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. The Pagans have also started recruiting light-skinned Latino members from traditional street gangs, like the Latin Kings, though they still prohibit Black people from joining their ranks. 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. Its unclear how the arrest of Richter will impact the group. The SCI report warned that the growth of the biker gang could lead to more violent clashes with innocent people. Now there are 900 Pagans spread across 12 states and in Puerto Rico, officials said. Richter, 62, attended a party in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, around noon on Feb. 20. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer said during Ritchers first appearance in court Friday that the government has incontrovertible evidence that Richter possessed the firearm at the party. In 2020, the group issued a 20-page report exposing in exhaustive detail how the Pagans have doubled in size in New Jersey, with more than 200 members spread across 17 chapters in the state. The U.S. Attorneys Office previously announced the arrest of Keith Richter the national president of the Pagans in connection with his illegal possession of a firearm in February. Three reputed Pagan leaderssubpoenaed to testify asserted their Fifth Amendment rightsand did not answer questions. In a separate case, a federal grand jury returned an indictment on Monday, charging Nicholas Bucciarelli, 56, of Brooklawn, with aggravated assault in aid of racketeering, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon. High-ranking members of the outlaw Pagans Motorcycle Club, including those in New Jersey chapters, were indicted on various crimes, federal prosecutors announced Monday. Attorneys Robert Frazer, R. Joseph Gribko, and Samantha C. Fasanello, of the U.S. Attorneys Office in Newark. Torres said thePagans are believed to have150 to 350 members in New Jersey. Pagan motorcycle club paraphernalia on display at a New Jersey State Commission of Investigation public hearing in Trenton in October 2019. The Pagans which started in Prince George's County, Maryland, in 1959 has swelled to more than 1,300 members across at least 12 states, experts said. The group, which started with just 13 members, evolved into a formal club in the 1960s and spread to neighboring states. 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. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. At the time of Aquinos arrest, he was the vice president of the Elizabeth membership chapter of the Pagans. The club distributes drugs in cells within chapters to keep tight control of the of the information. Each admitted to aiding and abetting in the assault of a victim with a dangerous weapon. This story has been updated to reflect that Dorazos attorney declined to comment. Joe Atmonavage | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, led a massive expansion of the outlaw organization in New Jersey, discovered a loaded gun in a vehicle he was, charged at least 10 Pagan members in New Jersey. Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs - State of New Jersey Commission of Investigation 1989 Report THE PAGANS Operating in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina, the Pagans' overall membership has been estimated at between 300 and 400. Unlike other motorcycle gangs, the Pagans dont have a clubhouse, but hold weekly meetings called church.. Jul 2019. Female clerks and staff in police departments and other law enforcement offices and in the courts who are linked to the Pagans have compromised investigations and passed along confidential information to the group. The resurgence and expansion of the group has made it easier to wear Pagan colors, he said. The former national president of the Pagan's motorcycle club, an outlaw group that has rapidly expanded in New Jersey in recent years under his leadership, pleaded guilty Wednesday to a. Newark, NJ 07102, Newark:973-645-2700 The most climactic moment came at the hearings end when three reputed leaders of the motorcycle club were called to testify. "In New Jersey, its going to be hard to find a county where there isnt a Pagan presence. He has not been convicted of any crimes in this case. Citing their Fifth Amendment right to remain silent, the alleged leaders declined to answer any of the commissioners' questions. Members conduct active "counter surveillance" of law enforcement, using drones and plainclothes Pagan members to search for undercover law enforcement officers at events. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. In October 2019, the commission held an exhaustive hearing in Trenton detailing how the Pagans are increasing membership in all corners of the state. According to Honig, "that includes the national president, a member of the Pagans Mother Club, which is a national organization that oversees its operations, the president of presidents in New Jersey, the presidents of the Jersey City and Gloucester County chapters of the Pagans, the vice-president of the Elizabeth chapter and the sergeant at arms, or the enforcer, for various other chapters. Hearing Impaired: 856-968-4983 The Pagans formed in Prince George's County, Maryland, in 1959. I dont care if it is two cops, a priest, a nun, five little kids or Jesus f------ Christ himself, if you pull something on me, I am going to shoot you, Ritcher allegedly said in the recorded conversation, according to Frazer. The Pagans Motorcycle Club, one of the major outlaw motorcycle groups in the U.S., is a growing threat to citizens in New Jersey and every cop in the state should be trained to deal with them, according to a new report issued Wednesday. The hearing featured testimony from SCI investigators, New Jersey State Police officers and county prosecutors. Do you know who we are? the Pagans yelled at the man, according to a police report. I commend the hard work and dedication of all the agencies involved.. The club earns its proceeds from drug trafficking, the commission said. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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. He didnt think anything of it when he exited the highway, but soon realized he was being tailed by a motorcycle and a car. Then in May, a federal judge lifted the home incarceration and allowed Dorazo to look for employment, according to court documents. Glen Turner, 73, of Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania, was charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to a criminal complaint, law enforcement learned during the party that Richter had a gun. Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Rachael A. Honig announced two additional indictments, bringing the total of Pagans members facing crimes to 11 -- although the number may increase as the investigation continues. ]. The Pagans and the Hells Angels are known to be rival gangs. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. A lock ( A former Pagan chapter president in South Jersey is currently serving a life prison sentence for orchestrating the 2012 murder-for-hire plot of April Kauffman, a well-known radio personality in the Atlantic City area. 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.. The northern part of the state is where the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club has shown dominance. The Pagan's Motorcycle Club still rides, wreaks havoc at Jersey Shore. It should also share information among agencies to identify larger trends, the report said. At the time of his arrest, Ortiz was the president of the Pagans Jersey City membership chapter, prosecutors said. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. These cases are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. For more on crime in New Jersey, scroll to the video above. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. NEWARK Federal agents Monday arrested two high-ranking members of the Pagans Motorcycle Club from New Jersey for assault in aid of racketeering as part of a long-running investigation into The neighborhood was put in lockdown during the search, with residents instructed to stay inside for about four hours. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. ", Also: Camden man fatally shot in Fairview home, More: Andrew Kramer charged with murder of Melissa Malcolm in Mount Laurel. He also thanked the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Chief Giacomo Sacca, for its assistance with this investigation. It is unclear why Richter was not arrested during the traffic stop. The group is also able to thwart law enforcement by utilizing encrypted cellphone apps and counter-surveillance efforts, including flying a drone at a large gathering of Pagans at Wildwoods Roar to the Shore event. Pagans Motorcycle Club incident that rocked New Jersey September 8, 2021 Pagans Motorcycle Club incident that rocked New Jersey Pagan's Motorcycle Club Causing Panic in Missouri OUTLAWS MC DESERVED THIS 100% *VIDEO* EP 934 Official Statement From The Grim Reapers MC Concerning Bust **FULL AUDIO** Hugo Zorro Nieves, who authorities said they believe is the vice president of the Pagans, is based in New Jersey. Members of the Pagans became enraged with the informant, who authorities said was an associate of the motorcycle club, when the person told the club he sold the Pagans firearms. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. FAX: 856-968-4917 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. Its expanding at a rate weve never seen before, Edwin Torres, an SCI investigative agent, said in reference to Pagan membership in New Jersey. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited a joint task force comprised of special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson; special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Matthews; the Union County Prosecutors Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel; and the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to these charges. The Pagans formed in Prince Georges County, Maryland, in 1959. Alleged members of the Pagans Motorcycle Club appear with their attorney in an SCI public hearing. He took steps to deploy a handgun towards officers, but was tackled and arrested, police said. A locked padlock This newfound level of aggression has led to drive-by shootings, savage beat downs of adversaries and unprovoked physical assaults on members of the public across New Jersey, the report states. When Aquino and his associates exited the bar, a group of individuals approached and assaulted them with baseball bats. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. On Dec. 10, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Turners residence and recovered about 450 grams of methamphetamine, authorities said. DEPTFORD, NJ - A Pagan's Motorcycle Club member, an outlaw biker gang who was out of federal prison awaiting trial for firearms charges has been charged with attempted homicide. When Richter took control of the club in 2018, his main mission was to expand its membership across the country, authorities said, which eventually put a target on the motorcycle club. The commission recommended the state Attorney Generals Office create a working group comprised of law enforcement officials at every level devoted to identifying and prosecuting criminal activity conducted by outlaw motorcycle clubs. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The uptick 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). Dorazo, also known as Cage, was not charged in the assault. The Pagans are run like a business and are organized as such. 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