He was sentenced to 16 years in prison and was released in 2012. 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 Pagans are an outlaw motorcycle gang and in the charges that we announced today, as well as in the charges that we brought over the past 11 months, we identify the Pagans as a. The most climactic moment came at the hearings end when three reputed leaders of the motorcycle club were called to testify. Unlike other motorcycle clubs, the Pagans dont have a clubhouse, but hold weekly meetings called church.. Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, Alex Napoliello | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, increasing membership in all corners of the state. Attorney information for Bucciarelli was not immediately known. The club earns its proceeds from drug trafficking, the commission said. It was around this time it adopted the outlaw motorcycle mentality, collectively known as the one-percenters. The theory is most motorcycle riders are law-abiding citizens, except for the 1% who arent. 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. View More Reports -> 50 West State St. 14th Floor P.O. Unlike the Hells Angels, the Pagans dont have clubhouses, and instead have weekly meetings in different locations. 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. The victim told the Pagans hed sold the guns for $5,000 and turned over that amount of money, which was provided by federal investigators, to Dorazo, the complaint alleges. The Pagans beat him with a small bat and a wrench, officials said. Pagans Motorcycle Club merchandise on display at a State Commission of Investigation public hearing on Oct. 23, 2019.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. Prosecutors allege that Arocho, Guzman, and other associates of the Pagans brutally assaulted an associate of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club at a gas station in Newark in April 2018. Joe Atmonavage may be reached at jatmonavage@njadvancemedia.com. 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. An alleged member of the Pagan's motorcycle club who was charged with attempted murder earlier this year is set to plead guilty to a federal charge related to having an associate of the outlaw. That violence has included an uptick inattacks against civilians, attempted murders against other members, a murder-for-hire scheme that was carried out in South Jersey and other crimes. Have a question about Government Services? There are at least 900 Pagans spread across 12 states and in Puerto Rico, officials have said. 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 As the Long Island resident was traveling back to his home, New Jersey authorities pulled over the vehicle Richter was in. Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. 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. 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. Camden:856-757-5026 The Bay Shore, New York, resident was a passenger in a GMC that left the party around 11 p.m. Approximately one week later Aquino and Ortiz shot at an associate of the Hells Angels on the New Jersey Turnpike in retaliation for the Verona assault. From left, attorney Carlos Martir, suspected Pagan Motorcycle Club member James Helveston Jr., suspected Pagan Motorcycle Club National Vice President Hugo Nieves and suspected Pagan Motorcycle Club National Mother/National Club member Luis Arocho.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, Hugo Zorro Nieves, the alleged vice president of the Pagans, broke his silence to say, It is not the policy of this club to engage in any criminal activity, and thats all I will say about that.. He was cruising on his motorcycle on Route 1 in Elizabeth when he passed two other drivers on the right of the multi-lane roadway in June 2019. At the SCI hearing in 2019, Nieves was called to testify, along with other high-ranking 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. Richter and the passenger were not detained at the time, but Richter was later arrested by an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, which identified him in the criminal complaint as the national president of the Pagans. The investigator, understanding that he was on speaker and that members of the (Pagans) might be listening to their conversation, remained in his undercover persona throughout the conversation, says the complaint. The resurgence and expansion of the group has made it easier to wear Pagan colors, he said. Multiple law enforcement officials told NJ Advance Media that Robert Big Bob Francis, of Virginia, has taken over as the national president of the Pagans. The hearing featured testimony from SCI investigators, New Jersey State Police officers and county prosecutors. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. He didnt think anything of it when he exited the highway, but soon realized he was being tailed by a motorcycle and a car. A lock ( The Pagans and the Hells Angels are known to be rival gangs. Three reputed Pagan leaderssubpoenaed to testify asserted their Fifth Amendment rightsand did not answer questions. Pagans National President Keith "Conan" Richter was attendingthat party last month before his arrest for gun possession in New Jersey by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms . They have 30 chapters in 12 states, according to a recent N.J. State Commission of Investigation report on the biker world. Over the last year, federal authorities have charged at least 10 Pagan members in New Jersey with a number of crimes, including for their alleged roles in shootings and drug distribution. And Pagans are expanding, moving out West, into . If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. 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. At the time of his arrest, Ortiz was the president of the Pagans Jersey City membership chapter. Torres said thePagans are believed to have150 to 350 members in New Jersey. "Pets are women who are shared sexually among the group," said Nicole McCann, investigative analyst for the commission. Dozaro was eventually found by police in the neighborhood. According to a criminal complaint, law enforcement learned during the party that Richter had a gun. Attorney information for the two was not immediately known. The actual tally was likely higher because many incidents go unreported, the report said. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Monday, June 28, 2021 Eleven Members of The Pagan's Motorcycle Club Charged with Narcotics Distribution, Firearms Offenses, and Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering NEWARK, N.J. - Two high-ranking members of the Pagan's Motorcycle Club were arrested today for assault in aid of racketeering, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced. I commend the hard work and dedication of all the agencies involved.. At the time of Aquinos arrest, he was the vice president of the Elizabeth membership chapter of the Pagans. Marino and DAlessandro pleaded guilty at separate hearings in Camden federal court on Jan. 24 and Jan. 27. Dorazo, who was armed with two handguns and a high-capacity assault weapon, fled the scene, leading police on a multi-hour search, authorities said. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. In recent years, the Pagans have been absorbing smaller motorcycle gangs at an alarming rate, officials said. One was Hugo Nieves, also known as "Zorro," a New Jersey resident believed to be national vice president of the Pagans, according to testimony. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. There has been an almost 50% increase in chapters in New Jersey over the past three years, officials said. In New Jersey, Pagans membership, which has always been strong in South Jersey, has increased at an alarming rate in recent years, with 300 members in 17 chapters throughout the state.. 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. It was around this time it adopted the outlaw motorcycle mentality, collectively known as the one-percenters. The theory is most motorcycle riders are law-abiding citizens, except for the 1% who arent. Official websites use .gov The northern part of the state is where the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club has shown dominance. This is a serious matter that requires immediate attention from the larger policing community, the report said. The New Jersey State Commission of Investigation found that Richters leadership had led to the club multiplying its members, but also engaging in violence and other criminal acts as they expanded. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). The 20-page SCI report was issued following a lengthy investigation of the Pagans, identified by the F.B.I. The victim was beaten with an axe handle, punched and kicked by the Pagans assailants, causing significant injuries.. The Pagans are run like a business and are organized as such. Violence has risen since a change in national leadership in 2018 when Keith "Conan" Richter took over as president, according to testimony. Pagan's Motorcycle Club paraphernalia on display at a state Commission of Investigation Public Hearing on Oct. 23, 2019.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. The turf clash between the Pagans and Hells Angels has been well-documented over the years especially in northern New Jersey, where the Hells Angels have a clubhouse in Newark. High-ranking members of the outlaw Pagans Motorcycle Club, including those in New Jersey chapters, were indicted on various crimes, federal prosecutors announced Monday. The cache included an AR-15 style ghost gun, a shotgun, and almost 1,800 rounds of ammunition, according to the federal prosecutor's office, which describes the Pagans as an "outlaw motorcycle gang. Sign up for Patch email newsletters. It is unclear why Richter was not arrested during the traffic stop. 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 gangs. Keith "Conan" Richter, the former president of the Pagan's motorcycle club, pictured in 2018 at an event in New Jersey. Our journalism needs your support. The Pagans were founded in the 1960s out of Maryland. Members conduct active "counter surveillance" of law enforcement, using drones and plainclothes Pagan members to search for undercover law enforcement officers at events. 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. Larry Ortiz, 31, of Elizabeth, and Junius Aquino, 38, of Vauxhall, were charged with aggravated assault in aid of racketeering and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence for their roles in a gang-related shooting, authorities said. The bail hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. Monday. Women are considered property and rank lower than dogs in the order of importance to the group. When Aquino and his associates exited the bar, a group of individuals approached and assaulted them with baseball bats. 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. 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