Count Five carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum sentence of life in prison, and a fine of up to $10 million. At the time of Aquinos arrest, he was the vice president of the Pagans Elizabeth membership chapter, prosecutors said. The report was issued following a lengthy investigation focused on the Pagans, which has been identified by the F.B.I. The Pagans have also started recruiting light-skinned Latino members from traditional street gangs, like the Latin Kings, though they still prohibit Black people from joining their ranks. A former Pagan chapter president in South Jersey is currently serving a life prison sentence for orchestrating the 2012 murder-for-hire plot of April Kauffman, a well-known radio personality in the Atlantic City area. Have a question about Government Services? Then they cut him off, blocking his escape. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. Est. The crimes were committed for the purpose of maintaining and increasing position in the Pagans' Motorcycle Club, according to plea agreements. Unlike other motorcycle clubs, the Pagans dont have a clubhouse, but hold weekly meetings called church.. 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. Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. In 2018, Pagan Robert DeRonde, known as Hellboy, brutally beat an associate of the Hells Angels with a baseball bat at a gas station near the Newark clubhouse. Prosecutors moved to have Richter detained pending the outcome of the case due to his criminal history, they said, and because of his role as the leader of the motorcycle gang. Support local journalism with a subscription. 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 have also started recruiting members from traditional street gangs, like the Bloods, Crips and the Latin Kings, officials said. The victim allowed investigators to seize the weapons without the Pagans knowledge. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. 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. Under the control of Richter, the Pagans have been absorbing smaller, local motorcycle clubs to increase membership, officials said. The SCI also said every officer in New Jersey should undergo training in case they encounter these gangs in routine crime investigations. 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. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. Trenton:609-989-2190 The victim eventually was allowed to leave the clubhouse. It sells marijuana and cocaine, but a bulk of its business is from methamphetamine, acquired from a Mexican drug cartel. Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. 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. To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com. 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. 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. This is a serious matter that requires immediate attention from the larger policing community, the report said. Chief investigative reporter Jonathan Dienst on crime, corruption and terrorism. Keep updated with local public safety alerts at the Patch Newark Facebook page. Federal authorities have also described Dorazo, 41, as a known distributor of methamphetamine in and around Camden and Gloucester Counties, though he does not face any current drug charges. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The most climactic moment came at the hearings end when three reputed leaders of the motorcycle club were called to testify. This story has been updated to reflect that Dorazos attorney declined to comment. 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. I commend the hard work and dedication of all the agencies involved.. If you are a copyright owner or are authorized to act on behalf of one or authorized to act under any exclusive right under copyright, please report alleged copyright infringements taking place on or through the site by completing the DMCA Notice of Alleged Infringement and delivering it to our Designated Copyright Agent. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison and was released in 2012. The neighborhood was put in lockdown during the search, with residents instructed to stay inside for about four hours. New video shows bar attack allegedly at the hand of Pagans Motorcycle Club members Dorazo, also known as Cage, was not charged in the assault. There are 900 Pagans spread across 12 states and in Puerto Rico, officials said. The club earns its proceeds from drug trafficking, the commission said. "They want to take over the entire East Coast," 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. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. These cases are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. He made a series of turns, but couldnt shake them. Here's the latest for Monday January 31: UN Security Council to discuss Russia-Ukraine; North Korea conducts missile test; Multi-vehicle accident near Las Vegas kills 9; Protests in Canadian capital could continue into the week. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Count Four carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million. Significantly, many of the accused hold national, regional, and local leadership positions in the Pagans Motorcycle Club. 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. U.S. District Court Judge Noel L. Hillman has scheduled sentencing for Dorazo on April 4. According to Honig, "that includes the national president, a member of the Pagans Mother Club, which is a national organization that oversees its operations, the president of presidents in New Jersey, the presidents of the Jersey City and Gloucester County chapters of the Pagans, the vice-president of the Elizabeth chapter and the sergeant at arms, or the enforcer, for various other chapters. Dorazo has been charged with attempted murder, burglary during an attempted murder, domestic violence incident and weapons charges. There are at least 900 Pagans spread across 12 states and in Puerto Rico, officials have said. Richter and prosecutors agreed on the sentence as part of the plea deal, according to court documents. He didnt think anything of it when he exited the highway, but soon realized he was being tailed by a motorcycle and a car. 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. A Pagan approached him and threatened him, a police report said. The gang currently has 17 chapters across the state, up from 10 in 2016, according to the SCI. Bucciarelli was also indicted for distributing five grams or more of methamphetamine, prosecutors added. The judge is to sentence Marino on May 26 and DAlessandro on June 1. Biker News does not belong to or support any Club. A report released Wednesday by the group, an independent state watchdog formed in the late 1960s to investigate public corruption and organized crime, says the Pagans have increased their membership ranks in the past three years and pose a growing threat to the public. The victim told the Pagans hed sold the guns for $5,000 and turned over that amount of money, which was provided by federal investigators, to Dorazo, the complaint alleges. In recent years, the Pagans have been absorbing smaller motorcycle gangs at an alarming rate, officials said. 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. I dont care if it is two cops, a priest, a nun, five little kids or Jesus f------ Christ himself, if you pull something on me, I am going to shoot you, Ritcher allegedly said in the recorded conversation, according to Frazer. The 20-page SCI report was issued following a lengthy investigation of the Pagans, identified by the F.B.I. 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. In October 2019, the commission held an exhaustive hearing in Trenton detailing how the Pagans are increasing membership in all corners of the state. Eventually, the informant was allegedly struck with an axe handle and held at gunpoint by other influential leaders of the Pagans in South Jersey over the mishandling of the firearms, authorities said. 970 Broad Street, 7th Floor The club also extorts business owners and relies on members to pay monthly dues of $100. Mr. The group, which started with just 13 members, evolved into a formal club in the 1960s and spread to neighboring states. 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. 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. Now there are 900 Pagans spread across 12 states and in Puerto Rico, officials said. "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. 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. 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. Its expanding at a rate weve never seen before, Edwin Torres, an SCI investigative agent, said in reference to Pagan membership 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. The hearing featured testimony from SCI investigators, New Jersey State Police officers and county prosecutors. Unlike other motorcycle gangs, the Pagans dont have a clubhouse, but hold weekly meetings called church.. Pagan motorcycle club paraphernalia on display at a New Jersey State Commission of Investigation public hearing in Trenton in October 2019. Nicholas "Lefty" Marino, 76, and. The report said law enforcement agencies estimate the club has about 200 members in New Jersey . The federal charge against Dorazo came as the U.S. Attorneys Office of New Jersey has put an emphasis on investigating the Pagans, an organization that has expanded rapidly in the state recently and has allegedly been responsible for brutal assaults, drive-by shootings and distributing drugs across the state. The Pagan's Motorcycle Club is trying to assert control over New Jersey and it's using more violence to do it, according to testimony given Wednesday during a State Commission of Investigationhearing. And Pagans areexpanding, moving out West, into Puerto Rico and states like Florida. High-ranking members of the outlaw Pagans Motorcycle Club, including those in New Jersey chapters, were indicted on various crimes, federal prosecutors announced Monday. FAX:973-645-2702 Dark-skinned Latinos are welcome but not black men, Torres said. Rutgers Newark Staff Say Theyre Fed Up With Contract Negotiations, Bob Menendez Joins Student Loan Protesters Outside Supreme Court, Average Property Tax Bill In Newark Is Growing, Latest Data Shows, Hoboken's Official St. Patrick's Day Bar Crawl, Protect Your Home from Ticks with Yard Guard from Viking Pest, Video Shows NJ Mans Fatal Attempt To Run From Newark Police, NJ Marijuana Jobs: Tips For Getting Hired In The Cannabis Industry. 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 group, which started with just 13 members, evolved into a formal club in the 1960s, spreading to neighboring states. This 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, the report states. Estimates varied during testimony. Make sure you have subscribed to our Facebook page or Twitter to stay tuned! The Pagans beat him with a small bat and a wrench, officials said. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. High-ranking members of the outlaw Pagans Motorcycle Club, including those in New Jersey chapters, were indicted on various crimes, federal prosecutors announced Monday. It should also share information among agencies to identify larger trends, the report said. U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Jersey, Two Members of Pagans Motorcycle Club Indicted for Shooting at Hells Angels Associate on New Jersey Turnpike, Bergen County Man Charged for Possession of Machine Gun, Rifle, Handgun, and Fraudulent United States Marshals Service Credentials in Newark Airport, Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Role in Murder for Hire, Three Hudson County Men Charged with Narcotics and Firearms Related Offenses Inside Jersey City Apartment Building, Two Members of Pagans Motorcycle Club Indicted For Shooting At Hells Angels Associate On New Jersey Turnpike. Nieves and the members refused to answer any questions from the SCI commissioners, citing their Fifth Amendment rights. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. (Authorities said they seized them.). All rights reserved (About Us). NEWARK, N.J. - Two high-ranking members of the Pagan's 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. 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. It alleges the assault occurred after the man arrived for a meeting at a clubhouse onMarino's property in Williamstown. NEWARK Federal agents Monday arrested two high-ranking members of the Pagans Motorcycle Club from New Jersey for assault in aid of racketeering as part of a long-running investigation into Citing their Fifth Amendment right to remain silent, the alleged leaders declined to answer any of the councils questions. 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. Count One carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Keith Richter, known as Conan, was charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Those charges remain pending. Joe Atmonavage may be reached at jatmonavage@njadvancemedia.com. Hundreds of Pagans showed up at Roar tothe Shore motorcycle event in Wildwood in September, what'sknown in the outlaw motorcycle club world as a "Pagan event.". 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. 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. The most climactic moment came at the hearings end when three reputed leaders of the motorcycle club were called to testify. 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. In New Jersey, Pagans membership, which has always been strong in South Jersey, has increased at an alarming rate in recent years, with 300 members in 17 chapters throughout the state.. Those charges are being prosecuted in state court and remain pending. Richter has remained in a New Jersey jail since he was arrested. After hearing gunshots ring out in the neighborhood, Deptford police officers rushed to the area and began a search for Michael F. Dorazo, 41, of Glendora. We respect every Motorcycle Club that adheres to proper MC protocol. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Hammer did not rule on bail Friday, and continued the hearing until Monday. 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). Against Dorazo came as the U.S @ patch.com to eric.kiefer @ patch.com correction to... Rico and states like Florida chapters across the state, up from 10 in 2016, to! Was released in 2012 belong to or support any club since he was.. And weapons charges testimony from SCI investigators, New Jersey state police pagans mc nj county. Occurred after the man arrived for a meeting at a clubhouse onMarino 's property in Williamstown SCI investigators, Jersey! Of turns, but couldnt shake them in Williamstown all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site,! 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