BIKERLAND

The nine people believed injured by stray police gunfire outside the Empire State Building were not the first to learn how dangerous a crowded street can be in a gunfight.

2012-08-25T11:13:00.001+01:00

Civilians occasionally find themselves in harm's way when officers use deadly force, though usually only a handful of times annually. When that happens, a rigid process of investigation is set in motion — and the police department can reasonably expect a lawsuit. The latest episode came when police say a man disgruntled over losing his job a year ago shot a former colleague to death and pointed his weapon at two police officers in the shadow of a major tourist attraction. He apparently wasn't able to fire before police killed him, one firing off seven rounds and the other nine. Bystanders suffered graze wounds, and some were struck by concrete gouged from buildings by the bullets, authorities said. At least one person said he was actually hit by a bullet. Robert Asika, a 23-year-old tour guide who was hit in the right arm, said he was "100 percent positive" he was shot by a police officer. A witness told police that laid-off clothing designer Jeffrey Johnson fired at officers, but ballistics evidence so far contradicts that, authorities said.

Tracking a Rare Tattoo-Related Infection

2012-08-23T16:24:00.001+01:00

A Trail of Ink: Tracking a Rare Tattoo-Related Infection

An uncommon skin infection led to a doctor's investigation into tainted tattoo ink. (Monroe County Health Department)

The reddish-purple rash, seemingly woven into the tattoo on a 20-year-old New Yorker's forearm, was strange enough to have doctors scratching their heads.

This trail began when the man received a tattoo in Rochester, N.Y. in October 2011. A short while later, he noticed the raised, bumpy rash. He called his primary care physician.

Doctors initially treated the man's arm with topical steroids, thinking that the rash was allergic-contact dermatitis. But that only made the problem worse.

By the time dermatologist Dr. Mark Goldgeier saw the patient, it was clear that this was no simple allergy.

He performed a skin biopsy so he could take a closer look at the rash under a microscope. What he saw was startling: the sample was riddled with a wormlike bacterium related to tuberculosis.

"I explained [to the patient] that he had TB, and he had a look of horror on his face," Goldgeier said.

For the patient, the finding meant a trip to an infectious disease specialist to start up to a full year of treatment.

Goldgeier, meanwhile, called the Monroe County Health Department.

"As soon as biopsy came back," he said, "I knew something in the process of tattooing was involved -- the ink, the water used for dilution, the syringes, the dressings."

And so began a nationwide medical mystery.

An article published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine describes how this one dermatologist helped connect the dots in an outbreak of tattoo-related atypical skin infections.

Dr. Byron Kennedy, public health specialist at Monroe County Department of Public Health, took over the case from Goldgeier. Kennedy first confirmed the results by repeating a skin biopsy on the patient. Once again, tendrils of mycobacterium chelonae, a type of tuberculosis-related skin bacteria, showed up in the sample.

Mycobacterium chelonae is a rapidly growing bug found in soil, dust, water, animals, hospitals, and contaminated pharmaceuticals. This family of bacteria does not commonly affect healthy individuals, but in patients with suppressed immune systems -- like those with HIV or on chemotherapy -- these bacteria can cause serious disease, often resulting in death.

The finding sent Kennedy and his associates to the tattoo parlor where the patient had been inked. Everything in the clinic was sterile, which made it unlikely that the infection had arisen there. But the tattoo artist, they learned, had been using a new gray premixed ink purchased in Arizona in April 2011; he used the ink between May and December 2011.

The ingredients of the ink -- pigment, witch hazel, glycerin, and distilled water -- seemed innocuous enough. But further examination revealed that the distilled water in the pigment was the likely culprit of the contamination.

The finding raised a number of questions -- not the least of which was how the bottles of premixed ink passed U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledged this gap in regulations Wednesday in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly report.

"Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, tattoo inks are considered to be cosmetics, and the pigments used in the inks are color additives requiring premarket approval," the report says.

Armed gang fight breaks out in Venezuelan prison

2012-08-23T11:57:00.001+01:00

Twenty-five people were killed and 43 others hurt in a prison battle in Venezuela as two armed gangs vied for control of a penitentiary near Caracas, authorities said on Monday.

shooting a cop dead is now legal in the state of Indiana.

2012-06-12T07:11:00.001+01:00

Governor Mitch Daniels, a Republican, has authorized changes to a 2006 legislation that legalizes the use of deadly force on a public servant — including an officer of the law — in cases of “unlawful intrusion.” Proponents of both the Second and Fourth Amendments — those that allow for the ownership of firearms and the security against unlawful searches, respectively — are celebrating the update by saying it ensures that residents are protected from authorities that abuse the powers of the badge. Others, however, fear that the alleged threat of a police state emergence will be replaced by an all-out warzone in Indiana. Under the latest changes of the so-called Castle Doctrine, state lawmakers agree “people have a right to defend themselves and third parties from physical harm and crime.” Rather than excluding officers of the law, however, any public servant is now subject to be met with deadly force if they unlawfully enter private property without clear justification. “In enacting this section, the general assembly finds and declares that it is the policy of this state to recognize the unique character of a citizen's home and to ensure that a citizen feels secure in his or her own home against unlawful intrusion by another individual or a public servant,” reads the legislation. Although critics have been quick to condemn the law for opening the door for assaults on police officers, supporters say that it is necessary to implement the ideals brought by America’s forefathers. Especially, argue some, since the Indiana Supreme Court almost eliminated the Fourth Amendment entirely last year. During the 2011 case of Barnes v. State of Indiana, the court ruled that a man who assaulted an officer dispatched to his house had broken the law before there was “no right to reasonably resist unlawful entry by police officers.” In turn, the National Rifle Association lobbied for an amendment to the Castle Doctrine to ensure that residents were protected from officers that abuse the law to grant themselves entry into private space. “There are bad legislators,” the law’s author, State Senator R. Michael Young (R) tells Bloomberg News. “There are bad clergy, bad doctors, bad teachers, and it’s these officers that we’re concerned about that when they act outside their scope and duty that the individual ought to have a right to protect themselves.” Governor Daniels agrees with the senator in a statement offered through his office, and notes that the law is only being established to cover rare incidents of police abuse that can escape the system without reprimand for officers or other persons that break the law to gain entry. “In the real world, there will almost never be a situation in which these extremely narrow conditions are met,” Daniels says. “This law is not an invitation to use violence or force against law enforcement officers.” Officers in Indiana aren’t necessarily on the same page, though. “If I pull over a car and I walk up to it and the guy shoots me, he’s going to say, ‘Well, he was trying to illegally enter my property,’” Sergeant Joseph Hubbard tells Bloomberg. “Somebody is going get away with killing a cop because of this law.” “It’s just a recipe for disaster,” Indiana State Fraternal Order of Police President Tim Downs adds. “It just puts a bounty on our heads.”

Dog 'The Bounty Hunter' Chapman's Show Canceled

2012-05-22T07:55:00.001+01:00

Dog "The Bounty Hunter" Chapman will have more time on his hands to catch criminals, because his show on A&E is being canceled ... TMZ has learned. Multiple sources connected with the show tell us ... Dog's people and A&E have been negotiating, but the network has now decided to pull the plug and not do season 9. One source connected with Dog tells us the cancellation is based on "creative differences." But here's the reality ... saying "creative differences" is like breaking up with a girl and saying, "It's not you, it's me."

Shootings not my fault, says ex-bikie Wissam Amer

2012-05-13T11:26:00.001+01:00

THE man believed by police to be the central figure in a bikie feud has declared he is not at fault for Sydney's spate of drive-by shootings and says they are the "act of a coward". Wissam Amer, 28, broke his silence to The Sunday Telegraph to say he was not at the heart of the current shootings between the Hells Angels and Nomads outlaw motorcycle gangs. Last week The Sunday Telegraph revealed police believe Amer was the source of the conflict after he defected from the Hells Angels to the rival Nomads. Speaking through his lawyer Maggie Sten, the former bikie said unequivocally that he was no longer part of any gang and disputed police claims he's responsible for the feud. "The conflict between the Hells Angels and the Nomads is dead and buried - it has been for a while," Mr Amer said through his lawyer. "It has got nothing to do with me." Mr Amer was previously a member of the Bandidos, but left the group during a large scale "patch-over" of its members to the Hells Angels more than a year ago. Police believe he then tried to leave the Hells Angels to join the Nomads and burned bridges along the way - however he disputes this. Ms Sten said Mr Amer now wants to clear the record and confirm he is not part of any gang and is attempting to get on with a "normal life". What is not in dispute, however, is that Mr Amer was the target of two drive-by shootings over the past seven months. One was a drive-by at a Merrylands Oporto, two days after he was released on bail; the other happened three days later at his previous address at Canley Vale. Police believe both attacks were committed by Hells Angels, however Mr Amer said he could not prove this and neither could police. Mr Amer is unsure who the perpetrators were. "It could have been anybody - it's a dirty game, it could have been someone that I'd had a run-in with years ago," Ms Sten said on Mr Amer's behalf. "I live my life with no fear - I live now as a normal person." What Mr Amer was sure about was that drive-by shootings on himself or anyone else was a despicable act. "It's as weak as scratching somebody's car - anybody who drives a car and attacks you at 1am is a coward," he said through Ms Sten. "Especially when you know the people you're looking for are not there," referring to cases where the alleged targets were in jail. He could not explain the forces behind the current wave of shootings, but agreed with a police theory - revealed by The Sunday Telegraph - that a third party is trying to reignite animosities between the groups. Authorities brokered a peace agreement between the two gangs in January, but that faltered on April 16 when shots were fired at a home and car in Pemulwuy. "We believe it's other people trying to stir the pot," Ms Sten said for Mr Amer. "This is the perfect time for people to attack because they know the Hells Angels and Nomads were in a previous conflict which no longer exists." Police Strike Force Kinnarra has locked up 13 people in relation to the nine shootings that happened last month. Detective Superintendent Arthur Katsogiannis said the conflict was firmly between the two gangs.

Shooting a 'warning' from rival bikie gang

2012-04-25T16:55:00.001+01:00

SIMMERING tension between rival bikie gangs exploded on the Gold Coast yesterday with the drive-by shooting of a tattoo parlour in the heart of Bandidos territory. Police fear the attack could be a push for territory by the Hells Angels as the outlaw gang seeks a toehold on the lucrative Glitter Strip. Less than 24 hours after police commissioner Bob Atkinson told the Bulletin that bikie gangs were "one of the greatest challenges to face law enforcement", the Bandido-protected Mermaid Beach tattoo shop was hit by at least four shots in the early hours of yesterday morning. High-ranking police yesterday said it was "inevitable" that the violence that has plagued Sydney would eventually spill across the border. "We do not believe it is directly connected to the war between the Hells Angels and the Nomads that has been unfolding in New South Wales," said police. "But it is a similar style of attack. "We know the Hells Angels have been pushing to establish a chapter on the Gold Coast -- that push is coming from Sydney. "Tradelink Drive is not their most profitable chapter." While detectives have attempted to play down the shooting, police say there is "no doubt" it was intended as a warning. The Bandidos are the largest and one of the most secretive bikie gangs on the Gold Coast. The club has gained strength as its main rival -- the Finks -- have been severely weakened with so many senior members behind bars and Bandido territory stretches south from Broadbeach. Police said last month's Hells Angels National Run was intended as a direct message to all gangs on the Gold Coast. More than 200 patched gang members descended on Surfers Paradise for the run. "These clubs are so well organised, they do nothing without a reason," police said. "You can bet they had some purpose in coming to the Gold Coast. "They taunted the Finks and nothing happened, now the Bandidos tattoo shop is shot up in the same way the gym controlled by the Hells Angels was hit a few months ago. "You join the dots." The shop is owned by a senior member of the outlaw gang who has been a patched member of the Bandidos "for years", police say. In an exclusive interview with the Bulletin, Mr Atkinson said the danger of bikie gangs was "under-rated" by the community. "The outlaw motorcycle gangs nationally present one of the greatest challenges to police. "I think the degree of that challenge and the risk they present to our society is underrated." The Gold Coast has one of the highest populations of bikie gangs in the country. Mr Atkinson said he would not be surprised if the Hells Angels were not considering a move closer to the Glitter Strip. "They are businesses, they look for opportunity so that wouldn't be a surprise," he said. "They market themselves as a group of mature men who have a love and interest in motorbikes and they do that very cleverly. The reality is they are highly sophisticated, well organised criminal enterprises that pose a genuine risk to the community and many are well represented by the finest and best lawyers who they retain to represent them." South East Region Assistant Commissioner Graham Rynders said the gangs were constantly looking to expand. "One of things about OMCGs is they look for opportunity for criminal enterprise," Mr Rynders said. "Throughout Queensland, throughout the country, probably throughout the world they are looking to expand. It is obviously dictated to by territory, depending on who or what other groups exist in what areas."

Jury hears grisly details about murder scene

2012-04-25T16:50:00.001+01:00

Police discovered a grisly scene on Sept. 10, 2000, when they entered a Cogmagun Road home in Hants County. “It was a very brutal scene,” Cpl. Shawn Sweeney, who was a constable with the Windsor rural RCMP detachment that day, testified Tuesday in Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Kentville. It was the second day of trial for Leslie Douglas Greenwood, 42, who is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Barry Kirk Mersereau, 48, and his wife, Nancy Paula Christensen, 47. Sweeney, a Crown witness, testified that he and four other police officers who responded to a 911 call found Christensen sitting upright in a chair in the living room of her Centre Burlington home with a bullet wound in her left cheek, under her glasses. She had a cup of tea in her hand and a small dog was sitting in her lap. There were several bullet casings and lead fragments scattered on the floor. Mersereau was lying face down, with pools of blood around his head and body. Another dog, believed to be a German shepherd-Rottweiler mix, was hiding under covers on the bed in the master bedroom. A third dog was tied to the front porch and another had run off into the woods. Sweeney told Chief Justice Joseph Kennedy and the seven-woman, five-man jury hearing the case that the house appeared to be neat and orderly, with no signs of struggle. “It didn’t appear to be a house that was rifled through or things thrown around,” Sweeney testified. Const. Glenn Bonvie told the court it was immediately obvious that Mersereau and Christensen were dead. “There was no movement. There was no doubt that they were deceased.” Crown witness Ronald Connors owned a hunting cabin in the woods about half a kilometre away from the couple’s house. He testifed that he heard several shots at about 8:15 p.m. on Sept. 9. Connors said he heard six shots fired in quick succession, followed by a pause and a couple more shots. Moments later, there were more shots. He said he thought at first someone might be jacking deer, but Connors concluded that the shots didn’t sound like those from a high-powered hunting rifle. The jury was shown a video of the two bodies as they were found. Former RCMP officer David Clace, then in charge of the RCMP’s forensics identification unit in New Minas, said a large amount of money was found in plastic bags in a gym bag in one of the bedroom closets. The bag was later determined to contain about $65,000 in cash. Crown attorney Peter Craig has told the court that the victims were shot to death in their home in an execution-style killing as part of a Hells Angels-ordered killing. “They were killed in their home in a quiet community, with a teapot on the stove, with no signs of struggle and their baby in the next room,” Craig told the jury. He said evidence presented by as many as 40 Crown witnesses will show that Michael Lawrence and Greenwood murdered the couple on the orders of Jeffrey Lynds, a former Hells Angels operative who died recently in a Montreal jail of an apparent suicide. Lawrence, who owed Lynds money, pleaded guilty last January to three charges of first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 25 years. Also killed that day, by Lawrence, was Charles Maddison, an innocent man who picked Lawrence up hitchhiking. Lawrence shot him to take his truck to commit a planned robbery. Craig said Lawrence, expected to be a crucial Crown witness, will testify that he and Greenwood shot the couple, one with a .357 Magnum, the other with a 32-calibre handgun, in what he called “planned and deliberate” killings. The couple’s 18-month-old baby boy was safely recovered from the house by neighbour Ruby McKenzie, who went to the victim’s home the day after the shootings. McKenzie said she brought the baby back to her mobile home and called police. Greenwood sat quietly during the proceedings, occasionally exchanging comments with his lawyer, Alain Begin. Begin is expected to argue that Greenwood went to the Mersereau house the day of the shootings to buy drugs, and that Lawrence shot the couple while Greenwood was waiting outside. Also charged with first-degree murder in the killings is Curtis Blair Lynds, 36, who is serving time in a federal prison for drug trafficking. A preliminary inquiry in his case is scheduled to begin July 16.

Internal dispute behind SA bikie shooting

2012-04-18T17:55:00.001+01:00

A DISPUTE within the Hells Angels bikie gang is thought to be behind the shooting of a gang member as he was driving in suburban Adelaide. The 29-year-old man was shot twice in the chest and arm around midnight in a targeted attack in the city's northwestern suburbs. He managed to drive his ute to Royal Adelaide Hospital, where he arrived at 12.20am CDT today. He remains in a serious condition. Crime gangs task force boss John De Candia said the man had provided police with some information, and detectives believed the attack stemmed from a dispute between fellow gang members. "What I can say is this is not a random incident," Superintendent De Candia said today. "We do not believe this is linked to any other past feud between any other motorcycle gangs. "We believe, at this stage, it is a dispute between the Hells Angels themselves." Supt De Candia said it appeared the attack came from behind while the man was in the vehicle. A bullet hole was also found in the back of his ute. He said some "items of interest" had been found at the scene but declined to give details. The victim has given detectives some details about his movements, but police are yet to determine if he knows who fired the shots and whether he is willing to co-operate. In previous incidents involving bikies in Adelaide, including a spate of shootings over the past year, police have been frustrated by the code of silence operating among bikie gangs, with members usually refusing to help detectives. A number of prosecutions have stalled in the courts for the same reason. "The code of silence that bikie gangs do adopt is difficult and it makes our job harder, but we still continue to progress the investigation," Supt De Candia said. He said the latest attack was also in keeping with the activities of bikie gangs and should act as a warning to anyone who was considering becoming a member or an associate. "This is the behaviour that they engage in. They have a total disregard for the law, they have a total disregard for the safety of innocent people," he said. "This isn't something you want to get involved in. "Just as certain as taxes and death are in life, then it's certain that people who are involved with motorcycle gangs are going to be risking their life."

Jury returns guilty verdict in Salinas gang murder case

2012-04-18T17:52:00.001+01:00

A jury found Carlos Espinoza guilty of all charges involving the August 2009 fatal shooting of a Salinas High School student who was on his way to football practice. Espinoza, 20, was found guilty of first-degree murder, attempted murder and street terrorism. Jurors also found true special allegations that Espinoza personally used a firearm and committed the crimes for the benefit, at the direction of and in association with a criminal street gang. Jurors began deliberations after closing arguments Friday. Espinoza was on trial for the murder of Jose Manuel Perez, 15, and attempted murder of another teenager on Aug. 6, 2009, in the 500 block of Terrace Street in Salinas. Perez died from multiple gunshot wounds. The other teen, identified as "Poncho" in court, was unscathed. He identified Espinoza as the shooter. Espinoza, 17 at the time of his arrest, was the remaining defendant in the case. Co-defendants Juan Nunez, Julio Montoya and Antonio Gayosso have pleaded to various charges for their roles in the homicide. According to testimony, the four went out in two cars in search of rival gang members in retaliation for an earlier shooting that had wounded a fellow Sureño gang member. Espinoza is scheduled for sentencing on May 17.

large Norteno gang party in the 500 block of East Cameron Street.

2012-04-18T17:50:00.001+01:00

On Friday Kings County Gang Task Force (KCGTF) Investigators received information that there was going to be a large Norteno gang party in the 500 block of East Cameron Street. KCGTF Investigators patrolled the area and at about 11:00 p.m. they noticed large groups of juveniles walking the streets and arriving in vehicles. KCGTF Investigators conducted surveillance on the location in unmarked vehicles and watched as numerous people entered a home. During the surveillance, someone contacted the Hanford Police Department complaining of a Juvenile party and possible underage drinking. At about 11:30 p.m. KCGTF Investigators along with the Hanford Police Department and the Kings County Sheriff’s Department arrived. Investigators entered the home and saw that there were nearly 100 people inside who were drinking and smoking Marijuana. Most of the partiers were juveniles and a majority were also Norteno gang members or associates. Digital Daily – subscribe to our daily newsletter A search of the home revealed three small children; ages 8, 10, and 13 who were crying inside a bedroom. The children ran up and hugged the officers pleading for help. They told the Investigators that their mother was at work and they were scared of all the people inside the home and the loud music was hurting their ears. Investigators also found that the room the children were in was littered with dog feces and discarded trash. Investigators also recovered several knives, daggers, and a Machete which had been discarded throughout the residence by the party goers. A keg of beer, several bottles of alcohol, and gang indicia was also found throughout the home. The 16-year-old who was throwing the party and was supposed to watch the young children was ultimately arrested and booked into KCJC for Child Endangerment, Minor in Possession of Alcohol, and Participation in a Criminal Street Gang. 23 adults between the ages of 18 and 24 were arrested for Contributing to the Delinquency of a minor, Child Endangerment, and Participation in a Criminal Street Gang. These adults were identified as: 24-year-old Johnny Cardenas-Moreno, 22-year-old Angel Moreno, 18-year-old Michael Williams, 18-year-old Luis Leon, 18-year-old Miki Schell, 18-year-old Anthony Sanchez, 19-year-old Vincent Diaz, 18-year-old Lisa Amador, 19-year-old Luis Avila, 18-year-old Edgar Gonzalez, 18-year-old Rudy Barrera, 18-year-old Dominique Reyes, 18-year-old Roman Mendez-Flores, 18-year-old Cesar Mortera, 21-year-old Jose Rojas, 19-year-old Juan Sahagun, 18-year-old Gustavo Leon, 18-year-old David Aguiniga, 18-year-old Perscilla Ruacho, 19-year-old Sarah Vasquez, 23-year-old Victoria Coronado, 18-year-old Salvador Carasco, and 18-year-old Michael Davis. Most of the adults had been drinking or Smoking Marijuana and had to be placed in the drunk tank at the jail. Several patrol cars from the Kings County Sheriff’s Office and the Hanford Police Department had to be used to transport them to the Kings County Jail. Investigators and Officers also cited 50 juveniles at the party for being Minors in Possession of Alcohol. All parents were contacted to come take their teens home. The home owner who was at work at the time of the party was contacted and came to take custody of the small children. The homeowner did not have any knowledge of the party and was extremely concerned at what had happened. The youngest juvenile at the party who had been drinking and in possession of alcohol was 11-years-old. KCGTF Investigators were extremely concerned for the three small children who had to go through this traumatic experience and witness the amount of gang members drinking and smoking narcotics in their residence. This was a great team effort between the Kings County Gang Task Force, Hanford Police Department, Kings County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kings County Jail intake unit.

Corsican gang wars in spotlight

2012-04-16T22:15:00.001+01:00

Zero tolerance will be shown for violence in Corsica, says Nicolas Sarkozy. Photo: Reuters

FRENCH security forces will show ''zero tolerance'' on gun possession in Corsica after a flare-up of violence on the Mediterranean island, Nicolas Sarkozy said.

''I understand the attachment of Corsicans to hunting but there are guns in their possession that are not tolerable,'' the President said after a meeting in Ajaccio with the Interior Minister, Claude Gueant, the Justice Minister, Michel Mercier, and local police. ''There is a level of arms possession in Corsica that doesn't come close to anywhere in France.''

There have been six murders so far this year in Corsica, with a population of 300,000 - including three in the past 16 days - and 22 last year, a homicide rate seven times that of mainland France. The murders have been linked to score-settling among criminal gangs, rather than to the island's separatist movement, according to local newspapers such as Corse-Matin.

Mr Sarkozy said the distinction was not always clear. ''It's not as if on the one side are greedy criminals only after money and on the other, assassins with convictions,'' he said.

Hunting rifles are legal in France for those with permits. Handguns and automatic weapons are available on the black market. The island's murder rate hit a peak in 2001 with 55 deaths.

Mr Sarkozy was in Corsica campaigning for re-election.

Five Aryan Brotherhood of Texas Gang Members Sentenced in Houston for Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering

2012-04-16T22:06:00.001+01:00

Five members of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas (ABT) have been sentenced to federal prison for their role in an aggravated assault that took place in Tomball, Texas, in September 2008, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division and United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson of the Southern District of Texas. United States District Court Senior Judge Ewing Werlein Jr today sentenced Zechariah Aaron Johnston, 31, aka “Oz,” to 84 months in prison; Stephen Kyle Knebel, 33, aka “Lil Evil,” to 24 months in prison; Robert Lynn Sheats, 33, aka “Dirty,” to 36 months in prison; and Johnny Ray Nichols, 35, aka “Nick,” to 18 months in prison. On March 23, 2012, Senior Judge Werlein sentenced Rusty Dwayne Plante, 34, aka “Rusty,” to 36 months in prison. All five defendants pleaded guilty for their role in the aggravated assault of an ABT prospect member. Johnston, Knebel and Nichols each pleaded guilty to racketeering aggravated assault. Plante and Sheats pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering aggravated assault. All five defendants are from the greater Houston area. According to court documents, the defendants were members of the ABT, a powerful race-based, state-wide organization that operated inside and outside of state and federal prisons throughout the United States. The ABT was established in the early 1980s within the Texas prison system. The gang modeled itself after and adopted many of the precepts and writings of the Aryan Brotherhood, a California-based prison gang that was formed in the California prison system during the 1960s. According to court documents, previously, the ABT was primarily concerned with the protection of white inmates and white supremacy/separatism. Over time, the ABT has expanded its criminal enterprise to include illegal activities for profit. According to court documents, the ABT enforces its rules and promotes discipline among its members, prospects and associates through murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, assault, robbery and threats against those who violate the rules or pose a threat to the enterprise. Members, and oftentimes associates, are required to follow the orders of higher-ranking members, often referred to as “direct orders.” According to court documents, Johnston, Knebel, Plante, Nichols and Sheats, along with seven fellow ABT gang members, participated in the beating of an ABT prospect member at the home of another ABT gang leader, Steven Walter Cooke, 48, aka “Stainless,” in Tomball, on September 22, 2008. The ABT prospect, who sustained serious bodily injury, was beaten by ABT gang members because he violated ABT rules of conduct. Eleven of the 12 co-defendants have pleaded guilty for their roles in the assault. The 12th ABT gang member, David Harlow, 43, aka, “Bam Bam,” was found guilty by Senior Judge Werlein on March 21, 2012, at trial in the Southern District of Texas. This case is being investigated by a multi-agency task force consisting of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the FBI; the United States Marshals Service; the Texas Ranger Division – Texas Department of Public Safety; the Walker County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office; the Montgomery County, Texas, Sheriff’s Department; the Houston Police Department-Gang Division; the Tomball Police Department; the Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Inspector General; and the Harris County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by David Karpel of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant United States Attorney Jay Hileman of the Southern District of Texas.

Biker fires gunshot at trooper

2012-03-29T23:12:00.001+01:00

total of six individuals were in custody Wednesday night following an incident where a gun shot was fired at a West Virginia State Police Trooper earlier in the day, according to police. Shortly before 3 p.m., West Virginia State Police attempted to make a traffic stop of a group of individuals riding motorcycles in the Harper Heights area of Raleigh County, police report. Instead of pulling over, one of the bikers — who police believe is affiliated with the Avengers motorcycle gang — fired at least one gunshot at the trooper and the alleged assailant, along with two others, attempted to flee the scene. The trooper sustained no injuries, authorities said. The suspects’ attempted escape resulted in a crash and a two-hour manhunt pursued, according to Raleigh County Sheriff Steve Tanner. Police were able to locate the three men who fled the scene, along with several others who were either involved, had knowledge of the incident, or witnessed the event. Police located the suspects in a home not far from where the incident occurred. A total of five men and one woman were taken into custody for questioning. “We have several people in custody who we believe were involved in the incident,” Tanner assured. “We do not believe the public is in any danger as the people we were most interested in finding have been apprehended.” Several others, who may have played a part in the incident, were also in custody Wednesday night. “I can’t be more specific because our department only assisted in this matter. This is the West Virginia State Police’s investigation,” Tanner explained. Police said the suspects will be arraigned in magistrate court today and additional information — including names and charges — is expected to be released by the West Virginia State Police.

A gangster famous for melting corpses in barrels of acid as part of one of New York's most feared mobs has written a gushing apology to his lawyer.

2012-03-16T21:22:00.001+00:00

Charles Carneglia, who is serving life in prison for four murders, was a hitman for John Gotti, leader of New York's Gambino mob in the 1980s.

But now a letter from 65-year-old Carneglia, who has been incarcerated at a high-security prison in Pennsylvania, hints at a pang of remorse.

'I apologise for being, how can I say this, pushy, in the past,' Carneglia wrote to lawyer Beverly Van Ness, the New York Daily News reported.

'I’m trying my best to cope with the situation. Again I apologise and I hope you forgive me.'

Yet the convicted killer, also known as 'Charlie Carnig', did not add any apologies for his victims.

More...

Carneglia allegedly dissolved the body of Gotti's neighbour, John Favara, in acid before tossing his finger bones into another gangster's soup.

Mobsters: John Gotti Jr, left, and Carneglia in 1991. Carneglia allegedly dissolved the body of a man who had killed John Gotti Sr's son in acid

Farvara became a target after accidentally killing Gotti's 12-year-old son in a traffic accident.

THE GOTTI GANSTER

Charles Carneglia was a hitman for Gambino crime family boss John Gotti.

Among killings ordered by Gotti, heallegedly dissolved the body of Gotti's neighbour, John Favara, in acid before tossing his finger bones into another gangster's soup.

Farvara became a target after accidentally killing Gotti's 12-year-old son in a traffic accident.

Carneglia was jailed in 2009 for four murders.

John Gotti ran the Gambinos with an iron fist. He was known as 'Dapper Don' for his custom-made suits and the 'Teflon Don' for avoiding racketeering and assault convictions in the 1980s.

He clawed his way to power by murdering rivals outside a Midtown steakhouse in 1985.

But federal wiretaps and the testimony of turncoat Sammy 'The Bull' Gravano in 1992 finally sent Gotti away for life.

He died in federal prison of throat cancer in 2002.

During a 1990 ambush in the World Trade Center parking lot, Carneglia also shot four bullets into a man who ignored his invitation to a social club.

A security guard, Jose Delgado Rivera, gunned down during a heist at Kennedy Airport was another of his victims.

Carneglia is now his own lawyer and has filed his own appeal against the life sentence he received for a series of killings.

In court papers, he argued he was wrongfully convicted as he was given poor advice from his lawyers and procedural errors impinged on his rights, the New York Post reported.

He complained his attorneys ignored his advice to put him on the witness stand and failed to object to the questioning of jurors in a small room behind the courtroom.

He spoke with Brooklyn federal Judge Jack Weinstein over speakerphone on Thursday.

Carneglia, who claimed he suffers from pulmonary disease, emphysema and asthma, told the judge his health felt 'terrible'.

But he once told an FBI agent that 'longevity runs in my family'.

'My mother’s over 90 years old. I don’t want to spend the next 30 years in jail,' he said.

Leader: John Gotti, also known as the Teflon Don, died in prison in 2002

Judge Weinstein told Carneglia he would rule on his motion soon.

But the daughter of one of his victims, Jose Delgado Rivera, told the Daily News she was glad to hear the killer was suffering.

'Poor b******,' Evelyn Colon said. 'I hope they will be taking him out soon in a body bag.'

Garage boss loses bid to sue cops for saying he was a gangster

2012-03-11T23:27:00.001+00:00

A GARAGE owner’s bid to sue police for £200,000 for branding him a crook was thrown out yesterday. David Lyons – who is part of the notorious Lyons crime family – said he was defamed when police claimed he was involved in “serious and organised crime, including trafficking and supply of class A drugs”. Lyons insisted that although members of his family had been in serious trouble, he was an honest businessman. He also said police had no evidence to back up their claims. The 52-year-old, who runs Applerow Motors in Lambhill, Glasgow, brought acivil action at the Court of Session in Edinburgh. Lyons had his MoT licence revoked two years ago following representations made by Strathclyde Police to the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA). In his action, Lyons said he lost the licence because police had branded him a “career criminal”. He said the loss of his MoT licence cost him him £7000 a year in lost trade. And he said some people shunned him because police had given him a bad name. Lyons claimed it was inferred that he used his garage business as “a front”. But he insisted he had “no relevant previous convictions and has led a straight life”. Lady Smith dismissed the action after lawyers acting for Strathclyde Chief Constable Stephen House challenged it at a procedural debate. House argued in theaction that when police passed on their intelligence, they were acting lawfullyand in good faith. Ranald MacPherson,solicitor advocate for the chief constable, told Lady Smith: “They have simply communicated, as they have to, that this intelligence exists.” Lyons’s brother Eddie is head of a drug-dealing Glasgow crime clan. And his son Paul is a well-known crook serving 12 years for a road rage killing. Applerow Motors was the scene of a gangland murder in 2006. Lyons’s nephew Michael Lyons, 21, was killed and two others were wounded. Two men were later jailed for 35 years. Lyons said: “There are people in my family involved in crime but why should I be held responsible for them? “I have never touched drugs, sold drugs or had anything to do with drugs.”

Cops Camping in Thailand for Dawood Aide Extradition

2012-03-10T17:16:00.001+00:00

Armed with hurriedly-prepared extradition documents, Indian police have rushed to Thailand to lay claim on underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's close aide, who is set to be freed soon upon completion of his sentence in a murder case, a move aimed at thwarting Pakistan's claim that gangster was their national. Mumbai police have been camping in Thailand since the last two days, to seek extradition of Dawood's aide Muzakkir Mudassar Hussain Sayyed alias Munna Zingada, who has been behind bars in Bangkok in a firing case in 2001, in which, rival gang leader Chhota Rajan was injured and latter's right hand man Rohit Verma was killed. Police sources said that Indian embassy in Thailand had informed the Delhi authorities, stating that Pakistan had already moved documents seeking Munna Zingada's extradition saying that his real name is Mohammed Saleem and that he was a Pakistani national. "Some time back, Pakistani authorities have submitted forged documents to prove their claim. We have prepared a stronger case, giving all the details of Zingada mentioning his criminal antecedents. Six Non Bailable Warrants have been issued against him and a Red Corner Notice had also been issued against the 43-year-old wanted accused," said a senior police official. In 2001, Zingada along with his associates had opened fire on Rajan in Bangkok. Rajan's right hand man Rohit Verma was killed, while Rajan survived. On Monday, city police were instructed by the Ministry of Home Affairs that a detailed report, seeking extradition of Zingada, to be prepared, mentioning the crimes carried out by him in Mumbai. Carrying all the details, a two-member team of the city police rushed to Delhi, from where, they flew to Thailand on Wednesday, after completing rest of the formalities for the extradition in the national capital. "It appears that our objective to prove that Zingada is an Indian national has been achieved," Himanshu Roy, Joint Police Commissioner (Crime) said. He however refused to divulge any other details. In a few days, Zingada is expected to complete his sentence in the Bangkok jail, sources said adding that he has been in jail since over a decade. "Now the Thailand authorities would go through both the claims, before taking a decision on whom to hand over the hardcore criminal," said a source. On September 4, 2001, Zingada was smuggled into Bangkok. Ten days later, he shot at Rajan, while the latter was partying, sources added. Zingada's initiation into crime took place in 1990, when he stabbed a fellow student to death over an eve-teasing incident outside his college at Jogeshwari (E). His ruthless nature soon caught the eye of Ismail Malbari, a close associate of mafia boss Chhota Shakeel, a right hand of Dawood, police said. A resident of Jogeshwari (E), Zingada finally graduated to the rank of a shooter, when he was assigned the task of killing a person at Shakeel's behest at Bandra, police said. Zingada's first big hit came on October 1997, when he shot dead an important member of gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli's party- Akhil Bharatiya Sena. Zingada's killing streak finally skid to halt, when he was apprehended with a mini-arsenal in his possession at Santacruz in 1997. Granted bail in 1999, Zingada flew the coup and landed in Karachi. Even before Zingada could settle down in the Pakistani city, Shakeel was assembling a death squad that would confront his own arch enemy.

Bulger’s girlfriend may opt to plead guilty

2012-03-10T17:09:00.001+00:00

James “Whitey’’ Bulger’s girlfriend, Catherine Greig, is considering pleading guilty to charges of helping the gangster evade capture for more than 16 years, according to several relatives of Bulger’s alleged victims. Steven Davis, whose sister Debra was one of 19 people allegedly slain by Bulger, said a victims’ advocate for the US attorney’s office told him Friday that Greig’s lawyers have indicated that she wants to plead guilty to the single charge of conspiracy to harbor a fugitive. “There is no plea bargain,’’ said Davis, adding that he has been told that Greig has not been given a deal by prosecutors and faces up to five years in prison on the charge. Related 11/20/11: The long, unlikely journey of Cathy Greig It is unclear whether Greig could be forced to testify against Bulger, 82, a longtime FBI informant who is scheduled to stand trial in November in a sweeping federal racketeering case. That case alleges the South Boston crime boss killed 19 people in the 1970s and 1980s. A spokeswoman for the US attorney’s office declined to comment on the potential plea, and Greig’s lawyer, Kevin J. Reddington of Brockton, could not be reached. Greig, 60, is scheduled to stand trial May 7 and is expected to appear Wednesday in US District Court in Boston for a hearing on her case. ‘I have no animosity toward her.’ Bill St. Croix, whose sister was allegedly strangled by Bulger and St. Croix’s father “If that’s what she wants to do is plead guilty, what else can you do but accept that?’’ said Davis, adding that he would not be disappointed if there is no trial in Greig’s case because she is not charged with any of the slayings and has no prior record. “Get rid of her [case], and we can all focus on him, Whitey.’’ Patricia Donahue, whose husband Michael was allegedly shot and killed by Bulger in 1982 on the South Boston waterfront, said Friday that she was disappointed by the prospect that Greig would resolve her case without being compelled to testify against Bulger. “I’m not happy,’’ Donahue said. Greig’s sister, Margaret McCusker, answered the door at her South Boston apartment Friday night, but would not speak with a reporter. Prosecutors have asked relatives of Bulger’s alleged victims to meet with them Monday to talk about the proposed plea and any objections they may have, said Davis, whose 26-year-old sister was allegedly strangled by Bulger in 1981. Bulger, who fled just before his January 1995 federal racketeering indictment after being warned by his former FBI handler that he was about to be arrested, was a fixture on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted list. He was finally captured on June 22 in Santa Monica, Calif., with Greig, a former dental hygienist who lived in South Boston and Quincy. The FBI found more than $800,000 cash and 30 weapons hidden inside the walls of the rent-controlled apartment where the couple had lived as Charles and Carol Gasko for at least 13 years, according to the FBI. They also found numerous false identities allegedly used by the couple. In court last November, prosecutors said they planned to bring additional charges against Greig within a few weeks, possibly involving the weapons and fake identities. But no new charges been brought against her. “I would like to see her charged with the guns and the money they found in California,’’ Patricia Donahue said. “I don’t really care about her [Greig], but I’m not happy with the way the government is handling this.’’ Donahue’s son, Shawn, said his family was hoping prosecutors could explain to them the status of the potential charges against Greig stemming from the discovery of the guns and cash in the apartment. Prosecutors allege that Greig joined Bulger on the run in early 1995 and helped him evade capture by running errands for him, picking up his prescriptions, and paying their utility bills. “If she’s just pleading out to the harboring charge, she’ll be getting off easy,’’ Shawn Donahue said. He said his family also wants to know if Greig can be compelled to testify against Bulger. Since they were returned to Boston last year, Greig has remained jailed without bail at a Rhode Island facility, and Bulger is being held at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility. Bill St. Croix, whose 26-year-old sister allegedly was strangled in 1985 by Bulger and St. Croix’s father, Stephen “The Rifleman’’ Flemmi, said Greig has the right to plead guilty and he does not hold her responsible for his sister’s death. “I have no animosity toward her,’’ said St. Croix. “Her going to jail is not going to benefit anybody. I get no just deserts seeing this woman suffer.’’ Greig’s attorney, Reddington, has argued in court that her only crime was falling in love with Bulger and that she had no knowledge of any of his crimes. He also said she would not cooperate against Bulger. St. Croix said he believed Greig would cooperate against Bulger only if he advised her to do so to win some leniency. “I imagine she’s old school . . . and is going to keep her mouth shut and take one for the team,’’ St. Croix said. “I don’t think she would cooperate against Jimmy unless Jimmy and her had discussed this prior.’’

Wheels of Soul outlaw motorcycle gang member pleads guilty

2012-03-06T21:22:00.001+00:00

Allan "Dog" Hunter, 33, of Chicago, was present during the March 6, 2011, shooting death of Javell T. Thornton, 32, also of Chicago, at 126 South Main St. according to a federal indictment. As part of his plea, Hunter, a member of the Wheels of Soul outlaw motorcycle gang, admitted Thursday in federal court that he conspired with other members of the gang to dispose of several firearms after the shooting. WOS was in Marion for a meeting at a private motorcycle club. In the early morning hours of March 6, a fight at the gang's after-hours party spilled onto the sidewalk on South Main Street. When the dust settled, three men were injured with stab and gunshot wounds, and Thornton was dead. The federal indictment states that Anthony R. Robinson shot three victims in the back as they fled the party, killing Thornton and seriously injuring another. Hunter reportedly fired a handgun indiscriminately into the crowd while wearing a bulletproof vest. Robinson has been indicted on one count of murder in aid of racketeering activity and one count of attempt to commit murder in aid of racketeering, along with other federal charges for murder and racketeering activities in other states, according to the federal indictment. Eighteen members of the WOS were indicted on federal charges June 9, 2011. One member allegedly stabbed another person in the head during a fight at a Chicago motorcycle club, then shot another in the stomach. The indictment says gang members are required to carry weapons - mostly guns, but also hammers, knives and other weapons.

Gangster First Most-Wanted Woman in 10 Years

2012-03-05T22:15:00.001+00:00

A CRIPS gang member who was last seen in Fort Worth has been added to the Texas 10 Most Wanted list. Damesha Roshun Traylor , 33, is the first woman in more than 10 years to appear on the list, according to the Department of Public Safety. Traylor's criminal history includes aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, drug possession and prostitution, the DPS said. Traylor is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs about 270 pounds. She has several tattoos, including "Sexy D" on her outside right wrist and on her outside upper left arm. The words "Playa Made" are tattooed on the center of her lower back. She also has cut scars on the back of her neck and left forearm. Traylor has worked on farms, in restaurants and at laundry facilities. A $7,500 reward is being offered for information leading to her arrest.

Hells Angels bikie war will explode in Kings Cross.

2012-03-04T13:16:00.001+00:00

POLICE investigating the Hells Angels have launched a new taskforce amid fears a full-blown bikie war will explode in Kings Cross. The Sunday Telegraph can reveal the operation, code-named Strike Force Cheviot, was set up after 40 to 50 members of the Hells Angels descended on the red-light district last month. Police believe the "unprecedented" act may have been designed to send a message to rival bikie group Nomads, which have long controlled security in the area. Detective Superintendent Arthur Katsogiannis, commander of the NSW Gangs Squad, said police had been watching the situation closely since the February 5 incident. "Yes, we are aware and monitoring the situation with what happened at Kings Cross that night with the Hells Angels", Mr Katsogiannis told The Sunday Telegraph. "It was an unprecedented act from the Hells Angels and that's why it's important the Gangs Squad involved ourselves from the beginning. "Safety of the community is our top priority and we will not be allowing any OMCGs (outlaw motorcycle gangs) to carry on with that type of behaviour". Police are investigating a possible outbreak of violence between the Nomads and the Hells Angels, who have been on an expansion and recruitment drive for months around Sydney. It is one of several lines of inquiry being probed by Cheviot detectives. They are also looking at a credible allegation that Hells Angels members went to Kings Cross to confront a member of the Nomads clan who works in the area. The man, who for legal reasons cannot be named, was formerly a member of the Hells Angels but "patched over" several months ago. Since then he has been performing unofficial security tasks for nightclub premises in Kings Cross, including venues aligned with local identity John Ibrahim. Law enforcement sources said when the Hells Angels descended on the nightspot they arranged themselves across the road from a club where the man was believed to be working, and demanded he come outside. "That forms part of several lines of inquiry we are looking at," Mr Katsogiannis said, adding that officers from Strike Force Raptor were patrolling Kings Cross on the night of the incident and quelled the situation. "If they (Raptor police) didn't intervene at the time, it could have been a lot worse". Police have connected the Nomads member with some of the recent shootings across southwestern Sydney, all of which are under investigation. In November, The Sunday Telegraph revealed the individual was the target of a drive-by attack at an Oporto restaurant in Merrylands, which occurred two days after he was released from custody. Mr Katsogiannis said Strike Force Cheviot officers, would continue weekend patrols of Kings Cross to prevent any outbreaks of violence for "as long as it takes".

Hells Angel arrested in killing of fellow gang member

2012-02-27T22:40:00.001+00:00

Ending a four-month-long manhunt, San Jose police arrested -- without incident -- a Hells Angel wanted for the murder of a fellow Angel in the middle of a funeral. The 38-year-old suspect, Steve Ruiz, is suspected of shooting fellow Angel Steve Tausan to death Oct. 15 at San Jose's Oak Hill Cemetery. Ruiz, who had been on the run for months, was caught Saturday evening at a motel in Fremont. "We're relieved to have him off the streets," said Sgt. Jason Dwyer during a Sunday news conference at police headquarters. "This was a difficult case for investigators to solve." Ruiz's arrest is the latest chapter in a series of bizarre and violent chain-reaction episodes involving the Hells Angels, a legendary outlaw motorcycle gang originally formed in 1948 in Fontana. In September, San Jose Hells Angels President Jeff "Jethro" Pettigrew was shot and killed in a Nevada casino, allegedly by a member of the rival Vagos motorcycle gang. Pettigrew and Tausan were close friends. More than 3,000 members of various motorcycle clubs gathered in October at Oak Hill to pay their respects to Pettigrew. Sources have said a fistfight erupted between Tausan and Ruiz, and during the fight, Ruiz drew a handgun, shot Tausan and fled during the melee that ensued. Tausan was a Hells Angels legend, an ex-boxer who beat a man to death at the Pink Poodle strip club in 1997, only to have a jury acquit him after he claimed self-defense. His funeral Advertisement also was held at Oak Hill. For months, San Jose police have been trying to find Ruiz. Dwyer said that Ruiz had been moving around from place to place and was known by authorities to have stayed briefly in the Stockton and Sacramento areas. A fresh tip to detectives indicated that Ruiz was in Fremont, and more than a dozen officers moved quickly Saturday to surround the Days Inn motel at 46101 Warm Springs Blvd. Ruiz, who was believed to be armed and dangerous, apparently was alone and surrendered to police about 7:30 p.m. without incident. He spoke to detectives and was booked at the Santa Clara County main jail. "We don't believe that he'd been there for very long," said Dwyer of the Fremont motel. "We had a small window of opportunity to capture him. The fact that he surrendered peacefully was fortunate." San Jose police stressed that the Hells Angel murder, which has received national publicity, was one of 39 homicides in San Jose last year and that detectives worked the case like any other, putting in long hours as they juggled a heavy caseload. They also said that Ruiz had a lot of help eluding law enforcement in the four months since the funeral. "If someone helped him evade capture, we're going to come after them," Dwyer said.

Estonian gangsters netted a quarter of a million pounds worth of designer watches from a jewellers in Newcastle city centre.

2012-02-25T06:54:00.001+00:00

Members of an Eastern European gang who flew around the continent for armed robbery day trips were today jailed for a £250,000 raid on a UK jewellers.

In a daring smash and grab attack lasting just 31 seconds, three Estonian gangsters netted a quarter of a million pounds worth of designer watches from a jewellers in Newcastle city centre.

Convicted murderer Marek Viidemann and his accomplice Sander Sarik smashed display cabinets with hammers, while Raido Ragga held staff at gunpoint to stop them raising the alarm.

Daring: The Estonian budget-airline bandits pictured on security camera during their raid on Berry's jewellers in Newcastle city centre

The trio were part of a wider gang targeting jewellers around Europe, whose members were bought flights by crime bosses in Estonia and ordered to carry out the robberies.

Gangsters who owed money to organised crime were recruited to carry out the robberies on day trips to their destinations around the UK and elsewhere.

They would fly back to eastern Europe the next day while the stolen goods would be shipped separately.

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Jailing Viidemann for 10 years, Judge Brian Forster, at Newcastle Crown Court, told him: 'You were part of an international crime gang.

'You were willing to cause terror and fear and your purpose was to get as much as you could as quickly as you could and then leave the country.

'This was a daring and terrifying robbery and was carried out without regard to those who work in the shop.

'The courts will protect the citizens of Newcastle from anyone who thinks they can come and prey upon them.'

Fast: In just over 30 seconds, the gang swiped a quarter of a million pound worth of watches from the jewellers, as terrified staff were held at gunpoint

Viidemann, Sarik and Ragga struck at Berry’s jewellers, on Grey Street, Newcastle, at around 10am on August 20, 2008.

Convicted killer: Marek Viidemann, 35, was jailed for 10 years at Newcastle Crown Court for his part in the raid

Ragga went in brandishing a handgun while Viidemann and Sarik used hammers to get to the valuables.

Mark Simpson, prosecuting, said: 'The gunman pointed the handgun at staff and told them to get down.

'The others smashed the display cabinets and took 31 watches and the best makes were targeted.'

After just 31 seconds in the store they were gone, removing clothing and gloves as they left the scene.

Police recovered the clothes that had been left behind and found Viidemann’s DNA on them. Some of the stolen watches were later found on a coach in Dover.

Viidemann, 35, fled the country and ended up back in Estonia. He was finally detained on a European arrest warrant in his home city of Tallinn, the Estonian capital, last October.

Ragga, 26, and Sarik, 22, went on to carry out robberies at other Berry’s stores in Chester and Windsor. They were both jailed for 11 years at earlier hearings elsewhere.

Too late: Police outside the high-class jewellers after the robbery

The court heard Viidemann had a conviction in his homeland for aggravated murder for gain and robbery, for which he was jailed for 10 years in 1998.

In that offence he and four others beat a man to death to steal from him.

Judge Forster asked how he had got into this country, but prosecutors did not know. The Border Agency will be informed of his latest conviction.

Andrew Rutter, defending Viidemann, said: 'His involvement in this robbery came about because he had fallen on hard times in Estonia.

'It was not his scheme but he accepts he lent himself to it.'

Members of the organised crime gang have struck across Europe and five other robbers have previously been jailed for a total of more than 55 years.

The ring was linked to at least 150 armed robberies across the UK and Europe.

Jewellers were targeted in places including Leeds, Manchester, the West Midlands, London, Cheshire and Newcastle, while they also carried out raids in Germany, Sweden, Italy and Finland.

Detectives from Monaco even flew to Britain to quiz a member of the gang over a $75,000 raid on a Monte Carlo jewellers.

Police believed the gang stole watches worth more than £1million in total, few of which were ever recovered.

Gang Member Pleads Not Guilty In Stabbing Death

2012-02-25T05:55:00.001+00:00

documented gang member accused of stabbing a transient 19 times after the defendant issued a gang challenge to the victim pleaded not guilty Thursday to a murder charge. Josue Hernandez Gutierrez, 20, was ordered held in lieu of $1 million bail in connection with the slaying of 48-year-old Emiliano Cortez of San Diego. Gutierrez was arrested Monday outside a friend's College area home. Deputy District Attorney Kristian Trocha told Judge David Szumowski that Gutierrez and a 14-year-old boy attacked Cortez about 4:45 a.m. Saturday as he was walking in the 3700 block of T Street, about a half-mile from the home where the victim lived with relatives. Gutierrez issued a gang challenge, and for some reason, the victim responded that he was from a rival gang, the prosecutor said. The defendant then stabbed the victim 19 times, including 10 to the back, Trocha said. Cortez died Saturday night, according to the prosecutor. The 14-year-old was arrested Tuesday at a Chula Vista residence. His case is being handled in Juvenile Court. Police disclosed no suspected motive for the slaying, except that it was believed to be gang-related. There was no evidence that a robbery or other crime was involved, San Diego police Lt. Kevin Rooney said. Residents of the area where the killing happened told investigators a loud argument and a man's screams prompted them to look outside, at which point they saw someone lying on a sidewalk and two people running off to the east. It was unclear why Cortez was walking through the inner-city neighborhood just east of downtown San Diego, though he apparently was not on his way home. Gutierrez was charged with murder, a gang allegation and the use of a knife. He faces 26 years to life in prison if convicted. A status conference was set for March 1 and a preliminary hearing for March 7.

Mongols Motorcycle Gang Member Convicted of Murdering President of San Francisco Hells Angels

2012-02-25T05:48:00.001+00:00

federal jury found Christopher Bryan Ablett, a/k/a “Stoney,” a member of the Modesto Chapter of the Mongols outlaw motorcycle gang, guilty of all four felonies with which he was charged including murder in aid of racketeering, assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering, using a firearm during a crime of violence, and using a firearm causing murder during a crime of violence, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced. The charges stemmed from the defendant’s gang-related murder of Mark “Papa” Guardado, the president of the San Francisco Chapter of the Hells Angels, on September 2, 2008, at 24th Street and Treat Avenue in the Mission District of San Francisco. Evidence at trial showed that Ablett traveled to San Francisco to visit a friend. He was armed with a foot-long military knife and a .357 magnum revolver. Ablett brought with him a Mongols full-patch vest and t-shirt that only a full member of the Mongols is allowed to wear. According to testimony from Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) gang expert Special Agent John Ciccone, and former Mongols undercover ATF Special Agent Darrin Kozlowski who infiltrated the gang, the Mongols are an organized criminal motorcycle gang whose primary rival is the Hells Angels motorcycle gang. When word traveled to Guardado that the defendant was wearing a Mongols patch shirt in a bar in the Mission, Guardado went to the street outside the bar and approached Ablett. A fight broke out during which Ablett stabbed Guardado four times and shot him twice, killing him. According to the testimony of FBI Special Agent Jacob Millspaugh, the case agent, the defendant’s phone records showed that he spent the next several hours calling people who were identified as members of the Mongols—showing that he was reaching out as part of the Mongols communication network. The jury rejected the defendant’s defenses of self-defense, defense of his friends, and heat of passion after the defendant took the stand and testified. The jury also found that the defendant murdered Guardado to maintain or increase his position in the Mongols gang, and that the Mongols engaged in racketeering activity. Ablett is scheduled to be sentenced on May 15, 2012. He faces a possible sentence of three terms of life in prison plus 10 mandatory consecutive years, a $1 million fine, and five years of supervised release. Specifically, for the charge of murder in aid of racketeering, in violation of 18 United StatesC. § 1959, Ablett faces a mandatory minimum sentence of life without parole. For the charge of assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering, in violation of 18 United StatesC. § 1959, Ablett faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. For the charge of using a firearm during a crime of violence, in violation of 18 United StatesC. § 924(c), Ablett faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. And for the charge of using a firearm causing murder during a crime of violence, in violation of 18 United StatesC. § 924(j), Ablett faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the United States Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 United StatesC. § 3553. The case was prosecuted by former Assistant United States Attorney Christine Wong, Assistant United States Attorneys Kathryn Haun, Wilson Leung and William Frentzen, paralegal specialist Lili ArauzHaase, legal techs Marina Ponomarchuk, Daniel Charlier-Smith, and Ponly Tu, all of the Organized Crime Strike Force and Violent Crime Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, and the San Francisco Police Department.