Hells Angels and Drugs

Hells Angels Motorcycle Club to abandon most of its territory in the city

court of appeal in Amsterdam has ordered the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club to abandon most of its territory in the city by 25 June.The Amsterdam city council is the owner of the land – situated along the Weesper Canal in the south east of the city – and wants to redevelop it with new housing.The Hells Angels have occupied the site for the last 36 years. Now they have been ordered to leave, the city council must compensate them for the construction of a new clubhouse.

34 people arrested reputed to be affiliated with the Zig Zag Crew and Hell’s Angels.

Blair Alford, 55, told court Thursday he was sorry for delivering 12 ounces of cocaine to a police informant known as "Agent 22" in a Lindenwoods parking lot in July 2009. Alford told court he was helping out someone he knew, but acknowledged he delivered the drugs.
Crown attorney Chris Mainella said Alford was motivated by greed to participate in the drug dealing.
"He only has himself to blame," said Mainella.
Mainella said the drug deal came together after Alford and four other men came together at a Lindenwoods Moxie’s restaurant in early July 2009 to discuss a cocaine trade. The deal involved a Vancouver-based associate of the Independent Soldiers gang, Daniel Hawkins, who was also arrested in the Project Divide bust.
In the days leading up the deal, court heard police collected a flurry of Blackberry PIN messages between Hawkins and the police informant setting up the deal.
On July 28, 2009, Alford got out of a GMC truck in the parking lot of a Lindenwoods Rona and then sat in a car with the informant, counting out drugs and cash, Mainella said.  Alford used an empty can of infant formula to carry the cocaine, and police watched him return to his Knowles Avenue shop with the cash, the court heard.
"He didn’t need to get involved with the likes of Mr. Hawkins to make ends meet," Mainella said of Alford, who owns a gravel trucking business.
Alford turned himself into police at the Public Safety Building days after the bust was announced.
Court heard the case against Alford relies on an unidentified police informant, who will receive up to $450,000 for helping officers video and audiotape suspects carrying out drug and gun deals. The police informant is now in the witness protection program, court heard. He became involved with the police because he was motivated by financial interest.
"Agents are what they are," said Mainella. "We don’t dress them up in crinoline."
Court of Queen’s Bench Justice William Burnett accepted a joint recommendation submitted by Mainella and defence lawyer Stephen Friesen. Alford will do a total of 40 months in jail, including three more years in custody and four months he’s already served.
"It’s not Freedom 55," said Mainella. Alford must also submit a DNA sample and have a 10-year weapons prohibition, Burnett ruled.
Court heard Thursday the wispy white-haired man has suffered financial hardship due to publicity around his arrest, which has strained his family.
"He insists he did not have financial benefit," said Friesen.
Alford has a daughter who attends classes at University of Manitoba who has had to work extra to support her family, court heard. No relatives were in court Thursday.
"I don’t really know why I did it," Alford said, adding later: "I’m very sorry for what I did

Wanted on a Canada-wide warrant - Marvin OUIMET

• Murder,
• Gangsterism,
• Drug trafficking, Conspiracy to commit Murder and
• Conspiracy to commit Drug trafficking

Marvin Ouimet is known to participate in various criminal activities involving Hell’s Angels. Due to the extent of these activities, the SharQc Operation was established to destabilize Québec’s Hell’s Angels criminal actions. Ouimet is wanted in connection with this operation.
Ouimet is the president of the Hell’s Angels Trois-Rivières Chapter and of the East Coast. He might own a property in Dominican Republic and he speaks French.
Date issued: 2009-04-06
Description:

• White Male
• Date of Birth: 1969-05-24
• Height: 5' 06" (168 cm)
• Weight: 254 lbs (115 kg)
• Hair: Brown
• Eyes: Hazel (possibly Brown)
• Distinctive Characteristics: Tattoos:
  • Chest: 2 large tattoos on the chest of winged skulls facing each other
  • Left shoulder blade: Tweedy Bird
  • Back of left upper arm: “Hells” with flames in black and red
  • Back of right upper arm: “Angels” with flames in black and red
  • Abdomen: 3 letter tattoo that includes the letters “A” and “M”
  • Prior tattoos no longer existing (are now covered by the new tattoos mentioned above)
    • Left arm: “Rowdey”
    • Right arm: “Crew”)
    • Left side of chest: Crest of Rowdey Crew)
• Might have both ears pierced
• Aliases:
  • Ouimet, Normand Marvin
  • Kasper
  • Casper
  • Andy

Canada Wide Warrants for these Hells Angels

Tensions among rival gangs such as 'Hells Angels', 'Rock Machine', 'Zig Zag Crew' and 'Redlined' is extremely volatile.

 Tensions among rival gangs such as 'Hells Angels', 'Rock Machine', 'Zig Zag Crew' and 'Redlined' is extremely volatile. These are just a few of the many existing gangs which are continually becoming sophisticated in their methods of operating. 
These gangs are usually engaged in drug distribution, prostitution and theft. Estimates show Aboriginal gangs are quickly migrating eastward from Winnipeg into northwestern Ontario as well as spreading as far north as Iqaluit, Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Inuvik. With a high Aboriginal population, Winnipeg appears to be a convenient nucleus for native gangs. But, as this phenomenon is not restricted to only Winnipeg, it remains questionable whether attaching this stereotype to native peoples is justified.
"If we are going to racialize crime, remember that between jails and prisons some 80 per cent of all prisoners in Canada are white," said Dr. Tamari Kitossa, a sociology professor at Brock University. "Crime is an abstract noun and as such it is not possible for one group of people to commit it more than others." 
At an Aboriginal policy conference in Ottawa two weeks ago, it was said that Aboriginal youth membership in gangs could double in the next 10 years. A paper by the Canadian Council on Social Development (CCSD), "Social Challenges: The Well-being of Aboriginal People," indicates that Aboriginal people are three times more likely than non-Aboriginals to be victims of violent crime. Statistics from Correctional Service Canada show that while Aboriginal people represent only 2.8 per cent of the Canadian population, they account for 18 per cent of those who are incarcerated in federal institutions. In the Prairie provinces, 50 per cent of prisoners are Aboriginals. 
The CCSD paper adds that population growth also accounts for why Aboriginals are over-represented in crime statistics. While population growth has declined for other groups in Canada, the Aboriginal population is still experiencing a baby boom. This leaves them with more young people who, faced with past and current discrimination, prejudice and deprivation, encounter additional challenges today.
These statistics and information seem to racialize gang violence and treat Aboriginal people as 'criminogenic' - as a group more likely to exhibit criminal tendencies. By doing so, Kitossa thinks we might be demonizing the youth and treating the symptom of the problem as the cause.

Richard Coelho, 52, was sentenced to 26 months in prison after being convicted on charges of coercion and unlawful use of a weapon

Richard Coelho, 52, was sentenced to 26 months in prison after being convicted on charges of coercion and unlawful use of a weapon. Coelho was convicted by a Josephine County jury in February, the final case in a multi-year prosecution of the North Valley Chapter of the Vagos Outlaw Motorcycle Club.Six other members of the Vagos have been convicted by the Oregon Department of Justice as part of the case. The charges stem from two incidents in 2007, one in which the Vagos forced another member out of the gang, then attempted to rob him of his motorcycle, and another in which Coelho chased two individuals with a sawed-off shotgun."Outlaw motorcycle gangs pose a major threat to public safety," said Attorney General John Kroger. "This case put a major dent in outlaw motorcycle gang activity in Southern Oregon."
The other Vagos gang members who were prosecuted include Chris Jorgenson, 43, who was sentenced to 70 months in prison for robbery, coercion and burglary; Chris Church, 44, who was sentenced to 70 months in prison for kidnapping and coercion (two counts); Gary Jones, 63, who was sentenced to probation for coercion; and James Lloyd, 52, who was convicted at trial and sentenced to probation for robbery and coercion. Jack Sanders, 49, and Bob Moore, 56, who were each convicted of coercion (two counts), have not yet been sentenced.Testimony established that the Vagos members considered themselves a 1 percent club, a reference to a 1960s claim that 99 percent of motorcyclists are law-abiding citizens, but the last 1 percent are outlaws.The Coelho case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant Attorneys General Michael Slauson and Scott Jackson of the Criminal Justice Division of the Oregon Department of Justice. The Criminal Justice Division focuses on public corruption and government misconduct, complex drug cases, organized crime and gangs, mortgage fraud and Internet sex predators.

Vagos is California’s largest motorcycle gang. Known for violence, the gang specializes in the sale of methamphetamine that includes the tri-state area of Arizona, Nevada and Utah.

Southern California there is a police department that is currently on its highest terror alert status as police officers on and off duty guard against terror attacks specifically aimed at their police department and their community. A 911 call to a police operator from an unidentified caller that threatened the blowing up of a police car in the Hemet-San Jacinto area within the next 24 to 48 hours has an entire police force on edge.
Police Chief Richard Dana verified that the caller said the attack would be in retaliation for the recent law enforcement sweep against the Vagos Motorcycle Club.According to Captain Walter Meyer of the Riverside County Sheriffs Department, the Vagos is California’s largest motorcycle gang. Known for violence, the gang specializes in the sale of methamphetamine that includes the tri-state area of Arizona, Nevada and Utah.
On Wednesday About 30 members of the Vagos, were arrested in Riverside County following a sting operation that involved the manufacturing, sale and distribution of methamphetamine in the aforementioned tri-state area. Police investigators believe that the gang is responsible for setting a couple of booby traps that were designed to kill and maim police officers. The first trap involved inserting a natural gas pipe through a drilled hole in the roof of the headquarters of the police “Gang enforcement unit”. Investigators have concluded that the gang intended to create an explosion caused by gas fumes and a spark.The second booby trap involved a zip gun type device being attached to a sliding security fence around the department building. An unsuspecting police officer opened the black steel gate and triggered the mechanism, which sent a bullet flying within eight inches of his face. In the end, civilians and police officers who worked at the California gang enforcement unit were fortunate to escape two close calls that were intended to cause death, injuries and destruction. It appears that criminals in the United States have adopted and implemented terroristic tactics learned from studying insurgents who have dedicated their life to killing our troops in the streets and deserts of Iraq and Afghanistan.Police Chief Dana, along with District Attorney Rod Pacheco and state Attorney General Jerry Brown urged the public at a recent news conference to help with identifying and capturing the person or persons responsible for the Hemet-area booby traps aimed at officers and civilians. Several state, local and national police agencies have banded together to put forward a $200,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. The incidents have shaken a close-knit police department already demoralized by deep budget cuts that last year that saw its officer personnel numbers slashed by 25 percent. Police officers in response to the impending danger are checking under cars for bombs and scouting for other potential hazards."I would call the mood in the department tense," says police Captain Tony Marghis. "Everyone is being very vigilant about their surroundings and the environment."According to the Los Angeles Times, California's Attorney General Jerry Brown said Thursday that the incidents were a form of "urban terrorism."It is incredible and even unprecedented for police officers here to be subjected to a terrorist attack," Brown was quoted in the Times. "We have seen it south of the border but not here yet."
What is apparent is that domestic criminals are now singling out an entire police department for death in retaliation for police doing what they were sworn to do; which is to serve and protect the public. Has the criminal mind determined that terror is their best weapon when confronted by local and state police? Are we witnessing in 2010 an evolution of tactics used by criminals in the inner city and rural community that are here to stay? Once the individual(s) are apprehended should they be treated as any other enemy combatant that tries to kill Americans? As always, the New Orleans Examiner.Com is interested in what you think. Inquiring minds want to know. Sound off.

"crazy, like raging bulls" with "fists smashing into each other's bodies".

Evidence from more than 300 anonymous witnesses is the backbone of the case against 13 bikies accused over the Sydney Airport melee that a year ago today left Hells Angels associate Anthony Zervas dead.

One witness, numbered 301, alleges the participants were "crazy, like raging bulls" with "fists smashing into each other's bodies".The details of the Crown case can be revealed for the first time today from a brief of evidence tendered to Central Local Court ahead of a July committal hearing.In a key plank of their case for murder against all 13 Comanchero members, the Crown alleges bikie boss Mick Hawi was seen swinging a bollard in the direction of Mr Zervas' upper body "as you would putting or doing a chip shot".
"[He] didn't lift the stand high ... but he swung it very powerfully," witness 99 told police in a statement.
Witness 270 alleged at least two people were attacking Mr Zervas, one "bashing downwards with a bollard" and up to three more attacking him on the ground.Police have descriptions consistent with men from both sides - including Comanchero Christian Menzies and Mr Zervas' brother Peter - using bollards "as makeshift weapons". The prosecution alleges Mr Zervas died from both blunt trauma to his head and three stab wounds to his chest and abdomen.One wound was allegedly inflicted by a pair of scissors found with broken handles in Mr Zervas' own clothing while the other two were likely caused by a single blade knife.That knife, police said, was retrieved from a drain at Sydney Airport, allegedly dropped there by Comanchero road captain Fares Abounader as he fled the scene.Police will also allege a DNA profile consistent with Hawi was found under Mr Zervas' fingernails.Police allege five Comanchero on QF430 from Melbourne - Hawi, Canan Eken, Christian Menzies, Maher Aouli, and Pomare Pirini - clashed with Hells Angels city chapter president Derek Wainohu on the flight, prompting a flurry of text messages calling for reinforcements for both sides "in anticipation of a potential violent incident". (Wainohu has not been charged).Two Comanchero who have pleaded guilty to riot and affray - Arnold Loto and a man whose identity is suppressed - have given lengthy police interviews claiming Hawi was attacked first, by Mr Zervas who stabbed him in the neck.
Police said they linked others to the scene by what they left behind - Comanchero Tiago Costa a shoe, Eken a satchel and Hells Angel David Padovan his shirtThe other Comanchero accused are Zoran Kisacanin, Usama Potrus, and Francesco LaRosa.

FIVE men, including two Rebels bikies, have been charged with cocaine trafficking

FIVE  men, including two Rebels bikies, have been charged with cocaine trafficking after police smashed a major Wide Bay crime syndicate.Eight Hervey Bay properties, including the Rebels clubhouse at Urangan, were yesterday raided by officers from Brisbane’s OMCG Task Force Hydra and the State Drug Investigation Unit.While no drugs or weapons were found, police seized a large amount of suspected tainted property, including a $40,000 Harley Davidson believed to belong to local Rebels boss Adam McCrea.
McCrea is currently in custody after he was caught driving an unregistered car south of Maryborough last week.Already on Supreme Court bail, the 44-year-old was remanded in custody after police allegedly found cocaine in the vehicle. He was yesterday further charged with trafficking dangerous drugs.Fellow Rebel Mark Berghofer, 47, and an associate, Bradley Cameron, 31, were also charged and did not apply for bail in the Hervey Bay Magistrates Court.Two others, Joshua Carew, 27, and Steven Smith, 24, were released on bail.The arrests came as part of an alleged cocaine trafficking syndicate operating out of the Gold Coast with distribution networks in Hervey Bay.Operation Hotel Formation, which began last July, focused on methyl amphetamine, cocaine and cannabis trafficking across the state and has netted over $1 million in drugs and led to 44 arrests.Detective Inspector Garry Watts of Task Force Hydra described yesterday’s arrests as significant and said they would help drive down organised crime.“We are very pleased with the results that we have with five persons charged with drug trafficking in the local area.”He said the investigation was likely to lead to further arrests.

Lewis allegedly threatened to bring fellow gang members back and stab the men he had argued with.

former nightclub security guard is behind bars today after threatening to bring back members of his outlaw motorcycle gang and stab men still employed there, authorities said.San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies were called to the Teazers Nightclub about 2 a.m. and found 32-year-old Elvis Lewis arguing with members of the security staff. After the fight, Lewis allegedly threatened to bring fellow gang members back and stab the men he had argued with.Sheriff's officials confirmed that Lewis belongs to a motorcycle gang.
The fight started after the club's security team asked Lewis to leave. Lewis used to work as a security guard at the club but officials were unsure why or when his employment there ended.He was booked into the Victor Valley jail on suspicion of making terrorist threats and participating in a criminal street gang.

arrested member of the Mad Dog gang after reports that he fled Belgium following criminal charges

arrested member of the Mad Dog gang after reports that he fled Belgium following criminal charges.

Pattaya 18th February 2010[PDN]: Police Colonel Atiswit Kamonrat Superintendent of Chonburi Immigration, Pattaya and his team stormed a house in Classic Village, Moo.13, Nongprue, Banglamung, Chonburi after reports that a Belgian National whose visa was evoked on the 25th November 2009 had fled his own country whilst facing 14 criminal charges,The suspect who was later identified as Mr. Robert G.A.Verdickt, [54], was born in Wommelgem, Passport No. EG013946 had his visa revoked due to behaviors following substance abuse. He was taken to the immigration office for further investigation.
Police Colonel Atiswit said Mr. Verdickt’s visa had been evoked due to behavior problems related to addictive substances.Between the times of 1985 and 2008, Mr. Verdickt has been charged with possession of illegal firearms, manufacturing, possession and sales of addictive substances, burglary and assault, rape and fake ID.Following 14 further charges, Mr. Verdickt fled his country to hide out in Thailand, establishing a Harley Davidson gang with his friends calling it “MAD DOG”. Police are now investigating the gang leader Mr. Tom and checking his records.

four men are part of a motorbike gang called the “Lone Brother Group.”Pattaya,

Four foreign men have been arrested in Pattaya on Friday wanted in connection with a reported kidnapping and torture of a German national over two years ago. The four men are part of a motorbike gang called the “Lone Brother Group.”Pattaya, the 19th of March 2010 [PDN]: At approximately 5:30pm on Friday, police Colonel Somnuk Changate (Banglamung Police Superintendent) along with police Colonel Atisawit Kamonrat (Chon-Buri Immigration Superintendent) and a joint team of officers arrested 4 motorbike gang members in an unnamed Pattaya village community. The men were wanted in connection with the kidnapping and torture of a foreign man in 2008.With the use of an arrest warrant, following a report filed by Mr. Michael Spinter [37] a German national on the 12th of March 2010, police were able to arrest 5 members of the Lone Brother Group; Mr. Gabriel Frey [40] a Swiss national, Mr. Manfred Decker [52], Mr. Heinz Adam [42], Mr Peter Marzog [46] and Mr. Sven Vehma [42] all of whom are German nationals. Mr. Frey is believed to be the leader of the group which is now known to be a part of the larger “Cycle Club MC” gang. With the use of the aforementioned arrest warrants the police taskforce stormed their Pattaya hideout arresting 4 of the group. Mr. Vehma was able to escape before police arrived at the scene.Mr. Spinter explained, in his statement to Banglamung police, that he was deceived and detained against his will before being tortured repeatedly for a period of 9 hours. He revealed that the group of men responsible for the assault were part of a foreign motorbike gang known as the “Lone Brother Group.” At the time of the incident he stated that 5 men tied him down before breaking his fingers and burning his limbs on a motorbike exhaust. A 120,000 baht ransom was paid to the gang by Mr. Spinter’s Thai wife. The gang had threatened to murder Mr. Spinter and his wife if they reported the incident to police.In a further statement by Mr. Spinter, he revealed that the group, lead by Mr. Frey, also operated a motorbike sales business in Pattaya. According to Mr. Spinter he had engaged Mr. Frey with the intention of purchasing a motorbike from the shop, when the deal did not eventuate; Mr. Frey and his gang proceeded to kidnap, detain and torture Mr. Spinter as a result of the failed dealings, subsequently requesting a ransom.All four arrested men have denied the charges levelled against them, however; police at present have enough evidence and key witnesses to proceed with the case. The arrested gang members have been detained in police custody whilst investigations continue in an attempt apprehend the fifth offender, Mr. Vehma, who managed to escape.

30 members of the Vagos Motorcycle Club were arrested

30 members of the Vagos Motorcycle Club were arrested Wednesday in a multistate police raid that brings new attention to the California-based gang known for its violent past.
The raids that reportedly took place in Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and California involved some 400 police officers. As many as 70 locations were hit in Southern California, where police seized weapons and drugs and discovered a methamphetamine lab.
California Attorney General Jerry Brown is expected to hold a press conference Thursday afternoon to release more details on the scope of the investigation, which official say is intended to eliminate the “threat” posed by the Vagos.
"Within the last few months, the Vagos outlaw motorcycle gang has gotten our significant attention," said Rod Pacheco, district attorney for Riverside, Calif., at a Wednesday press conference. "Today, we’ve delivered and returned some of that significant attention, and we intend to continue in that effort.”
While it's unclear exactly what provoked Wednesday's raids, the operation follows the discovery of at least four booby-traps targeting Southern California gang task force officers. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the people who set the traps, which included an attempt to blow up the gang officers' headquarters.
Mr. Pacheco said the operation against the Vagos motorcycle gang will continue until the threat posed “has been eliminated.”
The gang has “hundreds of members in the US and Mexico and poses a serious criminal threat to those areas in which its chapters are located,” according to the US Department of Justice.
The Justice Department’s fact sheet on US motorcycle gangs says the Vagos have at least 24 chapters across the Western US and are known for their involvement in the illegal drug trade. They have been “implicated in other criminal activities including assault, extortion, insurance fraud, money laundering, murder, vehicle theft, witness intimidation and weapons violations,” the Justice Department says.
The Vagos, also known as “Green Nation,” first formed in the late 1960s and has since been the subject of numerous investigations. In 2006, at least 25 Vagos members were arrested for various weapons and drug violations after a three-year investigation that the Orange County Register called one of the “largest coordinated law enforcement probes ever conducted in the region.”
At the time, an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) called the group a “ruthless criminal bike gang” that deals in “guns, drugs, and death.”

German Hells Angels gang member was arrested Wednesday after shooting dead a policeman

German Hells Angels gang member was arrested Wednesday after shooting dead a policeman who was about to search his home, prosecutors said.
Without warning, the gunman fired twice through the closed door of his apartment in the town of Anhausen near Koblenz, as a special police squad prepared to enter, state prosecutors said.
The 42-year-old officer, who was wearing a bulletproof vest, was hit at least once and likely died of internal bleeding, investigations showed.
The 43-year-old gang member and his partner were subsequently overpowered and arrested. The man was wanted for questioning in connection with a robbery in the town's red light district.

police served a search warrant at a Hells Angels house on East Bonanza Road in Las Vegas.

Metro Officer Bill Cassell confirms that members of the Hells Angels are accused of embezzling vehicles, firearms, furniture, slot machines, and other items from the Salvation Army.

member of the Mongols motorcycle gang was arrested last week on suspicion of rape and child molestation, Hollister police said Monday. Michael Reyes, 56, was booked into the San Benito County Jail on multiple charges of rape, child molestation and aggravated sexual assault. Police said a victim made a report to police and accused Reyes of multiple sexual assaults that took place during a 10-year period in Hollister, Morgan Hill and Los Banos. Police said Reyes fled form investigators who tried to contact him on March 10, but turned himself in the following day. Reyes is an admitted member of the Mongols Motorcycle Club, a known biker gang. At one time, Reyes served as president of a local chapter of the bike gang, police said.

member of the Mongols motorcycle gang was arrested last week on suspicion of rape and child molestation, Hollister police said Monday.

Michael Reyes, 56, was booked into the San Benito County Jail on multiple charges of rape, child molestation and aggravated sexual assault.
Police said a victim made a report to police and accused Reyes of multiple sexual assaults that took place during a 10-year period in Hollister, Morgan Hill and Los Banos.

Police said Reyes fled form investigators who tried to contact him on March 10, but turned himself in the following day.
Reyes is an admitted member of the Mongols Motorcycle Club, a known biker gang.
At one time, Reyes served as president of a local chapter of the bike gang, police said.

"We will burn any pub they drink at, any motel they stay at, and may take it to the extent we will probably try to shoot them off their motorbikes,"

"We will burn any pub they drink at, any motel they stay at, and may take it to the extent we will probably try to shoot them off their motorbikes," Southern Skinheads leader "Max" said on radio.
At the Wellington Interislander ferry terminal yesterday morning, about 25 police, including members of the armed offenders squad, stopped and checked about 20 Hells Angels.
After the checks, roughly half of the bikers rode the remaining few hundred metres to the ferry without helmets.
Acting Wellington emergency response manager Inspector Kevin Riordan said one was arrested for possessing a small amount of cannabis and for thousands of dollars of outstanding fines.
He went peacefully and appeared in Wellington District Court yesterday.
No fines were issued for riders not wearing helmets, Mr Riordan said.
Police stopped five people for driving on the wrong kind of motorbike licence. Others paid up cash on the spot to settle outstanding fines.
Mr Riordan said the operation was really a traffic stop which included ensuring all the bikes were roadworthy and there were no problems.
"The armed offenders squad were there for the protection of police officers. We're dealing with a criminal gang."

Alleged associate of the Hells Angels who was acquitted of drug trafficking has had his acquittal overturned

 Alleged associate of the Hells Angels who was acquitted of drug trafficking has had his acquittal overturned and a new trial ordered.

Reasons for the decision released by the B.C. Court of Appeal on Friday concerning Nima Ghavami were not immediately available.

Ghavami, wearing a suit and tie, was in court for the brief announcement. Outside court he had no comment.

In July 2005, Ghavami was one of more than a dozen men charged during the RCMP's Project E-Pandora crackdown on the East End chapter of the notorious motorcycle club.

The case was split into multiple indictments and Ghavami's case, in which he was charged with trafficking in methamphetamines, was adjourned a number of times.

In December 2008, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Peter Leask ruled that Ghavami's rights had been violated due to an unreasonable delay, with the judge blaming prosecutors for much of the 44-month delay.

Prosecutors appealed the ruling and in January argued before the B.C. Court of Appeal that Leask had made a number of errors.

Southern Skinheads gang had threatened to attack Hells Angels members

 local Southern Skinheads gang had threatened to attack Hells Angels members if they turned out for the Poker Run ride from Nelson to Tapawera and back.Police say there were approximately 130 motorcycles involved in the run and about 35-40 gang patches from both the Hells Angels and the Red Devils.Police say generally the run was well behaved and there were no complaints or incidents involving motorcyclists on the run. They say there were no arrests or confrontation involving any other gang or groups.The Southern Skinheads reportedly believed the Hells Angels would bring drugs with them, including P. The Skinheads had allegedly threatened to fire shots and burn down bars and clubs. Nelson Mayor Kerry Marshall said he was confident police were on top of the situation and a police operation was put in place to deal with any possible violence.A spokesman says the event was under control throughout Saturday afternoon.Nelson City councillors said there had been no trouble in the centre of Nelson or in nearby Stoke.Councillor Ian Barker says he saw motorcyclists in Stoke sitting beside their bikes, not causing any problems. He says the event had been planned to raise funds for St John Ambulance.Barker says the charity refused to accept any money after the threats of violence were made

Hells Angels members get short jail sentences

Hells Angels members get short jail sentences Friday for serious drug trafficking offences, rather than the lengthy prison terms the Crown had urged.B.C. Justice Peter Leask decided a number of mitigating factors would reduce the sentences of Hells Angels members John Virgil Punko and Randy Richard Potts, including Potts' chronic back pain and a recurring abscess on his buttocks that causes him considerable pain and discomfort.

The judge sentenced Potts to one year in jail, which was much less than the 12 years requested by federal prosecutor Martha Devlin.

Punko, 43, was handed a 14-month sentence. The Crown had asked for 16 years.

During sentencing, Leask said both bikers were "pawns of police" because they were low-level targets used to try to get to high-level targets within Vancouver's East End chapter of the Hells Angels.

The bikers were charged in 2005 after a two-year $10-million police investigation code-named Project E-Pandora. A total of six Hells Angels and 13 associates were charged.

RCMP Insp. Gary Shinkaruk, the officer in charge of the investigation, said there were obvious discrepancies between Friday's sentences and the long prison terms requested by the Crown.

"We certainly respect the position of the court," he said. "Sentencing is extremely complex. I would never question what a judge brings down."

Asked about Potts and Punko being called "pawns of police" by the judge, Shinkaruk said: "Investigating criminal organizations is extremely complicated... We certainly worked within the means of the law."

Potts and Punko pleaded guilty last Dec. 7 to trafficking cocaine, possessing more than $387,000 cash that was the proceeds of crime and conspiring to produce methamphetamine in a drug lab and distribute it.

The guilty pleas came after Leask tossed out last year the criminal organization charges, which alleged Potts and Punko committed their drug crimes for the benefit of a criminal organization -- the East End Hells Angels.

Leask concluded the Crown could not proceed on the criminal organization charges because a jury last summer had acquitted Potts, Punko and two other Hells Angels members of similar charges. The Crown is also appealing that ruling by Leask.

During sentencing Friday, Leask said he would have sentenced Punko to six years in prison if the case had gone to trial, but deducted one year for pleading guilty, deducted another year for the "police involvement in creating the crimes" and gave 34 months credit for the time Punko served in custody before sentencing.

The judge found that police used an agent, Michael Plante, who fed Punko's addiction to the prescription painkiller Percocet and got Punko involved in methamphetamine production.

Punko, 43, also sold Plante five kilograms of cocaine. Plante infiltrated the East End Hells Angels by being accepted to apply as a Hells Angels member.

Punko was previously convicted of cultivating marijuana, mischief under $5,000, contempt of court for refusing to testify at another Hells Angels trial and for threatening a prosecutor at a Hells Angels trial in 2002.

Potts, 49, had a previous criminal record for possession of stolen property and using a stolen credit card in Ontario, careless use of a firearm in Surrey and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.

Potts pleaded guilty last year to being involved in a meth lab with Plante, who worked as a police agent and infiltrated Vancouver's East End chapter of the Hells Angels, and sold him 28 ounces of cocaine.

The judge found Potts was not a sophisticated criminal and was, at the time of his crimes, an alcoholic addicted to Percocets supplied by the police agent, Plante, who secretly tape recorded conversations between Punko, Potts and a meth lab cook named Ryan Renaud, whom Punko suspected was also working for the UN gang and its boss Clay Roueche.

Last summer, a jury convicted Punko, Potts and two other Hells Angels members, Ronaldo Lising and Jean Violette, of weapons offences and extortion.

In that case, Punko was convicted of the unauthorized possession of a loaded semi-automatic Smith & Wesson pistol and sentenced to 15 months in jail, plus a consecutive sentence of four years for counselling Plante to do damage to a Surrey home, where Punko was trying to collect a large sum of money from a man.

Potts was convicted last summer of four offences: having control of illegal grenades, possessing a loaded Colt .45 semi-automatic pistol, possessing an Intratec 9-mm semi-automatic pistol, a Ruger .22-calibre semi-automatic rifle and Voere bolt-action rifle and a .44 Ruger revolver.

He received a sentence of effectively time served on the weapons offences.

Lising was convicted of possessing two loaded prohibited firearms: a Rossi .357 Magnum revolver and a Walther PPK/S .380-calibre semi-automatic pistol.

Violette was found guilty of the extortion of Glen Louie, a drug dealer who was beaten for using the Hells Angels name without permission. Violette was also convicted of the illegal possession of a loaded Beretta 20 semi-automatic pistol and a Ruger SP 101 revolver.

two bomb victims, Vahe Hacopian, 31, of Munno Para West, and a Hells Angels nominee member, 23, of Walkley Heights, died accidentally while transporting a bomb meant to kill a rival gang member

 feud stems directly from the bitter fallout of the 35-year-old Enfield man with a senior member of the Hells Angels North Crew almost four years ago.As the investigation into the two Enfield deaths gathered pace yesterday, police revealed a team of 10 from Major Crime, Crime Gangs, Drug and Organised Crime detectives and Holden Hill CIB had been formed to tackle it.The task force will determine if the two bomb victims, Vahe Hacopian, 31, of Munno Para West, and a Hells Angels nominee member, 23, of Walkley Heights, died accidentally while transporting a bomb meant to kill the rival gang member, or in any other scenario.The pair died when a bomb detonated in a Holden Commodore in Truscott Rd, Enfield, about 5.20am on Thursday - just a short distance from the Learmouth Tce home of the rival New Boys gang member.The Hells Angels member, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was before the courts on serious drugs charges.He was due to face trial in the District Court in April on charges of possessing methamphetamines.He was also facing charges in Adelaide Magistrates Court of taking part in the manufacture of a commercial quantity of a controlled drug.Those charges arose last May following the discovery of an amphetamines laboratory at Mawson Lakes.He was also facing charges of unlawful possession.Major Crime officer-in-charge Detective Superintendent John Venditto yesterday said police were keeping "an open mind" in the investigation as it unfolded.While the conspiracy to murder theory is a major line of investigation, other scenarios have not yet been discounted - including the possibility the deaths of the pair may not have been accidental.

"There is no evidence that at this point can rule out a double murder, so we cannot discount that as yet," Supt Venditto said. "The investigation will obviously look at any conspiracy to damage property, cause harm or murder. It is still the early stages of the investigative and evidentiary process."On Friday, detectives raided the Enfield home of the New Boys member, who cannot be named for legal reasons. He was spoken to by police on the day of the bombing, and on Friday his home was searched for any evidence that may be connected to the incident. It is likely many other properties will also be searched in coming days as part of the inquiry.

Members of the Hells Angels and the New Boys have been feuding for some time with numerous incidents last year heightening police concerns over the likelihood of more violence.The most recent public incident occurred in August when three houses at Edwardstown, Lewiston and Andrews Farm were sprayed with more than 80 bullets from a 7.62mm assault rifle.The properties were linked to Hells Angels members, although two houses had occupants not connected with the gang.Although the Enfield New Boys member was not believed to have been involved in those shootings, Thursday's abortive attempt on his life is believed to be direct retribution for those incidents.Sources said the animosity between the Enfield man believed to have been the target and the Hells Angels stems from his falling out with the gang, of which he was a member, several years ago. The man is now a senior member of the New Boys street gang, which is strongly linked to the man's city tattoo parlour.Members also spend considerable time at a North Adelaide restaurant.Meanwhile, Munno Para West man Andrew Harrison, 30, who was charged with firearms, drug and explosives offences on Thursday, was yesterday remanded in custody after appearing in Elizabeth Magistrates Court. Police searched his house, which he shared with Hacopian, and discovered pistols, drugs and an explosive material.

Jason William Brown, 35 Red Scorpion gangster facing new gun and drug charges was a Hells Angels associate

Red Scorpion gangster facing new gun and drug charges was a Hells Angels associate when he was arrested and charged in July 2005 as part of the massive police undercover probe that targeted the notorious biker gang.

Abbotsford police are now looking for Jason William Brown, 35, after he was formally charged Tuesday with two counts of possession for the trafficking of both cocaine and methamphetamine, as well as possession of a restricted weapon and possession of a firearm while prohibited.

Brown was convicted in 2007 of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence and handed a four-year sentence. He also got a 10-year ban on owning a firearm, which was still in effect when police found a 9 mm handgun and ammunition at his Aldergrove residence during a raid last week.

Brown was described by police after his arrest in the "E-Pandora" biker investigation as "an associate of the East End Hells Angels."

But his current affiliation is with the Red Scorpions, a mid-level drug gang involved in a deadly war that has seen eight of its associates killed since May 2008.

Also charged with Brown Tuesday is 24-year-old Terra Lynn George. Neither has surrendered into custody though police have heard from their lawyer.

George was charged in Kelowna in August with refusing to provide a breath sample.

Brown has a lengthy history with police, according to the provincial court data-base. He has several convictions for driving while prohibited and impersonation, as well as his E-Pandora conviction.

Abbotsford Const. Ian MacDonald said that during the search on Nov. 12, police found two kilograms of cocaine with a value of $80,000, about a kilo of methamphetamine with a value of $25,000, a 9 mm handgun, a loaded magazine, boxes of ammunition, two bullet-proof vests, Red Scorpion paraphernalia and approximately $12,000 cash.

The fact that someone once associated to the Hells Angels is now a Red Scorpion is not surprising, Sgt. Shinder Kirk, of the Integrated Gang Task Force, said Tuesday.

"The allegiances often shift within the gangs," Kirk said.

And those involved in organized crime are usually willing to take advantage of opportunities when they arise, regardless of gang affiliation.

Despite some high-profile arrests last spring, including charges against five Red Scorpions in the Surrey Six slayings, police say the gang is still active.

In September, two others with links to the Scorpions -- Michael O'Brien and Mohamed Amarhoun -- were charged with trafficking after a police raid on their Mission house.

Police found a jacket with a huge Red Scorpion logo on the back over a map of the world -- the same logo was discovered on clothing in Brown's house last week.

The Red Scorpion gang was founded in 2000 by a number of teens in a youth detention centre. It has evolved as a mid-level gang running crack cocaine lines across Metro Vancouver.

Member of the Misfits motorcycle gang

 Member of the Misfits motorcycle gang told an investigator that the two male defendants were part of the gang, the investigator testified to Friday.Lt. David Bertocchini of the San Joaquin County District Attorney Investigations Office testified in the case against Joseph Henri Deshetres, Thomas Loyd Dudney and Cheryl Ann Reese for charges of intimidating a witness and participating in the criminal street gang, the Misfits.Dudney, 59, of Fulton, Deshetres, 62, of Santa Rosa and Reese, 56, of Lakeport allegedly conspired in November to intimidate a witness in the attempted murder case against Dudney.Special allegations that the crimes were committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang accompany the first charge. The charges with special allegations carry a life sentence.Dudney, Joshua Isaac Wandrey of Rohnert Park and Deborah Ann James of Windsor allegedly shot, tortured and hogtied Ronald Greiner Oct. 20 at the Lakeport man's home on South Main Street behind the Record-Bee building.Dudney and Wandrey, 35, are charged with premeditated attempted murder, aggravated mayhem, torture, home invasion robbery in concert with another, first-degree burglary, assault with a firearm, assault with a blunt force object, assault likely to produce great bodily injury, serious battery, simple mayhem and participating in the criminal street gang, the Misfits.Three of the 11 charges carry life sentence.Women associated with the Misfits used to be given patches that say "property of" but now would not likely receive anything signifying the gang unless it was given as a gift, Bertocchini said."A Misfit is a male," Bertocchini said. "You can't be a female to be in the Misfits."Bertocchini said Reese said she had "no love" for the Misfits because they didn't come see her when she was sick and that after 35 years of knowing Dudney, he involves other people in his trouble.Bertocchini testified the crimes alleged against the defendants would benefit the Misfits."I do believe intimidating a witness does benefit the Misfits gang," Bertocchini said. "Success allows the gang to prosper, it makes the patch carry more weight."Bertocchini said if the Misfits brought someone close to the gang and that person informed on them they would be targeted for possible violent retribution.He testified that stealing about 10 pounds of marijuana could also benefit the Misfits to make money off sales and to pay members' $40-a-month dues.Bertocchini explained that 1-percent branding signifies the Misfits criminal society. He said if Dudney had carved 1 percent into the door of his cell at the Lake County Jail that the defendant likely still supports the Misfits."He's still so loyal to the Misfits," Bertocchini said. "He's marking his area."

Pagans feared retaliation from the Hells Angels.

"I'm kind of concerned there's going to be a loss of life," Welebir says in the recording. man accused of torching Bad Water Bill's Bar-B-Q Barn in Strasburg in 2003 was heard on a recording played in U.S. District Court on Wednesday saying if motorcycle gang members found out he was talking to investigators, they'd murder him."I will help you as much as I can, but I don't want to stick my head out on a chopping block," William Wardell "Cozmo" Welebir says on the 2003 phone call.Welebir, 56, of Port Richey, Fla., faces a single count of arson. His trial started Wednesday morning.Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Mott called to the stand Domingo Perez, who now works part time for the Shenandoah County Sheriff's Office, but at the time of the Oct. 25, 2003, fire was an intelligence analyst with the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug Task Force.A man who identified himself as "Mr. Wagner" had called a state police tip line, and Perez was put in touch with him in November 2003. Public Defender Andrea Harris said Welebir was "Mr. Wagner."

A chatty Welebir starts the conversation by saying he had been in a veterans' motorcycle club called the Free Patriots that did charity runs, but eventually disbanded.While in that club, he met a couple of members of the Pagans Motorcycle Club, including the Northern Virginia chapter's president, referred to as "Blacksmith."Welebir also met Pagans and members of the Warlocks Motorcycle Club -- subject of a regional multi-jurisdictional takedown several months before -- while working at a Bunker Hill, W.Va., club, he tells Perez.Bad Water Bill's was a popular hangout for Warlocks members and other bikers, its owner, Mary Fisher, testified on Wednesday.On the recording, Welebir says he contacted the crime hotline because the man who'd been president of the Free Patriots had recently joined the Pagans and was exhibiting some disturbing behavior.That man owned the Redwood Motel in Stephens City, he says in the recording, and the motel was being used for drug activity, including making "bathtub crystal meth." Welebir says the man was being told what to do by the Pagans.Welebir says it became clear the new Pagan's assignment was to burn down Bad Water Bill's. He said it was because the Titans Motorcycle Club, which was sponsored by the Warlocks, was going to have a charity bike show there later on the day of the arson.In the recording, Welebir also refers to a man known as "Coop" who had started a motorcycle club in Leesburg called the Red Devils, which he says was a Hells Angels support club. He says the Pagans had been trying to get 'Coop' to join them instead, and "Blacksmith" was trying to let him know the Pagans weren't going to allow the Hells Angels to move into Virginia."At this Halloween party, there was talk of murdering this guy for no other reason than the fact he joined another club," Welebir says. "At this point, I had to say something."He says he was also angry because someone had vandalized his motorcycle. Welebir says the motorcycle gang-related crime was escalating."There's already been two drug-overdose deaths at the Redwood Motel last year," he says. "It's out of hand. Somebody needs to stop it."Complicating matters were connections area motorcycle gang members had with police officers and emergency dispatchers, Welebir says in the recording. He says he tipped off law enforcement to a party where large amounts of drugs would be present."They had the information before the party began that the police were investigating their party," Welebir says. "I can't have anything tied with [the investigation]. These people will kill me. I can't risk being a witness. They will stop at nothing. They're capable of doing anything on a whim."In the recording, Welebir says that bulletproof glass was being installed at "Blacksmith's" house in Front Royal because the Pagans feared retaliation from the Hells Angels."He said because we're going to get blamed for that fire over at Bad Water Bill's," Welebir says.Some motorcycle gang members tried to get him to join a club, but he wasn't interested, he says.

"I don't need to have a patch on my back to know who I am," Welebir says on the recording.

Assault and torture charges against four members of the Bandidos motorcycle gang have been mentioned in the Brisbane Magistrates Court.

Police allege Gary Thomas Williams, 50, Jeffrey Wayne West, 39, Mark Williams Genrich, 44, and Craig Thomas Gorman, 38, held former club member David Joseph Beddow against his will at the Bandidos' Ipswich clubhouse in February last year.It is alleged Beddow was attacked because he had used the Bandidos name and colours to intimidate people.The four accused men will face court again in Ipswich later this month.

“Nomads” of the Hell’s Angels are kind of a combination elite corp/death squad that operate independent of any particular Chapter authority and are known to do the hits for the club if need be.

 “Nomads” of the Hell’s Angels are kind of a combination elite corp/death squad that operate independent of any particular Chapter authority and are known to do the hits for the club if need be. Though the Hell’s Angels aren’t known to be as brutal in their treatment of women as clubs like The Outlaws or The Pagans they have a deserved reputation for brutality that people who aren’t affiliated with the group can sometimes use to their advantage:An Ottawa man who claimed to be an outlaw biker and the nephew of a notorious Hells Angels boss used fear to rape, extort and repeatedly beat two women, an Ottawa court heard Friday.Peter Guido, 31, admitted that he pretended to be a member of the elite Hells Angels Nomads and routinely told the two women he dated that their lives would be at stake if they didn’t submit to his demands for money and sex.Assistant Crown attorney Marie Dufort said the women were afraid to talk to the police out of fear Guido or his associates would harm them or their families.Court heard Guido, who frequently wore “Support Nomads” T-shirts, told one of the women he was the nephew of Hells Angels Nomads president Paul “Sasquatch” Porter, had shot a man and his wife, as well as murdered others and spent time in prison.He pleaded guilty to 15 charges, including sexual assault, assault causing bodily harm, assault with a weapon, choking, extortion, uttering threats and criminal harassment.According to an agreed statement of facts, Guido assaulted the women often during the two relationships, which occurred between August 2006 and November 2008.During one incident, Guido grabbed one of the women by the throat and strangled her before forcing her into a Jeep and driving toward Manotick, said Dufort.Dufort said the woman feared for her life when Guido made a call to someone requesting they bring shovels to the area and told her she was going to die.Guido pulled out a clump of the second woman’s hair and punched her repeatedly in the head during one argument, and assaulted her 15-year-old son during another. Guido told the woman, whom he met on an online dating site, that if she reported the incident the Hell Angels “have a way of making bodies disappear and they will not find her body.”When the two women broke up with him, Guido went to their homes and forced himself on them, pulling off their pants and having sex with them.Dufort said the women, fearful of what Guido might do, gave him a total of $27,000.

Black Pistons MC

The Black Pistons Motorcycle Club (Black Pistons) is the official support club for the Outlaws Motorcycle Club (Outlaws). Established in 2002 with the backing of the Outlaws, the Black Pistons have expanded rapidly throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. The Black Pistons have an estimated 70 domestic chapters in 20 states and an unknown number of foreign chapters in Belgium, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Norway and Poland. The exact number of Black Pistons members is unknown but the figure is estimated to be more than 200 in the U.S. The Outlaws use the Black Pistons chapters as a recruitment source for prospective Outlaws members. The Outlaws also use the Black Pistons chapters to conduct criminal activity, especially for the transportation and distribution of drugs. Members of the Black Pistons are also known to engage in assault, extortion, fraud, intimidation and theft.

Hunter S. Thompson Remembered: Hunter Thompson was More than Gonzo, He was a Cultural Force

Hunter S. Thompson was the notorious journalist, politician, social commentator, rebel, sports enthusiast, doctor and icon behind some of the greatest American literary works of the late twentieth century. Thompson is perhaps most often associated with being the founder of Gonzo journalism, a style of reporting wherein the writer becomes so involved in the story that they become their own lead character in the resulting work. But behind the madcap lifestyle Thompson gained public attention for was a man driven by curiosity and the hunt for the real story, often at his own peril. This is a fan’s tribute to HST to commemorate his life during the fifth anniversary of his passing.

Thompson’s Early Disregard for Authority

Hunter Stockton Thompson was born in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1937. While excelling academically, it was clear that Thompson was a clever eccentric with an attitude that rubbed many people the wrong way (or perhaps the right way, depending on individual perspective). Thompson started his journalistic career writing sports copy for local papers and also joined the Air Force for two years. After being released from the military, Thompson joked that his Air Force superiors had given him a “totally unclassifiable” status. Fired from his many jobs throughout the country in his early years for “insubordination,” Hunter aggressively denounced imposed rules and constantly defied any and all authority. But these were traits that would gain Thompson social notoriety, journalistic accolades, and hordes of fans in the years and decades to follow.

When the Going Gets Weird, ask “Well, why not?”

In 1960, Thompson moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico to work for a local newspaper. While residing in San Juan, he penned what is considered his first novel, The Rum Diary, which was not published until 1998. Thompson temporarily moved to Aspen, Colorado in 1964 with his wife, where they gave birth to a son, Juan Fitzgerald Thompson. Colorado would later become the site of Thompson’s compound, his hideaway from the world, and his place of death. But for now Thompson was offered to cover a story for The Nation, wherein he followed the California-based Hell’s Angels motorcycle gang for an entire year to report on the innermost happenings of the secretive and troublesome group. The article was published in 1965 and resulted in numerous book deals for Thompson, though the Angels turned against him when they realized they would not share in the profits. The novel, Hell’s Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga was published by Random House in 1966 and was widely acclaimed for its up close and honest account of life among the traveling outlaws. Thompson remained active as a journalist and wrote bluntly about the Hippie culture in San Francisco. Himself a fan of both the Beat Generation authors and psychedelic drugs, Thompson scorned the burgeoning Hippies for lacking political aspirations and artistic spirit while existing without any perceived direction other than obtaining drugs.

On a Mission to Chronicle “the Death of the American Dream”

By 1967 Thompson received a royalty check for his Hell’s Angels novel and paid for his “fortified compound” outside of Aspen, Colorado, where he would live for the rest of his life. It was at this time that Hunter became further intrigued by politics and ran for sheriff of Pitkin County, Colorado in 1970. Thompson and his fellow citizens ran under the “Freak Power” ticket, with aims to decriminalize drugs (for personal use only); gaining increasing notoriety due to the coverage Thompson received from Rolling Stone magazine. Thompson even shaved his head which enabled him to refer to his Republican rival for office as “my long-haired opponent,” in a brilliant and comical political move. Thompson and the “Freak Power” ticket narrowly lost the election. Thompson’s most famous literary work, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream was published by Random House in 1971. The novel focused on the wild travels of Raoul Duke, an alias for Thompson, and his attorney, Dr. Gonzo as they sped across Las Vegas ripped on drugs and alcohol in order for Duke to cover the Mint 400 Desert Race while searching for the American Dream. Neither of the assignments is fully achieved as the deranged duo evades authority and corrupts consumerist’s Americana. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is still heralded as an achievement in poetic prose narrative and made Hunter S. Thompson a rebel icon with a literary gift.

Read more at Suite101: Hunter S. Thompson Remembered: Hunter Thompson was More than Gonzo, He was a Cultural Force http://lifestylepopculturebooks.suite101.com/article.cfm/hunter-s-thompson-remembered#ixzz0fk6tXH9s

JOSEPH ROBERT GUSTAFSON 54-year-old former Hell's Angel with a gray ponytail, an Angels tattoo on his chest, and motorcycle boots

Gustafson—a 54-year-old former Hell's Angel with a gray ponytail, an Angels tattoo on his chest, and motorcycle boots—was furious. The federal agents descended upon his house, the house of his daughter-in-law, and a third house where a friend of theirs lived, all for no good reason, he says. "To be honest with you, I'm kind of in the dark about it, you know? I believe it's unjust and uncalled for, you know what I mean?"
Gustafson says it's just like the raid several years ago, when the cops came to his house accusing his son of title fraud and tax evasion, or when they investigated him for dealing in stolen Harleys as part of a Hell's Angels chop shop. They couldn't pin him with anything then, he says, and they won't this time, either.
"I'm licensed as a bail bonds business, I do bounty-hunting work, all my guns are legal, I have a license to carry," he says. "Totally, this is some bullshit, you know what I mean?"
A federal grand jury is expected to hand down indictments of Gustafson, his son, and their underlings soon—possibly within weeks. Federal prosecutors are arguing that Gustafson and son are the masterminds of an organized crime ring specializing in arson, fraud, extortion, drugs, and kidnapping. Subpoenas are circulating, even if few people involved in the case are willing to talk publicly.
"I can confirm that we executed a search warrant at that location in support of an ongoing investigation," is all that E.K. Wilson, an FBI spokesman, would offer.
"We aren't really able to comment about an ongoing situation," says Janet Oakes, special agent and spokeswoman for the IRS.
But several Minneapolis police officers confirm that the case is now with federal prosecutors.
"He's been a figure on the North Side for probably 30 years, if not more," says Minneapolis Police Inspector Mike Martin, commander of the Fourth Precinct. "He's one of these guys that wasn't accepted within the biker culture and was therefore excommunicated from the Hell's Angels, and yet wants to still portray this image that he's affiliated with them, and use that to intimidate people."
   

JOSEPH ROBERT GUSTAFSON got his first serious criminal conviction, for felony aggravated assault, in 1979, when he was 23. A man named Donald Peterson was moving furniture for his ex-wife outside a home in north Minneapolis when Gustafson, accompanied by his older brother James, showed up carrying a heavy pipe.

The beating was so vicious that Peterson was left with a fractured skull and jaw and lost 14 teeth.

When police asked Gustafson about it, he told them he was under the influence of medication and didn't remember anything. Big brother James dummied up as well.

All the Gustafson boys got in trouble, but none more than Joe's younger brother Harold. Like Joe's, Harold's fists could deliver devastating blows. After one night of drinking in 1976, Harold beat a man so badly that he was left mentally incapacitated, unable to speak or feed himself. At 19, Harold was headed to prison for five years.

He'd been out of St. Cloud penitentiary for just over a year when, in October 1982, he put on a mask and stormed the basement pharmacy of a hospital in St. Paul. Harold and two other men tried to rob the cashier. When the security guard, an off-duty Oakdale cop, tried to intervene, someone shot him dead.

The family jumped to Harold's defense. They said that on the evening of the murder, Harold was at his parents' house, eating chili and giving the family tattoos.

The jury didn't buy it. In 1984, Harold got life in prison.

Around the same time, Joe got arrested on felony drug charges. He was sitting on his motorcycle, blocking traffic, jawing away at someone in a parked car near the intersection of 26th Street and Sheridan Avenue North, according to court records. When a Minneapolis cop told him to move along, Gustafson refused.

The officer asked for his name—Joe gave a fake one—and patted him down. Gustafson had six and one-quarter grams of cocaine attached to a beeper in the inner pocket of his black leather jacket.

But Joe had a plan. On March 1, 1985, he took a man named Andrew Carey Beggs for a drive in his pickup truck, according to court records. Gustafson steered past a 1972 Pontiac Ventura parked in a north Minneapolis alleyway, and dangled some keys. If Beggs claimed the blow, the car would be his, Gustafson promised.