we’re doing right now.” Mr Gregson yesterday praised the success of Jupiter but after this week’s bloodshed in NSW and Canberra warned the “bikie scourge” was as potent as ever. “These groups continue to trade in illicit markets and will adapt and change,” he said. “Our focus is to dismantle and disrupt them or stop them from further establishing themselves in WA.” The most notable shift in the WA bikie landscape came last year when members of the South Australian Finks crossed the border to set up shop under an arrangement with ousted Coffin Cheater Troy Mercanti. It was met with a quick response. Shots were fired as part of an ambush while Mercanti and three Finks rode near the Lakes Roadhouse in Wooroloo. One of the four men was hit in the shoulder but the shooter has never been found. Despite Mercanti’s jailing in December for a nightclub assault, the ties between him and the gang appear close. Finks members and associates share a house in Olney Court, Balga, which was bought in July last year by Mercanti’s wife Tammy for $335,000.
A month earlier, a company was registered by Mrs Mercanti and a relative of senior Finks bikie Francesco Condo. Its name — Mercondo Investments — is testament to the union.
The Finks are under threat in South Australia after the State Government took its first steps under tough new legislation to outlaw the gang. “It is important that we use the most effective law enforcement and legislative powers we can to tackle the gangs head on,” Mr Gregson said. “But in regards to what’s happening in South Australia, these are matters for our Parliament to debate.” Crime confiscation laws in WA have so far provided the best weapon against the bikie networks — seizing assets from drug dealers and tying them up in protracted court cases. “Operation Jupiter has given us an improved picture of the level and structure of criminality within these groups — their businesses and shelf companies,” Mr Gregson said. “We’ll continue to build on that.”
Thursday, 26 March 2009
Gerald (Skinny) Ward was found guilty of directing the commission of a criminal offence for the benefit of a criminal organization.
Senior member of the Hells Angels get nine years in prison for ordering associates to deal cocaine.Gerald (Skinny) Ward was found guilty of directing the commission of a criminal offence for the benefit of a criminal organization.The 61-year-old founding member of the Niagara Hells Angels chapter had pleaded guilty to cocaine trafficking and possessing the proceeds of crime.Court heard Ward directed five other members and associates of the Hells Angels to deliver four kilograms of high-grade cocaine to a former member of the Oshawa chapter of the gang who became a police agent.Justice John McMahon says Ward was clearly behind the drug transactions.
McMahon said 14 years is an appropriate sentence for Ward, but credited Ward with five years already served in prison since his arrest in September 2006.
McMahon said 14 years is an appropriate sentence for Ward, but credited Ward with five years already served in prison since his arrest in September 2006.
Sydney police picked up 27-year-old Mahmoud Dib, a senior member of the Bandidos gang, and charged him with six firearms offences.
Four men have been charged over the death of the 28-year-old at Sydney’s domestic terminal. He suffered a fractured skull when hit with a metal post used to rope off the check-in area.Hours after the Canberra shooting, Sydney police picked up 27-year-old Mahmoud Dib, a senior member of the Bandidos gang, and charged him with six firearms offences. A loaded gun was found in his car and police are examining it to see if it was used in any of the 11 drive-by shootings of the past six days.
In the shootings, unidentified people have shot indiscriminately into houses, including Dib’s, in what police believe are tit-for-tat attacks. Rival gangs have firebombed each other’s headquarters and gang members have been shot in the legs.
Police suspect the gang warfare is over control of the drug trade.Former New South Wales deputy police commissioner Clive Small said that in the four years to 2002, 20 gang members had died and that this was the latest round in a turf war.
“There is an attitude in motorcycle outlaw gangs that they don’t care about the community, they don’t care about innocent people, and they think they are the boss and we will do what we want,” Small said.Prime Minister Kevin Rudd promised a national response. “This sort of behavior by bikies and others engaged in organized criminal activity is unacceptable in Australia, absolutely unacceptable,” Rudd said during a visit to the United States
In the shootings, unidentified people have shot indiscriminately into houses, including Dib’s, in what police believe are tit-for-tat attacks. Rival gangs have firebombed each other’s headquarters and gang members have been shot in the legs.
Police suspect the gang warfare is over control of the drug trade.Former New South Wales deputy police commissioner Clive Small said that in the four years to 2002, 20 gang members had died and that this was the latest round in a turf war.
“There is an attitude in motorcycle outlaw gangs that they don’t care about the community, they don’t care about innocent people, and they think they are the boss and we will do what we want,” Small said.Prime Minister Kevin Rudd promised a national response. “This sort of behavior by bikies and others engaged in organized criminal activity is unacceptable in Australia, absolutely unacceptable,” Rudd said during a visit to the United States
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
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Sunday, 22 March 2009
Hells Angels biker has been killed in a huge brawl at Sydney Airport with rival club the Comancheros
Hells Angels biker has been killed in a huge brawl at Sydney Airport with rival club the Comancheros, in one of the most brazen attacks in outlaw bikie history.The man, 28, was knocked to the ground during the brawl — involving at least 10 men — and bashed repeatedly in the head with a metal bollard at the airport's terminal three — one of the most monitored public places in Australia.The attack came only hours after the Sydney-based Bandidos had engaged in another night of drive-by shootings at six homes in Auburn, though that is believed to be linked to a feud with an interstate club, Notorious.Several days ago The Age was told the Bandidos planned to fly in members from interstate to deal with the worsening feud with Notorious; it's believed the airport fight involved the new "troops".The man killed, while a Hells Angel, was friendly with the Bandidos and travelled with them. It is believed the attackers were a group of about 10 Comanchero members.Initial police reports suggested the dead man may also have been stabbed.The brawl is believed to be the result of a feud between the Hells Angels and the Comancheros that flared after the bombing of the Angels' Petersham clubhouse in February.While police have long suspected Notorious as being responsible, underworld sources have indicated the Comancheros were behind the attack. That attack led to tension between the clubs and, ultimately, yesterday's murder.NSW Premier Nathan Rees announced he would talk with Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione this morning.Police Minister Tony Kelly promised to "throw every resource" into the investigation of yesterday's violence and foreshadowed new laws to attempt to stifle the clubs' operations.It appears certain that the NSW Government will introduce legislation to deal with the bikie issue.
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Robert Reynolds, Jason Gallo, Eric Franco and Derek Roy.Hells Angels accused of ambushing, beating and stabbing members of a rival motorcycle group
Four of the Hells Angels accused of ambushing, beating and stabbing members of a rival motorcycle group here on July 29, 2007, pleaded guilty to reduced felony charges Monday and received five-year suspended sentences and $4,000 fines.The out-of-state gang members who appeared in circuit court in somber black suits Monday were Robert Reynolds, Jason Gallo, Eric Franco and Derek Roy. Gallo and Roy may have been dressed like their lawyers, but they sported shaved heads.Christopher Sweeney is in federal prison and will appear Oct. 12. Manny Montiero has been deported to his native Portugal, but will face charges if he ever is found back in the United States, Prosecutor Tony Rogers said.Of the four Bandidos they attacked, two are dead. Rogers said one died in a motorcycle wreck in Beaumont, Texas. The other was murdered in Odessa, Texas, and police have “no good leads,” he said.Rogers told Circuit Judge Kent Crow that the case had been difficult from the beginning because the victims had refused to help the prosecution in any way.
Alan Epley, the circuit judge before Crow, had thrown out evidence and testimony, finding improper police handling. That left defense lawyers questioning whether the case could be brought to trial. But Rogers said in a press release Monday that Crow had overturned Epley’s ruling, prompting the plea bargaining.It ended with the four Hells Angels pleading guilty to a reduced felony battery charge Monday, while the prosecution dropped charges of aggravated assault with enhancement for violence in a criminal group activity.
Those two Bandidos saw the passenger get out of the truck with a baseball bat and begin beating the four remaining Bandidos, according to police reports.Police said at the time that an off-duty officer spotted several Hells Angels beating people on the ground of the parking lot of a vacated antique store on U. S. Highway 62.
Alan Epley, the circuit judge before Crow, had thrown out evidence and testimony, finding improper police handling. That left defense lawyers questioning whether the case could be brought to trial. But Rogers said in a press release Monday that Crow had overturned Epley’s ruling, prompting the plea bargaining.It ended with the four Hells Angels pleading guilty to a reduced felony battery charge Monday, while the prosecution dropped charges of aggravated assault with enhancement for violence in a criminal group activity.
Rogers said in a press release after court that without the cooperation of the victims, “obtaining felony convictions despite the obstacles is the best possible outcome for the citizens of Carroll County.”Some 300 Hells Angels vacationed together in Eureka Springs in July of 2007 for a quiet weekend under heavy police observation. A spokesman said State Police “encouraged” rival Bandidos to keep away.But witnesses told police that six Bandidos were leaving the residence of a Eureka Springs Bandido at the end of the weekend to return to Texas when they met the Hells Angels on the highway.They turned around and pulled into the parking lot because they thought the Hells Angels wanted to talk to them, police were told.A red pickup pulled in front of them, attempting to block the parking lot exit, but two of the Bandidos were able to speed around the pickup, witnesses said.
Those two Bandidos saw the passenger get out of the truck with a baseball bat and begin beating the four remaining Bandidos, according to police reports.Police said at the time that an off-duty officer spotted several Hells Angels beating people on the ground of the parking lot of a vacated antique store on U. S. Highway 62.
Friday, 13 March 2009
Bryan Perun, and three other Pittsburgh men, 43-year-old Kevin Doolin Jr., 56-year-old John Miller and 34-year-old Nathaniel Robinson hve been charged
Bryan Perun, and three other Pittsburgh men, 43-year-old Kevin Doolin Jr., 56-year-old John Miller and 34-year-old Nathaniel Robinson are charged with conspiracy to commit homicide in the shooting of 33-year-old Albert Kolano, also of Pittsburgh.four men wearing motorcycle gang colors who are charged in the fatal shooting of a man outside a suburban tavern. Allegheny County police say the suspects were in Pagan motorcycle gear when they followed Kolano outside the Longview Lounge early Thursday. Police aren't saying who fired the fatal shots that caused Kolano to wreck as he tried to drive away. The suspects are jailed after their arraignments early Friday. Court records don't show if they have attorneys
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
300 suspected gang members of the Vagos outlaw motorcycle gang, roared into Santa Clarita
300 suspected gang members, believed to be associated with the Vagos outlaw motorcycle gang, roared into the area Sunday morning generating calls for service and criminal complaints to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station.
Officials report that the thunderous roar of the unlawful exhaust systems on many of the motorcycles could be heard for miles around as the bikers entered and left the area. The riders stretched out for miles over Sand Canyon Road, crossing Soledad Canyon Road, ultimately congregating in the 16000 block of Sierra Highway, near Vasquez Canyon Road. Patrol resources were stretched thin during the same time period as deputies were responding to two other emergency calls and a significant traffic collision, necessitating station leaders to call in additional personnel to avoid a serious impact on service levels.Deputies respond to complaints about motorcycle gangsProactive residents expressed their complaints and concerns, reporting that the motorcyclists were at times blocking vehicle and pedestrian traffic, disturbing the public peace, and committing other unlawful acts.Deputies from the City of Santa Clarita/Sheriff's COBRA Unit and the Community Interaction Team (CIT), and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), joined patrol and traffic control deputies in the operation, which was necessitated based on the size and scope of the gathering and the unlawful actions of some of the motorcyclists. When the operation concluded and the gathering disbanded, deputies had identified more than 30 individuals, some of whom are believed to have extensive criminal history, indicative of outlaw motorcycle gang involvement. Deputies issued 24 citations for various infractions and other violations of the law. "What concerns me is this is the second time in as many months we have seen these large disruptive groups pour into the Santa Clarita area," said Captain Anthony La Berge. "Although the gathering itself is not unlawful, some of the actions of these individuals and the motorcycles they are riding are illegal. Not to mention the fact that they can be disruptive to the peace and serenity of the community. Our primary goal is to ensure public safety and peace in response to community complaints and concerns about these bikers. We will do whatever it takes to accomplish just that," he added.Santa Clarita Sheriff's Station officials referenced a 2007 Orange County Case in Newport Beach, where a bar fight involving several suspected rival motorcycle gang members escalated to a stabbing. A total of eight defendants face felony charges, including possession of firearms and controlled substances, in five criminal cases stemming from that incident, according to an Orange County District Attorney Press Release."We do not want that to happen here in Santa Clarita," concluded Captain La Berge.
Officials report that the thunderous roar of the unlawful exhaust systems on many of the motorcycles could be heard for miles around as the bikers entered and left the area. The riders stretched out for miles over Sand Canyon Road, crossing Soledad Canyon Road, ultimately congregating in the 16000 block of Sierra Highway, near Vasquez Canyon Road. Patrol resources were stretched thin during the same time period as deputies were responding to two other emergency calls and a significant traffic collision, necessitating station leaders to call in additional personnel to avoid a serious impact on service levels.Deputies respond to complaints about motorcycle gangsProactive residents expressed their complaints and concerns, reporting that the motorcyclists were at times blocking vehicle and pedestrian traffic, disturbing the public peace, and committing other unlawful acts.Deputies from the City of Santa Clarita/Sheriff's COBRA Unit and the Community Interaction Team (CIT), and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), joined patrol and traffic control deputies in the operation, which was necessitated based on the size and scope of the gathering and the unlawful actions of some of the motorcyclists. When the operation concluded and the gathering disbanded, deputies had identified more than 30 individuals, some of whom are believed to have extensive criminal history, indicative of outlaw motorcycle gang involvement. Deputies issued 24 citations for various infractions and other violations of the law. "What concerns me is this is the second time in as many months we have seen these large disruptive groups pour into the Santa Clarita area," said Captain Anthony La Berge. "Although the gathering itself is not unlawful, some of the actions of these individuals and the motorcycles they are riding are illegal. Not to mention the fact that they can be disruptive to the peace and serenity of the community. Our primary goal is to ensure public safety and peace in response to community complaints and concerns about these bikers. We will do whatever it takes to accomplish just that," he added.Santa Clarita Sheriff's Station officials referenced a 2007 Orange County Case in Newport Beach, where a bar fight involving several suspected rival motorcycle gang members escalated to a stabbing. A total of eight defendants face felony charges, including possession of firearms and controlled substances, in five criminal cases stemming from that incident, according to an Orange County District Attorney Press Release."We do not want that to happen here in Santa Clarita," concluded Captain La Berge.
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Jessica Andrea Gordon, 21,who was charged in the shooting death of a Hells Angels associate last year has been granted immunity
A Mill Valley woman who was charged in the shooting death of a Hells Angels associate last year has been granted immunity in exchange for her testimony against the alleged gunman.Prosecutors dismissed the charges last week against Jessica Andrea Gordon, 21, who was driving the vehicle from which the gunshots were fired. Gordon has agreed to testify against Joseph Andrew Farnsworth, 20, who is charged with firing the gun that killed William Maclean on Highway 101."She is a witness against Mr. Farnsworth," said District Attorney Ed Berberian.Gordon's defense attorney, Douglas Horngrad, said the prosecution's decision to drop the charges "affirm that Jessica Gordon committed no crime.""She had no foreknowledge of this shooting, and only became aware of it after it happened," Horngrad said. "She shares the government's view that Mr. Maclean's death was a tragic one, and she mourns the loss of life."According to the documents, the shooting on May 24 occurred while Gordon was driving on northbound Highway 101 in a red Dodge Durango carrying Farnsworth and his girlfriend.As the vehicle was approaching Corte Madera, Farnsworth pulled down the window in the back seat and fired two shots at the pickup truck in the next lane, authorities said. One bullet struck Maclean, who was in the passenger seat, in the chest.Maclean, 25, of San Leandro, who was the son of one Hells Angels leader and the brother-in-law of another, was riding in a procession of Hells Angels
returning from a member's funeral. But sheriff's investigators described the shooting as "a random act of violence associated with road rage," not an attack on the Hells Angels.The Dodge Durango drove off after the shooting, but investigators were able to identify it through witness accounts and surveillance video from the Golden Gate Bridge. Gordon was arrested on May 28, and investigators found Farnsworth three days later.Gordon was charged with being an accessory after the fact, shooting at an occupied vehicle, permitting another person to shoot from a vehicle, possession of ecstasy and possession of cocaine. Those charges were dismissed under the immunity deal.
Farnsworth, an El Cerrito resident, has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, shooting a firearm from a vehicle and shooting at an occupied vehicle. He remains in custody at the Marin County Jail in lieu of $2 million bail.A preliminary examination of the evidence is set for March 23 before Judge Kelly Simmons.
returning from a member's funeral. But sheriff's investigators described the shooting as "a random act of violence associated with road rage," not an attack on the Hells Angels.The Dodge Durango drove off after the shooting, but investigators were able to identify it through witness accounts and surveillance video from the Golden Gate Bridge. Gordon was arrested on May 28, and investigators found Farnsworth three days later.Gordon was charged with being an accessory after the fact, shooting at an occupied vehicle, permitting another person to shoot from a vehicle, possession of ecstasy and possession of cocaine. Those charges were dismissed under the immunity deal.
Farnsworth, an El Cerrito resident, has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, shooting a firearm from a vehicle and shooting at an occupied vehicle. He remains in custody at the Marin County Jail in lieu of $2 million bail.A preliminary examination of the evidence is set for March 23 before Judge Kelly Simmons.
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Monday, 2 March 2009
Pagans and the Outlaws battle at Philly Tat Convention
Rival motorcycle gangs brawled at a tattoo convention held at the Sheraton Philadelphia City Center Hotel, with eight members of the groups injured.
About 40 police swarmed the hotel at 17th and Race Streets after fisticuffs broke out around 3 p.m. between the Pagans and the Outlaws, according to Chief Inspector Joseph Sullivan.Police made several arrests in connection with the fight, which spilled from the hotel lobby into the street, and charges were pending. No one was seriously hurt."What happened is what ordinarily happens when two gangs get together - violence broke out," Sullivan said.One of the combatants had a firearm with a legal permit, and both the gun and permit were confiscated, Sullivan said.
Eyewitness Bob Thiede, 37, of Westville, said the fight was between a man with skinhead tattooed on his back and several others wearing Pagan T-shirts."They hit the skinhead with a broomstick," said Thiede, who was accompanied by girlfriend "Miss Angie," who declined to give her last name.Thiede said the man "had broomstick marks all over him."Troy Timpel, who ran the convention and owns Tattooed Kingpin in Society Hill, noted that the violence did not occur in the convention area on the hotel's second and third floors. About 175 exhibitors and 8,000 attendees came to the Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention over its three-day run, which ended yesterday."They had nothing to do with us," Timpel said. "Motorcycle-club enthusiasts come every year, and we've never had any problems with anyone. This year, there was a minor incident."Timpel said the convention began nine years ago and hosts tattoo artists from countries around the world, including Germany, Japan, England, Italy, and Finland.
About 40 police swarmed the hotel at 17th and Race Streets after fisticuffs broke out around 3 p.m. between the Pagans and the Outlaws, according to Chief Inspector Joseph Sullivan.Police made several arrests in connection with the fight, which spilled from the hotel lobby into the street, and charges were pending. No one was seriously hurt."What happened is what ordinarily happens when two gangs get together - violence broke out," Sullivan said.One of the combatants had a firearm with a legal permit, and both the gun and permit were confiscated, Sullivan said.
Eyewitness Bob Thiede, 37, of Westville, said the fight was between a man with skinhead tattooed on his back and several others wearing Pagan T-shirts."They hit the skinhead with a broomstick," said Thiede, who was accompanied by girlfriend "Miss Angie," who declined to give her last name.Thiede said the man "had broomstick marks all over him."Troy Timpel, who ran the convention and owns Tattooed Kingpin in Society Hill, noted that the violence did not occur in the convention area on the hotel's second and third floors. About 175 exhibitors and 8,000 attendees came to the Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention over its three-day run, which ended yesterday."They had nothing to do with us," Timpel said. "Motorcycle-club enthusiasts come every year, and we've never had any problems with anyone. This year, there was a minor incident."Timpel said the convention began nine years ago and hosts tattoo artists from countries around the world, including Germany, Japan, England, Italy, and Finland.
Members of the Mongols motorcycle gang indicted on a federal racketeering case already pleaded guilty
Members of the Mongols motorcycle gang indicted on a federal racketeering case already pleaded guilty before the trial begins this summer, according to court records. Because documents related to the plea agreements and sentencing were sealed, federal authorities on Friday wouldn't say how many of the 79 Mongols members indicted in the case already pled. However, court records show a plea agreement was filed Jan. 22. On Jan. 23, there was a hearing where a plea was accepted. There were no defendants named and the associated documents were sealed. Assistant U.S. Attorney Reema El-Amamy said a trial is set for July 21 in the federal courthouse in Los Angeles for those who have not pled.On Wednesday, a judge approved the request by federal prosecutors to seal the records about any pleas. El-Amamy wrote in the request that defendants who wish to plead guilty and cooperate with the prosecution face retaliation from the gang. They and their families could be killed. She pointed out that the Mongols' association with the prison-based Mexican Mafia which regularly orders the killing of people by its associates "raises significant concerns about the safety of the defendants who choose to plead guilty and/or cooperate, as well as the safety of their families." A federal grand jury indicted 79 members and associates of the Mongols gang on Oct. 9, 2008 after a two-year investigation. The 86-count federal racketeering indictment included allegations of murder, attempted murder, assaults, hate crimes, gun violations and drug trafficking. The defendants include Mongols Motorcycle Club national president Ruben Cavazos . Cavazos' attorney, Angel Navarro , said on Friday he wasn't at liberty to discuss the case when asked if his client accepted a plea bargain. About 61 members and associates of the gang were arrested in a federal nationwide sweep in October. Half of the 121 search warrants served in the Southland were in the San Gabriel Valley and Whittier areas. Authorities also seized seven pounds of methamphetamine, 71 guns and 70 motorcycle.
Thursday, 12 February 2009
Mongol motorcycle gang member Ezekiel Lujan, 31, of Glendora on suspicion of dealing methamphetamines all over the San Gabriel Valley.
Glendora Police arrested Ezekiel Lujan, 31, of Glendora on suspicion of dealing methamphetamines all over the San Gabriel Valley. Lujan is also is suspected of possessing handguns as a felon.Police say they have arrested another Mongol motorcycle gang member, this time on drug charges.Officers watched Lujan for a month before pulling him over and detaining him Tuesday near a West Covina house he frequented, said Lt. Joe Ward of the Glendora Police Department.In the house on the 200 block of North Garvey Avenue, police found four pounds of meth, $46,000 and two hand guns, Ward said."He was dealing meth all over the San Gabriel Valley," Ward said. The drugs had a wholesale value of $100,000, Ward said.Police also found a helmet and a jacket emblazoned with Mongols symbols.Lujan lived in a Glendora apartment, where the investigation started. No one else was arrested in connection with the case, Ward said.In October, a nationwide, federal sweep targeting members of the outlaw motorcycle gang led to 61 arrests in Southern California, concluding a three-year undercover investigation.Many of the arrests in "Operation Black Rain" were made in the San Gabriel Valley. Everyone arrested in that sweep is a suspected member or associate of the Mongols Motorcycle Club, an organization that originated in Montebello in the 1970s, but is now headquartered in West Covina.Ward said the investigation into Lujan was not related to the federal sweep, but he suspected federal agencies were paying attention, he said.
"In law enforcement, everybody knows pretty quick when you make an arrest like this," he said.The investigation into Lujan was carried out in conjunction with the La Verne and Irwindale police departments, Ward said.Lujan bailed out of jail for $200,000, Ward said.
"In law enforcement, everybody knows pretty quick when you make an arrest like this," he said.The investigation into Lujan was carried out in conjunction with the La Verne and Irwindale police departments, Ward said.Lujan bailed out of jail for $200,000, Ward said.
Saturday, 7 February 2009
Silverwater Street and Custom Motorcycle Show man was shot in broad daylight behind bushes on the outskirts of the event.
Hundreds of people were in attendance at a show run by a Christian motorcycle club in Sydney's west as a man was shot in broad daylight behind bushes on the outskirts of the event.The 33-year-old man was shot in the leg about 2.50pm (AEDT) on Sunday and taken to Liverpool Hospital in a serious condition.The organiser of The Silverwater Street and Custom Motorcycle Show, Greg Hirst, told AAP few people were aware of the incident."We were running the show at the time."There was an incident here over in the bushes behind the show."I got called over. There were paramedics in attendance and an ambulance.''Mr Hirst said the show, held at Clyde Street, Silverwater, did not normally attract trouble."We've never had an incident in 15 years,'' he said."It's a family show.''About an hour after the shooting Mr Hirst said a man was giving a "God talk'' before trophies were awarded to motorcycle owners.It is not known if the shooting was related to an explosion outside the Hells Angels clubhouse on Crystal Street in the inner west suburb of Petersham early on Wednesday morning.
Friday, 6 February 2009
Finks member Travis Lemm, 28, of Trott Park, and Frank Borg, 51, of Semaphore Park, appeared in court on January 6 charged with blackmail.
Salisbury man, 32, suspected to be a Finks bikie associate, was arrested on Tuesday at a Golden Grove house and charged over five alleged serious criminal tresspass incidents and associated thefts in the southern suburbs the same day.
Police said a search of a house uncovered a stolen Holden Statesman sedan and two firearms.Crime Gangs Task Force later charged the man with the alleged $100,000 blackmail attempt and several firearm offences. He remains in custody and will appear in Holden Hill Magistrates Court on March 12.Finks member Travis Lemm, 28, of Trott Park, and Frank Borg, 51, of Semaphore Park, appeared in court on January 6 charged with blackmail.Adelaide Magistrates Court heard the victims of the alleged blackmail attempt were in danger of assualt while the third man remained at large.
Police said a search of a house uncovered a stolen Holden Statesman sedan and two firearms.Crime Gangs Task Force later charged the man with the alleged $100,000 blackmail attempt and several firearm offences. He remains in custody and will appear in Holden Hill Magistrates Court on March 12.Finks member Travis Lemm, 28, of Trott Park, and Frank Borg, 51, of Semaphore Park, appeared in court on January 6 charged with blackmail.Adelaide Magistrates Court heard the victims of the alleged blackmail attempt were in danger of assualt while the third man remained at large.
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
Hells Angels biker gang ,Jørn Jønke Nielsen, is back in court today charged with gross bodily harm.
Hells Angels’ most prominent member, Jørn Jønke Nielsen, was in court today charged with gross bodily harmThe spokesman for the Hells Angels biker gang ,Jørn Jønke Nielsen, is back in court today charged with gross bodily harm. Jønke was remanded in custody in December 2007 after stabbing a man in the Nørrebro district of Copenhagen. Jønke remained in custody for months after he refused to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, before being released in October 2008.On his return to court today he was joined by around 50 biker supporters. Jønke and a member of the Hells Angels support group, AK 81, are charged with the attack but continue to maintain that they acted in self-defence.A third man involved in the dispute, identified only as Mr. S., also appeared in court charged with attacking Jønke and the AK 81 member. Mr. S. was brought to the courthouse wearing a bullet proof vest and surrounded by armed police guards.All three have pleaded not guilty to charges and the case could be finished as early as Friday. Jønke was one of the founding members of the first Danish Hells Angels chapter. He came to prominence in 1984 when he killed the head of the rival biker gang Bullshit. The 24-year-old fled the country to Canada and returned four years later to face a 16 year jail sentence.During the height of the biker warfare between the Hells Angels and Bandidos in 1996, Bandidos members tried to assassinate Jønke while he was serving his sentence in Jyderup state prison. He was shot with a machine gun but survived the attack. Hand grenades were also thrown in front of his cell.The biker was involved in the death of a man during a 2001 fight at an Aalborg disco, which saw him receive a four year jail term.
Thursday, 29 January 2009
Rodney Wayne Irons wearing a jacket with the emblem of the "Hell's Angels" motorcycle club was tasered while resisting arrest
Rodney Wayne Irons wearing a jacket with the emblem of the "Hell's Angels" motorcycle club was tasered while resisting arrest at a Prince Frederick restaurant on Jan. 26.Dfc. Christopher Childress responded to Houligan's Bar and Grill at 135 West Dares Beach Road at about 1:20 a.m. for a call reporting a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot. Upon arrival, Childress saw sheriff's office Sgt. Roscoe Jones had a man at gunpoint, according to a Calvert County Sheriff's Office press release. The man, later identified as Rodney Wayne Irons, 48, of Lusby was wearing a black leather vest displaying a "Hell's Angels" motorcycle club patch. Irons allegedly told Jones, "You're going to have to shoot me, just shoot me." Irons pulled away as officers attempted to handcuff him.Childress used his taser on Irons, and after a brief struggle, officers were able to get Irons handcuffed. He was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, Diazepam, and carrying a dangerous and concealed weapon, a folding buck knife and a Winchester knife. He was released on $15,000 bond on Jan. 26 at 3:55 p.m.
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Three members of the Gypsy Jokers motorcycle gang who allegedly assualted another man
Three members of the Gypsy Jokers motorcycle gang who allegedly assualted another man outside a Gosnells nightclub in 2007 began their trial in the WA District Court today.The men - Dean Alan Adams, Peter Floyd Robinson and Gordon Edwin Rodgers - have been accused of intending to cause harm to as well as endangering the life of Petera Heta Haimona outside the Cactus Nightclub in the early hours of May 12, 2007.
State prosecutor James MacTaggart told the court that each of the accused inflicted several injuries on Mr Haimona by a "combination of kicking and punching" along with various objects such as a wheel brace, club and a piece of wood or metal approximately one metre in length."It was a brutal attack which occurred in a short amount of time," he said during his opening address."They punched, kicked or otherwise hit him with the objects I described with the intention to cause harm.
"His life, health and safety were likely to have been endangered during the attack."The prosecution also put forward an alternative charge of grievous bodily harm because of Mr Haimona's injuries.The court was told the attack occurred outside the nightclub in the car park a little before 4am when Mr Haimona - who was known as "Kiwi Pete" to nightclub staff - went to help out a friend who was involved in a scuffle.He was later chased by the three accused as he moved up a flight of stairs leading to the club.Mr MacTaggart said Robinson attempted to strike the victim with a club, but Mr Haimona kicked out at him, causing Robinson to fall down the stairs.
The court heard Rodgers and Adams then struck the victim with various objects.
Adams struck Mr Haimona "several times with a wheel brace to the head and upper body" and was also kicked in the head during the attack."It forced Mr Haimona to curl up on the ground to try to protect himself," Mr MacTaggart said."Mr Haimona was bleeding profusely from the wounds on his head and suffered bruising to his head and upper body."He also suffered abrasions and swelling to his left ear, a swollen nose and skin abrasions to the back of his torso."The injuries were likely to cause permanent damage," Mr MacTaggart told the court before describing Robinson as the "main participant" in the suspected attack."(Also) the appearances of the men were consistent with those on the security footage."This was an undoubted attack for which there was no lawful excuse."Rodgers' lawyer, Gary Massey, told the jury that although there was no denying the injuries suffered by the complainant, "what is in dispute however is whether or not Rodgers did it"."You must try the case on the evidence and not let any feelings of prejudice and sympathy sway your decision," he said.Jeremy Scudds - who is representing Adams - reminded the jury the "burden of proof" fell on the prosecution."Even reliable witnesses can be wrong," he said."The consistency in terms of appearance on the footage is not beyond reasonable doubt.
"It is a bogan's pub."There are a lot of goatees, beards and long hair at the Cactus Club - which would suggest many people who go there have very similar appearances."
Defence counsel for Robinson, Helen Prince, also raised doubts about the use of identification as evidence in the trial."The problem with identification is that honest people can be mistaken," she said.He said her client had been at that pub the previous lunchtime.The court was told he would call on witnesses during the trial to confirm that he was asleep at the time of the suspected attack "after a long day of drinking"."Robinson's DNA was not found on any weapons the State is referring to," Ms Prince told the court."Ten days after the attack, police went to his house and he looked the same."Surely he would have been expected to change his appearance had he done it."The trial, which is set down for a week before Judge Roger Macknay, continues.
State prosecutor James MacTaggart told the court that each of the accused inflicted several injuries on Mr Haimona by a "combination of kicking and punching" along with various objects such as a wheel brace, club and a piece of wood or metal approximately one metre in length."It was a brutal attack which occurred in a short amount of time," he said during his opening address."They punched, kicked or otherwise hit him with the objects I described with the intention to cause harm.
"His life, health and safety were likely to have been endangered during the attack."The prosecution also put forward an alternative charge of grievous bodily harm because of Mr Haimona's injuries.The court was told the attack occurred outside the nightclub in the car park a little before 4am when Mr Haimona - who was known as "Kiwi Pete" to nightclub staff - went to help out a friend who was involved in a scuffle.He was later chased by the three accused as he moved up a flight of stairs leading to the club.Mr MacTaggart said Robinson attempted to strike the victim with a club, but Mr Haimona kicked out at him, causing Robinson to fall down the stairs.
The court heard Rodgers and Adams then struck the victim with various objects.
Adams struck Mr Haimona "several times with a wheel brace to the head and upper body" and was also kicked in the head during the attack."It forced Mr Haimona to curl up on the ground to try to protect himself," Mr MacTaggart said."Mr Haimona was bleeding profusely from the wounds on his head and suffered bruising to his head and upper body."He also suffered abrasions and swelling to his left ear, a swollen nose and skin abrasions to the back of his torso."The injuries were likely to cause permanent damage," Mr MacTaggart told the court before describing Robinson as the "main participant" in the suspected attack."(Also) the appearances of the men were consistent with those on the security footage."This was an undoubted attack for which there was no lawful excuse."Rodgers' lawyer, Gary Massey, told the jury that although there was no denying the injuries suffered by the complainant, "what is in dispute however is whether or not Rodgers did it"."You must try the case on the evidence and not let any feelings of prejudice and sympathy sway your decision," he said.Jeremy Scudds - who is representing Adams - reminded the jury the "burden of proof" fell on the prosecution."Even reliable witnesses can be wrong," he said."The consistency in terms of appearance on the footage is not beyond reasonable doubt.
"It is a bogan's pub."There are a lot of goatees, beards and long hair at the Cactus Club - which would suggest many people who go there have very similar appearances."
Defence counsel for Robinson, Helen Prince, also raised doubts about the use of identification as evidence in the trial."The problem with identification is that honest people can be mistaken," she said.He said her client had been at that pub the previous lunchtime.The court was told he would call on witnesses during the trial to confirm that he was asleep at the time of the suspected attack "after a long day of drinking"."Robinson's DNA was not found on any weapons the State is referring to," Ms Prince told the court."Ten days after the attack, police went to his house and he looked the same."Surely he would have been expected to change his appearance had he done it."The trial, which is set down for a week before Judge Roger Macknay, continues.
Matthew Toerner told detectives that he shot John Marmo Jr. four or five times from the back seat of a rental car
Matthew Toerner told detectives that he shot John Marmo Jr. four or five times from the back seat of a rental car that was parked next to Marmo’s vehicle, according to a tape-recorded interview played to jurors Monday.Toerner is a co-defendant in the death of Marmo, who was shot once in the back in Camarillo as he was on his way to work early on the morning of Dec. 1, 2006.Marmo’s former wife, Rebecca Braswell, is also on trial for murder.The killing was a result of a bitter child custody dispute between Braswell and Marmo, prosecutors say.Another co-defendant, Shannon Butler, will be tried later this year. Braswell, 28, Toerner, 22, and Butler, 25, are former Navy Seabees.A fourth Seabee, Seth Hardy, 22, has been charged with trying to kill Marmo by putting two propane canisters under his vehicle on Oct. 14, 2006, and Oct. 28, 2006. He will be tried separately.The tape-recorded interview, lasting about 2 1/2 hours, was played to jurors. Detectives interviewed Toerner in Okinawa on Dec. 11, 2006.Toerner’s lawyer, Robert “Bobby” Schwartz, said his client shot Marmo to protect Butler, who had convinced him that Marmo was beating her and that Braswell had connections with outlaw motorcycle gangs and an Oxnard criminal street gang.Earlier, Toerner gave a detailed account of how he, Hardy and Butler talked about killing Marmo by putting the propane canisters under his vehicle. Toerner said he didn’t know Marmo and spoke to Braswell once briefly.Initially, Toerner told detectives Butler shot Marmo. Toerner said it was very early in the morning when Butler woke him up.“I heard the gate open. She had a gun in her hand,” Toerner told detectives, adding that she fired four or five shots.Toerner told detectives: “I told her no, don’t. I ended up curling up. I ducked down. I went into the fetal position. I was scared.”Toerner said they parked in the driveway next to Marmo’s car and drove off after the shooting.During the interview with Toerner, Ventura County Sheriff’s Department Detective Joe Evans asked that he walk them through the shooting.“We have Shannon. We have the gun. We have statements from everybody. We’ve got the whole deal,” Evans told Toerner.Evans abruptly stopped and said Butler told him Toerner shot Marmo.“I am not convinced that you are not the shooter,” Evans told Toerner.Evans then told Toerner he believed Toerner and Hardy were both manipulated by Butler, who was close friends with and briefly lived with Braswell at Naval Base Ventura County at Port Hueneme.Toerner later admits that he shot Marmo and fired four or five shots.“She said she was going to die if he wasn’t killed,” Toerner told Evans.“Young man, it’s my opinion that she orchestrated your work in this shooting from the beginning, from the get-go. She pegged you,” Evans said.Toerner said he wanted to throw up and began crying, saying that he was sorry.“We know that you’re sorry. We know. We can tell by looking at you,” Evans told Toerner.Under cross-examination, Schwartz first acknowledged Evans’ calm and fatherly approach in interviewing Braswell and Toerner.“Sir, I believe that you are the best in the business. I am ready to confess and I haven’t done anything,” Schwartz told Evans, eliciting laughter from some in the courtroom.Evans said it was his opinion that Butler manipulated Toerner and Hardy.
It's a sad day when Melbourne is now known as the holiday destination of choice for Australia's outlaw motorcycle gangs
Hells Angels, will ride into Melbourne on Saturday.Gang members are expected to party in the city's night precincts near where former member Christopher Hudson went on a shooting rampage in July 2007. Sources have told the Herald Sun up to 200 of the gang's members will be on the streets in its first show of force since Hudson shot three people, killing father of three Brendan Keilar. Bikies from NSW began arriving at a Preston hotel yesterday, ready for the event. Police Det-Supt Paul Hollowood said Angels East County branch sergeant-at-arms Peter Hewat had promised there would be no violence. Det-Supt Hollowood said it was not the main national run and a smaller convoy of riders was expected in the city. "If you're talking of numbers of upwards of 200, our understanding is it will be a run but not a large one," he said. "We are aware of what they are doing and where they are going.
"We have been given assurances it will be peaceful. It's during these runs that bikie groups behave at their best." He confirmed police would not be giving gang members an escort into the city, as the force did in October when the Bandidos rode in convoy from Geelong to the CBD. It's expected bikies will ride from the East County chapter in Craigieburn, around the peninsula and into the city. Dutch backpacker Paul de Waard, who was one of three people shot during Hudson's shooting rampage at the corner of William St and Flinders Lane in 2007, said he was not opposed to bikies descending on the city. "I know a lot of Australians must hate bikies because of what they do," he said. "But I know it was Chris Hudson who was the one who did it." Jim Douglas, the father of shooting victim Kaera Douglas, also said he did not care where the bikies rode. It is expected the gang will hit bars and strip clubs in the CBD but it is not known if they have booked a hotel in the city. It is also not known if any surveillance will be in place. Police Association secretary Greg Davies, who is opposed to police escorts for bikies, said large numbers of bikies were an intimidating sight. "It's a sad day when Melbourne is now known as the holiday destination of choice for Australia's outlaw motorcycle gangs," he said. "When the Hells Angels are given the keys to the city, just like their adversaries the Bandidos, you don't know what to expect. "An increased police presence is absolutely necessary. Whether numbers are available is another question. "We can only hope the police force has used all their intelligence resources to be ready for any eventuality that may arise." Bikie violence has escalated in the past three years. In the latest turf war break-out, Bandidos enforcer Ross Brand was shot dead outside their Geelong clubhouse last October 22. Three men have been charged with murder. The Angels are probably the most commercial outlaw bikie outfit in the world. They are widely credited with bringing amphetamines to Australia after Angel Peter John Hill brought back the recipe from club counterparts in Oakland, California, in the 1980s.
"We have been given assurances it will be peaceful. It's during these runs that bikie groups behave at their best." He confirmed police would not be giving gang members an escort into the city, as the force did in October when the Bandidos rode in convoy from Geelong to the CBD. It's expected bikies will ride from the East County chapter in Craigieburn, around the peninsula and into the city. Dutch backpacker Paul de Waard, who was one of three people shot during Hudson's shooting rampage at the corner of William St and Flinders Lane in 2007, said he was not opposed to bikies descending on the city. "I know a lot of Australians must hate bikies because of what they do," he said. "But I know it was Chris Hudson who was the one who did it." Jim Douglas, the father of shooting victim Kaera Douglas, also said he did not care where the bikies rode. It is expected the gang will hit bars and strip clubs in the CBD but it is not known if they have booked a hotel in the city. It is also not known if any surveillance will be in place. Police Association secretary Greg Davies, who is opposed to police escorts for bikies, said large numbers of bikies were an intimidating sight. "It's a sad day when Melbourne is now known as the holiday destination of choice for Australia's outlaw motorcycle gangs," he said. "When the Hells Angels are given the keys to the city, just like their adversaries the Bandidos, you don't know what to expect. "An increased police presence is absolutely necessary. Whether numbers are available is another question. "We can only hope the police force has used all their intelligence resources to be ready for any eventuality that may arise." Bikie violence has escalated in the past three years. In the latest turf war break-out, Bandidos enforcer Ross Brand was shot dead outside their Geelong clubhouse last October 22. Three men have been charged with murder. The Angels are probably the most commercial outlaw bikie outfit in the world. They are widely credited with bringing amphetamines to Australia after Angel Peter John Hill brought back the recipe from club counterparts in Oakland, California, in the 1980s.
Greg ``Haystacks'' McDonald, a former sergeant-at-arms with the Gypsy Jokers biker gang, was shot dead while horseriding in Wetherill Park
TWO local murders remain unsolved rewards of up to $200,000 for information relating to numerous related cases.Greg ``Haystacks'' McDonald, a former sergeant-at-arms with the Gypsy Jokers biker gang, was shot dead while horseriding in Wetherill Park in 1991.On August 3, 2001, Ian Draper was seen leaving Mount Pritchard Community Centre. His white Ford sedan, registration ACD 45Q, was later found abandoned on Bringelly Road, Leppington on September 17, 2001. Mr Draper has been missing since.
Police believe these two cases are linked to the murder of Albert Perish, 93, and his wife Francis, 91, in their Leppington home in 1993. Mr Draper was believed to have witnessed one of Albert Perish's grandsons brutally bashing a man to death.
The grandson was suspected of his grandparents' murder, as was Terry Falconer, who was murdered in 2002 while out on parole for drugs charges.
Strikeforce TUNO is investigating these cases and more, and has now offered rewards for further information regarding:
Terry Falconer - $200,000;
Ian Draper - $100,000;
Attempted murder of a 30-year-old New Zealand national in Haymarket in 2002 - $100,000; and Albert and Francis Perish - $200,000.
Police believe these two cases are linked to the murder of Albert Perish, 93, and his wife Francis, 91, in their Leppington home in 1993. Mr Draper was believed to have witnessed one of Albert Perish's grandsons brutally bashing a man to death.
The grandson was suspected of his grandparents' murder, as was Terry Falconer, who was murdered in 2002 while out on parole for drugs charges.
Strikeforce TUNO is investigating these cases and more, and has now offered rewards for further information regarding:
Terry Falconer - $200,000;
Ian Draper - $100,000;
Attempted murder of a 30-year-old New Zealand national in Haymarket in 2002 - $100,000; and Albert and Francis Perish - $200,000.
Wednesday, 21 January 2009
28-year-old Mongols gang member Eric Gunner Lundin, was sentenced by Judge Dale Reinholtsen to three years in prison for felony charges
Four men arrested in connection to the non-fatal shooting of a suspected Hells Angels member in November were sentenced in Humboldt County Superior Court Tuesday afternoon to terms ranging from three years in prison to 180 days in jail.
All four men, three of whom were found to be card carrying members of the Mongols Motorcycle Club, pleaded guilty in a plea agreement offered during their preliminary hearing, after evidence surfaced that the victim -- Robert Thompson -- may have fired first.Deputy District Attorney Ben McLaughlin said although there are no current plans to charge Thompson as a felon in possession of a firearm, the matter is still under investigation. The accused gunman in the case, 28-year-old Mongols gang member Eric Gunner Lundin, was sentenced by Judge Dale Reinholtsen to three years in prison for felony charges of assault with a firearm and participating in a criminal street gang. Lundin's attorney, Glenn Brown, said his client will likely serve "a little over two years." Dustin Liebes, a 36-year-old who the prosecution named as the president of the area Mongols chapter, was sentenced to one year in jail with five years probation. Shasta County resident Eric Garcia, 28, was also given a one year jail sentence with five years probation. Both men had pleaded guilty to participation in a criminal street gang, and both were granted 110 days time served.
All four men, three of whom were found to be card carrying members of the Mongols Motorcycle Club, pleaded guilty in a plea agreement offered during their preliminary hearing, after evidence surfaced that the victim -- Robert Thompson -- may have fired first.Deputy District Attorney Ben McLaughlin said although there are no current plans to charge Thompson as a felon in possession of a firearm, the matter is still under investigation. The accused gunman in the case, 28-year-old Mongols gang member Eric Gunner Lundin, was sentenced by Judge Dale Reinholtsen to three years in prison for felony charges of assault with a firearm and participating in a criminal street gang. Lundin's attorney, Glenn Brown, said his client will likely serve "a little over two years." Dustin Liebes, a 36-year-old who the prosecution named as the president of the area Mongols chapter, was sentenced to one year in jail with five years probation. Shasta County resident Eric Garcia, 28, was also given a one year jail sentence with five years probation. Both men had pleaded guilty to participation in a criminal street gang, and both were granted 110 days time served.
Wednesday, 14 January 2009
Troy L. Martin's shooting, which the county district attorney has labeled an "assassination,"
Troy L. Martin spent the last moments of his life with a longtime friend, Russell E. Samuels. 58, a Honey Brook man who witnessed Martin's murder, has had ties to the Pagans motorcycle club, according to news accounts and a law enforcement source.
And now authorities are exploring whether there is a link between that gang and the killing, the source said.Samuels was part of a Pagans/Amish drug ring that operated locally 10 years ago.Martin, 45, of Earl Township, in turn, had ties to Strong Arm Productions, a local motorcycle club that serves as a feeder or associate club of the Pagans, the source said.New Holland Police today declined to comment on whether Martin's shooting, which the county district attorney has labeledan "assassination," had anything to do with the Pagans.Martin was shot in the chest and abdomen late Saturday night as he got out of Samuels' car at his home, at the end of a dead-end street off Route 322 near Hinkletown.His mother, Suzanne, said earlier this week that Martin had been out on the town that night with Samuels, a longtime friend.
Police said a man in a red Ford SUV followed Samuels and Martin down Clearview Avenue to Martin's home. The man, who hid his face with an article of clothing, then shot Martin and fled.Sources said Martin was a member of Strong Arm Productions, a relatively new motorcycle club that has members in Lancaster City and eastern Lancaster County.Its members are known to frequent bars in the New Holland area, where they occasionally get into fights, said a law enforcement source familiar with the group.The club's emblem is a clenched fist and an upper arm flexing its bicep.
Strong Arm is known as a feeder club for the Pagans, a law enforcement official said. Strong Arm members sometimes ride with and associate with the Pagans and, if the chemistry is right, may be asked to join the club, a source said.Lancaster County has served as a base for the Pagans over the years. Its national secretary-treasurer, now in prison on drug and money laundering charges, formerly lived in West Hempfield Township. The Lancaster County chapter president, a longtime Lancaster postal worker, was killed in 2002 in a brawl between the Pagans and the Hells Angels in New York.The Pagans, along with the Sons of Satan, also maintained a clubhouse in Rapho Township for about 20 years, police said. The clubhouse was destroyed in a pipe bombing in 2002, during what police said may have been a gang feud.The U.S. Department of Justice, on its Web site, says the Pagans are one of the most prominent Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs in the Mid-Atlantic region, with an estimated 200 to 250 members in 41 chapters in 11 states.The Pagans have been tied to traditional organized crime groups in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and New York and have engaged in criminal activities such as drug trafficking, arson, assault, bombing, extortion and murder, according to the Justice Department.Samuels, who did not return several calls for comment, is not a stranger to the club.He was among six members and Pagans associates who pleaded guilty in 1998 to distributing as much as $1 million in cocaine and methamphetamines to several Lancaster County Amish youths throughout Lancaster and Chester counties.According to federal indictments in the case, the Pagans obtained drugs and sold them to Amish people for distribution in Lancaster County at hoedowns — traditional gatherings for Amish and other teens and young adults.Samuels was identified by federal officials as a "Hang-Around" in the case. So-called "Hang-Arounds" or "Prospects" were allowed to associate and socialize with the Pagans, but had to go through a hazing period to become full members, federal authorities said at the time.Samuels pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute drugs and was sentenced to four years in prison. At his sentencing in 1999, he told a judge that before his arrest he had decided to change his lifestyle and become a Christian. He added that he was sorry for his mistakes and had made many positive steps toward a better life and was "getting old to start over again."
Samuels has an extensive criminal record in addition to the indictment in the Amish/Pagan drug ring.In 1988, he was charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, according to court records. He pleaded guilty to the latter two charges and was sentenced to two years of probation.In 1995, he pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property and was sentenced to two years of probation. The charge stemmed from a police search warrant at his home that turned up stolen motorcycle parts.Since his release from jail on the Amish drug ring charges, Samuels has had other problems with the law. In 2007, Samuels was charged with accidents involving death or personal injury, driving under the influence of alcohol and traffic offenses related to an accident outside a New Holland bar.
Samuels said "he didn't know if he hit someone or something when he left," according to the complaint. Samuels said the incident was "all over (expletive)."
The alleged victim was treated at Ephrata Community Hospital for non-life threatening injuries.Samuels posted $5,000 bail and was released. A pre-trial conference on the case is scheduled for next month.Martin also had a history of criminal problems, involving assaults, a weapons charge and disorderly conduct.
His most serious offense was in 2004, when New Holland police charged Martin with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, public drunkenness and a weapons offense after a fight at The Ritz on Main, 138 E. Main St., New Holland.According to newspaper records, the owner of the Ritz told police he had been assaulted by a patron, who had later been removed from the establishment.While searching for that patron, police heard popping noises from the rear of a nearby drugstore. They found Martin, who had a .32-caliber handgun and a switchblade on him.The suspect in the assault of the club owner told police that Martin chased him and fired a gunshot at him, according to newspaper records.Court records indicate Martin pleaded guilty to possessing an illegal weapon and reckless endangerment. He was sentenced to probation.Strong Arm Productions is listed on a Web site run by the Eastern Pennsylvania Federation of Clubs, a group that claims to help "abolish discrimination toward motorcyclists, and increase communications within the motorcycle communities."
And now authorities are exploring whether there is a link between that gang and the killing, the source said.Samuels was part of a Pagans/Amish drug ring that operated locally 10 years ago.Martin, 45, of Earl Township, in turn, had ties to Strong Arm Productions, a local motorcycle club that serves as a feeder or associate club of the Pagans, the source said.New Holland Police today declined to comment on whether Martin's shooting, which the county district attorney has labeledan "assassination," had anything to do with the Pagans.Martin was shot in the chest and abdomen late Saturday night as he got out of Samuels' car at his home, at the end of a dead-end street off Route 322 near Hinkletown.His mother, Suzanne, said earlier this week that Martin had been out on the town that night with Samuels, a longtime friend.
Police said a man in a red Ford SUV followed Samuels and Martin down Clearview Avenue to Martin's home. The man, who hid his face with an article of clothing, then shot Martin and fled.Sources said Martin was a member of Strong Arm Productions, a relatively new motorcycle club that has members in Lancaster City and eastern Lancaster County.Its members are known to frequent bars in the New Holland area, where they occasionally get into fights, said a law enforcement source familiar with the group.The club's emblem is a clenched fist and an upper arm flexing its bicep.
Strong Arm is known as a feeder club for the Pagans, a law enforcement official said. Strong Arm members sometimes ride with and associate with the Pagans and, if the chemistry is right, may be asked to join the club, a source said.Lancaster County has served as a base for the Pagans over the years. Its national secretary-treasurer, now in prison on drug and money laundering charges, formerly lived in West Hempfield Township. The Lancaster County chapter president, a longtime Lancaster postal worker, was killed in 2002 in a brawl between the Pagans and the Hells Angels in New York.The Pagans, along with the Sons of Satan, also maintained a clubhouse in Rapho Township for about 20 years, police said. The clubhouse was destroyed in a pipe bombing in 2002, during what police said may have been a gang feud.The U.S. Department of Justice, on its Web site, says the Pagans are one of the most prominent Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs in the Mid-Atlantic region, with an estimated 200 to 250 members in 41 chapters in 11 states.The Pagans have been tied to traditional organized crime groups in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and New York and have engaged in criminal activities such as drug trafficking, arson, assault, bombing, extortion and murder, according to the Justice Department.Samuels, who did not return several calls for comment, is not a stranger to the club.He was among six members and Pagans associates who pleaded guilty in 1998 to distributing as much as $1 million in cocaine and methamphetamines to several Lancaster County Amish youths throughout Lancaster and Chester counties.According to federal indictments in the case, the Pagans obtained drugs and sold them to Amish people for distribution in Lancaster County at hoedowns — traditional gatherings for Amish and other teens and young adults.Samuels was identified by federal officials as a "Hang-Around" in the case. So-called "Hang-Arounds" or "Prospects" were allowed to associate and socialize with the Pagans, but had to go through a hazing period to become full members, federal authorities said at the time.Samuels pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute drugs and was sentenced to four years in prison. At his sentencing in 1999, he told a judge that before his arrest he had decided to change his lifestyle and become a Christian. He added that he was sorry for his mistakes and had made many positive steps toward a better life and was "getting old to start over again."
Samuels has an extensive criminal record in addition to the indictment in the Amish/Pagan drug ring.In 1988, he was charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, according to court records. He pleaded guilty to the latter two charges and was sentenced to two years of probation.In 1995, he pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property and was sentenced to two years of probation. The charge stemmed from a police search warrant at his home that turned up stolen motorcycle parts.Since his release from jail on the Amish drug ring charges, Samuels has had other problems with the law. In 2007, Samuels was charged with accidents involving death or personal injury, driving under the influence of alcohol and traffic offenses related to an accident outside a New Holland bar.
According to the criminal complaint, Samuels ran over a man with his Harley-Davidson motorcycle in the parking lot of The Pub on East Main Street in July 2007, and then drove away. A test showed Samuels' blood-alcohol level was 0.167, which is above the legal threshold for drunken driving, according to the criminal complaint.Samuels told police there was a disagreement in the bar and he was trying to leave, according to the criminal complaint in the case.
Samuels said "he didn't know if he hit someone or something when he left," according to the complaint. Samuels said the incident was "all over (expletive)."
The alleged victim was treated at Ephrata Community Hospital for non-life threatening injuries.Samuels posted $5,000 bail and was released. A pre-trial conference on the case is scheduled for next month.Martin also had a history of criminal problems, involving assaults, a weapons charge and disorderly conduct.
His most serious offense was in 2004, when New Holland police charged Martin with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, public drunkenness and a weapons offense after a fight at The Ritz on Main, 138 E. Main St., New Holland.According to newspaper records, the owner of the Ritz told police he had been assaulted by a patron, who had later been removed from the establishment.While searching for that patron, police heard popping noises from the rear of a nearby drugstore. They found Martin, who had a .32-caliber handgun and a switchblade on him.The suspect in the assault of the club owner told police that Martin chased him and fired a gunshot at him, according to newspaper records.Court records indicate Martin pleaded guilty to possessing an illegal weapon and reckless endangerment. He was sentenced to probation.Strong Arm Productions is listed on a Web site run by the Eastern Pennsylvania Federation of Clubs, a group that claims to help "abolish discrimination toward motorcyclists, and increase communications within the motorcycle communities."
Thursday, 8 January 2009
Founder of the Oregon chapter of Mongols notorious motorcycle gang turned himself in after violating the terms of his release
Founder of the Oregon chapter of Mongols notorious motorcycle gang who served one day of a year jail sentence before being released last summer turned himself in after violating the terms of his release by fleeing the state to work in a tattoo parlor in California.Police say Justin DeLoretto, 27, fled the state after he was released last summer. Deloretto, the founder of the Oregon chapter of the Mongols motorcycle gang, turned himself in at the Lane County Jail Tuesday.A jury convicted DeLoretto on a misdemeanor charge. Prosecutors had sought a felony conviction. Police say he tried to run a car carrying a Eugene police investigator and a federal agent off Interstate 5.Eugene detective Dave Burroughs, the officer who was in the car last April, said DeLoretto had been working at a tattoo shop in San Diego that has ties to the Mongols.Burroughs said he isn't surprised DeLoretto eventually turned himself in.The Mongols ran into trouble after a massive federal investigation involving undercover agents who infiltrated the gang.
Saturday, 27 December 2008
Mexico arrested a military officer suspected of passing information to drug traffickers
Mexico arrested a military officer suspected of passing information to drug traffickers as part of a government sweep to rout out corruption, the attorney general’s office said in a statement on Friday.Mexico’s liaison to Interpol and the former head of the country’s organized crime bureau were also arrested in recent weeks for alleged drug ties. Another 30 anti-drug police have been fired on suspicion of corruption.
Friday, 26 December 2008
Raid on the Finks Balga clubhouse
Gang Crime detectives uncovered a stash of weapons including a stun gun and swords after they descended on the Olney Court property, police said.A quantity of amphetamines and cocaine was also allegedly discovered.On Monday December 15, police raided the God's Garbage clubhouse in Kelmscott, seizing a sawn-off rifle, ammunition and weapons including a baton.A quantity of white powder and smoking implements were also seized.A 43-year-old Kelmscott man has been charged with drug and weapons offences and will appear in the Armadale Magistrates Court on January 12.On December 11, heavily armed police, supported by officers from Australian Customs Service and Australian Federal Police, stormed the Coffin Cheaters' Baywater clubhouse.There, they allegedly seized a cache of weapons, including five loaded semi-automatic handguns, two sawn-off shotguns, ammunition, three swords and various weapons with blades attached to them.A large amount of cash, steroids and small quantities of cannabis and amphetamine paste were also recovered.Assistant Commissioner (specialist crime) Wayne Gregson said police would continue to target organised crime.``The result of these searches provides further evidence of the criminal nature and activities of these types of motorcycle gangs,'' Mr Gregson said.
``Western Australia Police will continue in our current efforts to dismantle and disrupt all such groups in Western Australia.''The raids follow escalating tension between bikie gangs following the arrival in WA of notorious eastern states-based gang The Finks, and the shooting wounding of one of its members at Wooroloo, east of Perth in October.
``Western Australia Police will continue in our current efforts to dismantle and disrupt all such groups in Western Australia.''The raids follow escalating tension between bikie gangs following the arrival in WA of notorious eastern states-based gang The Finks, and the shooting wounding of one of its members at Wooroloo, east of Perth in October.
Sunday, 21 December 2008
names of the biker gangs involved in the melee are not being released
It happened Saturday at the Special Memory Wedding Chapel in Downtown Las Vegas. The Manager of the chapel said they'd inadvertently scheduled the ceremonies back-to-back, not knowing the gang members were going to be there. As the first ceremony was finishing, another wedding attended by rival gang members, was scheduled. As the rival gang members arrived it wasn't long before the scuffle was underway.
That's when two people were stabbed in the melee. The extent of the injuries or where the injured were taken is not known.Metro quickly descended on the scene and the Gang Unit is said to have taken over the investigation. Lieutenant Richard Fletcher with Metro says there is video of the incident, "We have some video that we are reviewing. It won't be released at this time. It has been turned over to detectives."The names of the biker gangs involved in the melee are not being released. The investigation into the brawl is continuing.
That's when two people were stabbed in the melee. The extent of the injuries or where the injured were taken is not known.Metro quickly descended on the scene and the Gang Unit is said to have taken over the investigation. Lieutenant Richard Fletcher with Metro says there is video of the incident, "We have some video that we are reviewing. It won't be released at this time. It has been turned over to detectives."The names of the biker gangs involved in the melee are not being released. The investigation into the brawl is continuing.
One of the jurors who acquitted two Hells Angels bikers of attempted murder says factors that influenced the verdict
One of the jurors who acquitted two Hells Angels bikers of attempted murder says factors that influenced the verdict included people being led by emotion and a conflict in the state's evidence.After deliberating over three days, the Sioux Falls jury found Chad Wilson of San Diego and John Midmore of Valparaiso, Ind., not guilty of sparking a 2006 gunfight at Custer State Park.Three Outlaws Motorcycle Club members and two women with them were injured. Midmore is out on bail, but Wilson is charged in federal court with a gun crime.The state still wants to try the men on a conspiracy charge but the judge hasn't ruled on that.
Rival gangs the Rebels and Bandidos have been targeting each other
Rival gangs the Rebels and Bandidos have been targeting each other in 13 drive-by shootings since October.Another shooting occured at a house on Hewinson Avenue in Green Valley last night.Police have tried to get the two sides talking, but those attempts have failed and there are now concerns the violence will escalate.NSW Detective Chief Superintendent Ken McKay told News Ltd the gang’s attacks had simply been “cowardly”.“It’s just the lowest level of cowardly acts to drive past a place in the middle of the night and spray it with bullets,” Superintendent McKay said.“Don’t forget a lot of these places contain children and women.”
Wednesday, 17 December 2008
Two of the three Road Dog Cycle defendants who remain in custody will be home for Christmas
Two of the three Road Dog Cycle defendants who remain in custody will be home for Christmas, if defense attorneys have their way.They appeared in a federal courtroom in Fresno on Monday morning, with their attorneys and many co-defendants who were released earlier this year, to ask for a hearing to present evidence about why they should be freed.But, with Christmas fast approaching, prosecutors told the court they didn't know if their witnesses would be available in time. U.S. District Judge Oliver W. Wanger said attorneys should try to schedule the hearing for Dec. 23.
"As with any pretrial detainees, they certainly would like to be with their families at Christmas," said Jai Gohel of San Francisco, who represents Ray M. Heffington.
Heffington, 40, of Chowchilla, was identified by federal prosecutors as the Merced chapter president of the Hells Angels motorcycle club. He has been in custody since July, when he was indicted with about a dozen others on charges relating to suspected illegal operations going back to 1997 at a Denair motorcycle shop.Ex-deputy still in custodyProsecutors say Robert C. Holloway III, a retired sheriff's deputy, and his son, Brent F. Holloway, 35, of Modesto, ran a racketeering enterprise at the shop. Prosecutors say Robert Holloway encouraged threats and violence against customers who didn't pay bills, operated a chop shop and extended credit to customers illegally.Holloway, 61, of Turlock remains in custody; his son was released on bond in August. The business has been closed since their arrest.
Another defendant still in custody who hopes to be released is a Manteca man prosecutors have identified as Alky Haulers motorcycle club chapter vice president Michael J. Orozco, 51. Orozco faces charges of making extortionate extensions of credit; collecting credit by extortionate means; and criminal forfeiture.Pretrial Services, an agency that makes recommendations regarding whether defendants should be released, said last summer that Orozco should be released, said his attorney, Mac McGinnis of Fresno."But somebody scared the judge into saying, 'I'm not going for it,' " McGinnis said Monday. "You're supposed to go on the evidence. I think they went on something else."McGinnis said his client is only "peripherally involved" in the case. He said Orozco verbally vouched for a "snitch" who bought a motorcycle from Robert Holloway.Many of the men were arraigned Monday on a revised indictment, filed in late November, that added several defendants and charges to the case. All who entered pleas -- including both Holloways, Orozco and Heffington; Reynaldo W. Sotelo, 52, of Gilroy; Alfredo F. Rincon, 37, of Manteca; Stephen J. Johnson, 60, of Linden; and David A. Swanson, 52, Modesto -- said they were not guilty.Swanson was charged in July with making false statements to investigators; in November, prosecutors added a count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, which carries up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.Swanson is a former deputy who was a court bailiff with the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department during the investigation.
Modesto attorney Robert L. Forkner, who represents Swanson, said he expects his client to be acquitted of all charges."Once again, the government is piling on charges for somebody who won't cooperate or enter a plea to a lesser offense," Forkner said. "It's a vindictive prosecution."
"As with any pretrial detainees, they certainly would like to be with their families at Christmas," said Jai Gohel of San Francisco, who represents Ray M. Heffington.
Heffington, 40, of Chowchilla, was identified by federal prosecutors as the Merced chapter president of the Hells Angels motorcycle club. He has been in custody since July, when he was indicted with about a dozen others on charges relating to suspected illegal operations going back to 1997 at a Denair motorcycle shop.Ex-deputy still in custodyProsecutors say Robert C. Holloway III, a retired sheriff's deputy, and his son, Brent F. Holloway, 35, of Modesto, ran a racketeering enterprise at the shop. Prosecutors say Robert Holloway encouraged threats and violence against customers who didn't pay bills, operated a chop shop and extended credit to customers illegally.Holloway, 61, of Turlock remains in custody; his son was released on bond in August. The business has been closed since their arrest.
Another defendant still in custody who hopes to be released is a Manteca man prosecutors have identified as Alky Haulers motorcycle club chapter vice president Michael J. Orozco, 51. Orozco faces charges of making extortionate extensions of credit; collecting credit by extortionate means; and criminal forfeiture.Pretrial Services, an agency that makes recommendations regarding whether defendants should be released, said last summer that Orozco should be released, said his attorney, Mac McGinnis of Fresno."But somebody scared the judge into saying, 'I'm not going for it,' " McGinnis said Monday. "You're supposed to go on the evidence. I think they went on something else."McGinnis said his client is only "peripherally involved" in the case. He said Orozco verbally vouched for a "snitch" who bought a motorcycle from Robert Holloway.Many of the men were arraigned Monday on a revised indictment, filed in late November, that added several defendants and charges to the case. All who entered pleas -- including both Holloways, Orozco and Heffington; Reynaldo W. Sotelo, 52, of Gilroy; Alfredo F. Rincon, 37, of Manteca; Stephen J. Johnson, 60, of Linden; and David A. Swanson, 52, Modesto -- said they were not guilty.Swanson was charged in July with making false statements to investigators; in November, prosecutors added a count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, which carries up to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.Swanson is a former deputy who was a court bailiff with the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department during the investigation.
Modesto attorney Robert L. Forkner, who represents Swanson, said he expects his client to be acquitted of all charges."Once again, the government is piling on charges for somebody who won't cooperate or enter a plea to a lesser offense," Forkner said. "It's a vindictive prosecution."
The tattoo can only be worn if the member has committed violent acts against Hells Angels members.
Expert on outlaw motorcycle gangs testified in court Tuesday, explaining that three of four men implicated in the non-fatal shooting of a suspected Hells Angels member appear to be patch-wearing Mongols gang members. Chris Cervantes, a Montebello police detective and ATF investigator, was brought from the Los Angeles area to provide expert testimony at a preliminary hearing for the men suspected of shooting 43-year-old Robert Thompson. Authorities have seized the men's property, including clothing reportedly emblazoned with the gang's logo and an application to join the Mongols Motorcycle Club -- an outlaw motorcycle gang the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms has labeled as the most “violent and dangerous” in the nation.
On Nov. 8, authorities responded to shots fired on Third Street in downtown Eureka. There, police found Thompson lying in an intersection, bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds. Later that night, authorities located a dark-colored van, similar to one witnesses saw at the scene, and arrested Eric Gunner Lundin, 28, Dustin Christopher Liebes, 36, Brad Lee Miller, 26, and Redding resident Eric Dean Garcia, 28. Upon searching the van, investigators reportedly located a disassembled semi-automatic hand gun. The four have pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder, assault with a firearm and participating in a criminal street gang. Three of the suspects bear tattoos, which Cervantes said linked them to the gang. Lundin, Liebes and Garcia all have diamond-shaped “1%” tattoos inked on their necks. Called the “one-percenter” tattoo, Cervantes said, it has been adopted by the Mongols and refers to the traditional concept that 99 percent of motorcyclists are law-abiding citizens. Lundin has the letters “MFFM” -- or Mongols Forever Forever Mongols -- tattooed on his knuckles, and has the traditional Mongol head on his chest and right arm. The Mongol head, a Genghis Khan look-alike wearing sunglasses, is also tattooed on Garcia's forearm. The letters “RFFN” -- Respect Fear Fear Nothing -- are displayed across Liebes' chest. Cervantes said that tattoo can only be worn if the member has committed violent acts against Hells Angels members. As the story goes, the Mongols were formed in the 1970s by a small group of Latinos who were denied entry to the Hells Angels due to their ethnicity, he testified. There are now between 500 and 600 members in chapters throughout the United States, including California, Oregon, Nevada and Florida. The Mongols Web site declares the organization's support of a new chapter that has opened in Italy. Although the Mongols' regional presence is not strong enough to warrant a Humboldt chapter, Cervantes testified there is a Northern California chapter. No matter where the chapters are, they are governed by the “Mother Chapter” which hands down orders, many of which are based on the gang's constitution. The long-standing rivalry between the Hells Angels and the Mongols began early on, emanating from similarities between patches worn by the two gangs, he said. The violence escalated over time into a bloody gang war, with the Mongols perpetrating the majority of the attacks.
”This is a war. These guys are trying to kill each other, and the Mongols are winning,” Cervantes said. “There are a lot of (Hells Angels) dying at the hands of (Mongols') knives and guns.” On Oct. 22, a U.S. District Court judge granted an injunction banning gang members, family and any associate from wearing, licensing or distributing the Mongols' logo. With the banning of the Mongols' trademark, officers have ordered members to stop wearing the logo, Cervantes testified. However, during a search of a storage unit rented by one of the suspects, authorities located Mongols paraphernalia, including a T-shirt with “prospect,” which is worn by someone intending to be initiated into the gang, and a gang application, he said.
The application had been mailed to “The Mayor,” which Cervantes said is Lundin's moniker, leading him to believe “Lundin is the president of this Northern California chapter.” During recorded interviews taken at the jail, Lundin reportedly told officials he would be willing to give up his patch as a “bargaining chip,” Cervantes said. ”I have a really hard time believing he would be giving up his patch if he didn't have a patch,” he said. All the suspects were returned to the Humboldt County jail, where they remain on $500,000 bail. Their preliminary hearing is expected to end today.
On Nov. 8, authorities responded to shots fired on Third Street in downtown Eureka. There, police found Thompson lying in an intersection, bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds. Later that night, authorities located a dark-colored van, similar to one witnesses saw at the scene, and arrested Eric Gunner Lundin, 28, Dustin Christopher Liebes, 36, Brad Lee Miller, 26, and Redding resident Eric Dean Garcia, 28. Upon searching the van, investigators reportedly located a disassembled semi-automatic hand gun. The four have pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder, assault with a firearm and participating in a criminal street gang. Three of the suspects bear tattoos, which Cervantes said linked them to the gang. Lundin, Liebes and Garcia all have diamond-shaped “1%” tattoos inked on their necks. Called the “one-percenter” tattoo, Cervantes said, it has been adopted by the Mongols and refers to the traditional concept that 99 percent of motorcyclists are law-abiding citizens. Lundin has the letters “MFFM” -- or Mongols Forever Forever Mongols -- tattooed on his knuckles, and has the traditional Mongol head on his chest and right arm. The Mongol head, a Genghis Khan look-alike wearing sunglasses, is also tattooed on Garcia's forearm. The letters “RFFN” -- Respect Fear Fear Nothing -- are displayed across Liebes' chest. Cervantes said that tattoo can only be worn if the member has committed violent acts against Hells Angels members. As the story goes, the Mongols were formed in the 1970s by a small group of Latinos who were denied entry to the Hells Angels due to their ethnicity, he testified. There are now between 500 and 600 members in chapters throughout the United States, including California, Oregon, Nevada and Florida. The Mongols Web site declares the organization's support of a new chapter that has opened in Italy. Although the Mongols' regional presence is not strong enough to warrant a Humboldt chapter, Cervantes testified there is a Northern California chapter. No matter where the chapters are, they are governed by the “Mother Chapter” which hands down orders, many of which are based on the gang's constitution. The long-standing rivalry between the Hells Angels and the Mongols began early on, emanating from similarities between patches worn by the two gangs, he said. The violence escalated over time into a bloody gang war, with the Mongols perpetrating the majority of the attacks.
”This is a war. These guys are trying to kill each other, and the Mongols are winning,” Cervantes said. “There are a lot of (Hells Angels) dying at the hands of (Mongols') knives and guns.” On Oct. 22, a U.S. District Court judge granted an injunction banning gang members, family and any associate from wearing, licensing or distributing the Mongols' logo. With the banning of the Mongols' trademark, officers have ordered members to stop wearing the logo, Cervantes testified. However, during a search of a storage unit rented by one of the suspects, authorities located Mongols paraphernalia, including a T-shirt with “prospect,” which is worn by someone intending to be initiated into the gang, and a gang application, he said.
The application had been mailed to “The Mayor,” which Cervantes said is Lundin's moniker, leading him to believe “Lundin is the president of this Northern California chapter.” During recorded interviews taken at the jail, Lundin reportedly told officials he would be willing to give up his patch as a “bargaining chip,” Cervantes said. ”I have a really hard time believing he would be giving up his patch if he didn't have a patch,” he said. All the suspects were returned to the Humboldt County jail, where they remain on $500,000 bail. Their preliminary hearing is expected to end today.
Three German members of a Hells Angels biker gang were jailed and 11 more received suspended sentences
Three German members of a Hells Angels biker gang were jailed and 11 more received suspended sentences on Tuesday in what was billed as the country's largest trial of its kind.The sentences were handed down on the second day of a trial of the 14 Hells Angels members after the defendants reached a plea bargain deal with prosecutors on charges of assaulting and robbing members of a rival gang.The Hells Angels, wearing spiked helmets and wielding axe handles, raided the headquarters of a rival gang, the Bandidos, in the town of Stuhr in March 2006, brutally beating five rival gang members and stealing money and a laptop, the court found.Insignia were taken as trophies to decorate their own headquarters.The trial was held amid tight security. Police with sniffer dogs combed the courthouse and squad cars patrolled the highways leading into town to prevent renewed clashes between the rival gangs.Three of the accused received respectively 34, 32, and 30 month prison sentences, while 11 others were handed two year suspended prison sentences.Biker gangs including the Bandidos and the Hells Angels, both of which have members all over the world, have been involved in bloody feuds in recent years and are suspected by authorities of heavy
Saturday, 13 December 2008
Gary Young, aged 36, said he was merely a probationary member of the Hells Angel chapter
Gary Young, aged 36, said he was merely a probationary member of the Hells Angel chapter, even though it was his fingerprints police found on a box containing cartridges. Young, of Blossom Farm, gave evidence on his own behalf at Swansea crown court and told the jury about the Hell's Angels. He said the west Wales chapter had its own president, vice president and sergeant at arms. He named Paul Willis as the president but said he had no idea who held the other two positions. He said they met regularly at Bethany House on the Old Hakin Road in Haverfordwest, a property owned by the group of motorcycle enthusiasts. He said the house was protected with barred windows and CCTV cameras. The jury has heard how police raided the house on September 6th, 2007. Among the rafters of a detached garage they found a loaded handgun fitted with a silencer and with the safety catch already switched off.
They also discovered ammunition for the weapon and another type for a Berretta style pistol. Young, who denies charges of possessing the gun, silencer and the two lots of ammunition, said he had been invited to visit Bethany House and eventually became a probationary member, or "prospect." He paid £20 a week for membership and attended about four times a week. He explained that meetings of those with full membership took place "upstairs" and he was not allowed to attend. Young said he was regularly asked to clear up the house and, two days before the police raid, had noticed the gun and ammunition while working in the garage. He said he left them where they were but contacted Paul Willis. Mr Willis, he said, assured him he would "sort it out."
On the day of the police raid he was contacted by another member who called an emergency meeting of the chapter at his flat. About a month later, said Young, that member was "kicked out" of the Hell's Angels. Questioned by Geraint Walters, prosecuting, Young denied that he was the sergeant at arms. Young agreed that police had found an air rifle at his farm which also had a silencer fitted, but explained that without such a device "the first shot at a rabbit makes the others run away."
They also discovered ammunition for the weapon and another type for a Berretta style pistol. Young, who denies charges of possessing the gun, silencer and the two lots of ammunition, said he had been invited to visit Bethany House and eventually became a probationary member, or "prospect." He paid £20 a week for membership and attended about four times a week. He explained that meetings of those with full membership took place "upstairs" and he was not allowed to attend. Young said he was regularly asked to clear up the house and, two days before the police raid, had noticed the gun and ammunition while working in the garage. He said he left them where they were but contacted Paul Willis. Mr Willis, he said, assured him he would "sort it out."
On the day of the police raid he was contacted by another member who called an emergency meeting of the chapter at his flat. About a month later, said Young, that member was "kicked out" of the Hell's Angels. Questioned by Geraint Walters, prosecuting, Young denied that he was the sergeant at arms. Young agreed that police had found an air rifle at his farm which also had a silencer fitted, but explained that without such a device "the first shot at a rabbit makes the others run away."
Hell's Angel has been cleared of possessing a lethal handgun found at the motor cycling enthusiasts' base
Hell's Angel has been cleared of possessing a lethal handgun found at the motor cycling enthusiasts' base in Haverfordwest. But Gary Young, aged 36, was warned he still faced a prison sentence for offences he had already pleaded guilty to.
A jury at Swansea crown court took more than six hours to find Young not guilty of possessing the 8 millimetre gun, a silencer and two batches of cartridges.
They were all found at Bethany House on the Old Hakin Road, a property owned by the west Wales chapter of the Hell's Angels and used as a clubhouse. Police raided the house in May, 2007, and found the gun hidden in the rafters of a detached garage. The silencer was fitted, a bullet was in the chamber and the safety catch was turned off. Young's fingerprints were found on a plastic box containing some of the cartridges. He told the court he had touched the box while tidying the garage but had never owned or used the weapon. After the verdicts it was revealed that Young, now of North Court, Haverfordwest, had admitted possessing an over-powerful air rifle, an offensive weapon (a knuckleduster) and a small quantity of cannabis. Judge Huw Davies granted Young bail but warned him that the starting point at the sentencing hearing in January was jail.
A jury at Swansea crown court took more than six hours to find Young not guilty of possessing the 8 millimetre gun, a silencer and two batches of cartridges.
They were all found at Bethany House on the Old Hakin Road, a property owned by the west Wales chapter of the Hell's Angels and used as a clubhouse. Police raided the house in May, 2007, and found the gun hidden in the rafters of a detached garage. The silencer was fitted, a bullet was in the chamber and the safety catch was turned off. Young's fingerprints were found on a plastic box containing some of the cartridges. He told the court he had touched the box while tidying the garage but had never owned or used the weapon. After the verdicts it was revealed that Young, now of North Court, Haverfordwest, had admitted possessing an over-powerful air rifle, an offensive weapon (a knuckleduster) and a small quantity of cannabis. Judge Huw Davies granted Young bail but warned him that the starting point at the sentencing hearing in January was jail.
Johnny Montani is accused of shooting dead former Club Dero turned Coffin Cheater, Kevin Woodhouse, outside an aquatic centre in Bayswater
Johnny Montani is accused of shooting dead former Club Dero turned Coffin Cheater, Kevin Woodhouse, outside an aquatic centre in Bayswater in May 2004.The jury in the trial of a man accused of wilfully murdering a former bikie gang member in Perth has resumed its deliberations.The jury retired to consider its verdict yesterday afternoon.The trial was set down for five weeks, but ran for six and heard from more than 50 witnesses.During the trial, the Supreme Court heard the men were friends for 20 years, but had a falling out a couple of weeks before the killing.Prosecutors allege Mr Woodhouse uttered the name of his killer as he lay dying.Mr Montani denies any involvement in the murder, and his lawyer, Phillip Urquhart, says the victim was a marked man after earlier switching bikie gangs.
Hells Angels have complete control in the whole Niagara region. Anyone who steps in there, they'll kill him pointblank
Hells Angels member-turned-informant has warned that anyone who dares to sell cocaine in the Niagara Region faces certain death from the biker gang, a Superior Court judge said yesterday. Stephen Gault, former secretary of the Angels' Oshawa chapter, made the comment while testifying at the drug trial of Gerald "Skinny" Ward, Justice John McMahon said in reading his judgment convicting Ward of having proceeds of crime, trafficking in cocaine and benefitting a criminal organization.
Ward, 60, the executive and founding member of the Angels' Niagara chapter, will be sentenced Feb. 27. "They (Angels) have complete control in the whole Niagara region. Anyone who steps in there, they'll kill him pointblank," McMahon quoted from the testimony of Gault, who was paid more than $400,000 as a police agent. "You don't play with their game ... all their lives are built upon drug dealing," Gault said in his testimony while explaining the workings of the biker gang. Gault testified that people join the Angels for "the power of the patch" -- which provides them protection -- but must pay the club 10% of their criminal proceeds and monthly dues for a legal defence fund for those facing prosecution. Members must vow not to cheat anyone on drug deals, court heard. The judge ruled yesterday Ward was directing the sale of cocaine to Gault for the bikers. Gault made 27 drug buys from various gang members, including four that involved Ward from May 2005 and Sept. 28, 2006.
Rebels and the Bandidos is being linked to as many as 13 shootings on Sydney streets
Rebels and the Bandidos is being linked to as many as 13 shootings on Sydney streets in just over two weeks.A new elite police unit, originally set up to investigate the night-time shooting of a gang member in Seven Hills last month, is widening its net to examine the outbreak of violence among the outlaw gangs.Codenamed Highcro and made up of gangs squad officers, the strikeforce will examine the series of shootings in western Sydney.On November 28, a 25-year-old was shot several times in the head and chest while a passenger in a car driving on the Prospect Highway. The car was hit by about 19 bullets fired from at least two high-powered rifles. He was taken to hospital in a critical condition.The Highcro detectives are using that incident as a springboard to look at 12 other shootings they believe may be linked to the warring bikie gangs, who have a history of enmity that often boils over into street warfare.A prominent Bandido was murdered in Melbourne in October and rumours of a planned "hit" marred the Friday extradition hearing in New Zealand of a Rebel member accused of a vicious bashing in Queensland last year.Only four days after the Seven Hills shooting, a Gypsy Joker was shot and knocked from his bike as he rode on the Great Western Highway before midnight.In the early hours of the same day, December 2, a tattoo parlour in Belmore and a Bass Hill house were fired at. No one was injured in either shooting. Since then there have been nine shootings across Sydney's west.The NSW violence comes on the back of a flare-up between the two gangs in Victoria. On October 22, a Bandidos enforcer, 51-year-old Ross Brand, was shot dead outside the gang's Geelong clubhouse.Two brothers, both members of the Rebels, have been charged with his murder.The continuing gang violence has also led to high security during an extradition hearing for New Zealander and Rebel member Peter Douglas Rauhina, 37.The first Sydney arrests in relation to the feud occurred on Wednesday night, when police pulled over four men in a Holden Commodore for a routine check and discovered two semi-automatic rifles, one loaded.Half an hour before the road stop, a house in Sadlier, believed to be linked to the Rebels, had been shot at. The four men, aged 21 to 46, are understood to be Bandidos associates.
Saturday, 6 December 2008
Mongol Motorcycle Gang discovery of a trove of weapons, ammunition, explosives and drugs
Search of a north Visalia residence today led to discovery of a trove of weapons, ammunition, explosives and drugs, Visalia police said.Police added they also found indictation of the Mongol Motorcycle Gang at the residence, in the 1700 block of North Tipton Street. Visalia Police Sgt. Steve Phillips said the Mongol Motorcycle Gang was a once-dominant biker gang in Tulare County that now has few adherents.
In addition, police said, they stopped and later arrested a Visalia man as he drove away from the home. He was identified as Edward Aguirre, 46. Police said they found a zip gun and methamphetamine. He was held on drug and weapons charges.Inside the house, police said they found 30 firearms, 2,000 rounds of ammunition and other unspecified weapons and explosives, plus methamphetamine, marijuana and $746 in cash.
In addition, police said, they stopped and later arrested a Visalia man as he drove away from the home. He was identified as Edward Aguirre, 46. Police said they found a zip gun and methamphetamine. He was held on drug and weapons charges.Inside the house, police said they found 30 firearms, 2,000 rounds of ammunition and other unspecified weapons and explosives, plus methamphetamine, marijuana and $746 in cash.
Friday, 5 December 2008
California Hells Angels Chad Wilson, 33, is charged with being a nonimmigrant alien in possession of a firearm
Chad Wilson, 33, is charged with being a nonimmigrant alien in possession of a firearm, according to the indictment.It accuses him of being admitted into the United States under a nonimmigrant visa and unlawfully having several guns.
U.S. Attorney Marty Jackley wouldn’t comment further.“This remains an ongoing investigation and therefore I’m not providing further information at this time,” he said.Wilson, from San Diego, could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison if convicted.After deliberating over three days, jurors on Nov. 18 found Wilson and fellow Hells Angels biker John Midmore, 35, of Valparaiso, Ind., not guilty of trying to murder five people affiliated with the Outlaws Motorcycle Club during the Sturgis motorcycle rally.Midmore has dual citizenship in Canada and Australia but is a resident alien. He was released on bail that evening.Bond was also posted for Wilson, but he remains in the county jail in Sioux Falls. Attorneys earlier said he faced deportation to Canada upon his release.At the trial, Wilson testified that he fired several rounds with a .40-caliber handgun in self-defense after nine Outlaws members confronted him and Midmore at Legion Lake Resort, near a campground where the Outlaws were staying.Prosecutors argued the two Hells Angels attempted to kill the Outlaws, injuring three of the rival bikers and two women with them.Jurors cleared the men of five counts of attempted first-degree murder and one count of commission of a felony while armed.
Wilson is a member of a California Hells Angels chapter and Midmore is a prospect of a British Columbia group.According to the indictment, Wilson illegally possessed two .40 caliber pistols, a Heckler & Koch 9 mm caliber pistol, an FEG 7.62 x 39 caliber rifle and a Calico 9 mm caliber rifle.Wilson testified at his trial that the guns were in his F-350 Ford pickup.In another court document filed Wednesday, prosecutors asked that Wilson be transferred to Rapid City for an appearance on the indictment.Wilson and Midmore have a separate civil lawsuit pending there against 19 federal agencies and officials, claiming they’re withholding information showing Outlaws were targeting Hells Angels.Tracy Kelley, Custer County state’s attorney, said she also plans to try Wilson and Midmore on a more serious charge of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, which carries a punishment of life in prison if convicted.The Outlaws injured were Thomas Haas, Allen Matthews and Danny Neace. They and two women with them, Claudia Wables and Susan Evans-Martin, testified at the trial.
U.S. Attorney Marty Jackley wouldn’t comment further.“This remains an ongoing investigation and therefore I’m not providing further information at this time,” he said.Wilson, from San Diego, could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison if convicted.After deliberating over three days, jurors on Nov. 18 found Wilson and fellow Hells Angels biker John Midmore, 35, of Valparaiso, Ind., not guilty of trying to murder five people affiliated with the Outlaws Motorcycle Club during the Sturgis motorcycle rally.Midmore has dual citizenship in Canada and Australia but is a resident alien. He was released on bail that evening.Bond was also posted for Wilson, but he remains in the county jail in Sioux Falls. Attorneys earlier said he faced deportation to Canada upon his release.At the trial, Wilson testified that he fired several rounds with a .40-caliber handgun in self-defense after nine Outlaws members confronted him and Midmore at Legion Lake Resort, near a campground where the Outlaws were staying.Prosecutors argued the two Hells Angels attempted to kill the Outlaws, injuring three of the rival bikers and two women with them.Jurors cleared the men of five counts of attempted first-degree murder and one count of commission of a felony while armed.
Wilson is a member of a California Hells Angels chapter and Midmore is a prospect of a British Columbia group.According to the indictment, Wilson illegally possessed two .40 caliber pistols, a Heckler & Koch 9 mm caliber pistol, an FEG 7.62 x 39 caliber rifle and a Calico 9 mm caliber rifle.Wilson testified at his trial that the guns were in his F-350 Ford pickup.In another court document filed Wednesday, prosecutors asked that Wilson be transferred to Rapid City for an appearance on the indictment.Wilson and Midmore have a separate civil lawsuit pending there against 19 federal agencies and officials, claiming they’re withholding information showing Outlaws were targeting Hells Angels.Tracy Kelley, Custer County state’s attorney, said she also plans to try Wilson and Midmore on a more serious charge of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, which carries a punishment of life in prison if convicted.The Outlaws injured were Thomas Haas, Allen Matthews and Danny Neace. They and two women with them, Claudia Wables and Susan Evans-Martin, testified at the trial.
Wednesday, 3 December 2008
Gypsy Jokers bikie gang member shot at a number of times from a dark-coloured sedan just before midnight
The man and his pillion passenger were riding a Harley Davidson east along the Great Western Highway in Mays Hill when they were shot at a number of times from a dark-coloured sedan just before midnight, a police spokesman said.The man was hit a number of times, causing him and his passenger to fall from the bike.They were taken to Westmead Hospital but their injuries were not considered life threatening, police said.The Harley Davidson had a sticker that said "Respect your local Gypsy Joker", News Ltd said.But police could not confirm whether the rider was a member of the Gypsy Jokers bikie gang.The incident follows a spate of shootings in Sydney in 24 hours.Two shots were fired into a house in Bass Hill, in Sydney's south-west, in the early hours of Tuesday.A short time later, 10 shots were fired into a tattoo parlour in Belmore.At 1.30pm yesterday, a man aged about 30 was shot in the arm in St Clair. A man was later charged with reckless wounding.
Robert J. Shannon, of Maple Ridge, B.C.,British Columbia man pleaded guilty this morning in U.S. District Court in Seattle to drug charges
Robert J. Shannon, of Maple Ridge, B.C.,British Columbia man pleaded guilty this morning in U.S. District Court in Seattle to drug and money-laundering charges for his role in selling drugs on behalf of the Hells Angels motorcycle club. pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana and conspiracy to engage in money laundering. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison up to life in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.According to the indictment originally filed in the case, Shannon was in charge of distributing the narcotics on behalf of the Hells Angels and others. Drugs were hidden inside hollowed-out logs on trucks, within the false walls of cargo containers and vehicles, within loads of commercial lumber and beauty bark, inside large PVC pipes, and within the interior of a propane tanker. Some loads were carried on foot across the international border between the U.S. and Canada.Last month, co-defendant Devron D. Quast, 38, of Abbotsford, B.C., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana and conspiracy to engage in money laundering, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Saturday, 29 November 2008
Seven members of the Outlaws motorcycle gang were jailed today for life for murdering a Hell's Angel.
The entire South Warwickshire chapter of the Outlaws was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court after being convicted of shooting Gerry Tobin as he rode along the M40 on August 12 last year.Seven members of the Outlaws motorcycle gang were jailed today for life for murdering a Hell's Angel.Two shots were fired at the 35-year-old biker from two different handguns as he returned to his London home from the Hell's Angel Bulldog Bash festival in Warwickshire.One of the bullets skimmed the base of Mr Tobin's helmet, lodging in his skull and killing him instantly.During the seven weeks of evidence, the jury was told that the mechanic was targeted by the rival gang simply because he was a "fully-patched" Hell's Angel.Rivalry between the gangs originated in the late 1960s when a series of brutal murders took place in north America.Simon Turner, 41, from Nuneaton, Warwickshire, was given a minimum term of 30 years for murder and two firearms offences.Coventry man Dane Garside, 42, received a minimum 27 years for the same charges.Sean Creighton, 44, from Coventry, will spend a minimum of 28 years and six months in prison after pleading guilty to murder and two firearms charges.Malcolm Bull, 53, from Milton Keynes, was sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in prison for murder and possessing a shotgun.Dean Taylor, 47, from Coventry, will spend at least 30 years in prison for the same charges.Karl Garside, 45, from Coventry, was given at least 26 years and Ian Cameron, 46, also from Coventry, received at least 25 years for murder.
Sentencing, Mr Justice Treacy told the defendants: "This was an appalling murder. A totally innocent man was executed with a firearm in broad daylight on a busy motorway for no reason other than that he belonged to a different motorcycle club than yours."Gerry Tobin was a person with his own work life, his own social life, his own private life, none of these lives, which he enjoyed, was entitled to continue to enjoy, in any way impinged upon your lives."Gerry Tobin was a decent man of good character."He was a total stranger to you."The utter pointlessness of what you did makes his murder more shocking."Mr Justice Treacy described how the life of Mr Tobin's fiancee, 26-year-old Rebecca Smith, had been "utterly changed" by their actions.He said: "She had hoped to marry him, have a family life with him, to have children with him."
He added that Mr Tobin's parents had found it difficult to come to terms with the fact that their only son had been "cold-bloodedly executed".
The judge added: "None of you has showed the remotest feeling, consideration or remorse for what you did.
"This dreadful crime, in my judgment, falls into a particularly high category of seriousness because it involved the use of a firearm and because of its cold-blooded and ruthless nature."He said the "scouting" carried out by the defendants was done with "murder in your hearts".About 100 members of the Outlaws motorcycle gang waited outside while the sentencing hearing took place.Dozens of armed police officers patrolled the court precinct.During the trial against six of the defendants, the jury was told that Creighton and Turner, the gang's president and sergeant-at-arms, were in a Rover car when they pulled up alongside Mr Tobin's Harley-Davidson and opened fire.The court heard that the fatal shot was fired as both Mr Tobin and the two gunmen sped along the M40 at about 90mph.The shooting followed three days of "scouting" by all seven men.Dane Garside, a lorry driver and father of seven, was at the wheel of the Rover and manoeuvred the vehicle so that the fatal shot could be fired.Three other defendants - Karl Garside, Taylor and Cameron - acted as "back-up" on the day of the murder, patrolling the M40 in a white Range Rover.Bull, driving a Renault Laguna, was also in the area when Mr Tobin fell victim to the "military-style" operation.Mobile telephone evidence proved that the occupants of the Rover contacted the "units" in the Range Rover and the Renault and ordered them to stand down moments after the murder.All seven men returned to the Coventry area and the Rover was set alight in a country lane north of the city.At the beginning of the hearing, the court was told that police received intelligence of a possible attack on Malcolm Bull while he was inside the dock.
The judge ruled that all seven defendants must be handcuffed as he passed sentence.Opening the case against Creighton, who pleaded guilty on the first day of the nine-week trial, Timothy Raggatt QC told the court his plea had been had been a "tactical" one.He said Creighton, accepted by the court as the gunman who fired the fatal shot, had been disguising his appearance in the days leading up to the killing.
When police arrested him in Coventry on August 22 last year, a dummy was recovered - believed to have been used for target practice, the court heard.Mr Raggatt said: "It may not be that it was a matter of chance that the shot that killed Mr Tobin, if it was fired by Creighton, was not just a lucky shot - it may have been a shot he had been practising for some time."
He added that Creighton, thought to be the president of the South Warwickshire chapter of the Outlaws, was "a central figure and a leading light", both in the motorbike gang and the murder plot."This was a meticulously planned operation and central to this planning was Mr Creighton," he said.Mr Raggatt said Mr Tobin, from Mottingham, south London, was "beyond question an innocent victim", adding: "Mr Tobin has been described in some quarters recently as Gentleman Gerry. That is a fair description.
"Mr Tobin was a man of good character in a positive sense and all of those who gave statements who knew him attested to that fact.
"He was not only an obvious target but an easy target in the sense that he was not surrounded, as some might have been, by his colleagues.
"He was in that sense not only a prime target but also a soft target."
Thursday, 27 November 2008
Rebels Club President, 39-year-old Nickolas Martin and Sergeant At Arms of the Rebels, 43-year-old Errol Munro made no application for bail.
Rebels Club President, 39-year-old Nickolas Martin and Sergeant At Arms of the Rebels, 43-year-old Errol Munro made no application for bail. They appeared on charges including causing grievous bodily harm and deprivation of liberty.
They were remanded in custody to appear at a later date. Police arrested six people, including four members of the motorcyle gang, following a lengthy investigation into the club's activities.
They were remanded in custody to appear at a later date. Police arrested six people, including four members of the motorcyle gang, following a lengthy investigation into the club's activities.
Dean Taylor, 47, was found guilty by a unanimous verdict of killing biker Gerry Tobin of Mottingham,
Dean Taylor, 47, was found guilty by a unanimous verdict of killing biker Gerry Tobin of Mottingham, south-east London, who was shot dead on the M40 motorway in Warwickshire in August last year.The jury at Birmingham Crown Court, which is still considering the case against two other men accused of murder, also found Taylor guilty of possessing a shotgun.The Crown alleged that Taylor, a divorcee who ran a motorcycle supplies outlet in Coventry, took part in "scouting" for a target prior to the fatal shooting.He told the court that he knew nothing about the murder and had refused to speak to police because of "club rules".Jurors, who have been deliberating for seven days, have already convicted three other members of the Outlaws biker gang of the murder of mechanic Mr Tobin.Simon Turner, 41, from Nuneaton, Warwickshire, and Dane Garside, a 42-year-old from Coventry, were found guilty of the killing and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life on Monday.Malcolm Bull, a 53-year-old road sweeper from Milton Keynes, was found guilty of murder and possessing a shotgun on Tuesday.The remaining defendants, who each deny murder and possessing a shotgun, are Karl Garside, 45, and Ian Cameron, 46, both from Coventry.Mr Tobin died almost instantly when he was shot as he rode along the M40 at about 90mph on August 12 last year. The trial has been told that he was targeted simply because he was a "fully-patched" Hells Angel by members of the Outlaws' South Warwickshire chapter. A seventh defendant, 44-year-old Coventry man Sean Creighton, pleaded guilty to murder and firearms charges before the trial began.
Tuesday, 25 November 2008
Simon Turner, 41, from Nuneaton, and Dane Garside, found guilty today of murdering a Hell's Angel who was shot dead on the M40.
Two members of a biker gang were found guilty today of murdering a Hell's Angel who was shot dead on the M40. Simon Turner, 41, from Nuneaton, and Dane Garside, a 42-year-old from Coventry, were also convicted by a jury at Birmingham Crown Court of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. The jury is still considering its verdicts on four other men who deny murdering Gerry Tobin, who was shot in the head near Warwick Services in August last year. Turner, who told the court that he was at a workshop in Coventry at the time of the killing, was also unanimously convicted of possessing two shotguns which were found in the city following the murder.
Garside admitted during the eight-week trial that he was the driver of the Rover car from which Mr Tobin was shot, but denied playing any role in the killing. Mr Tobin, a mechanic from Mottingham, south east London, was returning from the Bulldog Bash bikers' festival when he was shot as he travelled along the M40 at around 90mph on 12 August last year. The trial has been told he was targeted simply because he was a "fully patched" Hell's Angel by members of the rival Outlaws motorcycle gang.
Garside admitted during the eight-week trial that he was the driver of the Rover car from which Mr Tobin was shot, but denied playing any role in the killing. Mr Tobin, a mechanic from Mottingham, south east London, was returning from the Bulldog Bash bikers' festival when he was shot as he travelled along the M40 at around 90mph on 12 August last year. The trial has been told he was targeted simply because he was a "fully patched" Hell's Angel by members of the rival Outlaws motorcycle gang.
Sunday, 23 November 2008
cleared a Hells Angels member and a club prospect still face conspiracy charges that could result in life sentences
cleared a Hells Angels member and a club prospect of attempted murder charges, both men have been freed from jail.But they still face conspiracy charges that could result in life sentences if convicted. Their lawyer Friday lashed out at prosecutors for pursuing those charges, calling the plan "despicable."Hells Angel Chad Wilson, 33, of San Diego, and prosect John Midmore, 35, of Valparaiso, Ind., were found not guilty of attempted murder in the Aug. 8, 2006, shootings of five members of the rival Outlaws at Custer State Park.One day after the verdict was read, little is known about the jury members involved in the trial. They will remain anonymous because of a new law that went into effect Nov. 1. And while the feud between the Hells Angels and Outlaws probably will continue, it's unlikely to resurface at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally again, law enforcement officers say.Prosecutors said they still plan to try both men on a more serious charge of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, which carries a punishment of life in prison if convicted. Lawyers have until Dec. 10 to submit legal briefs on whether that would be double jeopardy.
Defense lawyer David Kenner said if there's no attempted murder, there can be no conspiracy."I think this is a despicable act by the state," he said of the decision to keep the charge alive.Wilson also has an immigration hold and probably will be deported to Canada, said Custer County State's Attorney Tracy Kelley, one of the prosecutors in the case.The Outlaws and the Hells Angels have long been rivals and have violently clashed several times. Thursday's verdict in Sioux Falls probably will not change that, said Robert Boland, resident agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Sioux Falls."I can't predict the future, but I don't anticipate this is the end of anything between these two groups," he said.But South Dakota and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally would be unlikely locations for further violence between the two gangs, Boland said. Violence is more apt to occur in places where the two gangs have overlapping territory, he said.
"These two groups don't claim (South Dakota) as part of their territory," Boland said.Since March 2006, violence between the Hells Angels and Outlaws has escalated, mostly because of the expansion of Outlaws' activity in states controlled by the Hells Angels, according to an FBI intelligence bulletin issued a few months before the Custer State Park shootings.The bulletin, filed in a federal court case, said "a potential war" may be developing between the two groups.It also singled out the 2006 Sturgis Rally as a possible site for violence."The two most significant upcoming summer events that could lead to violence are the HAMC World Run in July 2006 and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August 2006," the bulletin states.Wilson and Midmore's case also was unusual among the two groups because the Outlaws are infrequent participants at Sturgis rallies, Boland said. The Outlaws have shown up in significant numbers only twice, in 1990 and 2006, he said. The FBI report said leaders of the Outlaws ordered members to attend Sturgis in 2006, threatening them with $500 fines and possible demotions in rank if they didn't show up.Most years, though, the Outlaws "don't typically come out west anyway," Boland said. "We don't anticipate them coming back anytime soon."The Hells Angels, however, regularly have a large presence at the rally, he said.
"We have concerns about the Hells Angels all the time. That's a constant," Boland said.If jurors felt intimidated, rule keeps that a secretA new rule that took effect Nov. 1 will protect the identities of jurors who acquitted the men in the Sioux Falls trial.From the start, prospective jurors in the case expressed fear of revenge.
During jury selection, one prospective juror expressed concerns whether "one or the other gangs would take revenge on jurors. Another said "They, I'm sure, stick together. They might seek revenge."However, the new rule may have a downside as well. Without knowing who the jurors are, it's not possible to find answers to a key question: Did fear of retaliation influence their decision?The South Dakota Supreme Court this year decided that all records created during jury selections should be closed to the public unless the trial judge rules otherwise. The rule was partly the result of concerns about identity theft and fears of someone trying to embarrass jurors for the way they answered questions.
Judge Gene Kean on Friday denied an Argus Leader request for names of the jurors in the biker trial, said Court Administrator Karl Thoennes.
Defense lawyer David Kenner said if there's no attempted murder, there can be no conspiracy."I think this is a despicable act by the state," he said of the decision to keep the charge alive.Wilson also has an immigration hold and probably will be deported to Canada, said Custer County State's Attorney Tracy Kelley, one of the prosecutors in the case.The Outlaws and the Hells Angels have long been rivals and have violently clashed several times. Thursday's verdict in Sioux Falls probably will not change that, said Robert Boland, resident agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Sioux Falls."I can't predict the future, but I don't anticipate this is the end of anything between these two groups," he said.But South Dakota and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally would be unlikely locations for further violence between the two gangs, Boland said. Violence is more apt to occur in places where the two gangs have overlapping territory, he said.
"These two groups don't claim (South Dakota) as part of their territory," Boland said.Since March 2006, violence between the Hells Angels and Outlaws has escalated, mostly because of the expansion of Outlaws' activity in states controlled by the Hells Angels, according to an FBI intelligence bulletin issued a few months before the Custer State Park shootings.The bulletin, filed in a federal court case, said "a potential war" may be developing between the two groups.It also singled out the 2006 Sturgis Rally as a possible site for violence."The two most significant upcoming summer events that could lead to violence are the HAMC World Run in July 2006 and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August 2006," the bulletin states.Wilson and Midmore's case also was unusual among the two groups because the Outlaws are infrequent participants at Sturgis rallies, Boland said. The Outlaws have shown up in significant numbers only twice, in 1990 and 2006, he said. The FBI report said leaders of the Outlaws ordered members to attend Sturgis in 2006, threatening them with $500 fines and possible demotions in rank if they didn't show up.Most years, though, the Outlaws "don't typically come out west anyway," Boland said. "We don't anticipate them coming back anytime soon."The Hells Angels, however, regularly have a large presence at the rally, he said.
"We have concerns about the Hells Angels all the time. That's a constant," Boland said.If jurors felt intimidated, rule keeps that a secretA new rule that took effect Nov. 1 will protect the identities of jurors who acquitted the men in the Sioux Falls trial.From the start, prospective jurors in the case expressed fear of revenge.
During jury selection, one prospective juror expressed concerns whether "one or the other gangs would take revenge on jurors. Another said "They, I'm sure, stick together. They might seek revenge."However, the new rule may have a downside as well. Without knowing who the jurors are, it's not possible to find answers to a key question: Did fear of retaliation influence their decision?The South Dakota Supreme Court this year decided that all records created during jury selections should be closed to the public unless the trial judge rules otherwise. The rule was partly the result of concerns about identity theft and fears of someone trying to embarrass jurors for the way they answered questions.
Judge Gene Kean on Friday denied an Argus Leader request for names of the jurors in the biker trial, said Court Administrator Karl Thoennes.
Saturday, 22 November 2008
Hells Angels attempted murder trial brought nearly two dozen motorcycle club members into a Sioux Falls courtroom
The bikers are gone but at its peak, the Hells Angels attempted murder trial brought nearly two dozen motorcycle club members into a Sioux Falls courtroom. It also brought extra security to the Minnehaha County Courthouse.
And, even with the not guilty verdict, the Sheriff is calling the case a success.
When Hells Angels members swarmed the Minnehaha County courthouse, Sheriff Mike Milstead prepared for the worst. Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead says, "We always knew that if nothing happens we probably did too much. If something happened, somebody would probably say we didn't do enough, but I think we did the right level." On any given day Milstead says 12 different agencies were present in and around the courthouse in uniform and undercover. All the extra metal detectors, officers and patrols were all part of the plan to keep the peace.
Milstead says, "I wouldn't want to get into exactly how many there were, but I will say that you saw some of them, but not all of them. Certainly we were geared up as we felt appropriate to make sure that we'd have a safe environment for a trial."
Now that the trial is over, Milstead says his deputies and local law enforcement can learn from the security lockdown. Milstead says, "We've had a good experience here in operating certain systems and certain plans, and I think it will be beneficial for us in the long run." As for how much the three week trial cost the county, Milstead says they're still totaling up those bills. But, because the case was moved from Custer county all of the overtime, jail expenses and court costs will be sent to Custer county.
And, even with the not guilty verdict, the Sheriff is calling the case a success.
When Hells Angels members swarmed the Minnehaha County courthouse, Sheriff Mike Milstead prepared for the worst. Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead says, "We always knew that if nothing happens we probably did too much. If something happened, somebody would probably say we didn't do enough, but I think we did the right level." On any given day Milstead says 12 different agencies were present in and around the courthouse in uniform and undercover. All the extra metal detectors, officers and patrols were all part of the plan to keep the peace.
Milstead says, "I wouldn't want to get into exactly how many there were, but I will say that you saw some of them, but not all of them. Certainly we were geared up as we felt appropriate to make sure that we'd have a safe environment for a trial."
Now that the trial is over, Milstead says his deputies and local law enforcement can learn from the security lockdown. Milstead says, "We've had a good experience here in operating certain systems and certain plans, and I think it will be beneficial for us in the long run." As for how much the three week trial cost the county, Milstead says they're still totaling up those bills. But, because the case was moved from Custer county all of the overtime, jail expenses and court costs will be sent to Custer county.
Thursday, 20 November 2008
Miller rides with the Redliners,fight then complete and total chaos, with men and women running in all directions and people screaming wildly
Belmont man treating his girlfriend to a late-night meal at Faneuil Hall Marketplace was beaten bloody with a hammer by two brawling brutes, one of whom Boston police suspect is a Hells Angel.The scene at the tourist hot spot just before 2 a.m. Sunday was “complete and total chaos, with men and women running in all directions and people screaming wildly,” according to an incident report.
The 28-year-old victim suffered serious head wounds when police say alleged outlaw biker Russell Miller Jr., 21, of Providence and William Giles, 21, of Sandwich, jumped him. In addition to a blood-soaked hammer, investigators recovered an open switchblade.Prosecutors allege Miller and Giles were fighting and fell into the couple as they walked by munching on sausages. When the couple protested, Miller and Giles allegedly turned their wrath on them.Police said Miller was wearing a black leather vest with an “81” patch - “significant,” they said, in identifying Hells Angels because the number 8 corresponds with the letter H, and the number 1 with A.
Miller claimed he rides with the Redliners, a motorcycle gang police said is an affiliate of the Hells Angels.
Sunday, 16 November 2008
We've executed a search warrant here at the Rebels Geelong clubhouse
Police are investigating the killing of Bandidos enforcer Ross Brand, 51, who was killed outside the Bandidos' clubhouse last month in a drive-by shooting. Another Bandido was injured in the shooting.Brand's killing is part of a brutal turf war between the two gangs. He was suspected of several attacks on Rebels members and their associates in the months before his death.
Police yesterday raided the Geelong headquarters of the Rebels motorcycle gang in the hunt for the killer of a member of a rival gang.Homicide detectives aided by Special Operation Group members searched the fortified property on a North Geelong industrial estate and later arrested two Rebels associates, a man, 34, at the clubhouse for firearms offences and a man, 25, at another address for a parole violation With a helicopter hovering, police went to the clubhouse, which has a metal plate with loopholes in place of a window, about 10.30am.The head of the homicide squad, Inspector Steve Clark, said: "We've executed a search warrant here at the Rebels clubhouse."One associate of the Rebels has been arrested in relation to firearms offences, and will be taken back to Geelong (police station) for interview and we've seized a number of items that will be examined over the coming week to see whether there's any association between those items and Ross Brand's murder."Inspector Clark said police seized ammunition at the clubhouse, but he would not specify what else had been taken away. He emphasised that both the men in custody had been arrested for offences "other than the murder of Ross Brand".
Other Rebels arrived at the clubhouse, next to a party hat shop, later in the morning but police allowed only one to enter. Detectives spent 20 minutes examining the four-wheel-drive in which the men arrived.Inspector Clark said there might be other raids this week."Outlaw motorcycle gangs are not renowned for co-operating with police, and this investigation has been no different," he said."Obviously there has been ongoing history between the two motorcycle gangs. We're hoping that our raid here will uncover some evidence that will lead to us solving the murder of Ross Brand."Clearly we're throwing a large number of resources at this particular investigation. We're hoping that that gives some comfort to the residents of Geelong, but the job of the homicide squad in relation to this matter is to solve our unsolved murder."Yesterday's raid follows revelations last week that CCTV footage of Brand's shooting showed two vehicles could have been involved.
Police believe the shots were fired from a white Toyota HiLux dual-cab utility. A white Hyundai Terracan station wagon could be seen outside the clubhouse 10 minutes earlier.
Police yesterday raided the Geelong headquarters of the Rebels motorcycle gang in the hunt for the killer of a member of a rival gang.Homicide detectives aided by Special Operation Group members searched the fortified property on a North Geelong industrial estate and later arrested two Rebels associates, a man, 34, at the clubhouse for firearms offences and a man, 25, at another address for a parole violation With a helicopter hovering, police went to the clubhouse, which has a metal plate with loopholes in place of a window, about 10.30am.The head of the homicide squad, Inspector Steve Clark, said: "We've executed a search warrant here at the Rebels clubhouse."One associate of the Rebels has been arrested in relation to firearms offences, and will be taken back to Geelong (police station) for interview and we've seized a number of items that will be examined over the coming week to see whether there's any association between those items and Ross Brand's murder."Inspector Clark said police seized ammunition at the clubhouse, but he would not specify what else had been taken away. He emphasised that both the men in custody had been arrested for offences "other than the murder of Ross Brand".
Other Rebels arrived at the clubhouse, next to a party hat shop, later in the morning but police allowed only one to enter. Detectives spent 20 minutes examining the four-wheel-drive in which the men arrived.Inspector Clark said there might be other raids this week."Outlaw motorcycle gangs are not renowned for co-operating with police, and this investigation has been no different," he said."Obviously there has been ongoing history between the two motorcycle gangs. We're hoping that our raid here will uncover some evidence that will lead to us solving the murder of Ross Brand."Clearly we're throwing a large number of resources at this particular investigation. We're hoping that that gives some comfort to the residents of Geelong, but the job of the homicide squad in relation to this matter is to solve our unsolved murder."Yesterday's raid follows revelations last week that CCTV footage of Brand's shooting showed two vehicles could have been involved.
Police believe the shots were fired from a white Toyota HiLux dual-cab utility. A white Hyundai Terracan station wagon could be seen outside the clubhouse 10 minutes earlier.
Friday, 14 November 2008
Nathan Frasier says he had a gun but did not shoot at two Hells Angels
Outlaws biker member from Michigan says he had a gun but did not shoot at two Hells Angels in 2006 at Custer State Park in South Dakota. Nathan Frasier of Grand Rapids, testified today at the Sioux Falls trial of Chad Wilson of Lynnwood, Wash., and John Midmore of Valparaiso, Ind.They're charged with trying to kill five Outlaws.But their lawyer has argued they fled to save their lives after Frasier and other Outlaws fired the first shots.Frasier disputed that, saying he and other Outlaws were walking in the parking lot when someone started shooting at them.Frasier says when officers took his gun he told them it had a 10-round clip, and he didn't fire a shot but acknowledged there were only nine bullets in a police photo of it.
Thursday, 13 November 2008
Sydney'sTurf war between Hells Angels and the Comancheros
Turf war between rival bikie gangs after three drive-by shootings and an arson attack on businesses in Sydney's south in recent months.
Detectives from NSW Police's gang and organised crime squads are investigating the string of incidents, which culminated in the firebombing of a Brighton-Le-Sands tattoo parlour last night.The store, Angel's Cosmetic Tattooing, was extensively damaged in the blaze that broke out when three men smashed in the front window about 11.30pm.Police say last night's attack is linked to two drive-by shootings at the Bay Street business - on June 24 and July 10 - as well as an attack on a tanning salon at nearby Rockdale later that night.Locals say the disturbances are part of a power struggle between rival gangs the Hells Angels and the Comancheros.Police today confirmed rumours, but stopped short of naming either gang."There is little doubt these incidents are part of a battle over turf between rival gangs," St George Local Area Commander Helen Begg said.Superintendent Begg said the incidents, including one drive-by shooting that occurred at 5pm, put members of the public at risk and would not be tolerated."These crimes will be aggressively investigated by strike force detectives," she said.Angel's Cosmetic Tattooing opened for business in September.
But a manager in a nearby business said trouble had been brewing in the suburb for some months, ever since the business owner applied to set up shop."When the application was approved that's when we thought there was going to be trouble," the woman, who did not want to be named, said.Since the store opened, up to six Comancheros members had taken to circling the block on their bikes in broad daylight on at least four separate Saturdays, she said."There's five or six of them and they circle like vultures," the manager said."There's a group of the Hells Angels standing out the front of the shop with their arms folded, looking tough.
"They wear their colour, their branded jackets, then the police come and drive around. It's like Keystone Cops," she said.
Detectives from NSW Police's gang and organised crime squads are investigating the string of incidents, which culminated in the firebombing of a Brighton-Le-Sands tattoo parlour last night.The store, Angel's Cosmetic Tattooing, was extensively damaged in the blaze that broke out when three men smashed in the front window about 11.30pm.Police say last night's attack is linked to two drive-by shootings at the Bay Street business - on June 24 and July 10 - as well as an attack on a tanning salon at nearby Rockdale later that night.Locals say the disturbances are part of a power struggle between rival gangs the Hells Angels and the Comancheros.Police today confirmed rumours, but stopped short of naming either gang."There is little doubt these incidents are part of a battle over turf between rival gangs," St George Local Area Commander Helen Begg said.Superintendent Begg said the incidents, including one drive-by shooting that occurred at 5pm, put members of the public at risk and would not be tolerated."These crimes will be aggressively investigated by strike force detectives," she said.Angel's Cosmetic Tattooing opened for business in September.
But a manager in a nearby business said trouble had been brewing in the suburb for some months, ever since the business owner applied to set up shop."When the application was approved that's when we thought there was going to be trouble," the woman, who did not want to be named, said.Since the store opened, up to six Comancheros members had taken to circling the block on their bikes in broad daylight on at least four separate Saturdays, she said."There's five or six of them and they circle like vultures," the manager said."There's a group of the Hells Angels standing out the front of the shop with their arms folded, looking tough.
"They wear their colour, their branded jackets, then the police come and drive around. It's like Keystone Cops," she said.
Timothy J. Silvia, an alleged member of the Brockton chapter of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, and alleged partner Todd Donofrio of Stoughton
Timothy J. Silvia, an alleged member of the Brockton chapter of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, and alleged partner Todd Donofrio of Stoughton showed up to pick up their cocaine in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn at Brockton's Westgate Mall in July 2007, they were in for a surprise. Instead of leaving with cocaine, they left in handcuffs.The dealer was an informant for the FBI, who had recorded numerous conversations with Silvia. Those conversations were detailed in an affidavit filed by an FBI agent.The 43-year-old Silvia last month pleaded guilty in US District Court in Boston to conspiracy with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, with a maximum of life, along with a fine of up to $4 million. Sentencing for Silvia, who is in custody and could not be reached for comment, has been scheduled for February. Donofrio's case is still in court.The arrest of Silvia, along with 13 members and associates of the Outlaws chapter in Taunton on separate drug charges, was part of Operation Roadkill, a two-year investigation by federal, state, and local police agencies into the motorcycle gang.The operation provided a glimpse into the workings of the Outlaws, an international gang that has been involved in numerous shootings and killings in the United States, particularly involving other gangs. The gang's motto is, "God forgives, Outlaws don't."The Brockton chapter operates from a house on Hunt Street, near Snow Park. The decrepit two-story building is covered with battered gray shingles. A sign on the tall fence surrounding the property announces "Outlaws parking only."The gang's logo, a skull on crossed pistons, adorns the fence. The locked fence gate is constructed from one sheet of heavy-grade metal, which looks as if it could resist a battering ram. Video cameras are mounted on a pole at a corner of the lot. No one responded during a reporter's recent visit.The sting operation started in March 2005, when the Boston office of the FBI, along with state and local police, targeted the Taunton chapter. (The gang also has a chapter in East Boston.)
An undercover officer infiltrated the Taunton chapter and developed a relationship with the chapter president, Joseph Noe. The agent's cover was that he was a "semi-legitimate businessman from Texas who visited Massachusetts on a monthly basis," according to an affidavit filed by FBI agent Timothy Quinn, who was the co-case agent on the investigation
An undercover officer infiltrated the Taunton chapter and developed a relationship with the chapter president, Joseph Noe. The agent's cover was that he was a "semi-legitimate businessman from Texas who visited Massachusetts on a monthly basis," according to an affidavit filed by FBI agent Timothy Quinn, who was the co-case agent on the investigation
Wednesday, 12 November 2008
Hassan "Sam" Ibrahim, the former head of the Parramatta chapter of the Nomads outlaw motorcycle gang, was released from Long Bay jail
Hassan "Sam" Ibrahim, the former head of the Parramatta chapter of the Nomads outlaw motorcycle gang, was released from Long Bay jail after being granted $200,000 bail.The 43-year-old was met at the gates by friends and family, including his younger brother, Kings Cross nightclub entrepreneur John Ibrahim.Ibrahim's lawyer Brett Galloway yesterday successfully applied for bail in Parramatta Local Court. The application was not opposed by police.As part of Ibrahim's bail conditions, he must not associate with any Nomads or attend any Nomads clubhouse. He would live with either his mother or his wife, with whom he planned to reconcile, Mr Galloway told the court.Last month, Ibrahim and two other Nomads, including national president Scott Orrock, were acquitted in the District Court over an alleged shootout at Islington, in Newcastle, in 2004.He still faces 11 weapons and property charges over a police raid of his Parramatta unit in December, 2006, when he was arrested by gangs squad detectives over the Islington shooting.According to court papers, Ibrahim was found in possession of a number of weapons including a .22 calibre five-shot revolver, and 223 rounds of ammunition, including 75 rounds of .45 calibre ammunition. He is also charged with having a ceramic bullet-resistant vest which was stolen from NSW Police.Police also allegedly uncovered a "walking stick sword", nunchuks and an illegal poker machine.Last week, Ibrahim told the court he planned to plead not guilty to the charges. He is due to face Parramatta Local Court again on December 22.Since he has been in prison, the Nomads Parramatta chapter was disbanded following a firebombing of the club's Granville clubhouse.His release follows last month's shooting murder of a long-term family friend, nightclub security manager Todd O'Connor, in Tempe.
Monday, 10 November 2008
Detectives have arrested a total of 12 people, and seized 17 firearms, more than $100,000 in cash, three Mercedes Benz motor vehicles, a transit van,
Detectives have arrested a total of 12 people, and seized 17 firearms, more than $100,000 in cash, three Mercedes Benz motor vehicles, a transit van, Honda wagon, and drugs with an estimated potential street value of more than $500,000. Detectives also seized stun guns, batons, ballistic vests, knuckle dusters, machetes, illegal knives, and handcuffs. Investigation for the alleged manufacture of illicit drugs in New South Wales by people alleged to be members and associates of Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, as well as the alleged trafficking of illicit drugs between New South Wales and South Australia. Co-ordination between NSW State Crime Command’s Gangs Squad, Australian Crime Commission and South Australian Police resulted in the arrest of six people in Adelaide on Thursday 6 November.Subsequent search warrants were conducted by South Australian Police at three locations including Enfield, Blair Athol and Adelaide CBD. Police located and seized three sawn-off shotguns, two .22 calibre rifles, a pen-gun, two batons, prohibited knives, capsicum spray, body armour, and drugs, as well as explosive arrow-heads and a bow.A 19-year-old Blair Athol man was charged with trafficking amphetamine, and unlawfully possess prescription drug. A 33-year-old Blair Athol man was charged with trafficking amphetamine, and possess prescription drug (steroid). A 38-year-old Blair Athol man was charged with trafficking amphetamine, illegal possession of firearms, possess prohibited weapons, and resist police. A 17-year-old Blair Athol man was charged with trafficking amphetamine, illegal possession of firearms, possess prohibited weapons, and resist police. All four men appeared at Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday 7 November. Two men - a 22-year-old from Elizabeth South and a 23-year-old of no fixed address - were charged with drug-related offences.
Saturday, 8 November 2008
Brawl between members of the Finks and Hells Angels gangs erupted at the Royal Pines Resort after Finks member Nicholas Forbes attacked
Brawl between members of the Finks and Hells Angels gangs erupted at the Royal Pines Resort after Finks member Nicholas Forbes attacked former friend, Hells Angel and convicted Melbourne gunman Christopher Wayne Hudson. Thirty-one-year-old Tyson James Ward and 35-year-old Ross Glen Thomas today pleaded guilty to their roles in the brawl. Ward was convicted of unlawfully assaulting Hudson after he had been shot in the face while Thomas pleaded guilty to affray. Acting judge Brian Devereaux fined Ward $3,000 and recorded a conviction while Thomas was fined $500 and no conviction was recorded.
Wayne Ordakowski also known as “Lumpy,” is charged with assisting fellow gang members
Wayne Ordakowski, 48, a member of the Mongols Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, was indicted by a federal grand jury in August and arrested Oct. 21 in a nationwide sweep, which included 10 other arrests in Denver.Ordakowski, also known as “Lumpy,” is charged with assisting fellow gang members and preventing agents from apprehending his alleged co-conspirators. He faces a maximum of 15 years in prison and up to $500,000 in fines.Investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives said Mongols gang members Benjamine Maestas and Leonard Martinez executed a scheme in August 2007 to defraud Loud Financial LLC by using false representations to illegally secure a $25,000 loan for a 2006 chopper at Hacienda Harley-Davidson in Scottsdale, Ariz.Shortly after law enforcement officers began their investigation into the wire fraud, Maestas sent several text messages to Ordakowski, who had direct knowledge of the scheme. Maestas allegedly told him to “act stupid” if the “cops call,” and promised Ordakowski a post as vice president of the Okane Park Chapter of the Mongols for withholding vital information from authorities. Maestas also offered three chapter prospects to work free “hard labor” for Ordakowski, the indictment says.Mass arrests of Mongols members were made in Los Angeles, where 79 defendants are being prosecuted, 73 of which face racketeering charges, a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Denver said. Federal search and arrest warrants were executed in seven states, including Colorado, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Florida and Ohio.In addition to the California arrests, agents served six federal search warrants throughout the Denver area and confiscated a stolen .25 caliber pistol, Colt .38 revolver, shotgun, Taurus .380 pistol, ammunition, Mongols paraphernalia, cell phones and a computer. The Parker Police Department and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the investigation.
The Denver area gang members face charges of drug trafficking, federal firearms violations, wire fraud, witness tampering, and trafficking in vehicle parts with serial numbers removed. Some higher-ranking members in Los Angeles face up to 40 years in prison and $2 million in fines.“These types of investigations are part of the ATF’s overall enforcement strategy to target the most violent offenders within our communities,” said ATF special agent in charge Richard Chase. “[Last week’s] success is the result of a combined federal, state, and local law enforcement effort and good police work.”The Mongols Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, formed in Montebello, Calif. in the 1970s, claims 600 members nationwide. Many of the Mongols were allegedly recruited from some of the most violent street gangs.The name “Mongols,” which is emblazoned on a patch that members wear on their motorcycle jackets, was trademarked by the gang. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California obtained a court order last week that immediately prevents gang members from using or displaying the Mongols name or logo.Ordakowski’s next scheduled court date was not immediately available.Parker man withheld information from fedsOrdakowski faces 15 years in prison
The Denver area gang members face charges of drug trafficking, federal firearms violations, wire fraud, witness tampering, and trafficking in vehicle parts with serial numbers removed. Some higher-ranking members in Los Angeles face up to 40 years in prison and $2 million in fines.“These types of investigations are part of the ATF’s overall enforcement strategy to target the most violent offenders within our communities,” said ATF special agent in charge Richard Chase. “[Last week’s] success is the result of a combined federal, state, and local law enforcement effort and good police work.”The Mongols Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, formed in Montebello, Calif. in the 1970s, claims 600 members nationwide. Many of the Mongols were allegedly recruited from some of the most violent street gangs.The name “Mongols,” which is emblazoned on a patch that members wear on their motorcycle jackets, was trademarked by the gang. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California obtained a court order last week that immediately prevents gang members from using or displaying the Mongols name or logo.Ordakowski’s next scheduled court date was not immediately available.Parker man withheld information from fedsOrdakowski faces 15 years in prison
Wednesday, 5 November 2008
Paul Fontaine, informant Stéphane (Godasse) Gagné talked of the planning that went into the slaying of provincial prison guard
Paul Fontaine, 40, a Hells Angel member, informant Stéphane (Godasse) Gagné talked of the planning that went into the slaying of provincial prison guard Pierre Rondeau on Sept. 8, 1997.The Crown's case alleges Fontaine wanted to kill prison guards on orders from Hells Angels leader Maurice (Mom) Boucher.Gagné told the jury Fontaine called off their initial plans to kill prison guards at least four times before Rondeau was shot while driving an inmate transfer bus. Rondeau's co-worker Robert Corriveau was also on the bus but was not injured in the ambush.Gagné said that early on the day of the shooting, he and Fontaine waited near a Rivière des Prairies detention centre for a bus whose route they had traced previously. Fontaine was to open fire on the vehicle when it arrived at an intersection. Gagné's job was to wait in a stolen Dodge Caravan so he and Fontaine could drive off after the shooting.
But Gagné said he recalled something important while they waited. "I had ridden in those buses a lot, so I knew if two guards were on the bus, one would be armed," Gagné said.Fontaine immediately told Gagné he, too, would have to open fire on the bus. When the bus pulled up to the intersection, both attackers got out of their van and stood in front of the bus.Gagné said he and Fontaine fired into the bus's windshield. He also recalled that within seconds Fontaine was already heading back to the van. Gagné said he turned to follow while still firing his semi-automatic pistol.From there, their plan continued to fall apart. The pair drove to a residential part of Pointe aux Trembles where they were supposed to transfer to a Mazda and torch the Caravan.But, Gagné said, he noticed a man delivering newspapers and warned Fontaine the potential witness could connect a flaming Caravan to their Mazda.They drove both vehicles away; Gagné doused the Caravan with gasoline and tossed in a match. Flames leapt out of the window and singed Gagné's face.
But Gagné said he recalled something important while they waited. "I had ridden in those buses a lot, so I knew if two guards were on the bus, one would be armed," Gagné said.Fontaine immediately told Gagné he, too, would have to open fire on the bus. When the bus pulled up to the intersection, both attackers got out of their van and stood in front of the bus.Gagné said he and Fontaine fired into the bus's windshield. He also recalled that within seconds Fontaine was already heading back to the van. Gagné said he turned to follow while still firing his semi-automatic pistol.From there, their plan continued to fall apart. The pair drove to a residential part of Pointe aux Trembles where they were supposed to transfer to a Mazda and torch the Caravan.But, Gagné said, he noticed a man delivering newspapers and warned Fontaine the potential witness could connect a flaming Caravan to their Mazda.They drove both vehicles away; Gagné doused the Caravan with gasoline and tossed in a match. Flames leapt out of the window and singed Gagné's face.
Saturday, 1 November 2008
Brian Jeffrey was the chapter's "sergeant at arms." was found guilty yesterday of trafficking drugs for the benefit of a criminal organization.
High-ranking member of the Hells Angels Simcoe chapter was found guilty yesterday of trafficking drugs for the benefit of a criminal organization.According to prosecutor Tom Andreopoulos, Brian Jeffrey was the chapter's "sergeant at arms."
He pleaded guilty to charges of drug trafficking and to possession of the proceeds of a crime, but not guilty to criminal organization charges on the basis, his lawyers argued, that the Hells Angels are not a criminal organization.
He pleaded guilty to charges of drug trafficking and to possession of the proceeds of a crime, but not guilty to criminal organization charges on the basis, his lawyers argued, that the Hells Angels are not a criminal organization.
Port Noarlunga to Victor Harbor 90 Hells Angels bikies made their way south for their annual poker run.
90 Hells Angels bikies made their way south for their annual poker run.The run, which took the bikers from Port Noarlunga to Victor Harbor, disrupted traffic for most of the afternoon. Dozens of police, including a team from the Crime Gangs Taskforce, followed the run to manage traffic and monitor behaviour.
Roads were blocked, traffic stopped and light sequences were changed to allow the group to make their way south safely.Random drug and alcohol tests and vehicle inspections were conducted at different locations during the run, a police spokeswoman said.Bikes were checked one by one at 15 stations, with riders forced to show their licences and have their motorbikes inspected.A number of bikes were defected and there were seven arrests for offences including unruly behaviour. Amateur photographer Jason Pine – who captured the action for the Sunday Mail – was driving north along South Rd to a personal engagement."I actually thought it was going to get ugly because there were a lot of cops – probably one cop per person," he said of the congested scene he witnessed.Mr Pine pulled his car over to take the photographs and spoke to a man claiming to be a Hells Angels member who had not joined the run."There were actually bikies that were watching from the side and I actually spoke to one of them and he said that they knew the cops were there and they had done it anyway," he said."He told me he didn't want to go because he didn't want any trouble."The annual event generally includes stops at five pubs, with players given a card at each.At the final stop each person presents their poker hand.
Roads were blocked, traffic stopped and light sequences were changed to allow the group to make their way south safely.Random drug and alcohol tests and vehicle inspections were conducted at different locations during the run, a police spokeswoman said.Bikes were checked one by one at 15 stations, with riders forced to show their licences and have their motorbikes inspected.A number of bikes were defected and there were seven arrests for offences including unruly behaviour. Amateur photographer Jason Pine – who captured the action for the Sunday Mail – was driving north along South Rd to a personal engagement."I actually thought it was going to get ugly because there were a lot of cops – probably one cop per person," he said of the congested scene he witnessed.Mr Pine pulled his car over to take the photographs and spoke to a man claiming to be a Hells Angels member who had not joined the run."There were actually bikies that were watching from the side and I actually spoke to one of them and he said that they knew the cops were there and they had done it anyway," he said."He told me he didn't want to go because he didn't want any trouble."The annual event generally includes stops at five pubs, with players given a card at each.At the final stop each person presents their poker hand.
Thursday, 30 October 2008
Funeral of murdered Bandidos member "Rosco" Brand.
Hundreds of mourners are expected to farewell Brand at a service at the Tuckers Funeral Home, followed by a burial service at Geelong Eastern Cemetery. funeral of murdered Bandidos member "Rosco" Brand.
Brand, a senior Bandidos member with a long criminal record, died in hospital after being gunned down while leaving the bikie gang's Geelong clubhouse with three other men last week. A volley of shots was fired from a white twin-cab ute parked outside the clubhouse in an industrial area of the Geelong suburb of Breakwater.
The Bandidos have been involved in a long-running bloody feud with rival bikie gang the Rebels; however, the Rebels have denied having anything to do with Brand's murder. A Victoria Police spokeswoman said officers would be attending the funeral and procession and were prepared to "assist or intervene to deal with any circumstances that might arise''. The funeral procession begins at midday at the Bandidos clubhouse in Leather St and will travel to the funeral home. After the service, the procession will then travel back towards the clubhouse to the nearby Geelong Eastern Cemetery. "Motorists may wish to organise alternative routes to avoid any inconvenience; however, we are confident any disruptions will be minimal,'' police said. Brand, 51, had prior convictions for violence, firearms and weapons. Homicide Squad detective inspector Steve Clark has said police were keeping an open mind on the shooting and were not necessarily assuming it was carried out by a rival gang.
Brand, a senior Bandidos member with a long criminal record, died in hospital after being gunned down while leaving the bikie gang's Geelong clubhouse with three other men last week. A volley of shots was fired from a white twin-cab ute parked outside the clubhouse in an industrial area of the Geelong suburb of Breakwater.
The Bandidos have been involved in a long-running bloody feud with rival bikie gang the Rebels; however, the Rebels have denied having anything to do with Brand's murder. A Victoria Police spokeswoman said officers would be attending the funeral and procession and were prepared to "assist or intervene to deal with any circumstances that might arise''. The funeral procession begins at midday at the Bandidos clubhouse in Leather St and will travel to the funeral home. After the service, the procession will then travel back towards the clubhouse to the nearby Geelong Eastern Cemetery. "Motorists may wish to organise alternative routes to avoid any inconvenience; however, we are confident any disruptions will be minimal,'' police said. Brand, 51, had prior convictions for violence, firearms and weapons. Homicide Squad detective inspector Steve Clark has said police were keeping an open mind on the shooting and were not necessarily assuming it was carried out by a rival gang.
Wednesday, 29 October 2008
Mark Stephenson and Remond Akleh, conspired to kill rival Frank Lenti and counselled another biker, Stephen Gault, to do the deed.
Mark Stephenson and Remond Akleh, conspired to kill rival Frank Lenti and counselled another biker, Stephen Gault, to do the deed.Mr. Akleh and Mr. Stephenson have pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit murder and counselling to commit murder.Mr. Scott told jurors they'll hear testimony from Mr. Gault, a man who has worked as an agent for police since 2005, that he had discussions with both men about a plot to murder Mr. Lenti.In his opening address to jurors, Mr. Scott said evidence will show Mr. Gault, a full-patch member of the Oshawa chapter of the Hells Angels, appeared to the accused men to be "the perfect, trusted guy" based on his lengthy criminal resume of violent offences."The one piece they didn't know? He'd (Mr. Gault) signed on in April of 2005 as a police agent," Mr. Scott said, telling jurors they'll hear recorded conversations of Mr. Gault meeting with Mr. Stephenson, president of the Oshawa chapter, and Mr. Akleh, a member of the Angels' elite Nomads organization.Those conversations occurred at Mr. Stephenson's home near Sunderland and at Mr. Akleh's Cobourg-area home, jurors heard.The Crown alleges that Mr. Akleh and Mr. Stephenson approached Mr. Gault in June of 2006 with a plan to kill Mr. Lenti, a man with a lengthy history of involvement in outlaw biker gangs. The Angels had failed in attempts to recruit Mr. Lenti and feared his association with the Bandidos -- bitter enemies of the Hells Angels -- could tip the balance of power, Mr. Scott said."Frank Lenti was seen as a threat," Mr. Scott said. "Frank Lenti . . . was someone who could bring people together."The murder plot was never acted on and Mr. Stephenson and Mr. Akleh were arrested in September of 2006 along with several other bikers in a provincewide strike against the Hells Angels. The majority of those arrested as a result of Project Tandem were busted on drug charges, many of them on the strength of evidence provided by Mr. Gault, Mr. Scott said. In fact, the alleged murder plot arose while Mr. Gault was acting as a police agent, buying cocaine from bikers, he said."This (alleged murder plot) just came along, out of the blue," Mr. Scott told jurors.The first witness called to the stand was Sergeant Kenneth Davis of Thunder Bay police, a member of the provincial Biker Enforcement Unit and an acknowledged expert on biker gangs.
The trial, presided over by Superior Court Justice Bruce Glass in Whitby, was interrupted Tuesday when a juror fell ill.
The trial, presided over by Superior Court Justice Bruce Glass in Whitby, was interrupted Tuesday when a juror fell ill.
Sunday, 26 October 2008
Harold Reynolds, known as "Face," 40, of Las Vegas, charged in federal warrants with racketeering influenced and corrupt organizations (RICO)
-- Harold Reynolds, known as "Face," 40, of Las Vegas, charged in federal warrants with racketeering influenced and corrupt organizations (RICO) conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine.
-- David Padilla, also known as "Lazy Dave," 36, of Las Vegas, charged in federal warrants with RICO conspiracy, racketeering influenced and corrupt organizations, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
-- Ismael Padilla, also known as "Milo," 33, of Las Vegas, charged in federal warrants with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine.
-- William Ramirez, also known as "Moreno," 38, of Las Vegas, charged in federal warrants with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine.
-- Jason Hull, also known as "Big Jay," 33, of Las Vegas, charged in federal warrants with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine.
-- John Babcock, also known as "Sinister," 43, of Las Vegas, charged in a state warrant with unlawful transfer of a firearm.
-- Gary Lawson, also known as "T.C.," 49, of Las Vegas was taken into custody in California as part of the operation.
"This has effectively dismantled both chapters in Southern Nevada," said Lt. David Logue, head of Metro's intelligence unit. Mongol chapters operated in Las Vegas and Henderson, he said.ro Police said at least nine motorcycles were confiscated, along with five revolvers, a chrome-plated pistol, three shotguns, numerous rifles and semi-automatic weapons. Some weapons and money were on display at a Tuesday news conference, said Bill Cassel, public information officer for Metro Police.
The federal racketeering indictment unsealed in Los Angeles also alleges the name "Mongols," which was trademarked by the gang, is subject to forfeiture.
The massive law enforcement crackdown against the Mongols, dubbed "Operation Black Rain," began three and a half years ago by various agencies, including local police, the U.S. Attorney's Office and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said Lt. David Logue, Metro Police intelligence chief.
Four agents outside of Nevada went undercover and earned a patch, becoming Mongol members, Logue said.Former national Mongol president Ruben Cavazos was arrested at his home near South Hills Country Club in West Covina, authorities said.
Law enforcement officers served a total of 110 federal arrest warrants and 160 search warrants in Southern California, Nevada, Oregon, Colorado, Washington state and Ohio. Seven of those warrants were served in Las Vegas by members of Metro Police, Henderson and North Las Vegas SWAT teams. No one resisted arrest and there were no injuries, Logue said.Mongol members have been involved in previous criminal activity in Las Vegas.Nine men, two of them Mongol members, were named in a federal grand jury indictment unsealed in April 2004 in Las Vegas on 73 counts of murder in connection with a shootout at Harrah's Laughlin casino at a 2002 gathering known as the River Run that left three people dead. Others involved were from the rival Hell's Angels motorcycle gang, authorities said. The shootout killed Salvador Barrera, Robert Tumelty and Jeremy Bell.About a half dozen people formed the gang in the 1970s because they were banned from joining the notorious Hell's Angels motorcycle group due to their Hispanic heritage. The Mongol gang began attracting members with criminal tendencies as it grew and was then labeled "outlaw" by law enforcement officials.The Mongols tend to recruit younger, more violent people from street gangs, said Thomas L. Chittum III, resident agent in charge in the Las Vegas branch of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
-- David Padilla, also known as "Lazy Dave," 36, of Las Vegas, charged in federal warrants with RICO conspiracy, racketeering influenced and corrupt organizations, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
-- Ismael Padilla, also known as "Milo," 33, of Las Vegas, charged in federal warrants with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine.
-- William Ramirez, also known as "Moreno," 38, of Las Vegas, charged in federal warrants with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine.
-- Jason Hull, also known as "Big Jay," 33, of Las Vegas, charged in federal warrants with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine.
-- John Babcock, also known as "Sinister," 43, of Las Vegas, charged in a state warrant with unlawful transfer of a firearm.
-- Gary Lawson, also known as "T.C.," 49, of Las Vegas was taken into custody in California as part of the operation.
"This has effectively dismantled both chapters in Southern Nevada," said Lt. David Logue, head of Metro's intelligence unit. Mongol chapters operated in Las Vegas and Henderson, he said.ro Police said at least nine motorcycles were confiscated, along with five revolvers, a chrome-plated pistol, three shotguns, numerous rifles and semi-automatic weapons. Some weapons and money were on display at a Tuesday news conference, said Bill Cassel, public information officer for Metro Police.
The federal racketeering indictment unsealed in Los Angeles also alleges the name "Mongols," which was trademarked by the gang, is subject to forfeiture.
The massive law enforcement crackdown against the Mongols, dubbed "Operation Black Rain," began three and a half years ago by various agencies, including local police, the U.S. Attorney's Office and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said Lt. David Logue, Metro Police intelligence chief.
Four agents outside of Nevada went undercover and earned a patch, becoming Mongol members, Logue said.Former national Mongol president Ruben Cavazos was arrested at his home near South Hills Country Club in West Covina, authorities said.
Law enforcement officers served a total of 110 federal arrest warrants and 160 search warrants in Southern California, Nevada, Oregon, Colorado, Washington state and Ohio. Seven of those warrants were served in Las Vegas by members of Metro Police, Henderson and North Las Vegas SWAT teams. No one resisted arrest and there were no injuries, Logue said.Mongol members have been involved in previous criminal activity in Las Vegas.Nine men, two of them Mongol members, were named in a federal grand jury indictment unsealed in April 2004 in Las Vegas on 73 counts of murder in connection with a shootout at Harrah's Laughlin casino at a 2002 gathering known as the River Run that left three people dead. Others involved were from the rival Hell's Angels motorcycle gang, authorities said. The shootout killed Salvador Barrera, Robert Tumelty and Jeremy Bell.About a half dozen people formed the gang in the 1970s because they were banned from joining the notorious Hell's Angels motorcycle group due to their Hispanic heritage. The Mongol gang began attracting members with criminal tendencies as it grew and was then labeled "outlaw" by law enforcement officials.The Mongols tend to recruit younger, more violent people from street gangs, said Thomas L. Chittum III, resident agent in charge in the Las Vegas branch of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Saturday, 25 October 2008
Steven Gonzales named in an indictment against dozens of members of the Mongols motorcycle gang has turned himself in.
Steven Gonzales of Denver named in an indictment against dozens of members of the Mongols motorcycle gang has turned himself in.
U.S. Attorney Troy Eid says 40-year-old Steven Gonzales of Denver surrendered at a bail bonds facility Thursday.Eid says that means all 14 people indicted in the Denver case against the Mongols are now in custody.Gonzales was among 79 people named in an indictment released this week against Mongols members. The indictment describes a tightly organized group that routinely engaged in crimes including murder, torture and drug trafficking.It is unknown whether Gonzales has an attorney.
Thursday, 23 October 2008
Adrian Sisneros, 26; Michael Hee, 44; and Thomas Hernandez, 33,Mongol members arrested
Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metro Gang Task Force carried out sweeps this week in the metro area, searching for 14 Mongol gang members and their associates, along with evidence, after they were named in federal indictments. With two additional arrests Wednesday, 13 are now in custody. They face numerous criminal counts on allegations of drug trafficking, illegal firearms possession and witness tampering. Similar operations took place in six other states, with the biggest occurring in California. Dozens have been arrested.
Agents continued to search for Steven Gonzales, 40, whose last known address was in Denver. Maestas was arrested on numerous federal counts, including trafficking cocaine, methamphetamine and Ecstasy, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
A neighbor who befriended Maestas when he and his family moved into the Harvey Park neighborhood recalled federal agents carrying out a raid at the Maestas home about two years ago. But neighbors rarely saw Denver police at the house despite a lot of vehicle and pedestrian traffic.Maestas, 34, is married with two young sons and owns a towing service."He seemed, to me, that he very much separated his time in the club from his home life and maybe even tried intentionally to do that," said the neighbor who asked not to be identified. "But there was a lot of activity at his house. Nobody would be home, and a lot of people I had never seen before would be going into his house, you know. "I think there was always suspicious activity around there, but no indication to me, or just from watching, that anything would be going on."In Fort Lupton, where federal authorities executed a warrant at a home belonging to Ruben Bravo, the police chief said his officers noticed a large Mongols presence in the summer. The indictment does not indicate whether Bravo, one of the two arrested on Wednesday, was a Mongols member or a gang associate. "We had a few daily contacts - but just (because) there were a bunch of them on the weekends when it was warm and they would be riding their bikes with their colors on," Police Chief Ron Grannis said.After checking records, the chief found just one call about six months ago on a domestic violence complaint at the home where Bravo lived. "They did have a few parties . . . during the summer that didn't get out of hand to the point that neighbors had to call us," Grannis said.Grannis plans to meet with federal agents on Friday to learn more about the criminal activities in which the Mongols were allegedly involved.In addition to Maestas and Bravo, the 11 other Mongol members and associates taken into custody on Tuesday and Wednesday were Anthony Shippley, 41; Ernest Salas, 40; Edward Montano, 42; Adrian Sisneros, 26; Michael Hee, 44; and Thomas Hernandez, 33, all of Denver. Also, John Bertolucci, 48, of Lakewood; Cary Weinman, 64, of Centennial; and Wayne Ordakowski, 48, of Parker.Victor Muniz, 27, and Leonard Martinez, 41, no hometowns given, already were in custody.
Wednesday, 22 October 2008
Mongols member got permission to get the insignia tattooed on his head -- after he shot two rival gang members.
injunction to seize the Mongols' trademarked name, a first for federal authorities. If the order is approved, no member would be able to wear a jacket or ride a bike bearing the gang's name.The Mongols have trademarked their name, which is usually accompanied by their revered emblem of a guy who looks like Genghis Khan, wearing a ponytail and astride a chopper. It's such a big deal to the Mongols that they control their emblem more rigidly than Chanel. The indictment says that one member got permission to get the insignia tattooed on his head -- after he shot two rival gang members.the feds want the United States government to own that trademark. That means anyone caught wearing a Mongols patch without the feds' permission could get busted for it right then and there, evidently for trademark infringement!
Tuesday, 21 October 2008
Washington Nomads chapter of the Hells Angels and the Bandidos Motorcycle Club motorcycle gang members were arrested for breaking racketeering laws
Dozens of motorcycle gang members were arrested today by federal agents in six states, including Washington, on warrants ranging from drug sales to murder after a three-year undercover investigation in which four agents successfully infiltrated the group.At least 38 members of the Southern California-based Mongol motorcycle gang were arrested under a federal racketeering indictment that included charges of murder, attempted murder, assault, as well as gun and drug violations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives spokesman Mike Hoffman said.During some arrests, sharpshooters stood guard on surrounding rooftops and motorcycles were lined up and confiscated."It's going to be a large hit to their organization, we are arresting many of their top members," Hoffman said.Among those arrested were the gang's former national president Ruben Cavazos.Federal and local agents had 110 federal arrest warrants and 160 search warrants that were being served across Southern California and in Nevada, Oregon, Colorado, Washington and Ohio. The sweep, dubbed Operation Black Rain, was to continue throughout the day, agents said.Hoffman said the Mongols had been recruiting members of Los Angeles street gangs to assist in their operations.Four ATF agents infiltrated the gang and were accepted as full members, a difficult process that requires winning the trust of the gang's top leaders over a period of months, Hoffman said.In recent years, federal prosecutors in Washington have used racketeering laws to prosecute dozens of members of the Washington Nomads chapter of the Hells Angels and the Bandidos Motorcycle Club.
Monday, 20 October 2008
Hells Angels biker gang bunker burned down following an explosion
Bunker belonging to the Hells Angels biker gang in southwestern Quebec burned down following explosion Saturday night, in what police said was one of three suspicious fires a few blocks apart.Quebec police spokesman Sgt. Ronald McInnis confirmed Sunday the fire, which sent thick, black smoke billowing into the air, started after a truck slammed into the gang's meeting house at about 9:30 p.m. in Sorel-Tracy, Que."We don't know what kind of truck because it was completely gone in the fire," he said, adding police believe there was no one in the truck at the time it crashed.Police believe the suspect or suspects may have loaded the truck with gasoline, he said.Sgt. McInnis said the building was also destroyed but no one was injured. According to witnesses an explosion went off inside the Hells Angels Quebec headquarters. Residents in the immediate area were forced to leave their homes for a few hours.About two hours earlier, a three-storey commercial and residential building near a hotel caught fire. Police said the blaze started on the third floor but all residents managed to escape before it burned to the ground.Diane Dufour, who works at Mike's restaurant on the same street as the apartment fire said Hydro Quebec cut the power to the entire area for about 15 minutes.Ms. Dufour said she had spoken to some residents who heard "several explosions" at the bunker. She also said she saw flames from the bunker blaze and the air, during the early morning hours in Sorel-Tracy, was dense with heavy smoke. Then, said police, at about 1 a.m. Sunday another fire erupted in a nearby garage in a residential area.Sgt. McInnis said police have no suspects but believe all three were arson. However, he said it was too soon to tell if the fires were related.Fire officials were investigating all three fires on Sunday. The city's mayor Robert Marcel was at the scene of the bunker fire Sunday and was expected to update the media on the investigation into the fires later in the day.The Hells Angels Montreal club is based in Sorel and was Canada's first Hells Angels chapter.Sorel-Tracy is a city located about 90 kilometres north of Montreal.
Friday, 17 October 2008
Chad Wilson and John Midmore charged with a 2006 gunfight at Custer State Park
2 Hells Angels bikers charged with a 2006 gunfight at Custer State Park will be allowed to call a state ballistics expert to testify.Chad Wilson of Lynnwood, Wash., and John Midmore of Valparaiso, Ind., are to stand trial starting Nov. 3 in Sioux Falls.They're charged with five counts of attempted first-degree murder and one count of commission of a felony while armed for the shootout that injured several rival Outlaws.Defense lawyers earlier made a motion that a firearms expert with the state lab be prevented from testifying.He was questioned by prosecution and defense lawyers today and then the judge ruled that he could testify.A charge of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder will be handled separately.Defense lawyers earlier asked that Frans Maritz, a firearms expert with the state crime lab, be prevented from testifying.Prosecution and defense lawyers questioned him Friday. Then Judge Gene Paul Kean ruled he could testify and that jurors could weigh his qualifications for themselves.Defense lawyers earlier asked for a trial delay because a federal complaint filed by the men hasn't been resolved and could produce evidence supporting their claim they acted in self-defense because rival Outlaws members targeted them.State prosecutors plan to argue that an ongoing feud between the two clubs was the motive for Wilson and Midmore to fire on the Outlaws, defense lawyers wrote in the complaint, which named 19 defendants, including various federal agencies, officials and the federal government.In September, Kean refused to delay the trial and on Thursday a federal judge filed an order denying the defense's request for a status hearing on the federal lawsuit, though the case will continue.
The trial has been delayed several times, including for an appeal to the Supreme Court that forced a change in judges.Wilson is a member of the Dago Chapter of the Hells Angels motorcycle club in San Diego and Midmore is a prospect of the Haney Chapter of the Hells Angels in British Columbia, Canada, according to court documents.The five Outlaws Motorcycle Club members who were shot and wounded are Thomas Hass, Al Mathews, Danny Neace, Claudia Wables and Susan Evans-Martin. Another woman, Crystal Schuster, suffered injuries unrelated to a gunshot. Their addresses were not included in court documents.The shooting happened Aug. 8, 2006, at Legion Lake Resort in Custer State Park, where the Outlaws gathered for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally 70 miles away.Wilson and Midmore were arrested that evening after they told an off-duty park ranger their pickup had broken down and they needed a ride.According to a federal court document, an Outlaws member who was not wounded said he returned fire at the man who shot at his group.Defense lawyers have said they may call as many 153 witnesses, though some of the names are also on the list of more than 200 people submitted by prosecutors.
The trial has been delayed several times, including for an appeal to the Supreme Court that forced a change in judges.Wilson is a member of the Dago Chapter of the Hells Angels motorcycle club in San Diego and Midmore is a prospect of the Haney Chapter of the Hells Angels in British Columbia, Canada, according to court documents.The five Outlaws Motorcycle Club members who were shot and wounded are Thomas Hass, Al Mathews, Danny Neace, Claudia Wables and Susan Evans-Martin. Another woman, Crystal Schuster, suffered injuries unrelated to a gunshot. Their addresses were not included in court documents.The shooting happened Aug. 8, 2006, at Legion Lake Resort in Custer State Park, where the Outlaws gathered for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally 70 miles away.Wilson and Midmore were arrested that evening after they told an off-duty park ranger their pickup had broken down and they needed a ride.According to a federal court document, an Outlaws member who was not wounded said he returned fire at the man who shot at his group.Defense lawyers have said they may call as many 153 witnesses, though some of the names are also on the list of more than 200 people submitted by prosecutors.
Thursday, 16 October 2008
Arrested eight members of an Anaheim biker gang charged them with attempted murder
Arrested eight members of an Anaheim biker gang charged them with attempted murder this morning as part of an ongoing operation, authorities said.The charges stem from a fight last week at a Newport Beach bar between two biker gangs, said Anaheim police Sgt. Tim Schmidt.The group arrested this morning are members of a Christian biker gang named Set Free Soldiers, and the victims are members of the Hells Angels, Schmidt said.The operation, which included SWAT teams, began about 5 a.m. today, Schmidt said. No injuries were reported, Schmidt said, adding that officers served 11 warrants, all on attempted murder charges. On their website, Set Free Soldiers describe themselves as “a group of men who Love Jesus and Love to RIde Hard. We are not your normal motorcycle club. Some say we are too Good for the Bad guys, and too Bad for the Good guys.” “We don’t argue that,” the statement says. “All we Soldiers know is that we take care of our own and help plenty of others along the way. We try to live Right in this Wrong world and let our light shine wherever we may go.”
In addition to videos of the group in action, including some showing members in fistfights with other people, the site offers apparel for sale. A onesie for babies with the words “Soldier Made” written on the front in faux alphabet blocks sells for $30.The address given for those wishing to buy items is in the same Anaheim block raided this morning by authorities.
In addition to videos of the group in action, including some showing members in fistfights with other people, the site offers apparel for sale. A onesie for babies with the words “Soldier Made” written on the front in faux alphabet blocks sells for $30.The address given for those wishing to buy items is in the same Anaheim block raided this morning by authorities.
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
Antonio Marquez, was the vice president and sergeant at arms of the gang and currently is awaiting trial on San Antonio
Antonio Marquez, 39, was found guilty of attempted murder for a February 2007 shooting incident at the gang’s former clubhouse on Water Street. Marquez fired a gun at a man, who fled the scene and was never located.Despite no identified victim, prosecutors used Marquez’s own statements to law enforcement in which he admitted to shooting a man. The defense argued self-defense.During the sentencing phase, jurors were told that Marquez has a history of violent behavior, including multiple assaults that involved Marquez beating victims with a flashlight. Officers from the San Antonio gang unit testified about Marquez’s involvement with the Bandidos.
Defense attorney Perry Cortese sought probation for Marquez.“This conviction is pivotal for the citizens of Kerr County,” said 198th Assistant District Attorney Amos Barton. “As we grow, our community will have to address the same problems faced by larger cities, but we still have small-town values and big justice.”
Marquez was arrested for deadly conduct and failure to identify in the early morning hours of Feb. 24, 2007, at the Bandidos clubhouse after the owner of a neighboring business called Kerrville police. The business owner said he witnessed two men fire several rounds at a man.According to police, the victim ran away and no one appeared at local hospitals with gunshot wounds.
The Bandido clubhouse has since been closed.Marquez was the vice president and sergeant at arms of the gang and currently is awaiting trial on San Antonio charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver — a first-degree felony.
Defense attorney Perry Cortese sought probation for Marquez.“This conviction is pivotal for the citizens of Kerr County,” said 198th Assistant District Attorney Amos Barton. “As we grow, our community will have to address the same problems faced by larger cities, but we still have small-town values and big justice.”
Marquez was arrested for deadly conduct and failure to identify in the early morning hours of Feb. 24, 2007, at the Bandidos clubhouse after the owner of a neighboring business called Kerrville police. The business owner said he witnessed two men fire several rounds at a man.According to police, the victim ran away and no one appeared at local hospitals with gunshot wounds.
The Bandido clubhouse has since been closed.Marquez was the vice president and sergeant at arms of the gang and currently is awaiting trial on San Antonio charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver — a first-degree felony.
Wooroloo Mercanti shooting could be the beginning of a war between bikie gangs.
member of the Finks bikie gang, believed to be from Western Australia, was shot in the shoulder during the incident at Wooroloo, 55km east of Perth, on Sunday. Police would not comment on whether other motorcycle gangs were involved but it is suspected the Finks main rivals, the Coffin Cheaters, may be. Police would not reveal the name or age of the man who was shot. He was in a stable condition yesterday in Royal Perth Hospital. Another man was injured falling from his motorcycle during the shooting but was not admitted to hospital.
Assistant Police Commissioner Wayne Gregson said he was concerned that the incident could be the beginning of a war between bikie gangs. "Yes, that is a concern, that there could be tension between bikie gangs and that tension could escalate into violence," Mr Gregson said. The Finks, who have been well established in South Australia, Queensland, NSW and the Northern Territory, have reportedly been trying to establish a chapter in Western Australia. Former high-profile Coffin Cheater member Troy Mercanti is understood to have joined the Finks after being kicked out of the Coffin Cheaters. South Australia Police Detective Superintendent Des Bray, from the Crime Gangs Taskforce, said Mr Mercanti had been in South Australia recently and was wearing Finks colours. "We suspect that some of the people joining the club (the Finks) will be ex-Coffin Cheater members," Mr Bray said. SA has recently introduced tougher laws targeting outlaw bikie gangs. Mr Gregson said this might be one reason why Finks members were heading west. "The perception in South Australia may well be that it's too hot to do business," he said. "If we see that's effective legislation, it is something I would be happy to discuss with the Government." Mr Gregson said that although WA police had a strong focus on outlaw motorcycle gangs, they were powerless to prevent bikies crossing state borders.
Assistant Police Commissioner Wayne Gregson said he was concerned that the incident could be the beginning of a war between bikie gangs. "Yes, that is a concern, that there could be tension between bikie gangs and that tension could escalate into violence," Mr Gregson said. The Finks, who have been well established in South Australia, Queensland, NSW and the Northern Territory, have reportedly been trying to establish a chapter in Western Australia. Former high-profile Coffin Cheater member Troy Mercanti is understood to have joined the Finks after being kicked out of the Coffin Cheaters. South Australia Police Detective Superintendent Des Bray, from the Crime Gangs Taskforce, said Mr Mercanti had been in South Australia recently and was wearing Finks colours. "We suspect that some of the people joining the club (the Finks) will be ex-Coffin Cheater members," Mr Bray said. SA has recently introduced tougher laws targeting outlaw bikie gangs. Mr Gregson said this might be one reason why Finks members were heading west. "The perception in South Australia may well be that it's too hot to do business," he said. "If we see that's effective legislation, it is something I would be happy to discuss with the Government." Mr Gregson said that although WA police had a strong focus on outlaw motorcycle gangs, they were powerless to prevent bikies crossing state borders.
Monday, 13 October 2008
motorcyclist who was shot and wounded on the side of the road in Wooroloo yesterday afternoon is believed to be a member of the Finks.
A motorcyclist who was shot and wounded on the side of the road in Wooroloo yesterday afternoon is believed to be a member of the Finks. West Australian police are investigating a shooting they believe involves at leat one bikie gang.
The incident comes just days after a memo was issued to all West Australian police officers informing them about moves by the Finks to establish a chapter in Perth.
It is believed former Coffin Cheater member Troy Mercanti has joined the Finks.
Police Assistant Commissioner for Crime Wayne Gregson says the Finks can expect to be closely monitored. "We are aware of their movements into Western Australia," he said."We'll be watching them very carefully and they will be strongly policed."
Police expect the section of Great Eastern Highway where the incident occurred to remain closed until midday as they investigate the crime scene.A detour is in place.
The incident comes just days after a memo was issued to all West Australian police officers informing them about moves by the Finks to establish a chapter in Perth.
It is believed former Coffin Cheater member Troy Mercanti has joined the Finks.
Police Assistant Commissioner for Crime Wayne Gregson says the Finks can expect to be closely monitored. "We are aware of their movements into Western Australia," he said."We'll be watching them very carefully and they will be strongly policed."
Police expect the section of Great Eastern Highway where the incident occurred to remain closed until midday as they investigate the crime scene.A detour is in place.
Thursday, 9 October 2008
Paul Fontaine, 40, is accused of killing Rondeau and attempting to kill Corriveau, who narrowly escaped being hit.
Jury hearing evidence in the trial of a Hells Angel accused of murdering prison guard Pierre Rondeau was shown crime scene photographs yesterday that illustrated the force and extent of the surprise attack
The photos were taken by Montreal police crime scene technician Robert Schanck after the ambush was carried out the morning of Sept. 8, 1997. Rondeau, at the wheel of a bus used to transport inmates, was on his way to a detention centre. His colleague Robert Corriveau was in a passenger seat. The bus came to a stop on Tricentenaire Blvd. in Pointe aux Trembles at a railway crossing when bullets started flying.
Paul Fontaine, 40, is accused of killing Rondeau and attempting to kill Corriveau, who narrowly escaped being hit.The jury has been told that Fontaine received his patch, or full membership in the Hells Angels, months after the shooting.
The photos show that shots were fired into the bus from two directions. Seven shots were fired into the windshield, and most appeared to have been aimed at the driver's side. Five bullets were fired into the bus door, including a couple that struck the door frame. Corriveau was seated inches behind the door.The jury was also shown the inside of the bus, which showed that Rondeau lost a lot of blood before ambulance technicians arrived.The Superior Court trial, at the Montreal courthouse and presided over by Justice Marc David, is expected to last four months, during which evidence will be broken up into four stages. The first, which the jury is currently hearing, involves evidence from the day of the shooting.The second involves the testimony of Stéphane (Godasse) Gagné. The Hells Angels underling turned informant after he was charged, in December 1997, with being one of the people who killed Rondeau.The third stage will deal with Fontaine's disappearance after the shooting and his eventual discovery, in Quebec City, seven years later. The same stage will touch on the 1998 death of André (Toots) Tousignant, a Hells Angel believed to have been in on the plot to kill the prison guards.Prosecutor Randall Richmond has told the jury that Fontaine, Tousignant and Gagné were all working under the orders of Hells Angels leader Maurice (Mom) Boucher in a plot to disrupt and intimidate the justice system.The fourth stage will be used to present evidence intended to support Gagné's testimony.
The photos were taken by Montreal police crime scene technician Robert Schanck after the ambush was carried out the morning of Sept. 8, 1997. Rondeau, at the wheel of a bus used to transport inmates, was on his way to a detention centre. His colleague Robert Corriveau was in a passenger seat. The bus came to a stop on Tricentenaire Blvd. in Pointe aux Trembles at a railway crossing when bullets started flying.
Paul Fontaine, 40, is accused of killing Rondeau and attempting to kill Corriveau, who narrowly escaped being hit.The jury has been told that Fontaine received his patch, or full membership in the Hells Angels, months after the shooting.
The photos show that shots were fired into the bus from two directions. Seven shots were fired into the windshield, and most appeared to have been aimed at the driver's side. Five bullets were fired into the bus door, including a couple that struck the door frame. Corriveau was seated inches behind the door.The jury was also shown the inside of the bus, which showed that Rondeau lost a lot of blood before ambulance technicians arrived.The Superior Court trial, at the Montreal courthouse and presided over by Justice Marc David, is expected to last four months, during which evidence will be broken up into four stages. The first, which the jury is currently hearing, involves evidence from the day of the shooting.The second involves the testimony of Stéphane (Godasse) Gagné. The Hells Angels underling turned informant after he was charged, in December 1997, with being one of the people who killed Rondeau.The third stage will deal with Fontaine's disappearance after the shooting and his eventual discovery, in Quebec City, seven years later. The same stage will touch on the 1998 death of André (Toots) Tousignant, a Hells Angel believed to have been in on the plot to kill the prison guards.Prosecutor Randall Richmond has told the jury that Fontaine, Tousignant and Gagné were all working under the orders of Hells Angels leader Maurice (Mom) Boucher in a plot to disrupt and intimidate the justice system.The fourth stage will be used to present evidence intended to support Gagné's testimony.
last original member of the Niagara Hells Angels was charged with illegally importing vehicles from the United States.
last original member of the Niagara Hells Angels was charged with illegally importing vehicles from the United States. A five-month investigation by a joint forces police auto theft team led to the seizure of five vehicles and 12 charges against Timothy Panetta of Wainfleet. The 39-year-old owns Advantage Auto Sales and Leasing on Allanport Road in Thorold, which was searched by police last month.
A police source from the auto theft team alleged salvage vehicles were purchased in the U.S. and imported into Canada. “They are being fraudulently registered with their true identities hidden and then sold to the public,” the detective said.
The vehicles included two Chevrolet Suburbans and a Porsche Carrera. One of the five vehicles contained stolen parts. Police aren’t saying where the vehicles originated or their histories. Typically, when a vehicle is fraudulently registered, its flaws are hidden in documentation to increase its sales value. Two of the vehicles had been sold, while three were for sale, police said. The auto team, spearheaded by the OPP, were assisted by the biker enforcement unit and provincial organized crime enforcement team. Panetta joined the Hells Angels in 2001, not long after a massive takeover of nearly all of Ontario’s native biker groups by the gang. While gangs around the province abandoned their own colours and adopted the grinning death’s head patch of the Hells Angels, Niagara was a special case.
A police source from the auto theft team alleged salvage vehicles were purchased in the U.S. and imported into Canada. “They are being fraudulently registered with their true identities hidden and then sold to the public,” the detective said.
The vehicles included two Chevrolet Suburbans and a Porsche Carrera. One of the five vehicles contained stolen parts. Police aren’t saying where the vehicles originated or their histories. Typically, when a vehicle is fraudulently registered, its flaws are hidden in documentation to increase its sales value. Two of the vehicles had been sold, while three were for sale, police said. The auto team, spearheaded by the OPP, were assisted by the biker enforcement unit and provincial organized crime enforcement team. Panetta joined the Hells Angels in 2001, not long after a massive takeover of nearly all of Ontario’s native biker groups by the gang. While gangs around the province abandoned their own colours and adopted the grinning death’s head patch of the Hells Angels, Niagara was a special case.
Wednesday, 8 October 2008
Mark Figueiredo Hells Angels associate has been sentenced to six years in prison
Hells Angels associate has been sentenced to six years in prison after police made what is described as Canada's largest seizure of the date rape drug GHB from his garage.Mark Figueiredo, 30, wept as he hugged his wife, sister and niece before he was led away in handcuffs.The Toronto man has no previous criminal record, but he chose to do business with the Hells Angels, found by judges to be a criminal organization, said Ontario Superior Court Justice Ian Nordheimer. The drug GHB has legal purposes, but the fact that Figueiredo dealt with the Hells Angels leads to the inescapable conclusion that the liquid "was not for legitimate or benign" purposes," Nordheimer said. GHB is one of at least three "date rape" drugs that can render victims physically helpless and unable to remember events afterward.
Figueiredo pleaded guilty in July to conspiring with six other men, five alleged to be Hells Angels members, to traffic in 600 litres of GHB, worth $1.2 million.Police found 350 litres in Figueiredo's garage on Crawford. St., in west Toronto, described by prosecutor Hugh O'Connell as the largest seizure of the drug in Canada.
Figueiredo was arrested as part of Project Develop, which charged alleged Hells Angels members in April 2007 following a series of police raids across southern Ontario. He is not a Hells Angels member.Several co-accused have pleaded guilty, others are before the courts. The judge accepted a joint submission by O'Connell and defence lawyer Fred Shanahan, and sentenced Figueiredo to six years. According to an agreed statement of facts, in May 2006 police found $2,000 in cocaine and some marijuana at Figueiredo's home.Police had placed him under surveillance and in January 2006 saw him carry plastic bags, believed to contain GHB into the Toronto home of a known Hells Angels member. A police agent at the home paid the Hells Angels member $1,600 for eight litres of GHB. Acting on suspicion Figueiredo was stashing GHB for Hells Angels, police executed a warrant on Feb. 15 and found the GHB in his garage.
Figueiredo pleaded guilty in July to conspiring with six other men, five alleged to be Hells Angels members, to traffic in 600 litres of GHB, worth $1.2 million.Police found 350 litres in Figueiredo's garage on Crawford. St., in west Toronto, described by prosecutor Hugh O'Connell as the largest seizure of the drug in Canada.
Figueiredo was arrested as part of Project Develop, which charged alleged Hells Angels members in April 2007 following a series of police raids across southern Ontario. He is not a Hells Angels member.Several co-accused have pleaded guilty, others are before the courts. The judge accepted a joint submission by O'Connell and defence lawyer Fred Shanahan, and sentenced Figueiredo to six years. According to an agreed statement of facts, in May 2006 police found $2,000 in cocaine and some marijuana at Figueiredo's home.Police had placed him under surveillance and in January 2006 saw him carry plastic bags, believed to contain GHB into the Toronto home of a known Hells Angels member. A police agent at the home paid the Hells Angels member $1,600 for eight litres of GHB. Acting on suspicion Figueiredo was stashing GHB for Hells Angels, police executed a warrant on Feb. 15 and found the GHB in his garage.
Chris Ablett California warrant for his arrest popped onto the screen with a $5 million bond attached, Ablett told the officers, "That would be me,"
Christopher Ablett, 37, of Modesto, Calif., is at the center of an investigation that made international news.Hells Angels' San Francisco President Mark Guardado, 45, was shot and killed Sept. 2. Motorcyclists from around the world came to San Francisco to pay their respects.
Police in California had identified Ablett as a suspect in the case partly based on witness reports that tied someone fitting his description to the scene of the shooting. Police searched his Modesto home, seizing a motorcycle and other evidence.
Ablett is said to be a member of the Mongols Motor Club, a rival of the Hells Angels. Recent reports in California have linked assaults, shootings and pipe bomb explosions to tension between the groups
When officials ran Ablett's name and fingerprints through their system, they found nothing tying him to any Oklahoma case.
Ablett then suggested that they expand their search nationally. As the California warrant for his arrest popped onto the screen with a $5 million bond attached, Ablett told the officers, "That would be me," Holland said.
Police in California had identified Ablett as a suspect in the case partly based on witness reports that tied someone fitting his description to the scene of the shooting. Police searched his Modesto home, seizing a motorcycle and other evidence.
Ablett is said to be a member of the Mongols Motor Club, a rival of the Hells Angels. Recent reports in California have linked assaults, shootings and pipe bomb explosions to tension between the groups
When officials ran Ablett's name and fingerprints through their system, they found nothing tying him to any Oklahoma case.
Ablett then suggested that they expand their search nationally. As the California warrant for his arrest popped onto the screen with a $5 million bond attached, Ablett told the officers, "That would be me," Holland said.
Kenneth Wagner Niagara Hells Angel sentenced to 11 years in jail
Kenneth Wagner Niagara Hells Angel sentenced to 11 years in jail is the first in Ontario to be convicted of directing others to act for a criminal organization. Kenneth Wagner the second in command man in the Niagara chapter was handed the sentence in a Toronto courtroom. “This is a message for those bikers and those who subscribe to that subculture that it will not pay,” federal prosecutor Tom Andreopoulos said in a telephone interview after court. Wagner, 43, pleaded not guilty to the criminal organization charge but was convicted last week by Judge John McMahon. The sentence also includes charges of trafficking cocaine and having $150,675 in proceeds of crime, which Wagner pleaded guilty to on Sept. 9.
Andreopoulos said Wagner was like the “quarterback” of the Niagara chapter. Wagner bossed others around while insulating himself from the actual drug and weapon dealings because he was an executive, Andreopoulos said. Police and prosecutors say Gerald (Skinny) Ward was the No. 1 man in the Niagara chapter. The pair were among 15 Hells Angels swept up in a provincewide crackdown on the motorcycle gang and its associates in September 2006. Project Tandem, run by the joint forces Ontario Biker Enforcement Unit, arrested 24 people and seized $3 million in drugs. When police searched Wagner’s Port Colborne home, they found internal police documents, cash and a bulletproof vest. Last week, McMahon ruled the Hells Angels, including the Niagara chapter located in Welland, is a criminal organization.Wagner, a single father of two adult children who has been in custody since his arrest two years ago, remains a member of the club, but told the court he is hoping to retire. The Crown had argued Wagner serve an additional 10 years, while the defence requested he serve an extra three. Andreopoulos said Tuesday Wagner will serve an additional six years and eight months. The judge credited him with four years and four months of pre-trial custody.
Andreopoulos said the judge thoroughly analyzed Wagner’s circumstances and took into account the fact he has no previous criminal record. Wagner has agreed to forfeit the cash, his truck, motorcycle and house on Highway 3, which has no equity. Wagner’s lawyer, Andras Schreck, said by phone Wagner will be eligible for parole after serving a third of his sentence. The judge rejected the Crown’s request that he serve half the sentence prior to parole eligibility. “I think he recognized there was genuine remorse on the part of Mr. Wagner,” Schreck said. He added the judge also found Wagner wasn’t the driving force behind the transactions — instead, it was Ward. Wagner was found guilty Sept. 30 of instructing four people to traffic drugs and a firearm in association with a criminal organization. The charge was based on five transactions in Niagara in which Wagner directed others to deliver four kilograms of cocaine and a gun to a police informant. Court records showed they traded most of the goods in the parking lots of a Fenwick motorcycle shop and the Seaway Mall in Welland. Ward’s case is still before the courts. He pleaded not guilty last month to the charge of directing others, including Wagner, to commit crimes as part of a criminal organization. The charge can carry a life sentence.
Judgment on that issue is scheduled for Nov. 21. Ward also faces sentencing after pleading guilty to trafficking cocaine four times between May 2005 and Sept. 2006 and unlawfully possessing $304,430 in proceeds of crime.
Andreopoulos said Wagner was like the “quarterback” of the Niagara chapter. Wagner bossed others around while insulating himself from the actual drug and weapon dealings because he was an executive, Andreopoulos said. Police and prosecutors say Gerald (Skinny) Ward was the No. 1 man in the Niagara chapter. The pair were among 15 Hells Angels swept up in a provincewide crackdown on the motorcycle gang and its associates in September 2006. Project Tandem, run by the joint forces Ontario Biker Enforcement Unit, arrested 24 people and seized $3 million in drugs. When police searched Wagner’s Port Colborne home, they found internal police documents, cash and a bulletproof vest. Last week, McMahon ruled the Hells Angels, including the Niagara chapter located in Welland, is a criminal organization.Wagner, a single father of two adult children who has been in custody since his arrest two years ago, remains a member of the club, but told the court he is hoping to retire. The Crown had argued Wagner serve an additional 10 years, while the defence requested he serve an extra three. Andreopoulos said Tuesday Wagner will serve an additional six years and eight months. The judge credited him with four years and four months of pre-trial custody.
Andreopoulos said the judge thoroughly analyzed Wagner’s circumstances and took into account the fact he has no previous criminal record. Wagner has agreed to forfeit the cash, his truck, motorcycle and house on Highway 3, which has no equity. Wagner’s lawyer, Andras Schreck, said by phone Wagner will be eligible for parole after serving a third of his sentence. The judge rejected the Crown’s request that he serve half the sentence prior to parole eligibility. “I think he recognized there was genuine remorse on the part of Mr. Wagner,” Schreck said. He added the judge also found Wagner wasn’t the driving force behind the transactions — instead, it was Ward. Wagner was found guilty Sept. 30 of instructing four people to traffic drugs and a firearm in association with a criminal organization. The charge was based on five transactions in Niagara in which Wagner directed others to deliver four kilograms of cocaine and a gun to a police informant. Court records showed they traded most of the goods in the parking lots of a Fenwick motorcycle shop and the Seaway Mall in Welland. Ward’s case is still before the courts. He pleaded not guilty last month to the charge of directing others, including Wagner, to commit crimes as part of a criminal organization. The charge can carry a life sentence.
Judgment on that issue is scheduled for Nov. 21. Ward also faces sentencing after pleading guilty to trafficking cocaine four times between May 2005 and Sept. 2006 and unlawfully possessing $304,430 in proceeds of crime.
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
Christopher Ablett refused to speak to detectives, (and) said he would take the Fifth if he were questioned.”
“Mr. Ablett refused to speak to detectives, (and) said he would take the Fifth if he were questioned.”
Christopher Ablett of Modesto, Calif., surrendered to police Sunday afternoon, Police Chief Tom Holland told the Examiner-Enterprise earlier today.“Mr. Ablett showed up at the police department, said to dispatchers, ‘I am not armed but I am a fugitive and I’m here to surrender, so if you could call some officer in to take me into custody,’” Holland said.Two officers responded and Ablett reportedly told them the same thing.“He was then frisked and found to have no weapons,” Holland said.Holland said a short time later authorities realized who they had in custody.
Ablett has been wanted in California in connection with the slaying of 46-year-old Hells Angels leader, Mark “Papa” Guardado, who was shot outside a San Francisco bar on Sept. 2.Police have not said what the motive for the killing may have been but note that Ablett was a member of a rival gang, Mongols Motorcycle Club.
According to reports by The Associated Press, the Mongols and Hells Angels have a long-standing feud that erupted in an April 2002 fight at a casino in Nevada. The fight resulted in the deaths of three bikers and injured numerous others.
“When we contacted San Francisco police, they indicated that they were interested in coming to get him this week,” Holland said.Holland said Ablett wouldn’t say how he got to the police department, but police believe someone drove him there.“We know he was dropped off,” said Holland.When asked if Ablett had been staying with area Mongols, Holland said, “We don’t have a clue who he was with, he’s not talking.”
Holland said police have transferred Ablett to a “more secure facility.”“We have had no threats or indications that there will be any problem,” he said.He said he thinks Ablett will be transported to California quickly.”He was at all times courteous and cooperative,” Holland said.Ablett is being held on $5 million fugitive of justice warrant.
Christopher Ablett of Modesto, Calif., surrendered to police Sunday afternoon, Police Chief Tom Holland told the Examiner-Enterprise earlier today.“Mr. Ablett showed up at the police department, said to dispatchers, ‘I am not armed but I am a fugitive and I’m here to surrender, so if you could call some officer in to take me into custody,’” Holland said.Two officers responded and Ablett reportedly told them the same thing.“He was then frisked and found to have no weapons,” Holland said.Holland said a short time later authorities realized who they had in custody.
Ablett has been wanted in California in connection with the slaying of 46-year-old Hells Angels leader, Mark “Papa” Guardado, who was shot outside a San Francisco bar on Sept. 2.Police have not said what the motive for the killing may have been but note that Ablett was a member of a rival gang, Mongols Motorcycle Club.
According to reports by The Associated Press, the Mongols and Hells Angels have a long-standing feud that erupted in an April 2002 fight at a casino in Nevada. The fight resulted in the deaths of three bikers and injured numerous others.
“When we contacted San Francisco police, they indicated that they were interested in coming to get him this week,” Holland said.Holland said Ablett wouldn’t say how he got to the police department, but police believe someone drove him there.“We know he was dropped off,” said Holland.When asked if Ablett had been staying with area Mongols, Holland said, “We don’t have a clue who he was with, he’s not talking.”
Holland said police have transferred Ablett to a “more secure facility.”“We have had no threats or indications that there will be any problem,” he said.He said he thinks Ablett will be transported to California quickly.”He was at all times courteous and cooperative,” Holland said.Ablett is being held on $5 million fugitive of justice warrant.
Paul Fontaine, 40, described in court as a full-patch member of the Hells Angels, is accused of being one of two shooters
Paul Fontaine, 40, described in court as a full-patch member of the Hells Angels, is accused of being one of two shooters who took part in the Sept. 8, 1997, attack that killed guard Pierre Rondeau. His partner of three years, Robert Corriveau, was also targeted in the shooting but was not struck.The other shooter was Stéphane (Godasse) Gagné, a Hells Angels underling who later turned informant, prosecutor Randall Richmond told the jury.Richmond said Gagné, who is still behind bars, will testify during the trial and characterized him as the most important witness because he is the only one who can identify Fontaine as the other shooter.With his receding hairline and double chin, and dressed in a checked dress shirt and striped tie, Fontaine looked more like a businessman than a member of an outlaw motorcycle gang as he sat in the prisoner's dock.The seven women and five men of the jury are expected to hear evidence until the end of January. More than 140 witnesses are expected to testify in the first-degree murder trial at the Montreal courthouse.
In his opening remarks, Richmond said Rondeau and Corriveau were targeted simply because they were prison guards."It was a conspiracy to kill guards, any guards - not specifically Mr. Rondeau and Mr. Corriveau," Richmond said.Fontaine was part of the conspiracy along with Gagné and André Tousignant, a Hells Angel who was killed in 1998.All three were operating under the orders of Hells Angels leader Maurice (Mom) Boucher, Richmond said, adding the gang boss planned to also have judges, police officers and prosecutors killed as part of a plan to destabilize the justice system. Boucher figured it would prevent his underlings from becoming informants because the Crown would never want to make a deal with someone who killed a prison guard, Richmond said."But he was wrong."
Fontaine went into hiding after Rondeau was killed, Richmond told the jury, and stayed under the radar until 2004 when he was discovered living under an assumed identity.He recalled how the day he and his partner were attacked seemed like any other until they stopped at an intersection in Rivière des Prairies while on their way to a detention centre to pick up inmates for a routine transport to the Montreal courthouse.Corriveau shot only a few very quick glances in Fontaine's direction while he testified.Corriveau said he saw a man in dark clothing stand in front of the guards' blue modified school bus, his arms resting on the hood. The shooter used both hands to point his gun at them. The next thing he saw, Corriveau said, was Rondeau get shot while he sat in the driver's seat."I saw the impact (of the bullets). He turned toward me as he was struck," said Corriveau, who was sitting in the front passenger seat."I was prepared to die. It makes no sense but I was," Corriveau said, adding that everything happened very quickly.The jury saw a photo that showed several shots were fired into the windshield of the bus and into the door of the bus, near where Corriveau sat, but he was not struck.
In his opening remarks, Richmond said Rondeau and Corriveau were targeted simply because they were prison guards."It was a conspiracy to kill guards, any guards - not specifically Mr. Rondeau and Mr. Corriveau," Richmond said.Fontaine was part of the conspiracy along with Gagné and André Tousignant, a Hells Angel who was killed in 1998.All three were operating under the orders of Hells Angels leader Maurice (Mom) Boucher, Richmond said, adding the gang boss planned to also have judges, police officers and prosecutors killed as part of a plan to destabilize the justice system. Boucher figured it would prevent his underlings from becoming informants because the Crown would never want to make a deal with someone who killed a prison guard, Richmond said."But he was wrong."
Fontaine went into hiding after Rondeau was killed, Richmond told the jury, and stayed under the radar until 2004 when he was discovered living under an assumed identity.He recalled how the day he and his partner were attacked seemed like any other until they stopped at an intersection in Rivière des Prairies while on their way to a detention centre to pick up inmates for a routine transport to the Montreal courthouse.Corriveau shot only a few very quick glances in Fontaine's direction while he testified.Corriveau said he saw a man in dark clothing stand in front of the guards' blue modified school bus, his arms resting on the hood. The shooter used both hands to point his gun at them. The next thing he saw, Corriveau said, was Rondeau get shot while he sat in the driver's seat."I saw the impact (of the bullets). He turned toward me as he was struck," said Corriveau, who was sitting in the front passenger seat."I was prepared to die. It makes no sense but I was," Corriveau said, adding that everything happened very quickly.The jury saw a photo that showed several shots were fired into the windshield of the bus and into the door of the bus, near where Corriveau sat, but he was not struck.
Todd Anthony O'Connor, a former member of the Nomads' outlaw motorcycle gang shot dead
The dead man was named in the media as Sydney underworld identity Todd Anthony O'Connor, a former member of the Nomads' outlaw motorcycle gang.He also was said to be a founding member of the Notorious crime gang, which has been linked to the drugs trade in inner-Sydney areas such as Kings Cross and the Oxford Street nightclub district.Police would not confirm the dead man's identity.A spokeswoman for the State Crime Command said Strike Force Colbee had been established to investigate the shooting.
Christopher Ablett turned himself in San Francisco authorities had issued a $5 million warrant for Ablett's arrest
Suspect in the September slaying of the president of the San Francisco chapter of the Hells Angels surrendered himself to authorities over the weekend in Oklahoma, San Francisco police said today.
Christopher Ablett, 37, of Modesto, a member of the rival Mongols motorcycle gang, turned himself in on Saturday and is awaiting extradition to San Francisco in connection with the Sept. 2 fatal shooting of Mark Guardado.San Francisco authorities had issued a $5 million warrant for Ablett's arrest. Guardado, 46, was shot dead around 10:30 p.m. outside a bar in San Francisco's Mission District. Police later identified Ablett as the suspect and seized a motorcycle and other evidence at his Modesto home, but could not locate him and urged him to surrender to police.Guardado's funeral in Daly City on Sept. 15 was attended by about 1,000 Hells Angels members and associates.On Sept. 18, explosives detonated in the San Jose driveway of another Mongols member, damaging two parked cars. Authorities could not confirm whether it was an act of retaliation.
Sunday, 5 October 2008
Yesterday Daily Mail online published a story where the term 'Hell's Angels' was used in reference to the bikers
Yesterday Daily Mail online published a story where the term 'Hell's Angels' was used in reference to the bikers who turned up to support the men accused of murdering Gerry Tobin. We would like to make it clear that these men are members of the Outlaws motorcycle club and not the Hell's Angels motorcycle club.
Yesterday Daily Mail online published a story where the term 'Hell's Angels' was used in reference to the bikers who turned up to support the men accused of murdering Gerry Tobin. We would like to make it clear that these men are members of the Outlaws motorcycle club and not the Hell's Angels motorcycle club.man has admitted killing a former Calgarian who was shot dead on a British highway in August 2007.Sean Creighton, 44, pleaded guilty Thursday to the murder of Gerard (Gerry) Tobin, though his plea could not be reported until Friday for legal reasons, according to British newspaper reports.Creighton, who now faces a life sentence, is one of seven men charged with Tobin's murder. The other six are to go on trial in a Birmingham court beginning Monday.Tobin, 35, had been living in London for almost 10 years after moving from Calgary, where friends have said he was a devout Christian who led Bible studies and aspired to be a missionary.The motorcycle mechanic was returning from the Bulldog Bash, an annual motorcycle festival, when he was shot in the back of the head from a passing car.The police investigation focused around a motorcycle repair shop in Coventry, where officers seized two vehicles. Police also seized a gun in the raids, according to Canwest News reports at the time.Investigators believed Tobin was targeted because he was wearing his Hells Angels Motorcycle Club insignia at the time.Those charged in his murder are alleged to be associated with the Outlaws, rivals of the Hells Angels.
Yesterday Daily Mail online published a story where the term 'Hell's Angels' was used in reference to the bikers who turned up to support the men accused of murdering Gerry Tobin. We would like to make it clear that these men are members of the Outlaws motorcycle club and not the Hell's Angels motorcycle club.man has admitted killing a former Calgarian who was shot dead on a British highway in August 2007.Sean Creighton, 44, pleaded guilty Thursday to the murder of Gerard (Gerry) Tobin, though his plea could not be reported until Friday for legal reasons, according to British newspaper reports.Creighton, who now faces a life sentence, is one of seven men charged with Tobin's murder. The other six are to go on trial in a Birmingham court beginning Monday.Tobin, 35, had been living in London for almost 10 years after moving from Calgary, where friends have said he was a devout Christian who led Bible studies and aspired to be a missionary.The motorcycle mechanic was returning from the Bulldog Bash, an annual motorcycle festival, when he was shot in the back of the head from a passing car.The police investigation focused around a motorcycle repair shop in Coventry, where officers seized two vehicles. Police also seized a gun in the raids, according to Canwest News reports at the time.Investigators believed Tobin was targeted because he was wearing his Hells Angels Motorcycle Club insignia at the time.Those charged in his murder are alleged to be associated with the Outlaws, rivals of the Hells Angels.
Four were members of the Manitoba Hells Angels chapter. former presidents Ernie Dew and Dale Donovan.Manitoba an open market for drug trafficking
31 people were arrested in Project Defence in February 2006 and Project Drill last December. Four were members of the Manitoba Hells Angels chapter. They include former presidents Ernie Dew and Dale Donovan. There has been speculation the shakeup created by the undercover projects, orchestrated by the Manitoba integrated organized crime task force, led to a struggle for control within the province's drug trade. There has been instability and gang-related violence in Thompson, including homicides and shootings. Sgt. Pat Olson, an RCMP officer with the province's integrated gang intelligence unit, said some gangs see Manitoba as an open market for drug trafficking.
Friday, 3 October 2008
Sean Creighton, faces a life sentence after he pleaded guilty to shooting dead a biker who was riding home from a Hell’s Angels festival.
Sean Creighton faces a life sentence after he pleaded guilty to shooting dead a biker who was riding home from a Hell’s Angels festival. Sean Creighton, 44, from Coventry, had been due to go on trial at Birmingham Crown Court for killing Gerry Tobin, a 35-year-old mechanic, but altered his plea to guilty. The trial of six other men for the murder of Mr Tobin, who was killed on the M40 motorway near Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, on August 12 last year, is due to start on Monday.
Mr Tobin, from Mottingham, southeast London, was shot in the back of the head as he returned home from the Bulldog Bash biker festival at Long Marston airfield in Warwickshire. More than 100 Hell’s Angels, some wearing denim and leather jackets emblazoned with the Outlaws insignia, descended on the court last week. Some wore masks and one hid his face behind sunglasses and beneath a hoodie and black bowler hat. Creighton, who also admitted two firearms charges, has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced at the end of the trial, which is expected to last for up to six weeks. His change of plea could not be reported until the trial judge, Mr Justice Treacy, lifted the legal restrictions. After a jury was sworn in the judge warned them not to begin conducting their own investigations into the killing of Mr Tobin. Karl Garside, 45, pleaded not guilty to murder during a previous hearing in February, while Simon Turner, 41, Dane Garside, 42, Malcolm Bull, 53, Dean Taylor, 47, and Ian Cameron, 46, entered their not guilty pleas last December.
The exact addresses of the defendants, who are from Coventry, Nuneaton and Milton Keynes, cannot be published for legal reasons. All six men also face a charge of possessing a shotgun, while Turner and Dane Garside are further charged with possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. During the selection of potential jurors, the judge asked whether any of them had ever been a member of, or knew members of, any organised bikers’ group. Prospective jurors were also asked whether they had ever attended the Bulldog Bash bikers’ festival or a similar event organised by a group known as the Outlaws.
Mr Tobin, from Mottingham, southeast London, was shot in the back of the head as he returned home from the Bulldog Bash biker festival at Long Marston airfield in Warwickshire. More than 100 Hell’s Angels, some wearing denim and leather jackets emblazoned with the Outlaws insignia, descended on the court last week. Some wore masks and one hid his face behind sunglasses and beneath a hoodie and black bowler hat. Creighton, who also admitted two firearms charges, has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced at the end of the trial, which is expected to last for up to six weeks. His change of plea could not be reported until the trial judge, Mr Justice Treacy, lifted the legal restrictions. After a jury was sworn in the judge warned them not to begin conducting their own investigations into the killing of Mr Tobin. Karl Garside, 45, pleaded not guilty to murder during a previous hearing in February, while Simon Turner, 41, Dane Garside, 42, Malcolm Bull, 53, Dean Taylor, 47, and Ian Cameron, 46, entered their not guilty pleas last December.
The exact addresses of the defendants, who are from Coventry, Nuneaton and Milton Keynes, cannot be published for legal reasons. All six men also face a charge of possessing a shotgun, while Turner and Dane Garside are further charged with possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. During the selection of potential jurors, the judge asked whether any of them had ever been a member of, or knew members of, any organised bikers’ group. Prospective jurors were also asked whether they had ever attended the Bulldog Bash bikers’ festival or a similar event organised by a group known as the Outlaws.
Joseph McGuire was shot and wounded during a brawl in The Loud American Roadhouse
Joseph McGuire was shot and wounded during a brawl in a bar. The 33-year-old Hell's Angels biker is due back in court in November.The county prosecutor said off-duty Seattle police officer Ronald Smith shot McGuire in self defense during a fight.Smith and four others have pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor weapons charges. All five are members of the Iron Pigs, a motorcycle club made up of law officers and firefighters.
Four Hells Angels associates were caught in a Quesnel home this weekend with bales of marijuana
Four Hells Angels associates were caught in a Quesnel home this weekend with bales of marijuana, some guns and equipment to generate electricity.
The arrests were done in a SWAT-style takedown by RCMP, who converged on home on the Nazko Highway in Quesnel."Four males associated to the east end chapter of the Hells Angels were located and arrested at the residence," said Quesnel RCMP Cpl. Pat Jenkins. "Police seized approximately 160 pounds of marijuana, four firearms and power generating equipment."
All four males were from the Lower Mainland.Police estimated the wholesale value of the marijuana to be at least $320,000.
The arrests were done in a SWAT-style takedown by RCMP, who converged on home on the Nazko Highway in Quesnel."Four males associated to the east end chapter of the Hells Angels were located and arrested at the residence," said Quesnel RCMP Cpl. Pat Jenkins. "Police seized approximately 160 pounds of marijuana, four firearms and power generating equipment."
All four males were from the Lower Mainland.Police estimated the wholesale value of the marijuana to be at least $320,000.
Andrew Leslie Paul, who retired from the force last month, may never be able to work again because of trauma he suffered after the infamous fight
Andrew Leslie Paul, who retired from the force last month, may never be able to work again because of trauma he suffered after the infamous fight between the Hells Angels and Finks on the Gold Coast.Three men were shot and three more stabbed when a fight broke out between the rival gangs at a kickboxing event at the Royal Pines Resort, where Mr Paul and another officer were providing crowd control on March 18, 2006.The claim states: "The plaintiff's co-worker called for urgent police back-up when the gun battle started but armed assistance did not arrive for at least 20 to 30 minutes following this request by which time the battle was over.
"During the gun battle, the plaintiff and his co-worker feared for their lives and those of the public who they were there at the event to protect, as they just did not have sufficient police resources to properly control the situation or to protect themselves or the public."The State of Queensland is accused of failing to pass on intelligence that bikie gangs, which had the potential to spark violence, could be at the event, to either the Broadbeach Police Division officer-in-charge or an 18-officer contingent at a nearby Carrara football event.It is also accused of failing to adhere to its own Queensland Police Service planning policy, which states there should be six officers for every 1000 members of the public at an event, with the claim estimating at least 300
"During the gun battle, the plaintiff and his co-worker feared for their lives and those of the public who they were there at the event to protect, as they just did not have sufficient police resources to properly control the situation or to protect themselves or the public."The State of Queensland is accused of failing to pass on intelligence that bikie gangs, which had the potential to spark violence, could be at the event, to either the Broadbeach Police Division officer-in-charge or an 18-officer contingent at a nearby Carrara football event.It is also accused of failing to adhere to its own Queensland Police Service planning policy, which states there should be six officers for every 1000 members of the public at an event, with the claim estimating at least 300