Case against Hells Angels leader tossed
3/14/2006
From the Arizona Daily Star
Federal charges that were
brought against the president of the local chapter of the Hells Angels
in a highprofile racketeering case that targeted motorcycle gangs
across Arizona have been dismissed.
The case, the result of a sting touted as the most successful infiltration
ever of the biker group, all but ended in federal court this month
with disputed results. In the end, half of those indicted were given
plea deals on lesser offenses. Charges against five others, including
local president Craig "Fang" Kelly and friend Henry Watkins,
were dismissed in late February.
Kelly's court-appointed
attorney said the case against his client was poor. The state trumped
up its findings, he said, and then didn't disclose evidence to defense
attorneys.
"They have some information
they just do not want to give out," Joe Abodeely said. "We
think it was because they had a disagreement with some of their ATF
agents," he said, referring to the federal Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Carmen Fischer, an attorney
who was appointed by the court to represent Watkins, called the case
a "tremendous waste of taxpayers' money, not to mention the trampling
of rights of people like my client."
As a result of plea deals,
none of the defendants will serve more than five years in federal
prison, Most of the bikers had faced possible life sentences under
the indictment.
The U.S. Attorney's Office
described the outcome as a "good thing" because eight defendants
pleaded guilty. This is but one of many cases brought against the
Hells Angels around the country, in Canada and around the world, "
said Sandy Raynor, a spokeswoman for Arizona's top federal prosecutor.
Yes,
they're Angel's.
Biker club donates to O'odham elders
Tuesday, June 14th 2005
By SHERYL KORNMAN
Saguaro fruit was
simmering on the kitchen stove when Hells Angel Bobby Jack Wright
arrived yesterday at the ElderCenter at the Tohono O'odharn village
called Wa:k. Wright delivered a $2,178 donation along Stuth with 10
wheelchairs, walkers, canes' a bedside commode and more than 30 blankets
and bedspreads for the elderly served by the Elder Center.
Clay Nunez, an Elder Center employee at
the San Xavier Mission, Tohono Olodham Nation, helps Bobby Jack Wright
a member of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club of Tucson, unload a walker
from the back of a truck. The club also donated money, wheelchairs
and blankets to the Olodham Nation's Elder Center.
The money and supplies collected by the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club
in Tucson will help about 43 elders in the San Xavier District, many
of whom suffer from diabetes.Some are homebound and get breakfast
and lunch delivered daily. Others need help getting, to dialysis treatment.
The wheelchairs will be used by those in their late 70s and older
who have been getting by with a walker but soon will need the wheelchairs.
"Three that I know of are ready for a wheelchair," said
Edward Enemas, the San Xavier Dishiffs supervisor of the elderly.
They also will be used by the Elder Center to make field trips more
enjoyable for aging O'odham, he said. Wright said he lives near the
area where the O'odham harvest saguaro fruit each year. He said he's
learned a lot from tribal members through the years and wanted to
give something back.
Some of the elders had
gathered fruit from the saguaro at 5 a.m. Wednesday, and it was that
fruit that bubbled in a pan on the stove at the Elder Center while
about 20 elders and others ate posole with tortillas and peppers.
The congregant lunch is served twice a week to give the elders a chance
to socialize and give Enemas the opportunity to check in with them
in a relaxed setting.
The Hells Angels made themselves at home at the invitation of Enemas
and joined the group for posole after unloading the wheelchairs from
their truck.
Hells Angel Max Anderson, a real estate appraisal trainee, and Wright
were applauded by the group for their efforts to help the elderly.
Some of the cash donated
yesterday will be used to buy adult diapers, which are not covered
by Medicare, said the San Xavier District's finance director, Harold
Stuth. Stuth said the money will be put in restricted funds for the
Elder Center so it can be used for dental or eye care, or any other
needs the elderly O'odham may have.
Wright presents a plaque from the Hells
Angels to Edward Encinas, supervisor of the elderly program for the
San Xavier District Tohono O'odharn Nation.
Bikers
dodge worst penalties
The Arizona Republic,
3/14/2006
Attorney calls
federal case against Hells Angel from Tucson a waste of time, money.
Hells Angels
approach a highway exit near Ventura, Callf., in this file photo from
The Associated Press.
The attorney representing
the president of the Tucson Hells Angels said the federal government
wasted time and taxpayer money going after his client and other members
of the biker club. The high-proffle racketeering case against Arizona's
Hells Angels Motorcycle Club has wrapped up with disputed results.
"I was a prosecutor
for 15 years, and this wasn't a 'good' result" said attorney
Joe Abodeely, who represented Tucson Hells Angels President Craig
T. Kelly, whose charges were dismissed.
The case was the result
of a sting touted as the most successfull infiltration ever of the
biker group and all but ended in federal court this month. In the
end, half of those indicted were given plea deals on lesser offenses.
Federal charges against five others were dismissed.
The U.S. Attorney's Office
described the outcome as a "good thing" because eight defendants
pleaded guilty. "This is but one of many cases brought against
the Hells Angels around the country, in Canada and around the world,"
Sandy Raynor, a spokeswoman for Arizona's top federal prosecutor,
said in an e-mail.
As a result of plea deals,
none of the defendants will serve more than five years in federal
prison. Most of the bikers had faced possible life sentences under
the indictment.
The Arizona crackdown was
part of a national Hells Angels sweep led by agents with the Bureau
of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Raids were conducted statewide,
as well as in California, Nevada and Washington, in July 2003. The
indictment here targeted three charter presidents with club members
and associates.
With help from moles, ATF
agents spent two years penetrating the Hells Angels, attending drug
parties and becoming privy to alleged murder plots against rival gangs.
Investigators described the club as a criminal syndicate, not a fraternity
of motorcycle enthusiasts. Guns, drugs and thousands of records were
seized.
But defense attorneys claimed
the government's case was based on "snitches" who fabricated
evidence and took part in beatings, drug dealing and other crimes
while employed by federal agents.
Patricia Aitre, an attorney
for one defendant said that details of misconduct by ATF informers
have been described in court: One paid operative failed to tell his
handlers that he had participated in a murder. Another became a "snitch"
to avoid prosecution, then got busted with methamphetamines.
Spokeswoman Raynor said,
"There are always issues in dealing with cases requiring the
use of confidential informants. None of the issues occurring in this
matter is novel."
The Arizona crackdown was
part of a nationwide Hells Angels sweep led by agents with the Bureau
of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Raids were conducted statewide
as well as in California, Nevada and Washington, in July 2003. Raids
in Tucson ineluded the local chapter's clubhouse at 2414 N. Fontana
Ave., near North Stone Avenue and Grant Road.
With help from moles, ATF
agents spent two years penetrating the Hells Angels, attending drug
parties and becoming privy to alleged murder plots against rival gangs.
Investigators described the club as a criminal syndicate, not a fraternity
of motorcycle enthusiasts. Guns, drugs and thousands of records were
seized.
But in some cases, all
the government had to go on was the snitch's word, Fischer said, and
a snitch could lie and continue to commit crimes.
More than 170 local and
federal officers were involved in a series of pre-dawn raids that
led to the arrests. Officials conducted synchronized raids in the
Phoenix area, where one suspect was shot and wounded by an officer,
as well as in Flagstaff, Prescott, Bullhead City and Kingman. They
arrested 30 people in all and seized drugs and weapons from 40 locations.
Star
reporter Becky Pallack and The Associated Press contributed to this
story.
Free
publicity, extra security, mark bar party
Officials
had been concerned about potential for violence
BY BUKE SCHMIDT
Yuma
Daily Sun, September 4th, 2005
Crazy Earl's Cocktails
& Pool's third anniversary party icked off with a bikini bike
ash, included a custom bike show and finished with live music from
10 bands until midnight.
But many at the daylong
party held animosity toward the Yuma County Sheriffs Office, reflecting
anger that the Yuma County Board of Supervisors days ago revoked a
temporary liquor permit extension that would allow partygoers to drink
alcohol outside of the bar. YCSO maintained a visible police presence
at the party.
The county's precautionary
tone came after it discovered that the Tucson chapter of the Hells
Angels biker club would be partially sponsoring the party
"They were so afraid
as soon as they found out Hells Angels was one of our sponsors,"
said Brice Zeller, owner of Crazy Earl's, 11274 S. Fortuna Road.
Zeller said that between
the private security personnel and bar staff, there were at least
sixteen people on guard at the event.
MARIO
ACEVES (far right) talks to Terry lacquin about motorcycles Saturday
afternoon at the parking lot in front of Crazy Earl's Cocktails &
pool, 11274 S. Fortuna Road, The motorcycle Aceves is pointing at
is a 90FXRP, a custom made machine.
"We have plenty of
security," Zeller said.
But there were also at
least four YCSO vehicles and an undercover vehicle at the ovent, as
well as Yuma police units.
Zeller said the police
presence was "ridiculous."
"They're going to
be messing with us all night long," he said.
On Saturday, Zeller said
he was "pissed off" by the police presence at the event.
Zeller said that officials
at the county had told him they were worried about "another Laughlin,"
referring to a bloody riot that broke out between the Hells Angels
and the Mongols, another biker group, in Laughlin, Nev., three years
ago at the Laughlin River Ran.
The incident left several
injured and three bikers dead. But Zeller said his three-year anniversary
party for Crazy Earl's was only expecting 300 people, while the Laughlin
event brings in tens of thousands of bikers each year, Hells Angels
and others alike.
"We expected 300 to
350 people, but because of the sheriffs department, we expect 400
to 500 because they're giving us all this free advertising,"
Zeller said.
Hells Angels member Sonny
Barger, author of the national best-selling autobiography "Hell's
Angel," had a book signing at the event for his latest book,
"Freedom: Credos from the Road."
"We couldn't have
bought all the publicity they gave us", Barger said, referring
to the liquor license controversy.
"The police are always
discouraging people from supporting the Hells Angels," said Junior
Pemberton, a guest of the Hells Angels Arizona Nomad's chapter. "But
it's very rare that there are actually any problems. When there are
problems, it's usually not because of the Hells Angels."
Partial proceeds of the
event went to the Arizona Parkinson Group of Yuma and Battered Women
and Children of Yuma. Several vendors at the event provided proceeds
to Hurricane Katrina victims, Zeller said.
Red Kosteba, a vendor at
the event, was in Laughlin where the killings happened three years
ago.
"This ain't no Laughlin.
These guys are some of the nicest guys You'll find," he said,
referring to the Hells Angels.
Kosteba was at the event
selling patches from Desert Supply, a biker apparel shop in Tucson.
Kosteba said that riding
motorcycles is a "freedom thing."
"We call people that
ride in vehicles 'cagers,' because they're always in that cage,"
he said, using his hands to push out on the imaginary walls of a car.
"It doesn't matter
who you ride with, or what colors vou chose to wear, but keeping it
in the wind - that's the name of the game," Kosteba said.
YCSO did not return calls
from The Sun for this story Saturday.
Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Hells Angels club collects
bins of food for needy
SHERYL KORNMAN
Tucson Citizen
Photo submitted by the Hells Angels MC
Nearly a dozen bins of nonperishable food were collected by the Hells
Angels and given to the Community Food Bank.
The Hells Angels Motorcycle
Club of Tucson collected nearly a dozen bins of nonperishable food
during a food drive Saturday.
The food was delivered
to the Community Food Bank.
The drive was open to all
motorcycle clubs in the area, and 16 participated, according to a
Hells Angels news release.
Among participating clubs
were the Red Devils, Spartan Riders, Huns, Devil's Disciples, Sober
Riders, Motorcycle Club IOOB, Loners, Vietnam/Legacy Vets, Bikers
for Christ, Cochise Riders, Rough Riders, Nomaden Motorcycle Club,
Unidos, Top Hatters, Sho Riders and Harley Owners Group-Yuma, the
release stated.
Saturday, June 12, 2004
Hells Angels collecting
for Food Bank today
SHERYL KORNMAN
Tucson Citizen
The
Hells Angels motorcycle club of Tucson is collecting food for the
Community Food Bank today at an all-day party featuring live music.
Motorcycle
clubs throughout Arizona are invited, along with riders who don't
belong to a club.
A
can of food is the price of admission to the food drive party, which
will feature the band Jo Jo and the Voo Doo Dudes.
The
event starts at 2 p.m. and ends when it ends, at the motorcycle club's
clubhouse at 2414 N. Fontana Ave.
According
to the Tucson club's Web site, www.hamc2son.com, the Tucson Dirty
Dozen motorcycle club became the Hells Angels in 1997 and is a part
of the Hells Angels club that began in California in 1948.
June 2004 Issue of Quick
Throttle (Southwest)
Click the article to read.
