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Those self-proclaimed members proudly display a 1% patch on their jackets. Marino also agreed to surrender his interest in one gun, while DAlessando is to forfeit ownership of 11 weapons, their agreements say. If you wish to use any copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain expressed permission from the copyright owner. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. Pagans continue to distribute methamphetamine but are getting away from manufacturing it, relying more on "super labs" in Mexico. Three reputed Pagan leaderssubpoenaed to testify asserted their Fifth Amendment rightsand did not answer questions. The outlaw bikers were once a familiar scourge in Philadelphia and Delaware County, Pa., as well as the southern half of New Jersey. Prosecutors said Bucciarelli commissioned a gang-related gunpoint assault, in which an associate of the Pagans was assaulted for breaking the organizations rules. 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. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Women are considered property and rank lower than dogs in the order of importance to the group. An alleged member of the Pagan's motorcycle club who was charged with attempted murder earlier this year is set to plead guilty to a federal charge related to having an associate of the outlaw. 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. The group, which started with just 13 members, evolved into a formal club in the 1960s, spreading to neighboring states. All rights reserved (About Us). Those charges remain pending. 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. NEWARK, NJ More members of the Pagan's Motorcycle Club have been arrested in New Jersey, as a violent, long-running "rivalry" with the Hells Angels continues, federal prosecutors said. It was at that moment it became clear who the man was dealing with: two members of the Pagans Motorcycle Club. According to documents filed and statements made in court: On Oct. 21, 2020, Aquino visited a bar in Verona, New Jersey, with other members of the Pagans. The group, which started with just 13 members, evolved into a formal club in the 1960s, spreading to neighboring states. The charges against Bucciarelli are only allegations. All rights reserved (About Us). The outlaw motorcycle club has a clubhouse in Newark. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Nieves and the members refused to answer any questions from the SCI commissioners, citing their Fifth Amendment rights. "Despitethesometimesroughappearanceoftheseguys,theyarenotatall unsophisticatedwhenitcomestounderminingandfrustratinglawenforcement," said Lee Seglem, executive directorofthe commission, in his opening statement. These cases are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. There are also individual chapter presidents, and those members are referred to as the Mother Club, responsible for managing Pagans' business and recruitment efforts on a local level. Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs - State of New Jersey Commission of Investigation 1989 Report THE PAGANS Operating in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina, the Pagans' overall membership has been estimated at between 300 and 400. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Through the investigation, law enforcement seized 10 firearms and more than 800 grams of methamphetamine. Our journalism needs your support. This is a serious matter that requires immediate attention from the larger policing community, the report said. Members useWhatsApp, a communication app, and encrypted devicesthat keeps law enforcement from tappingphone calls. DeRonde, 56, was sentenced to four years in prison in 2019 after he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault. In 2020, the group issued a 20-page report exposing in exhaustive detail how the Pagans have doubled in size in New Jersey, with more than 200 members spread across 17 chapters in the state. 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. Then they cut him off, blocking his escape. Richter and prosecutors agreed on the sentence as part of the plea deal, according to court documents. The report was issued following a lengthy investigation focused on the Pagans, which has been identified by the F.B.I. 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. Most updated Motorcycle community news from all the World, Motorcycle Clubs news, 1%er news. Richter personally possessed that gun, did not hide it from the numerous people that were there, Frazer said. And Pagans areexpanding, moving out West, into Puerto Rico and states like Florida. An axhandle is a weapon of choice among many Pagans. The assault victim, whose name was not disclosed, had alerted investigators in July 2020 that hed been asked to store guns and ammunition by another suspect in the case, Michael Cage Dorazo of Gloucester City, a criminal complaint alleges. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Estimates varied during testimony. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Richter was not present at the hearing. 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. Then they cut him off, blocking his escape. Members of the Pagans, who have doubled their chapters statewide in the past three years, have conducted numerous assaults against members of the public, some of whom have had no connection to the club, the report from the New Jersey Commission of Investigation said. 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). The Pagan's Motorcycle Club has recruited disgraced or retired law enforcement officers and even a former municipal court judge in New Jersey. They're one of four major outlaw clubs. DEPTFORD, NJ - A Pagan's Motorcycle Club member, an outlaw biker gang who was out of federal prison awaiting trial for firearms charges has been charged with attempted homicide. When Aquino and his associates exited the bar, a group of individuals approached and assaulted them with baseball bats. This is a serious matter that requires immediate attention from the larger policing community, the report said. The group's move into North Jersey is why the violence has increased, investigators said. NEWARK, NJ More members of the Pagans Motorcycle Club have been arrested in New Jersey, as a violent, long-running rivalry with the Hells Angels continues, federal prosecutors said Monday. Each man agreed to surrender his interest in two baseball bats and six ax handles seized in September 2020. There has been a 50% increase in chapters in New Jersey over the past three years, officials said. Ritchers attorney argued that his client is at high-risk to COVID-19 if he is detained and offered a $1 million bail package for Richter to be released on. He didnt think anything of it when he exited the highway, but soon realized he was being tailed by a motorcycle and a car. Stay with APP.com or consider a subscription today. The SCI report warned that the growth of the biker gang could lead to more violent clashes with innocent people. The Pagans have also started recruiting members from traditional street gangs, like the Bloods, Crips and the Latin Kings, officials said. From left, attorney Carlos Martir, suspected Pagan Motorcycle Club member James Helveston Jr., suspected Pagan Motorcycle Club National Vice President Hugo Nieves and suspected Pagan Motorcycle Club National Mother/National Club member Luis Arocho.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, 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.. A lock ( There has been an almost 50% increase in chapters in New Jersey over the past three years, officials said. 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. 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). 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. A member of the Pagans motorcycle club is seen at the funeral of a fellow biker.EXT. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. At the SCI hearing in 2019, Nieves was called to testify, along with other high-ranking members of the Pagans. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. 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. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. The charge against Richter came about after authorities were tipped off by someone that Richter was in possession of a loaded Ruger P345 .45-caliber handgun during a party for the club in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on Feb. 20, according to the criminal complaint. Sign up for Patch email newsletters. Its expanding at a rate weve never seen before, Edwin Torres, an SCI investigative agent, said at an open hearing in 2019. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Over the last year federal authorities have been aggressive in investigating the Pagans, as they rapidly expanded in New Jersey under Richters leadership. The club also extorts business owners and relies on members to pay monthly dues of $100, the commission said. 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. The outlaw motorcycle club has a clubhouse in Newark. There are more Latino members of the group in North Jersey than elsewhere. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. The group is also able to thwart law enforcement by utilizing encrypted cellphone apps and counter-surveillance efforts, including flying a drone at a large gathering of Pagans at Wildwoods Roar to the Shore event. A Pagan approached him and threatened him, a police report said. 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. "Pets are women who are shared sexually among the group," said Nicole McCann, investigative analyst for the commission. The rise of the Pagans motorcycle club in New Jersey was the focus of an investigation conducted by the State Commission of Investigation, an independent state watchdog group formed in the late 1960s to investigate public corruption and organized crime. Bucciarelli was also indicted for distributing five grams or more of methamphetamine, prosecutors added. 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. as one of the four major outlaw motorcycle clubs operating in the U.S. That group includes the Hells Angels, the Outlaws and the Bandidos. 970 Broad Street, 7th Floor
It is not the policy of this club to engage in any criminal activity, and thats all I will say about that, he said. The Pagans Motorcycle Club, as its officially called, formed in Prince Georges County, Maryland, in 1959. He later gave another $4,000 to Dorazo after being told the Pagans were unhappy with the purported gun sale, the complaint says. The Pagans have historically had a strong presence in South Jersey and neighboring Pennsylvania. Wolves in Sheep's Clothing: New Jersey's SPCAs 17 Years Later. The federal prosecutors office alleges Marino and DAlessandro were the president and sergeant at arms, respectively, for the Pagans chapter in Gloucester County chapter. Our journalism needs your support. 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. The two groups are locked in a violent struggle for control of New Jersey, investigators said. Count Three carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. As the Long Island resident was traveling back to his home, New Jersey authorities pulled over the vehicle Richter was in. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Citing their Fifth Amendment right to remain silent, the alleged leaders declined to answer any of the commissioners' questions. On Nov. 17, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Ortizs residence and recovered approximately 300 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded firearm. "Contrary to popular belief, what you may see in the media of guys just hanging out partying and drinking and a bunch of fellows having a good time, this is a well-run organization and a criminal enterprise by no other terms. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. He made a series of turns, but couldnt shake them. The neighborhood was put in lockdown during the search, with residents instructed to stay inside for about four hours. He was cruising on his motorcycle on Route 1 in Elizabeth when he passed two other drivers on the right of the multi-lane roadway in June 2019. 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. Luis Arocho, aka "LuRoc," 43, of Keansburg, New Jersey, and Maurice Guzman, aka "Dawg," 51, of Newark, are charged by complaint with one count of aggravated . Pagans National President Keith "Conan" Richter was attendingthat party last month before his arrest for gun possession in New Jersey by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives,according to two law enforcement sources with knowledge of the club's activities. 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