01:15 The story of what happened to this Pagan. All men face the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole. Each separately faces a variety of felony federal felony charges that, if convicted, would land them in jail for a minimum of 10 years. We believe this corresponds with a fair use of any such copyrighted material (referenced and provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law). (Each of the defendants is charged by federal criminal complaint; the specific charges and corresponding penalties are listed in the chart below.). Although starting out as a harmless group and coming from humble beginnings, the club evolved into something much more dangerous and sinister. The night out drinking, though, ended badly for one of the Navy men. Marshals Service, under the direction of U.S. Law enforcement officers recovered seven .40 caliber shell casings from the shooting scene. An official website of the United States government. According to the criminal complaint, Bethel Park police received a search warrant for the home at 2544 Highland Circle on April 12. ", First published on January 28, 2022 / 1:05 PM. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited a joint task force comprised of special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gibson; special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Newark Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Taylor; the Union County Prosecutors Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Ruotolo; and the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Callahan, with the investigation leading to these charges. Law enforcement considers the Pagans, founded in 1959 as a fellowship of 13 motorcyclists in Maryland, to be among the largest and most violent outlaw motorcycle clubs in the country, according. Password * Remember Me . Those charges remain pending. The U.S. Attorney's Office previously announced the arrest of Keith "Conan" Richter the national president of the Pagans and charged him with illegal possession of a firearm on Feb. 20,. At the corner of Duval and Caroline streets, he was approached by Robbins, who made reference to the vest. Have a question about Government Services? Mr Brady said that the Pagans are one of the most violent motorcycle gangs in the US and the FBI estimates they have more than 1,500 members across 41 chapters. The defendants are alleged to have conspired to distribute controlled substances including cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin. Members of the Pagan's Motorcycle Club at the Wilmington Delaware Riverfront on November 7, 2020 (@profgabrielle/Twitter) . The affair was open to the public and included blues bands, porn stars, motorcycle exhibits and tattoo contests. In the codes of the motorcycle gang in the United States, wearing the patches in another territory is taken as a lack of respect and a clear provocation to violence. The friends bought the vests, sometimes called cut offs, on Amazon for $15 each. The second Indictment contains two counts and names the following nine individuals as defendants: Anthony Peluso, 38, of Hampton Township, PA, Marissa Botta, 28, of Hampton Township, PA. The arrest has sent ripples through the Pagans organization. A resident of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of possession of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Dave Wedge, a journalist who co-authored the book, adds in the same Zoom call: "A. The assassination of a Bronx Pagans MC leader was retaliation for someone opening fire on the Hells Angels' new Bronx headquarters, prosecutors revealed Wednesday.. Hells Angels members Frank "Loose Cannon" Tatulli, 58, and Sayanon Thongthawath, 29, were arrested July 22 for for allegedly shooting Francisco Rosado, the head of the Pagan's Motorcycle Club's Bronx chapter. Other assisting agencies include the Allegheny County Police Department Homicide, Baldwin Police Department, Brentwood Police Department, McKees Rocks Police Department, Stowe Township Police Department and West Deer Township Police Department. . Luis Arocho and Mauricio Guzmn, among other members of the Pagans MC, struck him by surprise with baseball bats and other long wooden sticks used to hold axes and hammers. The Sheriff's Office found the following: Police say Meyer was convicted in Monroe County in 2013 for grand theft. This investigation involved court-authorized wiretaps, the use of multiple undercover law enforcement agents, and execution of multiple search warrants at physical locations in multiple jurisdictions. pagans mc 2020 arrests. Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting these cases on behalf of the government. On April 24, 2018, Arocho, Guzman, and other associates of the Pagans assaulted an associate of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club at a gas station in Newark. According to a news release from the Walla Walla County Sheriff's Office, authorities arrested Dustin Wendelin, who is a Corrections Officer with the Washington Department of Corrections, was arrested at the Walla Walla . (Courtesy: Monroe County Sheriff's Office). The gathering, hosted by the Pagans Motorcycle Club at Duffy's Ale House, was meant to serve as a fundraiser for a Long Island boy with cancer and to celebrate the Pagans 50th anniversary . The Pagans and the Hells Angels have a long-standing rivalry. FAX: 856-968-4917 The Pagans MC, commanded by Arocho and Guzmn, surprised the Hell ngels member when he stopped at a gas station to refuel. Lock Federal officials say that a total of 30 members of the violent. The U.S. Attorneys Office previously announced thearrest of Keith Richter , aka Conan the national president of the Pagans in connection with his illegal possession of a firearm on Feb. 20, 2021. The widespread investigation further identified "large-scale" illegal-substance-suppliers who also served local drug dealers in the Greater Pittsburgh Region, besides serving members and affiliates of the PMC, according to the DOJ press release. Biker News & Biker Lifestyle Pagans MC News. This, according to the newspaper report. May 06, 2020 at 10:12 pm Expand Two men shot 51-year-old Pagans Motorcycle Club's Bronx chapter leader, Francisco Rosado, in a parking lot near the Bronx building where he works as a super. This collaborative investigation will undoubtedly make communities safer throughout our state and beyond., The success and scale of this investigation is a testament to the impact a collaboration between law enforcement agencies can have on the safety and security of our communities, Acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo said. Robbins, who wore a shirt that read, "Pagans Key West," said he was a Pagans club member while being booked into jail, but didn't make a statement, police said. According to the arrest warrant against Luis LuRoc Arocho on Tuesday, April 24, 2018, the time is not specified, several members of the Pagans MC glimpsed a member of the Hell Angels gang who was filming in his motorcyclist on his turf in Newark, New Jersey, with his clothes and insignia linking him to his gang. According to this Indictment, Rana, Armes, C. Bonanno, P. Bonanno, and Quarture conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance between January and November of 2020. The U.S. Attorneys Office previously announced the arrest of Keith Richter, aka Conan the national president of the Pagans in connection with his illegal possession of a firearm on Feb. 20, 2021. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A locked padlock Published May 4, 2020. The victim was beaten with an axe handle, punched, and kicked by the Pagans assailants, resulting in significant injuries. If you are Pagan, but not a . On June 29, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hoobans residence and recovered approximately 30 grams of cocaine and a loaded firearm. On Oct. 31, 2020, Aquino shot at an occupied vehicle in Elizabeth. Suffolk County Police make 11 arrests of members of the Pagans MC, Dirty Ones MC, Steel Wheels MC, Black Sheep MC and Armored Saints MC in Lindenhurst, Long Island, New York at a fundraiser event being held by the Pagans Motorcycle Club at Duffy's Ale House. Raids involving 300 federal agents resulted in the seizure of 12 guns, $28,000 in cash, jewellery and significant quantities of drugs. All men face the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole. Rather than offering any background on the club or its activities, it is largely just an advertisement for events. These arrests made New Jersey safer and this investigation demonstrated the determination of DEA and our amazing partners to pursue the most violent criminal gangs who choose to violate the law., Todays arrests are the latest in a long-running investigation into the illegal activities of the Pagans Motorcycle Club, Acting U.S. Attorney Honig said. These arrests made New Jersey safer and this investigation demonstrated the determination of DEA and our amazing partners to pursue the most violent criminal gangs who choose to violate the law., I can say without question that our collective efforts have disrupted and dismantled the daily illegal activities of the Pagans outlaw motorcycle gang, by strategically removing their most violent and most egregious firearm and drug trafficking members and associates, ATF Newark Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Toby C. Taylor said. KEY WEST (CBSMiami) -- A Florida man and member of the Pagan's motorcycle gang was arrested Thursday after cocaine and firearms were found in his home. day details the report that was presented to the governor. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Ortiz was also charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The case was investigated at the beginning by the prosecution of the Essex County, where the city of Newark is located, but when the authorities discovered the participation of Luis Arocho and several more senior members of the Pagans MC, the case was turned over to the Department of Justice with support from the DEA and the US Marshals, among other agencies. U.S. Attorney Scott Brady says the Pagans. Trenton:609-989-2190 Law enforcement made it clear to them that their behavior will not be tolerated, Gibson said and ironically explained that Monday was a bad day for the MC Pagans when the combined forces of the DEA, ATF, US Marshals and NJSP theyre coming for you these arrests made New Jersey safer. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. "I want to thank and commend my staff and our law enforcement partners for taking this suspect off the streets.". According to information provided to the court, the three Indictments charge 30 individuals with federal drug trafficking and firearms charges. As it relates to this count, the Indictment seeks forfeiture of the firearm and ammunition. Both Arocho and Guzman are high-ranking leaders in the Pagans organization. According to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, 31-year-old Justin Meyer, of Key West, was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and possession of drug paraphernalia. In all, the prosecutor said, some 300 law enforcement officers and seven SWAT teams participated in the arrests and searches, which yielded large quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl. A Walla Walla prison guard, and a Umatilla County man, have both been arrested for their alleged roles in assaults as part of a violent motorcycle gang called the Pagans. There was also an adult female and two children at the property who were not arrested. Cops have arrested two Hells Angels members and another biker-gang tough suspected in the assassination of a rival Pagans Motorcycle Club leader, police sources said. In all, the prosecutor said, some 300 law enforcement officers and seven SWAT teams participated in the arrests and searches, which yielded large quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl. A locked padlock Authorities found that in the 18 months leading up to September 2020 there were more incidents of violence committed by Pagans MC than in the previous ten years combined, but the actual count is probably higher because many incidents went unreported, the authorities say. He walked out on Duval and headed toward his bicycle, which he had locked up nearby. Marshals Service, under the direction of U.S. PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Dozens of Pagans Motorcycle Club members and associates have been charged with trafficking drugs through western Pennsylvania. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. 21-288 ###, Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, Aggravated assault in aid of racketeering. The Pagans are one of the most prominent outlaw motorcycle gangs in the eastern United States. Larry Ortiz, aka Savage, 31, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, and Junius Aquino, aka Jayo, 38, of Vauxhall, New Jersey, were charged with aggravated assault in aid of racketeering and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence for their roles in a gang-related shooting. The widow and daughter of Francisco Rosado, 51, the slain leader of The Bronx chapter of Pagan's Motorcycle Club, have described him as a loving family man who adored his kids and grandkids. 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