Fourteen Motorcycle Gang Leaders and Members Plead Guilty in Detroit to Violent Crime, Drug and Firearms Charges

WASHINGTON, July 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Fourteen members of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club have pleaded guilty in Detroit to charges including violent crimes in aid of racketeering, illegal drug distribution and firearms violations, Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Terrence Berg and Thomas Brandon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the ATF Detroit Field Division, announced today.

The guilty pleas included leaders, members and gang associates of Outlaws' chapters in Fort Wayne, Ind., Indianapolis, and areas of Detroit including Eastside, Detroit Westside, Downriver and Bay City. The defendants were charged with various crimes including violent crimes in aid of racketeering; conspiracy to commit violent crimes in aid of racketeering; distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana and hashish; possessing a firearm after conviction for a felony; and sale of a firearm to a known felon.

"Unfortunately, far too many Americans live in fear of gang-related violence," said Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer. "By working with our federal, state and local partners to target these gangs, we take violent individuals off the street and weaken the chokehold that gangs like the Outlaws have on our communities."

"The guilty pleas by a large number of leaders and members of this illegal motorcycle gang are a good example of the success that comes from effective federal, state and local law enforcement cooperation," said U.S. Attorney Terrence Berg. "This case has managed to put a damper on the heightened dangers of violence and other criminal acts posed by organized gangs such as the Outlaws. The ATF, FBI and their state and local law enforcement partners did an excellent job in bringing down the illegal activities of the Outlaws in the Eastern District of Michigan."

"One of ATF's primary missions is to make our communities safer from the criminal activity of violent gangs, such as the Outlaws. The magnitude of the pain, suffering and fear that violent gangs bring to our communities is immeasurable," said Thomas Brandon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the ATF Detroit Field Division. "ATF, along with our local, state and federal partners, remains committed to stemming the hold that violent gangs like the Outlaws have on our neighborhoods."

The guilty pleas were the result of "Operation Broken Spoke," "Operation Detroit Mugger," and "Operation End Game," a five-year investigation by the ATF; the FBI; the National Drug Intelligence Center; Michigan State Police; the Detroit Police Department; the South Bend, Ind., Police Department; and the Fort Wayne Police Department.

The following Michigan and Indiana Outlaws members and associates pleaded guilty:

    NAME                     DATE OF PLEA    CHARGE
    Leroy Frasier,           July 30, 2009   Conspiracy to commit assault with
      aka "Leroy"                            a dangerous weapon
    David Dorris,            July 27, 2009   Conspiracy to commit assault with
      aka "Hoggs"                            a dangerous weapon
    Ramon Rios,              July 23, 2009   Conspiracy to commit assault with
      aka "Ramon"                            a dangerous weapon
    Norman Box Jr.,          June 23, 2009   Assault with a dangerous weapon
      aka "Stormin Norman"
    Michael Radke,           June 23, 2009   Distribution of cocaine
      aka "Mike"
    Edward Gallagher,        June 23, 2009   Distribution of methamphetamine
      aka "Eddie"
    Danny Neace,             June 12, 2009   Assault with a dangerous weapon
      aka "Milky"
    Bruce Wendel,            June 12, 2009   Assault with a dangerous weapon
      aka "Big Bruce"
    Kim Galaviz,             June 12, 2009   Distribution of cocaine
      aka "Moe"
    William Thomas McCowan,  June 10, 2009   Possession of hashish
      aka "Tom the Bomb"
    William Merfert,         June 10, 2009   Felon in possession of firearms
      aka "Billy"
    William Elston,          June 9, 2009    Assault with a deadly weapon
      aka "Jason"                            resulting in serious bodily
                                             injury
    Mark Guerra,             April 1, 2009   Distribution of marijuana
      aka "Skid Mark"
    William Guinn,           Aug. 25, 2008   Distribution of marijuana
      aka "Slick"

Robert Castillo, aka "Big Rob" and "Mexican Rob," is currently awaiting trial on charges of distributing cocaine. Kenneth Creslaw, aka "KC," is charged with distributing marijuana and remains a fugitive.

The original 18-count indictment alleged that the Outlaws Motorcycle Club is an enterprise whose members allegedly committed, attempted to, and threatened to commit acts of violence to protect and expand the gang's criminal operations. Several of the defendants were charged with allegedly assaulting various members of the rival Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, in some cases with dangerous weapons including a hammer, motorcycle parts and a cane. Several defendants allegedly trafficked in the sale of narcotics, including methamphetamine, marijuana, hashish and cocaine, while others were charged with various firearms offenses.

The Outlaws Motorcycle Club has been identified as an international criminal organization whose members and associates engage in acts of violence including murder, attempted murder, assault, robbery, kidnapping, narcotics sales and distribution, illegal firearms trafficking and gambling offenses. The Outlaws are a structured and hierarchical gang, divided into multiple regions in the United States. The Outlaws also have members worldwide, including Europe, Asia and Canada. The Outlaws have a long-standing violent history with the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, including assaults/batteries, shootings and fatalities.

The Detroit Outlaws case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diane L. Marion and Julie Beck of the Eastern District of Michigan, as well as Trial Attorney Sam Nazzaro of the Criminal Division's Gang Unit.

The law enforcement actions in Detroit are the result of the Justice Department's ongoing anti-gang initiative and the joint strategic and priority targeting of violent street gangs by the ATF, FBI, the National Gang Targeting, Enforcement and Coordination Center (GangTECC), the National Gang Intelligence Center and state and local law enforcement. The Criminal Division's Gang Unit, a specialized group of federal prosecutors charged with attacking the most significant regional, national and international gangs in the United States, works with fellow prosecutors around the country to disrupt and dismantle gang activity in communities. In addition, the Gang Unit works with domestic and foreign law enforcement agencies to construct effective and coordinated prevention and enforcement strategies.

SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice

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