CAMDEN - Two Williamstown men have admitted guilt in connection with an attack on a man who helped an investigation into the Pagans Motorcycle Club. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer said during Ritchers first appearance in court Friday that the government has incontrovertible evidence that Richter possessed the firearm at the party. Newark, NJ 07102, Newark:973-645-2700 The Bay Shore, New York, resident was a passenger in a GMC that left the party around 11 p.m. The arrest has sent ripples through the Pagans organization. The group, which started with just 13 members, evolved into a formal club in the 1960s, spreading to neighboring states. Dorazo, who authorities say is a member of the Camden County chapter of the Pagans, was charged in August 2020 with being a felon in possession of a firearm after a confidential informant told law enforcement that Dorazo provided six firearms and a large amount of ammunition to store in the informants garage. And with these charges we have now brought criminal charges against a total of 11 defendants, involving various assaults, weapons possession and drug trafficking charges that relate to their membership and in many cases leadership of the Pagans," Honig said. Luis Arocho, aka LuRoc, 43, of Keansburg, and Maurice Guzman, aka Dawg, 51, of Newark, were arrested Monday and charged by complaint with one count of aggravated assault in aid of racketeering. The Pagans have also started recruiting members from traditional street gangs, like the Bloods, Crips and the Latin Kings, officials said. Glen Turner, 73, of Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania, was charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. As the Long Island resident was traveling back to his home, New Jersey authorities pulled over the vehicle Richter was in. At the time of Aquinos arrest, he was the vice president of the Pagans Elizabeth membership chapter, prosecutors said. Hugo Zorro Nieves, the alleged vice president of the Pagans, broke his silence to say, It is not the policy of this club to engage in any criminal activity, and thats all I will say about that.. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). According to a criminal complaint, law enforcement learned during the party that Richter had a gun. There has been an. The club is structured with a president, vice president, sergeant at arms, secretary and treasurer. Later, the same Pagan and two of his companions ambushed the patron, hitting him twice in the head with an axe handle a weapon of choice for the Pagans. Marino and DAlessandroordered the man to give up his cell phone, then used a handheld device to ensure he had not concealed any electronic devices, the complaint says. Chief investigative reporter Jonathan Dienst on crime, corruption and terrorism. Ferdinand Augello, left, and Paul Pagano, right, wait, via video, for their first court appearance to begin at the Atlantic . The ex-national prez of Pagans MC Keith Conan Richter has pleaded guilty to a federal gun charge. The resurgence and expansion of the group has made it easier to wear Pagan colors, he said. Some of the details that came out of the hearingwere: Ken Serrano has covered breaking news and crime in New Jersey for the past 20 years. And Pagans are expanding, moving out West, into . In recent years, the group has spread into more northern areas of the state, with a large presence in Elizabeth. Aquino was also charged with possession of ammunition by a convicted felon (Count Three) and possession with intent to distribute cocaine (Count Four), and Ortiz was also charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (Count Five) and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (Count Six). The Pagans and the Hells Angels are known to be rival gangs. Now there are 900 Pagans spread across 12 states and in Puerto Rico, officials said. This Pagan resurgence especially the increased violence and other illegal acts that have accompanied it not only threatens the public peace and public safety of the citizens of New Jersey, it also presents significant challenges for those responsible for protecting it, the SCI report says. The Pagans formed in Prince George's County, Maryland, in 1959. The Pagans Motorcycle Club, one of the major outlaw motorcycle groups in the U.S., is a growing threat to citizens in New Jersey and every cop in the state should be trained to deal with them, according to a new report issued Wednesday. For more on crime in New Jersey, scroll to the video above. The victim was ordered to call the buyer of the guns, who was actually a federal investigator, and to request an update on the weapons, the complaint alleges. He made a series of turns, but couldnt shake them. 970 Broad Street, 7th Floor If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Count Four carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million. Bucciarelli, who is the sergeant at arms of the Camden County Chapter, could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted of the brandishing a firearm charge. It was around this time it adopted the outlaw motorcycle mentality, collectively known as the one-percenters. The theory is most motorcycle riders are law-abiding citizens, except for the 1% who arent. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Many of the accused hold national, regional, and local leadership positions in the Pagans Motorcycle Club, prosecutors say. By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. Sign up for Patch email newsletters. The commission recommended the state Attorney Generals Office create a working group comprised of law enforcement officials at every level devoted to identifying and prosecuting criminal activity conducted by outlaw motorcycle clubs. The rise in Pagan membership in New Jersey,first reported by NJ Advance Mediain May 2018, is indicative of a broader national effort by reputed Pagan President Keith Conan Richter to beef up numbers along the East Coast, officials said. The former national president of the Pagan's motorcycle club, an outlaw group that has rapidly expanded in New Jersey in recent years under his leadership, pleaded guilty Wednesday to a. The agency also said every officer in New Jersey should undergo training in case they encounter these gangs. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The group, which started with just 13 members, evolved into a formal club in the 1960s and spread to neighboring states. The hearing featured testimony from SCI investigators, New Jersey State Police officers and county prosecutors. Most updated Motorcycle community news from all the World, Motorcycle Clubs news, 1%er news. At the time of Aquinos arrest, he was the vice president of the Elizabeth membership chapter of the Pagans. In New Jersey, Pagans membership which has always been strong in South Jersey has grown at an alarming rate in recent years, with approximately 200 members in 17 chapters. These charges were filed as part of a multi-agency investigation into the Pagans Motorcycle Club an outlaw motorcycle gang known to engage in illegal activity, including narcotics trafficking, weapons trafficking, and violent crimes. Jul 2019. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Ortiz was indicted for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. as one of the four major outlaw motorcycle gangs operating in the U.S. That group includes the Hells Angels, the Outlaws and the Bandidos. Our journalism needs your support. High-ranking members of the outlaw Pagans Motorcycle Club, including those in New Jersey chapters, were indicted on various crimes, federal prosecutors announced Monday. They have added 30 chapters in the past year, Torres said. Our journalism needs your support. Daniel Hooban, 33, of Bayonne, New Jersey, was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, Alex Napoliello | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, Joe Atmonavage | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, a major expansion of the outlaw motorcycle gang, sentenced to four years in prison in 2019. Joe Atmonavage may be reached at jatmonavage@njadvancemedia.com. "Despitethesometimesroughappearanceoftheseguys,theyarenotatall unsophisticatedwhenitcomestounderminingandfrustratinglawenforcement," said Lee Seglem, executive directorofthe commission, in his opening statement. The Pagans are run like a business and are organized as such. Those charges remain pending. More violent incidents have been committed by the Pagans in a recent 18-month period than in the prior 10 years, according to the SCI report. Richter was not present at the hearing. Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Investigators say there are currently chapters in Philadelphia, South Jersey, Bucks and Delaware counties. In New Jersey, its going to be hard to find a county where there isnt a Pagan presence.. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The gang currently has 17 chapters across the state, up from 10 in 2016, according to the SCI. Then they cut him off, blocking his escape. Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Rachael Honig announced two additional indictments, bringing the total of Pagans members facing crimes to 11 -- although the number may increase as the investigation continues. as one of four major outlaw motorcycle gangs. Its expanding at a rate weve never seen before, Edwin Torres, an SCI investigative agent, said at an open hearing in 2019. The victim would file a police report, but quickly rescinded it, fearful of retaliation at the hands of one of the most dangerous outlaw motorcycle clubs in the country. And whenit comes to evading detection, they're getting better. Andrew Kramer charged with murder of Melissa Malcolm in Mount Laurel, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The club is structured with a president, vice president, sergeant at arms, secretary and treasurer. Police found the firearm underneath the cupholder of the center console, authorities said. It was. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. These cases are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The Pagans Motorcycle Club, as its officially called, formed in Prince Georges County, Maryland, in 1959. Support local journalism with a subscription. The SCI report warned that the growth of the biker gang could lead to more violent clashes with innocent people. When Richter took control of the club in 2018, his main mission was to expand its membership across the country, authorities said, which eventually put a target on the motorcycle club. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Nieves and the members refused to answer any questions from the SCI commissioners, citing their Fifth Amendment rights. Over the last year federal authorities have been aggressive in investigating the Pagans, as they rapidly expanded in New Jersey under Richters leadership. The investigator, understanding that he was on speaker and that members of the (Pagans) might be listening to their conversation, remained in his undercover persona throughout the conversation, says the complaint. Over the last year, federal authorities have charged at least 10 Pagan members in New Jersey with a number of crimes, including for their alleged roles in shootings and drug distribution.. The commission investigated the group because of an "alarming shift" in the way the Pagans are doing business, which gang investigators have not seenbefore,Torres said. The group has expandedfrom 10 chapters to 17in New Jersey in the past few years, and is moving into the northern part of the statefrom their traditional South Jersey stronghold,said Edwin Torres, an investigator for the commission and president of the East Coast Gang Investigators Association. Its unclear how the arrest of Richter will impact the group. It sells marijuana and cocaine, but a bulk of its business is from methamphetamine, acquired from a Mexican drug cartel. In October 2019, the State Commission of Investigation, an independent state watchdog formed in the late 1960s to investigate public corruption and organized crime, held an exhaustive hearing in Trenton detailing how the Pagans are increasing membership in all corners of the state. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Pagans continue to distribute methamphetamine but are getting away from manufacturing it, relying more on "super labs" in Mexico. 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). Richter and prosecutors agreed on the sentence as part of the plea deal, according to court documents. He later gave another $4,000 to Dorazo after being told the Pagans were unhappy with the purported gun sale, the complaint says. Each man agreed to surrender his interest in two baseball bats and six ax handles seized in September 2020. The Pagans have established membership chapters in numerous states and U.S. territories, including multiple active chapters in New Jersey. Dorazo, who was armed with two handguns and a high-capacity assault weapon, fled the scene, leading police on a multi-hour search, authorities said. Keep updated with local public safety alerts at the Patch Newark Facebook page. Its expanding at a rate weve never seen before, Edwin Torres, an SCI investigative agent, said in reference to Pagan membership in New Jersey. The Pagans which started in Prince George's County, Maryland, in 1959 has swelled to more than 1,300 members across at least 12 states, experts said. NEWARK, N.J. Two high-ranking members of the Pagans Motorcycle Club were indicted today for assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, narcotics distribution, and firearms offenses, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. On Dec. 10, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Turners residence and recovered about 450 grams of methamphetamine, authorities said. The commission recommended the state Attorney Generals Office create a working group comprised of law enforcement officials at every level devoted to identifying and prosecuting criminal activity conducted by outlaw motorcycle gangs. The Pagans in New Jersey have been under fire from federal authorities in the past year with 11 members being charged in a variety of cases, some involving violence committed against other Outlaw Motorcycle clubs and their own associates. Attorney information for Bucciarelli was not immediately known. The Pagan's Motorcycle Club, one of the major outlaw motorcycle groups in the U.S., is a growing threat to citizens in New Jersey and every cop in the state should be trained to deal with. Seemingly random assaults like these on the citizens of the Garden State have officials at the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation urging law enforcement to take action. He has previously been convicted of multiple felonies, including burglary and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, meaning he cannot legally posses a firearm. They have 30 chapters in 12 states, according to a recent N.J. State Commission of Investigation report on the biker world. Multiple law enforcement officials told NJ Advance Media that Robert Big Bob Francis, of Virginia, has taken over as the national president of the Pagans. At the time of his arrest, Ortiz was the president of the Pagans Jersey City membership chapter. Richter, who was sentenced to 16 years in prison in 1998 for attempted murder and racketeering and released in 2012, took control of the Pagans in 2018, according to officials. Citing their Fifth Amendment right to remain silent, the alleged leaders declined to answer any of the commissioners' questions. The Pagans are run like a business and are organized as such. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Alleged members of the Pagans Motorcycle Club appear with their attorney in an SCI public hearing. These charges, according to Honig, are in connection to a separate gang-related assault in which Bucciarelli retaliated against another member of the Pagans for breaking the organizations rules. It included interviews with Pagan members their voices altered to protect their identities and video of a brutal attack in 2018 near a Hells Angels clubhouse in Newark. Joe Atmonavage | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, charged with attempted murder earlier this year, other influential leaders of the Pagans in South Jersey, has put an emphasis on investigating the Pagans. "They're typically given as many drugs or drinks as they want., One Paganmotto: "Breaking laws and breaking jaws since 1959". A federal judge signed a court order this week allowing Michael Dorazo, of the Glendora section of Gloucester Township, to be transferred from the Salem County Correctional Facility to Camden federal court on Sept. 23 in order to plead guilty to a federal charge he faces. Count Six carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum sentence of life in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000. There has been an almost 50% increase in chapters in New Jersey over the past three years, officials said. The outlaw bikers were once a familiar scourge in Philadelphia and Delaware County, Pa., as well as the southern half of New Jersey. Joe Atmonavage | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, led a massive expansion of the outlaw organization in New Jersey, discovered a loaded gun in a vehicle he was, charged at least 10 Pagan members in New Jersey. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Larry Ortiz, aka Savage, 31, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, and Junius Aquino, aka Jayo, 38, of Vauxhall, New Jersey, were indicted for assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering (Count One) and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence (Count Two), in connection with their roles in a gang-related shooting. They are among 11 members of the outlaw motorcycle gang who have recently been charged with various weapons, drug-trafficking and violent crimes. The Pagan's Motorcycle Club still rides, wreaks havoc at Jersey Shore. Long-term operations of this magnitude require a tremendous amount of work and patience by cooperating detectives, and while the full scope and impact of this investigation may yet be fully realized, its success continues a year after it began, Callahan said. Members of the Pagan's Motorcycle Club have been implicated in a drug ring with an Atlantic County doctor authorities say hired them to kill his wife. Public Hearing: Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs - The Pagans 'Organized Crime Spotlight' examines MS-13 in NJ . The club earns its proceeds from drug trafficking, the commission said. Hearing Impaired: 973-645-6227 Camden:856-757-5026 The actual tally was likely higher because many incidents go unreported, the report said. In a separate case, a federal grand jury returned an indictment on Monday, charging Nicholas Bucciarelli, 56, of Brooklawn, with aggravated assault in aid of racketeering, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon. Both Arocho and Guzman face 20 years in prison if convicted. Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Rachael A. Honig announced two additional indictments, bringing the total of Pagans members facing crimes to 11 -- although the number may increase as the investigation continues. Less than three weeks later, Dorazo led police in South Jersey on a manhunt after authorities heard gun shots in a Deptford home they were responding to due to a domestic disturbance, authorities said. Marino also agreed to surrender his interest in one gun, while DAlessando is to forfeit ownership of 11 weapons, their agreements say. Find NJ.com on Facebook. The report was issued following a lengthy investigation focused on the Pagans, which has been identified by the F.B.I. 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. On Nov. 5, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Aquinos residence and recovered, among other items, multiple .40 caliber rounds of ammunition and approximately 50 grams of cocaine. ]. Not only are there violent attacks on rival biker gangs like the Hells Angels and the Warlocks, the report states, but a newfound level of aggression has led to drive-by shootings, savage beat downs of adversaries and unprovoked physical assaults on members of the public across New Jersey.. In another incident, a man was in a bar in Elizabeth a city dominated by the Pagans when he started talking to a female bartender. Nicholas Lefty Marino, 76, and Anthony Fugit DAlessandro, 55, were accused of assisting in an August 2020 attack at a Pagans clubhouse. 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. The Pagans were founded in the 1960s out of Maryland. All rights reserved (About Us). Violence has risen since a change in national leadership in 2018 when Keith "Conan" Richter took over as president, according to testimony. The man told police he had never seen his attacker prior to that evening in January 2019. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Approximately one week later Aquino and Ortiz shot at an associate of the Hells Angels on the New Jersey Turnpike in retaliation for the Verona assault. Nicholas "Lefty" Marino, 76, and. The outlaw motorcycle club has a clubhouse in Newark. Under the control of Richter, the Pagans have been absorbing smaller, local motorcycle groups to increase membership, officials said.
Sampson Davis Married, Culebra Catamaran From San Juan, Articles P