Evansville police have arrested one person and are looking for two others in connection with a rash of what officers say are gang-related shootings this week on the city's South Side.

At least two people have been wounded by the gunfire since Tuesday.

Police say there have been multiple fights and shooting incidents involving two South Side gangs, "Wag Block" and "J Block," over the past several months, but this is the first time two people have been shot within a 24-hour period.

Kenneth Fox was arrested in connection with Wednesday night's shooting.

The shootings have occurred in four-block area between Madison and Jackson avenues west of U.S. 41.

"Pretty soon, somebody's child is going to get shot," said Jerry Dejarnett, 58, one of the few residents of the area willing to talk about the shootings. Dejarnett said this is the most violent period he's witnessed in his three years of living there.

In the most recent shooting Wednesday night, two women and two girls — ages 3 and 4 — were targeted.

No one in that incident was injured, police said, and the two people shot earlier are recovering fine, according to police, but officers doubt the retaliations they suspect are happening are over.

"I think things may be quiet for a day or two," said Sgt. Larry Nelson, "but you can always expect more violence when you have drugs and you have gangs."

Nelson wouldn't disclose how police plan to respond, but he noted that there has been a "heavy concentration" of marked and unmarked police cars in that area.

Police arrested Kenneth Fox, 25, early Thursday in connection with Wednesday night's shooting. He remains in Vanderburgh County Jail without bond on preliminary charges of attempted murder with a firearm and criminal gang activity.

Police are looking for David "Buck" Burge, 30, and Rayshaad L. Bushrod, 23, both of whom reportedly accompanied Fox and are reportedly in the "J Block" gang, according to an Evansville Police Department probable cause affidavit.

According to Fox's arrest affidavit, Wednesday's drive-by shooting happened in the 1000 block of Jefferson Avenue about 9:42 p.m.

Police found multiple shell casings in the street. One of the women, who lives on that street, told officers that Fox, Burge and Bushrod were in a gray Chevrolet Avalanche when they fired handguns from the vehicle at her, another woman and the two children.

Police found the gray Chevy Avalanche abandoned with its motor running in the 300 block of West Oregon Street near Harriett Street.

Officers learned Fox had a girlfriend who lived in the 1200 block of North Harriett St. about two blocks from where the vehicle was found.

Officers surrounded the house and Fox surrendered without incident.Sgt. Larry Nelson said that victim "knew of" the three men, and according to Fox's affidavit, she told 911 dispatchers, "It was the same subjects who were shooting last night."

That earlier shooting occurred near the intersection of Jackson and Evans avenues about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday when a man was shot in the right shoulder. Three black males were reported to have been seen running away from the area.

Lt. Monty Guenin said the 26-year-old man who was wounded in the shoulder, had refused to cooperate with police.

Fox has not been charged in connection with that incident, but police believe Wednesday's incidents are related.

The victim of Tuesday's afternoon shooting was also uncooperative, police on scene said. This shooting happened in the 700 block of Madison Avenue about 12:30 p.m., and, responding to a report of shots fired, police initially didn't know there was a victim.

The shooting suspect, 20-year-old Royce Oneal Calvin, was located and arrested a short while later.

Then officials received a call from St. Mary's Hospital about a 23-year-old man from that area man who had been shot in the leg.

He told police he had seen some men arguing, heard gunshots and then got shot. He got a ride to the hospital, police said, and he refused to press charges when police mentioned they had arrested Calvin.

Calvin admitted to shooting in that area around that time and said he possibly had shot someone, according to his arrest affidavit.

He remains in Vanderburgh County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail and was preliminarily charged with criminal recklessness, possessing a handgun without a license and battery with a firearm resulting injury.

According to that police report, Calvin has a tattoo on his arm that reads "300 WNG BLOCK."

Nelson said they've been tracking several other gangs on the city's South Side, and he said the fights, shootings and bullets that have struck homes and vehicles in that area are all likely gang-related.

"They're not random," he said. "I can tell you that."

"I'm very scared and nervous," said Hazel Hooker, a 60-year-old woman who lives in the 700 block of Madison Avenue.

"I'm worried about the small children for one thing," she said, "because bullets don't have eyes."

Gun charges filed: A known gang member was charged with several gun violations including aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon by a gang member

Mario A. Prado, 19, of the 400 block of St. Charles Street, Elgin, was arrested by Elgin police on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by a street gang member, possession of a firearm without a firearm owners identification card, possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number, possession of a firearm under the age of 21, unlawful contact with a street gang member and resisting a police officer following an arrest Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2011.

Updated: September 29, 2011 2:23AM

 

 

Gun charges filed: A known gang member was charged with several gun violations including aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon by a gang member, after officers found a loaded sawed-off shotgun up his sleeve Tuesday night, police said. Mario A. Prado, 20, of the 400 block of St. Charles Street, Elgin, was stopped by police at National and Raymond streets about 7 p.m. while driving with another known gang member, police said. Prado also was charged with possession of a firearm without a firearm owners identification card, possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number, possession of a firearm under the age of 21, unlawful contact with a street gang member and resisting a police officer. “The Elgin Police Department will continue to aggressively pursue gangs — especially with our gang and drug units,” said Police Chief Jeff Swoboda. “We’re sending a very clear message: Gangs and gang activity will not be tolerated in our city.” Prado was in the Kane County jail Wednesday in lieu of $250,000 bond; he is to appear in court Oct. 6.

Accused killer teen shows young face of Winnipeg gang war

 

Winnipeg's street-gang war took another tragic turn this week when police announced a 14-year-old boy is the suspected shooter in the city's 32nd homicide of 2011. The teenage is facing a first-degree murder charge in a homicide Sunday morning that police say was sparked by tension between rival gangs. David Michael Vincett, 20, was gunned down while walking on the city's Boyd Avenue around 3 a.m. Police arrested the 14-year-old suspect Tuesday evening. He has been detained at the Manitoba Youth Centre. He cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Const. Jason Michalyshen, spokesman for the Winnipeg Police Service, said police believe the homicide is tied to another recent killing. Clark Stevenson, 15, was stabbed to death as he rode his bike Sept. 10, in what police say was a gang-related confrontation. Days later, an 18-year-old man and 14-year-old boy were arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Before his death, Stevenson had boasted online about being a member of a local street gang. After the arrests, police acknowledged the homicide was motivated by gang tensions. "These groups appear to be in conflict with one another right now, and we're aware of that . . . and unfortunately we have two incidents where we have openly acknowledged that's the case," said Michalyshen. The boy accused of shooting Vincett was affiliated with gangs and may have had "similar associations" as Stevenson, police said. "These don't appear to be random acts, certain individuals appear to be targeted," Michalyshen said. He said before the shooting, Vincett and another teenager traded words about belonging to rival street gangs, before, it's alleged, a gun was pulled out and fired. Police said Vincett was dead by the time officers arrived. There was no indication the two knew each other before the shooting, police said. Michalyshen didn't describe Vincett as a gang associate, but did say "at the time he may have associated himself or verbalized that he was associated to a particular street gang." Winnipeg has had 10 more homicides this year than in all of 2010. On Wednesday, a woman whose own teenage son was shot to death 16 years ago said nothing has changed in the city since the day he died. Nancy Flett, the assistant executive director of the Indian Metis Friendship Centre, is also the mother of Joseph Beeper Spence, a 13-year-old who was slain in 1995. She said the violence in the city "sickens her." "People don't want to be out on the streets, people don't want to walk around on the streets. The only ones you see are a bunch of youth either on bikes, or people driving around," said Flett. "They just randomly go after people. They don't care if they're innocent or not, or if they're not connected in any way." She said society has to be concerned because "all the youth involved in gangs are getting to be younger and younger." Vincett's sister, Judith Ree, described him as a "good kid" in a message to the Winnipeg Free Press. Vincett, the father of a 10-month-old baby, had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. "He was the kind of person who would give the shirt off his back to keep (you) warm or his last five bucks to feed (you)," Ree said. "Everyone makes mistakes in life . . . he just wanted everyone to like him."

Teenage girl shot as she holds baby boy in her arms

 

teenage girl was shot in the street with two friends while clutching her baby son in her arms. Jessica Chrichlow, 18, collapsed to the ground alongside two sisters – named locally as Sammy, 17, and Alex, 19 – after being caught in the crossfire of a botched gangland attack, witnesses said. Police said it was “hugely fortunate” that the 11-month-old baby escaped injury. Detective Chief Inspector Mick Foote said: “It was a random, reckless act and we are fortunate we are not dealing with a fatal shooting here.” The three victims had been outside in John Fearon Walk, North Kensington, west London, enjoying balmy temperatures on Thursday evening when the attacker got off a bike and screamed “mother f****r” at the group, a neighbour, who did not want to be named, said. Police said the child may have been missed by inches as the bullet hit his mother. Mr Foote added: “I do not believe the girls were the intended targets. What’s particularly devastating is that the young girl was carrying a young child. This was totally unprovoked.” As a hunt was launched for several young men seen on bicycles on the west London housing estate on Thursday night, the officer said he was “working on the basis” that the shooting was gang-related. One neighbour said her 12-year-old daughter saw the shooting from her bedroom window. Jacky Cinesey said: “I have sent her to school in tears today. These girls were just outside enjoying the sunshine. It’s horrifying.” The girls had been enjoying the weather in a back garden when they began talking to a “large group” of boys outside, Mr Foote said. “It appears that a man on his own has gone towards the crowds and discharged a single shot from a shotgun,” he said. The gunman fled the scene and joined three other hooded males on bicycles, he added. Miss Chrichlow’s mother Isabel, who lives nearby, spoke only to confirm her daughter had been shot. Another local, Jenny Kantinda, 30, said she knew the three victims. “They were just sweet girls, we have had enough,” she said. Neighbour Leslie Arandi, 55, added: “The gangs are always cycling around here smoking drugs. I’m fed-up with it. Hopefully now the authorities will take notice.” Sammy has been discharged from hospital while the other two victims remain in a stable condition. The investigation is being led by Trident detectives, who deal with gang crime in the black community. Karen Buck, MP for Westminster North, expressed her concern as she visited the troubled Mozart Estate where the attack took place.

Authorities say they have arrested a former Hells Angels leader at a park in Honolulu.

 FBI agents and Honolulu police took Stephen Sanders, former head of the San Diego Hells Angels, into custody without incident in Ala Moana Park on Thursday, Agent Tom Simon said. The 42-year-old Sanders was wanted in California in connection with a 2007 robbery and kidnapping. The Hawaii arrest comes the same day that more than two dozen members of the Hells Angels and their associates were apprehended in a series of San Diego County raids. FBI spokesman Darrell Foxworth told the San Diego Union-Tribune (http://bit.ly/rmikpu ) that the 26 arrests came at the end of a violent crimes task force investigation. Simon said Sanders' arrest on the same day of the raids was a coincidence.

Hells Angel slaying suspect arrested in San Fran

 

University of California, San Francisco police have arrested the suspect in the slaying of the president of a Hells Angels chapter at a Nevada casino. UCSF Assistant Police Chief Paul Berlin says 53-year-old Ernesto Manuel Gonzalez was taken into custody after he was spotted by an officer just a block from campus police headquarters around 8:20 p.m. Thursday. Gonzalez was apparently in a parked 2011 Chevrolet Malibu. He is being held pending the arrival of police from Sparks, Nev., where he is accused of killing Jeffrey "Jethro" Pettigrew inside a casino on Sept. 23. Authorities say Gonzalez is an alleged member of the Vagos gang and shot the 51-year-old Pettigrew four times in the back. Pettigrew was the president of the San Jose chapter of the Hells Angels.

Prosecutors demand tough sentences in Hell's Angels drug case

 

Prosecutors are demanding long prison sentences for those suspected of involvement in an international drug smuggling case. The proceedings got underway on Thursday at the Helsinki District Court. Nine defendants, all of whom belong to the Hell’s Angels motorcycle gang face a variety of charges. Eight are accused of aggravated narcotic offences. Other offences include drug offences, money laundering, and the importation of illegal goods and firearms offences. One of the accused is a member of the Rogues Gallery group while two others belong to the 1-800 gang. The proceedings are taking place in a secured court room. Prosecutors are demanding jail terms for the accused and financial compensation to the state for losses incurred. In one case, a 12 year prison term is being demanded. It is thought one of the accused is the president of the Hell’s Angels Finnish organization. The gang is suspected to have made millions of euros on drug trafficking over a period of several years. Earlier this month, police confiscated several kilos of amphetamines and cocaine with a potential street value of 800,000 euros. Officials also seized illegal weapons and 200,000 euros in cash.

Police say they have dismantled one branch of the Hells Angels bike gang in eastern Ontario after a series of raids.

 

In a news conference Thursday morning, Ottawa police, Ontario Provincial Police and the RCMP announced they had worked together in a yearlong investigation called "Project Finale."

Police towed away this Hells Angels motorcycle from a clubhouse Wednesday after a raid also found drugs, weapons and Hells Angels paraphernalia. Ottawa police

The culmination of that work ended up in all three tactical units executing 16 search warrants, including one at the Hells Angels clubhouse at 5416 8 Line Rd. in south Ottawa.

Police were seen taking away a Harley Davidson motorcycle and revealed they also confiscated illegal drugs, cash and weapons.

There were 107 charges laid against 12 people including a 37-year-old Ottawa man police say is a full patch member of the Hells Angels. He faces five charges.

"It's going to have a major dent in the Ottawa region and eastern Ontario region. The numbers seized yesterday, we're very pleased with the numbers," said Insp. Samir Bhatnagar from Ottawa police.

"This group is known to potentially move $300,000 to $400,000 a month of illegal substances."

Family and friends mourn local Hells Angel president

 

Police are preparing for hundreds, perhaps thousands of bikers expected to ride into Oak Hill Memorial Park in San Jose sometime next month to honor the memory of Jeff "Jethro" Pettigrew, the president of the city's Hells Angels chapter who was shot to death in a gun battle at a Sparks casino. There will be Henchmen, East Side Riders Car Club, Devil Dolls, Top Hatters and more. Alongside them, also paying their respects, will be members of the South Yard Heavy Equipment Crew. That is not a motorcycle club. It is the San Jose Department of Transportation's pavement repair team. They knew Pettigrew from his day job. To them, he was not the local president of a biker club that law enforcement sees as a violent criminal motorcycle gang. He was as a veteran backhoe operator who paved potholes. Hans Larsen, director of the city's Department of Transportation, said he was not even aware that Pettigrew was a Hells Angel. Nor did he care. "We have many employees who are motorcycle enthusiasts. What they do in their private lives doesn't concern us as long as it doesn't affect their work,'' Hansen said. "From what I am hearing he was a nice person with a good attitude, very professional in his work and he did it well.'' Funeral arrangements are still being made. And Pettigrew's shooting death Friday night at John Ascuaga's Nugget Casino, which has law enforcement on high alert for a brewing bloodshed between outlaw Advertisement motorcycle clubs, is still under investigation.

Danish court jails 15 motorbike gang members for murder attempts on rivals

 

Danish court has sentenced 15 motorbike gang members to jail for six murder attempts on rival gang members. The court said Thursday the bikers would spend from three to 15 years in prison, following the country’s biggest biker-related trial. Loading... Comments Weigh InCorrections? Copenhagen’s city court ruled earlier this month that members of the Hells Angels and their support group, AK81, were guilty of a series of shootings in the Danish capital in 2009. No one was killed but one victim had his leg amputated. The gangs have been feuding over control of criminal markets, including drug trade.

Long History Of Violent Rivalry Led To Biker Shootings

 

One person died, two were wounded when rival biker gangs, in town for the Street Vibrations motorcycle meet, traded shots on a casino floor. . According to law enforcement agencies, the shootings at John Ascuaga's Nugget shortly before midnight Friday and a possible retaliatory driveby shooting that followed were only the latest clashes in a long standing feud between two outlaw motorcycle gangs. The Department of Justice which says both the Hells Angels and the Vagos outlaw motorcycle clubs have been involved in drug distribution and a variety of other crimes over the years and that activity has led to a violent rivalry. The turf war between them erupted into gun fire last summer in a small rural community near Prescott, Arizona. Five were wounded, 27 were arrested. Until Friday night other recent confrontations had apparently been limited to fist fights. This incident started that way as well, but according to court documents casino security video apparently shows the fight escalating as Hells Angel San Jose Chapter Jeffrey "Jethro" Pettigrew pulled a handgun and began pistol whipping several people. Gun shots followed. Police arrived to find Pettigrew and two Vagos members wounded and Hells Angel member Cesar Villagrano with his gun pointing into the crowd. He surrendered and is facing several charges, the only person thus far charged in the incident. Later another member of the Vagos was wounded in a nearby driveby shooting that police have yet to postively link to the earlier incident, Pettigrew died of gunshot and stab wounds and is being mourned by friends and supporters in postings on the obituary page of Bay area newspapers and on an internet radio show where he was described as " a Hells Angel, but also someone's father, someone's son, someone's friend." Bay area police spokesmen familiar with the two groups and the rivalry fear the shooting here will only fuel further violence. Sparks Police say they were aware of the groups' history, but had no specific intelligence warning of an incident here. At this point they say they are pouring over the casino video and hoping for more. "We have witnesses and officers arriving on the scene who saw people taking pictures and video," says Sgt. Greta Woyciehowsky. "So we know it's out there." Woyciehowsky says police have a means of keeping that information anonymous. In addition Secret Witness has posted rewards for information leading to arrest and prosecution--$2,500 for the unsolved murder of Pettigrew and $2,000 for the driveby shooting.

State of emergency lifted in Sparks

 

The city of Sparks ended its state of emergency at 5 p.m. today that was declared in the city on Saturday due to the potential of further violence stemming from shootings between rival motorcycle clubs Friday night.. No further violence has occurred from these incidents. "We will not allow, nor will we tolerate violent behavior by any groups or individuals in the City of Sparks." said Sparks Mayor R. Geno Martini. "The special event held in Sparks was intended for motorcycle enthusiasts and attracts thousands of people annually, including families with children. "The safety and security of event attendees in Sparks is a priority," Martini said. "The individuals who engaged in the violence do not in any way reflect the majority of the event attendees. "We appreciate the understanding of our residents and businesses throughout the last 24 hours. We want to thank our regional partners, the city of Reno and Washoe County for their support and resources during this time. We also send our appreciation to Governor Sandoval for his willingness to support our efforts." 11:45 a.m., update: Sparks Police continue to investigate the deadly shooting that took place between rival motorcycle gangs inside John Ascuaga’s Nugget on Friday night and they are seeking people who witnessed the incident. “There is no additional information to be released, however, witness are encouraged to contact the Sparks Police Department or Secret Witness,” police officials said in a statement. In addition, police are also continuing to investigate the drive-by shooting that took place Saturday morning on Victorian Avenue and seeking witnesses in that case as well. The suspect vehicle description in the shooting is a black, 4-door BMW 3-series sedan occupied by two people.

Eight Coloradans among alleged outlaw bikers indicted on gun and drug charges.

 

Eight alleged outlaw bikers from Colorado are among the nearly 40 members of the Bandidos motorcycle gang indicted this week on gun and drug charges. Six alleged members were identified Tuesday, including Keith P. Allison, 39, arrested in Golden; Ronald C. Tenorio, 42, and Edward R. Goll, 42, both arrested in Denver; and Adam C. Chavez, 29, arrested in Thornton. Tommy Freyta, 49, was arrested in Rio Grande County. Joseph P. Windsor, 42, was already in jail. Two others, who were not named, were still at large.

Attorney for alleged Hells Angels member seeks personnel records of sheriff, sergeant

 

attorney for a Sonoma County man charged in connection with a June fight between rival motorcycle gang members is seeking access to the personnel records of Lake County's sheriff and other agency staffers, alleging political motivations in the case's handling. Oakland attorney Michael Clough filed the Pitchess motion for the personnel records of Sheriff Frank Rivero and Sgt. John Gregore, lead investigator in the case, on Sept. 12. Clough represents 33-year-old Nicolas Carrillo of Santa Rosa, arrested in August for a June 4 fight at Konocti Vista Casino outside of Lakeport. The Sept. 12 filing leaves open the possibility of other sheriff's staffers being added to the list of individuals whose records Clough wants to access. “It's possible that we will file additional Pitchess motions as we get additional discovery,” said Clough. “We anticipate that there's going to be a substantial amount of discovery and motions in the case.” Clough's Pitchess motion is scheduled to be heard on Oct. 17 in Lake County Superior Court. County Counsel Anita Grant, whose office represents the sheriff's office in the matter, said the county will fight the attempt to delve into the men's records. Carrillo – along with fellow Sonoma County residents Timothy Bianchi, Joshua Johnson and David Dabbs – is alleged to be Hells Angels members who participated in the beating of a member of the rival Vagos motorcycle gang, according to the original sheriff's report in the case. In the wake of his arrest for the Lake County case, Josh Johnson was just recently arrested by the FBI, according to Peter Lee of the FBI's San Francisco office. However, Lee could not offer Lake County News further information about the arrest. The District Attorney's Office previously reported that charges against Carrillo include felony participation in a criminal street gang, misdemeanor fighting in public, misdemeanor battery and several special allegations relating to the infliction of great bodily injury and the participation in a criminal street gang. Clough wants information about any complaints filed against Rivero alleging violations of civil and constitutional rights, selective enforcement or prosecution and bias against the Hells Angels, as well as any evidence of “providing or authorizing subordinate officers to release false and/or misleading information about pending investigations to the media” as well as “use of office to conduct politically motivated investigations.” He's seeking similar information for Gregore, as well as evidence of mishandling or failing to disclose evidence, submitting unreasonable requests for excessive bail, preparation of false or incomplete reports, and false or perjured testimony. Other information of interest to Clough is anything that would support allegations that the Lake County Sheriff's Office, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office and the FBI selectively targeted members of the Sonoma County Hells Angels chapter for investigation and prosecution, and if there was a conspiracy to violate the chapter members' civil rights. The goal is to find information favorable to Carrillo's defense that would impeach the testimony of prosecution witnesses at trial, according to the document. Pitchess motions are based on a 1974 California Supreme Court case, Pitchess v. Superior Court, and have since been included in the California Evidence Code. A Pitchess motion is based on the theory that a defendant in a criminal case should have any information that could help their defense, including information about potential misconduct in an arresting officer's personnel files. The right of a defendant to have that information is balanced against a peace officer's rights to maintain the privacy of his or her personnel file. California law has firm protections to guard peace officers in such cases. Grant, whose office has received the motion, said they will respond as the county always does in such cases. The county always and “without exception” responds to Pitchess motions, Grant said, due to concerns that are described in case law as “fishing expeditions.” The legal definition of a “fishing expedition” describes open-ended attempts to get information, and overly broad, unfocused questioning that is not within the case's scope. The county has fought previous attempts to open peace officer records, including one lodged in 2009 during the trial of Bismarck Dinius, who was acquitted in a fatal boating crash. Dinius was steering a sailboat hit in 2006 by a motorboat driven by an off-duty sheriff's deputy, Russell Perdock. Dinius' attorney sought Perdock's records through a Pitchess motion, which both county counsel and Perdock's attorney successfully fought. Carrillo's case is continuing to move forward, with a preliminary hearing still to take place. Bail in Carrillo's case was set at $500,000, which Clough had argued in court filings was excessive. He asked to have it reduced to $75,000. Clough said in his motion that Carrillo has never been charged with a violent criminal offense before this case, and his only conviction on record is for driving on a suspended license. Clough argued that it appeared that Carrillo's Hells Angels membership led to the high bail, and if that's the case it violates Carrillo's constitutional right to freedom of expression and equal protection. The filings in the case also reference a May 14 event during which the Vagos visited Lakeport. That same day, county law enforcement received information from an FBI agent claiming that a group of Hells Angels members were en route to the county to confront the Vagos. Rivero sent a group of deputies to the Middletown area in case the Hells Angels appeared. It's alleged that he was planning to turn the Hells Angels back if they arrived, which Rivero has denied, stating instead in an investigative report that he planned to put in place a roadblock in order to engage in contact with the bikers. Possible civil rights violations in the case remain under investigation by the Lake County District Attorney's Office. Rivero has continued to voice concern over the rival gangs and their activities, sending an e-mail to local media and county leaders over the weekend referencing a news story about a fight and shootout between the two groups that claimed the life of a California Hells Angels leaders in a casino in Las Vegas, Nev., on Sept. 23. A subsequent e-mail from Rivero informed county leaders that there is a statewide law enforcement alert from the US Marshals Service on possible retaliatory actions because of the gang shooting.

Shootout erupted without warning

 

While Sparks police continued their investigation into Friday's fatal shooting between rival motorcycle gangs inside John Ascuaga's Nugget, Washoe County's counterterrorism unit said it had no intelligence indicating a shootout was about to take place that night. Killed in Friday's incident was Jeffrey "Jethro" Pettigrew, 51, president of the San Jose, Calif., chapter of the Hells Angels and a heavy equipment operator for the city of San Jose. Two members of the Vagos, Leonard Ramirez, 45, and Diego Garcia, 28, were wounded in the gunfire Friday night. The only man arrested immediately after the shooting -- Cesar Villagrana, 36, a Hells Angel member from California -- was being held Monday on $500,000 bail at Washoe County Jail. He faces a court appearance on felony assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a stolen firearm charges. It was not immediately clear if Villagrana had a lawyer. Also on Monday, police identified Shane Smith, 40, a member of the Vagos motorcycle gang, as the victim of a Saturday morning drive-by shooting. Sparks police said a dark blue BMW 3 series pulled up beside Smith and shot him in the stomach as he was walking on Victorian Avenue, near the Nugget. His condition was not released. Police said the two shootings have not been definitively linked, though both prompted Sparks officials to declare a state of emergency before canceling the remainder of the annual Street Vibrations rally, which attracts thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts to the region. A state of emergency gives a city the power to enforce a curfew, use private property to stage emergency responses and call on the state for additional resources, such as the Nevada National Guard, which Sparks did not do. The declaration lasted 24 hours starting at 5 p.m. Saturday. Video shows crowd seeking cover Deputy Sparks Police Chief Brian Allen said Monday that casino surveillance video won't be made public until investigators complete the painstaking work of identifying about 60 Vagos and 12 Hells Angels amid a crowd of several hundred people gambling and partying. Members of the crowd suddenly dove for cover when gunfire erupted. "We don't want to sensationalize it. We don't want to influence the groups. We don't want to have something happen somewhere else," Allen said in an interview. "A lot of the players are from out of the state and out of the region. If you look at it historically, there've been tensions between these two groups. But we're still looking at what exactly set off this specific incident." In Arizona, more than two dozen members of the rival groups were arrested in August 2010 after a shootout left five people wounded in Chino Valley, north of Prescott. In California, an annual organized crime report from the state attorney general calls long-standing tensions between the Hells Angels and the Vagos "particularly poignant." It cited instances in which the Hells Angels have forced Vagos out of chapters in Hells Angels hotspots. It's not the first time a motorcycle rally has turned deadly in Nevada. According to a 2002 story in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, court documents and gaming officials showed Southern Nevada law enforcement had intelligence that a fight was about to break out between the Hells Angels and Mongols motorcycle gangs during the River Run motorcycle rally in Laughlin that year. Police warned casino operators, according to the story, about the potential for violence before the event turned fatal when a shootout ensued inside the Harrah's Laughlin casino, leaving three bikers dead. Law enforcement officials in Northern Nevada, meanwhile, said no such information existed ahead of Friday's violence that would have alerted them of a melee about to erupt between the Hells Angels and Vagos gangs.

Missourian, "soldiers ... shot Crips gang members; in retaliation Crips has asked its members to shoot any soldiers on sight.

 

Missouri National Guard soldiers and airmen were still on "alert" Saturday afternoon to "avoid wearing a military uniform in public" because of a "direct threat" in retaliation to a gang-related shooting around Fort Sill, Okla., earlier in the week. The cautionary warning  was issued Friday. According to an internal memo leaked to the Columbia Missourian, "soldiers ... shot Crips gang members; in retaliation Crips has asked its members to shoot any soldiers on sight." MoreStory Related Articles Oklahoma shooting leads gang to threaten Missouri National Guard According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Crips is a collection of gangs throughout the U.S. with an estimated membership between 30,000 and 35,000 operating out of 221 cities in 41 states. Missouri is one of those states. Lt. Col. Levon E. Cumpton, who issued the memo, said the message "came out through Army channels"; Fort Sill is an Army base in Lawton, Okla. He called the action a "precautionary measure." According to Cumpton's memo, National Guard troops were instructed not to "wear a military uniform out for evening dining, shopping, and other personal matters." Full-time members were cautioned to "consider commuting to/from work in civilian clothes — specifically, if they need to make personal stops between home and work." Spokesmen for the Missouri National Guard and Fort Sill declined to elaborate on the incident, saying the investigation is in the hands of the Lawton, Okla., Police Department. Yet as of Saturday afternoon, "the alert has not been rescinded," said Maj. Tammy Spicer, the public affairs officer for the Missouri National Guard.  The decision to call off the alert will come from the Joint Operations Center in Jefferson City.  "As far as we know, and even the Lawton Police Department know," the gang’s threat is "just an unsubstantiated rumor," said Fort Sill Public Affairs Officer Keith Pannell during a phone call late Friday night. KSWO-TV 7 News in Lawton reported two Air Force bases in Oklahoma, Tinker and Altus, issued similar orders to enlisted soldiers. The Altus Air Force Base Facebook page commented Friday night on receiving "information on a criminal threat to military members in the Lawton-Fort Sill area." The incident that sparked the direct threat seems to be tied to a "brutal” home invasion in Lawton earlier in the week, with the four main suspects in the invasion being Fort Sill soldiers. They are believed to be responsible for shooting four people and injuring two others early Tuesday morning who, according to rumors circulating in the city, were gang members with ties to the Crips. The Missourian was unable to reach the chief of police who is handling the case.

1 killed, 2 wounded in shooting at Sparks, Nev. casino; witnesses saw rival motorcycle gangs

 

One person has been killed and two others wounded in a shooting at a hotel-casino in Sparks that witnesses say involved members of rival motorcycle gangs, the Vagos and Hells Angels. Sparks police confirmed the fatal shooting at John Ascuaga’s Nugget about 11:30 p.m. Friday but they have not identified any of the people involved. 0 Comments Weigh InCorrections? inShare Daniel Sharp of Stockton, Calif., told the Reno Gazette-Journal he was in the dance area at the Nugget for the Street Vibrations biker festival when a group of Vagos club members came in. He says a single Hells Angel then entered, soon followed by several more. Within five minutes he says a fight erupted and shots rang out. Police Lt. Pete Krall says they are investigating different motorcycle clubs but declined to name them.

Biker gangs eyed in fatal Sparks casino shooting

 

Police stepped up patrols at a motorcycle festival in Reno and Sparks on Saturday after a gun battle between two rival gangs at a hotel-casino left one Hells Angel dead and two members of the Vagos club injured. The fatal shooting at John Ascuaga's Nugget on Interstate 80 in Sparks happened at about 11:30 p.m. Friday as thousands of motorcyclists descended on the area for the annual Street Vibrations celebration, police confirmed. Sparks police Lt. Brian Allen said officers were investigating whether there was any connection between that fatal incident and a drive-by shooting at about 10:30 a.m. Saturday about a half mile from the Nugget. Allen said police arrested one Hells Angel in connection with Friday night's fatal shooting. He said officers made a number of other arrests but provided no details. "We're trying to minimize any other potential violence," Allen said. Officials in neighboring Reno said they too were increasing patrols and would request assistance from federal law enforcement if necessary. "Local law enforcement is working with federal agencies in a coordinated effort, including increased patrol, tactical teams and undercover officers," Reno city officials said in a statement Saturday afternoon. Authorities in Arizona arrested more than two dozen members of the two gangs in August 2010 after a shootout between them wounded five people but none seriously in the small community of Chino Valley, north of Prescott. On Friday night at the Nugget, Daniel Sharp of Stockton, Calif., told the Reno Gazette-Journal he was in the dance area near Trader Dick's restaurant just off the casino floor when a group of Vagos club members came in. Sharp said a single Hells Angels member then entered the area, soon followed by several more. He says that within about five minutes a fight had erupted and shots rang out. "It was mayhem," he said. Other witnesses told the newspaper they heard between a dozen and two dozen gunshots. The casino was evacuated and put on lockdown at about midnight. The Nugget said in a statement that the casino and all its restaurants had reopened by midday Saturday. It said that in addition to its own "extensive security force," uniformed officers would patrol inside the casino the rest of the weekend. Joe Franco, of Reno, said he saw one man in Hells Angel garb pull out a gun after he was knocked to the ground in a fistfight with a rival. "He was down with the bloody nose, gets up and pulls out the gun and that's the first shot," apparently at the man who punched him, Franco said. "Then he turned the gun toward the south of the building and that's when he started firing into the crowd," Franco told the Gazette-Journal. "The guy who was doing the shooting was an older man. He must have been 50, 55." Everyone started ducking as soon as the first shot was fired, Franco said. "By the third shot we were already running," he said.

Langley gangster linked to both the Red Scorpion gang and the Independent Soldiers was sentenced to 14 months in jail this week

 

Langley gangster linked to both the Red Scorpion gang and the Independent Soldiers was sentenced to 14 months in jail this week on two firearms counts. Tyler Willock, 30, was also hit with a mandatory 10-year firearms prohibition after pleading guilty to occupying a vehicle with a firearm in it and careless use of a firearm. He appeared in Surrey Provincial Court to be sentenced Thursday morning. The charges were laid after a Gang Task Force investigation in the summer of 2008 during which Willock was stopped in a vehicle in Langley . Several months later in February 2009, Willock was shot at while in a vehicle with friends in Surrey, resulting in charges being laid against rival gangsters in the United Nations gang. That case is yet to go to court and Willock was not injured. And then on March 8, 2009, Willock's Red Scorpion associate Albert Jackman viciously attacked Willock with a sledge hammer, striking him more than 20 times. Jackman was livid over comments Willock made about their associate Kevin LeClair who was shot to death a few weeks earlier. Jackman had been told Willock said that he wouldn't have to repay LeClair $40,000 he owed him. Willock didn't testify at Jackman's trial or provide a victim impact statement. B.C. Supreme Court Justice Robert Crawford said in his decision that he could only imagine the impact of the attack on Willock's life from the photos the Crown entered at trial. Willock suffered broken bones and other injures and has not fully recovered. Crawford heard how Jackman arrived at Willock's house with an associate and ordered Willock to the floor of his bedroom. Jackman then tied him up using zap straps and duct-taped his mouth and eyes. He then struck Willock more than 20 times with the sledgehammer. "Willock was literally smashed to pieces," Crawford said in his decision. Willock's bedroom walls and ceiling were splattered with blood. In July, Jackman was sentenced to 10 years for the attack on Willock. Jackman, 25, is also serving a life sentence for first-degree murder in a stabbing death that took place 20 days later in March 2009.

Gangster who bragged that he “ran Tottenham” after opening fire on his rivals with a machine gun in the street

 

Gangster who bragged that he “ran Tottenham” after opening fire on his rivals with a machine gun in the street has had his appeal against conviction turned down by top judges.   Former decorator Yusuf Arslan, now 21, was put behind bars indefinitely for public protection at Kingston Crown Court last September. Arslan belonged to the “Tottenham Boys” gang, which had a long-running feud with a rival Hackney gang, said Mr Justice Wilkie, sitting at London’s Appeal Court. He had opened fire with the sub-machine gun in Lansdowne Road, Tottenham, on September 30, 2009, in revenge for the shooting of a friend who ran a nearby shop. He had blocked his victim’s car in before letting off a volley of shots. A fragment of shell hit one of his targets’ left arm, but the majority of the shots hit their car’s body and windscreen. Arslan, of Oxford Close, Edmonton, was also prosecuted over an incident in December that year in which he and others were stopped in a car wearing body armour and carrying a revolver. One police officer said he heard Arslan brag he “ran Tottenham” and had access to more guns than the police. He was convicted of attempted murder, possessing guns and ammunition and was ordered to serve a minimum 10 years before being considered for parole. His lawyers challenged the convictions on Friday, claiming the identification evidence against him was flawed. But Mr Justice Wilkie, sitting with Lord Justice Pitchford and Mr Justice Holroyde, said the “sure identification” had been made by one of the men Arslan shot at. “This appeal against conviction is unarguable,” he concluded.

Gang squad probe car fire-bombing at bikie lawyer's Port Kennedy home

 

POLICE say they are yet to establish a firm motive after the overnight firebombing of a car at a Port Kennedy property owned by prominent bikie lawyer Malcolm Ayoub. Police and firefighters were called to the house in San Sebastian Boulevard at 12.25am this morning after reports molotov cocktails had been thrown at the house, damaging a car. The house is co-owned by Mr Ayoub, a criminal lawyer who acts for several Rock Machine bikies, including sergeant-at-arms Brent Reker, 26, and Stefan Pahia Schmidt, 25, who is accused of murder after allegedly throwing a man out from an upstairs window of the Ocean Beach Hotel in May. PerthNow understands the vehicle sustained minor damage. On Friday, Reker and another man were convicted extorting $2000 from two young men they claimed were boasting about having links with the Rock Machine. Reker, 26, and tattooist Kyle Adam Barry, 28, were found guilty in Perth District Court of two counts of demanding property with oral threats. It is not clear if this morning's firebomb attack relates to Friday's court verdict or the ongoing tit-for-tat war between the Rock Machine and the Rebels bikie gangs. Assistant Commissioner Nick Anticich this afternoon told PerthNow police were yet to establish a motive for the attack, but officers were focussing on recent court cases involving the victim. ``At this stage, we have nothing concrete as to who has done this or why it has happened,'' Mr Anticich said. Gang Crime detectives were assisting in the investigation, which is being led by Rockingham detectives, he said. ``If strong gang links emerge, then the Gang Crime Squad will take a more active role in the investigation.'' Police have repeatedly warned that the Rebels and Rock Machine gangs are at loggerheads since the Rock Machine set up its national headquarters in WA about two years ago and a Rebels member who was removed from the club later joined the Rock Machine. While police say the feud relates to a turf war over drug distribution networks, those close to the Rebels say the issue is not drug-related but merely a ``clash of personalities'' between members. The Rebels, which has about 50 members and four clubhouses in WA, is Australia's biggest bikie gang. The Rock Machine, a Canadian-based gang, has about 20 known members and a clubhouse in Myaree. The Rock Machine, a Canadian-based gang, is notorious for a violent turf war with the Hells Angels in Canada in the 1990s, which left 162 people dead, including an 11-year-old boy who was killed by shrapnel from a car bomb explosion.

AK47 used on Panda, say gardai

 

GUNMEN used an AK47 assault rifle to shoot notorious gangster 'The Panda' in Dublin, gardai believe. Michael 'Micka' Kelly was gunned down in a hail of bullets in Marrsfield, Clongriffin, last Thursday afternoon. He was hit up to six times by bullets from a rifle and handgun -- and reports today said one of the gunman used a Kalashnikov, the rifle favoured by IRA dissidents, to kill him. The Russian-designed assault rifle is the most widely used in the world, carried by everyone from Osama bin Laden to Mexican drug gangs. The gun can be bought for as little as €300 in eastern Europe, according to Europol, the European police organisation. Gardai have seized a number of the weapons over the past few months and last year recovered two of the deadly 7.62mm automatic weapons, which fire at a rate of 600 rounds per minutes, in counties Wicklow and Kildare. The rifle's 30 shot magazine can be emptied in just a couple of seconds when fired on full automatic. Two gunmen lay in wait for the gangster nicknamed 'The Panda' at his girlfriend's home. He was first hit by shots from a car then his killers jumped out and fired more bullets into him before driving over his body. His heartbroken family are still waiting for his body to be released. Last Thursday's execution is considered the most significant gangland murder in Ireland since Eamon 'The Don' Dunne was shot dead last year.

South San Francisco murder victim was 14

 

A boy left for dead after being shot several times in South San Francisco Sunday night has been identified as Joseph Maharaj, 14, according to the Coroner’s Office. While police have yet to determine whether the fatal shooting of the boy was gang-related, residents who live near where he was found in the street with another 14-year-old shooting victim suspect that it was. The fatal shooting was the first homicide in South San Francisco this year but last year the city suffered a spate of gang-related murders that shook the city, including a triple homicide Dec. 22. Sunday night’s shooting happened just before 9 p.m. and when police arrived they found two gunshot victims, both 14, and another teen, 15, on the 600 block of First Lane between Magnolia and Orange avenues. The teens were treated at the scene and transported to a hospital where one of them was later pronounced dead. The other 14-year-old was shot at least four times but is expected to survive. The third victim, who was not shot, was being cooperative with police, said South San Francisco police Sgt. Joni Lee. At least 15 to 20 shots were fired during the incident, Lee said. Police are looking for at least two Hispanic men, between 18 and 20 years old, who were seen driving in the area at the time of the shooting in a black Honda Accord or Civic, according to police. Those in the car were wearing dark-colored clothing with “hoodies” and one was wearing a white beanie. It is unknown if this vehicle is involved in the shooting, according to police. Yesterday afternoon, residents in the area gathered where the two boys were found shot, some of who witnessed the suspects fleeing the scene. Alma Ramirez pointed out where at least seven bullets related to Sunday night’s shooting entered two different homes on First Lane. She was also quick to point out blood stains on the street and sidewalk. “When I heard the shots, my first instinct was to protect my family,” said Ramirez, who is married with a young daughter. She saw a man chasing the teen in an alley between two homes on First Lane that connects to Railroad Avenue. “I couldn’t see a face, just shadows,” Ramirez told the Daily Journal yesterday. Another neighbor, who was fearful to identify himself, also witnessed the victims running from the shooter. “I never saw the boys before in my life,” he said. He heard three shots ring out, then a pause for about 10 seconds, then more gunfire. He assumed the shooting was related to rival gangs. Ramirez said the neighborhood is relatively safe but has concerns now after Sunday’s homicide. “A lot of parents, they both have to work and maybe they didn’t know what was going on with their kids,” she said. In recent months, Ramirez said, the neighborhood has seen an increase in the number of youths smoking marijuana on the street. Most crime in the area, she said, is usually nonviolent. Sunday night’s incident was not near the triple homicide in December. That incident happened in Old Town, on the east side of Grand Avenue. Sunday’s incident was on the west side of Grand Avenue, several blocks from downtown. After last December’s triple homicide, the South San Francisco Police Department hired four new officers to form a neighborhood response team unit to combat youth and gang violence in the neighborhoods that circle downtown. “This shooting and homicide is a tragic reminder of the hard work that remains to be done, and the city of South San Francisco will not rest until we have a community free of violence,” Mayor Kevin Mullin wrote in a statement yesterday. He offered his “deepest sympathies” to the families of Sunday night’s incident. Mullin said the city has made great strides to combat gang problems since December. “The city ... has moved aggressively since the multiple shooting deaths in 2010 to address the challenges of gang and youth violence ... Yet more must and will be done to address the root causes of the violence and to create a safer community now and in the future,” Mullin wrote in the statement.

Missing Pittsfiled men were found buried in Beckett

 

New details are emerging in the case of three Western Massachusetts men whose deaths are allegedly linked to a Hells Angels member. Police say the bodies of the three Pittsfield men had been buried by boulders in Beckett. David Glasser, Edward Frampton and Robert Chadwell were found last week, nearly two weeks after they disappeared. Ranking local Hells Angels member Adam Lee Hall and two friends, David Chalue and Caius Veiovis, have pleaded not guilty to charges. Authorities say they killed the men because Glasser was set to testify against Hall.

Dhak Gang Member Targeted in Surrey Shooting

 

ujhar Singh Khun-Khun is fighting for his life after being shot several times Friday night. And his shooting could be linked to the dispute between his gang and a group of Hells Angels who have been doing a lot of finger-pointing since the Aug. 14 Kelowna attack that killed Jonathan Bacon and wounded Hells Angel Larry Amero and Independent Soldier James Riach. Khun-Khun, at 24, has a long history with police already. And he is a close associate of Sukh Dhak, brother of the late Gurmit Dhak. When Gurmit was gunned down outside Metrotown Mall last October, it was the beginning of a series of tit-for-tat shootings. Sukh Dhak was close by Khun-Khun when he was shot. Dhak has now been picked up on a breach and is in custody. Police are concerned about the escalating tension. On one side is Dhak, the Duhre brothers and their associates and some United Nations gang members. On the other are some Hells Angels, the remaining Red Scorpions, the IS and other associated individuals. It is a constantly-shifting mess that is disturbing to police. And they are working hard to prevent more violence and to make arrests in the Bacon death and now the Khun-Khun shooting.

Hells Angels guilty of murder attempts

 

Copenhagen's city court has found 15 Hells Angels guilty of six murder attempts on members of other biker gangs. The court said that members of the Angels and their support group, AK81, were behind a series of shootings in 2009 in Copenhagen. No-one was killed, but one victim had his leg amputated in a series of escalating criminal feuds.

Joe Keane used his car to 'box in' McCarthy-Dundon gang members during a stand-off last week.

 

 The feared criminal - who is the son of slain mobster Kieran Keane - confronted the rival gang members following a night out in Limerick city centre. A source claimed Keane believed the car contained gangsters who knew Darren Coughlan, the innocent man he helped kick to death in November 2005. Earlier this month, gangster Joe (23) was released from prison after serving six years for Darren's manslaughter. Gardai claim Keane's release has seriously raised tensions in Limerick's criminal underworld. The notorious thug had previously vowed to get revenge on rival gang members who were behind the murder of his father, Kieran Keane snr. A source claims Keane clashed with Moyross crime figure Erol Ibrahim last week after he boxed in a car he was a passenger in. Tense Ibrahim is well known to gardai and is a close associate of senior members of the McCarthy-Dundon mob. The source said: "Keane blocked in the car because he thought it contained an associate of Darren Coughlan. He was wrong and there was a tense stand-off with Erol Ibrahim. "Apparently, Keane phoned Ibrahim later on and told him he was not the target." Gardai regard Keane as an up-and-coming gang figure and he is extremely close to his uncle, crime boss Christy Keane. The notorious thug has a reputation for violence and has previously vowed to execute his father's killers. When he was just a teenager, gardai seized a note written by Keane to his mother in which he vowed to kill members of the McCarthy-Dundon gang. It read: "People who set up and killed my father, all will be dead by the time I am 32, now I am 14. That's a promise boys." After his release, Keane flew to Spain for a holiday with his mother, Sophie, brother Kieran jnr and Kieran's girlfriend Laura Flanagan. However, since his return a source has claimed Keane has maintained a "high profile" presence on the streets of Limerick. ROW: Gangster Erol Ibrahim Ibrahim is an associate of a criminal who controls the drugs trade in Moyross. The mobster, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is facing serious charges later this year. Ibrahim, whose father is Turkish, first hit the headlines as a teenager when he was a witness in the trial of hitman Gary Campion. Evidence He was sitting in the front passenger seat of drug dealer 'Fat' Frankie Ryan's car when Campion shot him dead in 2006. He initially denied knowing the identity of the shooter but changed his evidence after a meeting with Mr Ryan's brother. However, in his second day of giving evidence in court, Mr Ibrahim said he had never seen the person who had killed Mr Ryan before in his life and could not identify him.

Victims' burial site is in Becket

 

The bodies of David Glasser, Edward Frampton and Robert Chadwell were found buried on private property in Becket, according to the District Attorney’s office. Authorities declined to be more specific and released no other new information about the case. Until this week, law enforcement officials had refused to even release the location of what they described as a "burial site," where the bodies of the three men were dumped and covered with boulders and dirt. Meanwhile, state and local police conducted what they described as a "high visibility patrol operation" Saturday in Lee, coinciding with the Berkshire Chapter of the Hells Angels’ annual party, Lobster Fest. Adam Lee Hall, who court records list as the third in command of the Berkshire Hells Angels, has been charged with three counts of murder in connection to the men’s disappearance. Otherwise, police haven’t linked the murders to the local motorcycle club, which has put up its clubhouse to cover Hall’s bail in an earlier case, according to court records. Police from Lee, Great Barrington, Pittsfield, Lenox and Dalton assisted State Police, who watched as motorcyclists from across the region descended on the Berkshire biker’s headquarters on Woodland Road in Lee, just past the entrance to October Mountain State Forest. Also on the scene were the state’s Environmental Police and the county’s Special Response Team. Police Advertisement took pictures of everyone entering and exiting Woodland Road leading to the Angels’ clubhouse. Many of the bikers seen in the area wore patches identifying themselves as members of the Hells Angels and other regional motorcycle clubs. State Police Lt. David Buell, the station commander at the troop’s Lee Barracks, said the club’s Lobster Fest is an annual event. He said police have conducted high-visibility patrols coinciding with the party for the past five years. He said police increased the number of patrols this year in light of the recent murders, but he declined to say how many officers were in the area. Buell said there were no arrests or incidents on Saturday, although he said several neighbors walked up to police in the area and thanked them for being there. Members of the Hells Angels were not immediately reachable for comment on Saturday. The group’s Facebook page indicated that tickets to the event were $30. It warned visitors to expect heavy police presence. Glasser, Frampton and Chadwell went missing sometime between Aug. 27 and 28 from Glasser’s apartment on Linden Street in Pittsfield. Hall, 34, of Peru, David Chalue, 44, of North Adams and Springfield, and Caius Veiovis, 31, of Pittsfield, have been charged with three counts each of murder, kidnapping and witness intimidation. Police said neither Chalue nor Veiovis are members of the Hells Angels. Police say the men killed Glasser to keep him from testifying against Hall during an upcoming trial in Berkshire Superior Court. Court records filed last week said men’s bodies had been dumped together in a deep trench that had been covered with large boulders and dirt, with digging equipment found nearby. According to the report, Hall had inquired about the availability and location of excavation equipment in the weeks prior to the murder.

Gangland boss Carl Williams fingers cop Paul Dale from beyond grave

 

ON April 24, 2007, deep inside the razor wire of Victoria's Barwon Prison, gangland killer Carl Williams finally decided to tell his story about crooked cops and Melbourne's underworld war. Williams is now dead, but his lurid tale echoed from the grave yesterday as his version of history, made in three statements over two years, was read out to a spellbound audience in the Victorian Supreme Court trial of Williams's alleged murderer, Matthew Charles Johnson. Johnson has pleaded not guilty on the basis of self-defence. According to Williams's statements, his relationship with former policeman Paul Dale began nervously. The gangland killer and the policeman were so "paranoid" about each other that they once met in a swimming pool wearing only bathers so that neither could be "wired" with listening devices. But the court heard the dealings between this odd couple would blossom into something far more deadly. Before long, what began as merely secret payments for information escalated to a murder, sanctioned and paid for by Dale, Williams alleged. The tone of the gangland killer's statements are as casual as they are cold. When Williams heard that the hitman he hired at Dale's request to kill police informer Terrence Hodson had also killed his wife, Christine, he asked the gunman: "What happened with the sheila?" "That's not for you to worry about," the gunman replied, about which Williams said, "That was the end of the conversation". According to Williams, he met Dale following his release from prison in 2002 when Dale requested a meeting with him via another criminal. "I first met him at the Brunswick Club, where Lewis Moran was killed," Williams said. "He (Dale) was telling me he could keep an eye out for me. "In return, Dale expected to be paid for any information that he gave to me . . . I think we were both suspicious of each other at that time and remained so." Williams said, early on, Dale showed him a police report that revealed that an Asian man called Jimmy had been giving information to the police about Williams, who was called "Fat Boy" in the police report. "As a result of reading the report, I dropped off Jimmy and did no more (drug-dealing) business with him." The court heard that Williams's relationship with Dale grew as they met more often. "On most occasions when I met with Dale, I would give him an envelope with money in it. The money I paid Dale usually ranged from $2000 to $5000 each time." On one occasion, he said, Dale asked him if he wanted the detective to do anything to Williams's gangland rival Jason Moran. "It was pretty widely known that Jason and I had problems at the time," Williams said in his statement. "I didn't know whether they (Dale and a fellow detective) were fair dinkum or trying to set me up. Dale said he could kill Jason for $400,000. I told them they were dreaming." Williams claimed that Dale told him he had arranged internal police systems so Victoria Police would be unable to check on Williams without Dale knowing about it. "He told me he did this so that he could keep up to date with any investigations against me." At one stage, Williams said, Dale asked him to meet in a swimming pool near Seaford where Dale told Williams to tip off fellow gangland figure Tony Mokbel about a police investigation into a drug laboratory. "We met at the swimming pool because he was paranoid of me and I was paranoid of him," said Williams. "Dale had two pairs of shorts or swimming togs. We put these on and got into the pool and walked up and down in the water." The court heard that in his April 2007 statement, Williams said he had no knowledge of who killed the Hodsons at their Kew home in May 2004, but in his second statement, in January 2009, he was ready to reveal the hitman. "I didn't want to be a dog and be a protection prisoner, but my attitude has changed," he said. Williams alleged that Dale told him he had to "get" Hodson before he could give evidence at a committal hearing about his alleged involvement in a burglary involving drugs, in which Dale was implicated. He said: "We went for a walk. Dale told me that he had to get Hodson and he had to get Hodson before Dale's committal. "Dale said he didn't want to go back to jail. He said he had been in isolation and it was tough. "He said he had someone on the job but it was taking too long to get Hodson. Dale asked me if I could help him out." Williams claimed Dale told him the job would pay $150,000. Williams said he approached a hitman who he knew had "a reputation as a fairly ruthless bloke". He met with the hitman, who can't be named for legal reasons, on the ground floor of the Marriott hotel. "I told him there was a contract there for Terry Hodson and I told him the amount of $150,000. There was never any contract on his wife and I never mentioned Terry's wife to (the hitman)." Williams said he didn't know exactly when Hodson would be murdered and the first he heard about it was on the news. The court heard that a few days after the Hodsons' deaths, Williams's statement said, he got a call from Dale telling him "it's been dropped off". "I knew he was talking about the money for the Hodson murders," Williams said. "I was at my mum's when Dale made that call to me. I went and checked the bin. It was a large green wheelie bin that Mum kept inside the gate. Inside the bin, I saw a plastic bag and I took it out of the bin and went back inside." He said he counted the money, which was bundled in $10,000 amounts with rubber bands around it. "It might have been $100 or so short but effectively the money was all there." A few days later, Williams met the hitman at the Marriott again. "I left the bag containing the $150,000 on the ground next to our seats and he collected it." "(The hitman said) 'Quick, hey?' and smiled and chuckled. "I said to him: 'What happened with the sheila?' He said: 'That's not for you to worry about.' That was the end of the conversation. "I asked him about the sheila because I didn't think she needed to die and she wasn't a part of the contract. Having said that, I didn't push it any further." Williams said he never spoke again to the hitman about the Hodson murders. "It is an unspoken rule that once a job is done, you don't mention it again so you don't get caught out on a listening device or something." He also revealed that hitmen preferred to kill on cold days because "the cold weather means it's less likely that people will be out walking around and possibly witness something". In his January 2009 statement, Williams said "since I have been locked up, (lawyer Nicola) Gobbo has told me that Dale has asked after me and has asked if there is anything he can do for me. I just dismissed it because there was nothing he can do for me and I don't want to deal with him." Williams was bashed to death in Barwon jail in April last year.

Playboy Surenos (PBS), Varrios Locos (VL) and Little Valley Lokates (LVL) shootout at a Kent low-rider car show; a blast-o-rama that left a dozen people injured

 

Four men are now in jail and two more are being sought for their involvement in the July 23 shootout at a Kent low-rider car show; a blast-o-rama that left a dozen people injured and gun prohibitionists blaming gun owners and firearms rights for an incident that was totally gang-related.      A detailed narrative of the investigation is attached to court papers linked by the Seattle Times. It’s quite interesting reading. Done by a Kent police detective, the report reveals that rival members of three gangs were apparently involved: the Playboy Surenos (PBS), Varrios Locos (VL) and Little Valley Lokates (LVL). At some point, a member of a band playing at the event encouraged people in the crowd to “hold their flags in the air,” which the crowd apparently presumed to mean showing their gang signs. From there, things went downhill fast. Advertisement    It is an unusual mix of suspects, considering that two of the men jailed have no criminal backgrounds, and two others – both brothers – weren’t even at the event, but they’re in trouble, anyway. Here’s a roundup, courtesy of reports in the Kent Reporter (linked by the on-line SeattleP-I.com) and Seattle Times: • Patrick A. Auble, 30, of Tacoma. He is charged with first-degree rendering criminal assistance for hiding a gun used in the shooting. He reportedly has a criminal history that includes obstructing justice, reckless driving and ten counts of driving with a suspended license. Currently held on $100,000 bail, he allegedly tried to negotiate with police for the release of his brother from jail and return of four guns belonging to him in exchange for the gun used in the shooting, according to the detective’s narrative. • Shea C. Auble, 21, of Auburn. He’s the brother whose arrest was the subject of Patrick’s attempted negotiation with the cops. Shea is charged with first-degree rendering criminal assistance. He also has a “lengthy criminal history” that includes charges of residential burglary, assault, taking a motor vehicle without permission (that’s auto theft in plain language) and malicious mischief. His bail is also set at $100,000.  • Martin McSmith, 21, of SeaTac. Up to now, he had no criminal history. But he is allegedly one of the shooters, and he now faces charges of first-degree assault. Bail is set at $750,000. • James Lopez Jr., 17, of Seattle. He also had no criminal history until now, and he’s charged as an accomplice for allegedly being the driver of one of the getaway cars. He is charged as an adult and is being held on $250,000 bail.    Currently being sought in this caper are Ignacio Vasquez-Trevino, 19, of Federal Way and Nicholas Moreno, 21, of Auburn. Vasquez-Trevino is allegedly one of the shooters, wanted on three charges of first-degree assault. Moreno is allegedly another shooter, also charged with three counts of first-degree assault.    According to the detective’s narrative, Patrick Auble called police on the night of the shooting, looking to make a deal. An hour earlier, Shea had been arrested on an outstanding warrant, after police were called to a residence where two people were firing guns in the street. Shea was one of the two people arrested, and police also confiscated two 9mm pistols, a .40-caliber pistol and a .223-caliber rifle.    Patrick said he had information about the shooting, a vehicle involved, and a gun. In exchange, he wanted his little brother sprung and his guns returned. He called back later, telling police that “if he didn’t hear back from the police or his brother by 0100 hours, ‘Things will disappear’.” Two days later, on July 25, he called again, with the same demand, the report states.    On July 26, two detectives talked to Shea Auble in jail. Shea turned out to be a negotiator, too, according to the detective’s narrative. He allegedly told the detectives that he had information about the shooting, in exchange for getting five pending felony charges dropped.    The narrative reads like the script to a Quentin Tarantino movie. Not only was Patrick Auble allegedly hiding one of the guns involved, he was also hiding a car belonging to suspect Moreno in the garage of his parents’ home.    There may be other suspects in the case, and when this finally settles out, the problem will not be solved by restricting the rights of law-abiding gun owners, but hammering down on gangs .

horn-headed Satan-worshipper charged with the murders of three men in Massachusetts is also said to be a vampire.

Suspect: Caius Veiovis, 31, faces murder and kidnapping charges in the deaths of three men

The horn-headed Satan-worshipper charged with the murders of three men in Massachusetts is also said to be a vampire.

The terrifying mugshot of Caius Veiovis, 31, was released earlier this month when he was arrested as part of a gang who are said to have kidnapped and murdered three Hells Angels.

It has now emerged that Veivois, who is said to have drank the blood of one of his victims, claims to be a vampire.

The 31-year-old has undergone extensive implants to create horns on his head and had the number of the devil - 666 - tattooed on his forehead.

Caius Veiovis served almost seven-and-a-half years in prison in Maine in 1999for charges including elevated aggravated assault.

Then known as Roy Gutfinski, he and his 16-year-old girlfriend cut a teenager’s back with a razor and kissed as they licked the blood. The injury required 32 stitches to close.

The Kennebec Journal reported Gutfinski claimed to be a vampire and a Satan worshipper. His name was changed while in prison.

In the recent murders he has been charged alongside Adam Hall, 34, and David Chalue, 44, with the killing of David Glasser, 44, Edward Frampton, 58, and 47-year-old Robert Chadwell.

Hall is a senior member of a Massachusetts Hells Angels chapter who was scheduled to go on trial next week on charges of kidnap, assault, intimidation, extortion and cocaine distribution.

It is alleged Glasser was killed because he was expected to give evidence as a key witness against Hall, with the other men 'in the wrong place at the wrong time'.

In court: Even officials appeared shocked as Veiovis enters Berkshire District Court in Pittsfield, Mass

Veiovis and Chalue are not believed to be full members of the feared motorcycle gang.

 

All three men have pleaded not guilty to the charges and are being held without bail while awaiting trial.

SUBDERMAL IMPLANTS: UNMASKED

Human evolution and 3D body modification artist Steve Haworth is largely credited with popularising subdermal implants. 

While Mr Haworth only uses Silicone implants, Teflon (PTFE) and biocompatible materials are used for similar effect.

Horn bumps such as Veiovis' can be inserted subdermally into the forehead, giving the appearance of an animal or creature from another planet.

Implants can be repeatedly removed, with larger ones added when the skin is ready, leaving a more dramatic effect. 

However, users face several health risks, including infection, tissue resorption, nerve and muscle pressure, migration, and implant rejection, among others.

Berkshire District Attorney David F. Capeless said: 'This is the end of the search for David Glasser, Edward Frampton and Robert Chadwell, but it is also the beginning of our efforts to bring to justice those who are responsible for their deaths.'

Veiovis has had subdermal 3D implants in his head, leaving horns that look like the character Gul Dukat from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

They are one of the riskiest forms of body modification and are typically made from Teflon or Silicone.

The procedures are often performed by body artists with no medical training for what is essentially a surgical procedure comparative to plastic surgery.

'Horn bumps' can be inserted subdermally into the forehead, and then repeatedly removed with larger ones then added when the skin is 'ready'.

Hells Angels has been recognised as an organised crime syndicate by the FBI, which has contended that members carry out widespread violence, drug dealing, trafficking in stolen goods, and extortion.

Hall's lawyer said his client maintains his innocence. Lawyers for the other men declined comment

Explosives, steroids seized in Comancheros bikie raids

 

 explosives have been uncovered at the home of a Comancheros bikie after police raided two properties in their hunt for a gunman. The raids come after up to five rounds were peppered bullets into a Darch house - where Comancheros bikies live - on Wednesday. Gang Crime Squad detectives today descended on a house in Tangmire Way, Balga where they allegedly discovered 1kg of powergel, an explosive commonly used in the mining industry. Senior police said intelligence suggested the powergel could have had the potential to cause significant damage or even death. ``It's approximately 1kg in weight and could cause extreme damage or loss of life if it was primed and detonated,'' Detective Superintendent Charlie Carver said. A police raid of a gym in Wellman St, Northbridge - which has become the Comacheros' headquarters - allegedly unearthed steroids, including four viles of testosterone and 17 viles of growth hormones. Related Coverage Darch: Bikie war: House, car sprayed with bullets Explosives seized in Bikie raid Bikie war: House, car sprayed with bullets Perth Now, 1 day ago Man faces drug charges after bikie raid Perth Now, 18 Aug 2011 Bikies 'accessing secret police files' Perth Now, 18 Jul 2011 Hells Angel arrested in steroid raids Perth Now, 14 Jul 2011 Bikie 'threatened to shoot victim' Adelaide Now, 8 Jul 2011 No one was at the clubhouse at the time of the raid and police inquiries are continuing into the steroid seizure. Det-Supt Carver said today's action was a direct response to this week's shooting in Darch, but stressed police did not believe the Comancheros were involved in cross-club rivalry. On Wednesday, up to five shots were fired into a house and car in Matlock Heights, Darch, around midnight - fuelling bikie hostilities. The front door and a front window of the house were damaged in a hail of bullets, along with a white car parked in the driveway. Two men and a woman, who police say have links to the Comancheros, were inside the house at the time but were not injured. ``We know that bikies by nature are fighting for drugs, supremacy, territory and monies,'' Det-Supt Carver said. ``They are a fledgling club and they are trying to establish themselves and obviously that causes conflict.'' A 27-year-old Balga man, a Comancheros nominee, has been charged with possessing explosives. No one has been charged over the Darch shooting. The Comancheros, a notorious gang in New South Wales, have been attempting to gain a foothold in WA for 18 months. The gang is renowned for violence, including the brawl at Sydney airport last year which left a Hells Angels associate dead, and the infamous Milperra massacre in 1984 in which seven people were killed. But Det-Supt Carver said police were winning the war on bikies in WA, saying there were nine gangs in WA in 2007 and now there were just six. He said police had all but decimated the Rock Machine and had temporarily dismantled the Finks with five members jailed over the Kwinana Motoplex brawl in October. Comancheros from Sydney and Melbourne have moved to WA to help recruit locals to the gang, he said. In February, police uncovered more than 50 sticks of powergel and detonators during a raid of the Rock Machine's Myaree headquarters.