The victim allowed investigators to seize the weapons without the Pagans knowledge. Glen Turner, 73, of Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania, was charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Count Two carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum sentence of life in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000. Our journalism needs your support. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 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. Keith "Conan" Richter, the former president of the Pagan's motorcycle club, pictured in 2018 at an event in New Jersey. The ammunition charge arises from a shooting that occurred in Elizabeth on Oct. 31, 2020, during which Aquino shot at an occupied vehicle. The resurgence and expansion of the group has made it easier to wear Pagan colors, he said. 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. The man told police he had never seen his attacker prior to that evening in January 2019. Both Arocho and Guzman face 20 years in prison if convicted. 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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. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Citing their Fifth Amendment right to remain silent, the alleged leaders declined to answer any of the councils questions. 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. "Pets are women who are shared sexually among the group," said Nicole McCann, investigative analyst for the commission. Unlike other motorcycle gangs, the Pagans dont have a clubhouse, but hold weekly meetings called church.. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. The rise in Pagan membership in New Jersey, first reported by NJ Advance Media in 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. All rights reserved (About Us). A Pagans MC leader, Jay Carl Wagner, 66, was arrested in Washington County, Maryland, by 60-plus officers from state, local and federal officials with a bomb disposal robot on May 9, 2007, and later charged with possession of a regulated firearm after conviction of a violent crime. Under the control of Richter, the Pagans have been absorbing smaller, local motorcycle groups to increase membership, officials said. 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. An alleged member of the Pagans 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 motorcycle club store firearms and ammunition for the organization, according to online court records. In New Jersey, its going to be hard to find a county where there isnt a Pagan presence.. The Pagans beat him with a small bat and a wrench, officials said. The club earns its proceeds from drug trafficking, the commission said. Richter was previously convicted in 1998 when he was the national president of the Pagans, Frazer said, of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering and two counts of attempted assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering. They are among 11 members of the outlaw motorcycle gang who have recently been charged with various weapons, drug-trafficking and violent crimes. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Camden:856-757-5026
Prosecutors allege that Arocho, Guzman, and other associates of the Pagans brutally assaulted an associate of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club at a gas station in Newark in April 2018. The Pagans Motorcycle Club, as its officially called, formed in Prince Georges County, Maryland, in 1959. Count One carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. It alleges another Pagan,Nicholas Booch Bucciarelli of Brooklawn, then entered the clubhouse, struck the victim with an ax handle and pointed a gun at the man. Have a question about Government Services? U.S. District Court Judge Kevin McNulty sentenced Keith Conan Richter, 62, in federal court via videoconference after Richter pleaded guilty in July to being a felon in possession of a firearm after authorities discovered a loaded gun in a vehicle he was in during a traffic stop in Mercer County earlier this year. more information Accept. The SCI report warned that the growth of the biker gang could lead to more violent clashes with innocent people. Those charges are being prosecuted in state court and remain pending. 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 most climactic moment came at the hearings end when three reputed leaders of the motorcycle club were called to testify. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. A Pagan approached him and threatened him, a police report said. That group includes the Hells Angels, the Outlaws and the Bandidos. Support local journalism with a subscription. Jul 2019. This website may contain copyrighted material, the use of which may not have been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The Bay Shore, New York, resident was a passenger in a GMC that left the party around 11 p.m. 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. Richter has remained in a New Jersey jail since he was arrested. 970 Broad Street, 7th Floor
On Dec. 10, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Turners residence and recovered about 450 grams of methamphetamine, authorities said. 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. Monday, June 28, 2021 Eleven Members of The Pagan's Motorcycle Club Charged with Narcotics Distribution, Firearms Offenses, and Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering NEWARK, N.J. - Two high-ranking members of the Pagan's Motorcycle Club were arrested today for assault in aid of racketeering, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced. ", Also: Camden man fatally shot in Fairview home, More: Andrew Kramer charged with murder of Melissa Malcolm in Mount Laurel. Richter and prosecutors agreed on the sentence as part of the plea deal, according to court documents. The Pagans have also started recruiting members from traditional street gangs, like the Bloods, Crips and the Latin Kings, officials said. Attorney information for the two was not immediately known. Lock Then they cut him off, blocking his escape. Violence has risen since a change in national leadership in 2018 when Keith "Conan" Richter took over as president, according to testimony. The hearing featured testimony from SCI investigators, New Jersey State Police officers and county prosecutors. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS The Pagans are run like a business and are organized as such. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 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. In recent years, the Pagans have been absorbing smaller motorcycle gangs at an alarming rate, officials said. The club also extorts business owners and relies on members to pay monthly dues of $100, the commission said. Members conduct active "counter surveillance" of law enforcement, using drones and plainclothes Pagan members to search for undercover law enforcement officers at events. [ We look out for you, your wallet and your quality of life. 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. One was Hugo Nieves, also known as "Zorro," a New Jersey resident believed to be national vice president of the Pagans, according to testimony. Alleged members of the Pagans Motorcycle Club appear with their attorney in an SCI public hearing. The Pagan's Motorcycle Club has recruited disgraced or retired law enforcement officers and even a former municipal court judge in New Jersey. 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). Through the investigation, law enforcement seized 10 firearms and more than 800 grams of methamphetamine. 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. 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.". 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. 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.. 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. The outlaw bikers were once a familiar scourge in Philadelphia and Delaware County, Pa., as well as the southern half of New Jersey. On Nov. 17, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ortizs residence and recovered approximately 300 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded firearm. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Joe Atmonavage may be reached at jatmonavage@njadvancemedia.com. Andrew Kramer charged with murder of Melissa Malcolm in Mount Laurel, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. ]. 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. U.S. District Court Judge Noel L. Hillman has scheduled sentencing for Dorazo on April 4. "They're typically given as many drugs or drinks as they want., One Paganmotto: "Breaking laws and breaking jaws since 1959". Torres said thePagans are believed to have150 to 350 members in New Jersey. He took steps to deploy a handgun towards officers, but was tackled and arrested, police said. The group, which started with just 13 members, evolved into a formal club in the 1960s, spreading to neighboring states. The club distributes drugs in cells within chapters to keep tight control of the of the information. It alleges the assault occurred after the man arrived for a meeting at a clubhouse onMarino's property in Williamstown. The hearing featured testimony from SCI investigators, New Jersey State Police officers and county prosecutors. 1:01 CAMDEN - Two Williamstown men have admitted guilt in connection with an attack on a man who helped an investigation into the Pagans Motorcycle Club. They have added 30 chapters in the past year, Torres said. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. The New Jersey State Commission of Investigation found that Richters leadership had led to the club multiplying its members, but also engaging in violence and other criminal acts as they expanded. 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. 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. Trenton:609-989-2190
He also thanked the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Chief Giacomo Sacca, for its assistance with this investigation. It was at that moment it became clear who the man was dealing with: two members of the Pagans Motorcycle Club. 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. A locked padlock as one of four major outlaw motorcycle gangs. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 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. 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. All rights reserved, NYC to Pay George Floyd Protesters Millions in Monster NYPD Kettling' Settlement, Winter Storm May Bring More NYC Snow Friday and a Complex Mess to Millions: What to Expect, This 26-Year-Old Pays $0 to Live in a Luxury Tiny Home' She Built for $35,000 in Her Backyard Take a Look Inside, 4 Ferraris Stolen on Long Island in Service Center Heist, Kylie Jenner's Ex, Rapper Travis Scott, Wanted in $12,000 Manhattan Nightclub Mayhem. It was at that moment it became clear who the man was dealing with: two members of the Pagans Motorcycle Club. Now there are 900 Pagans spread across 12 states and in Puerto Rico, officials said. 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