Author: terry.katz

E
Expert in motorcycle gangs can testify at trial of 6 Pagans, judge rules
April 15, 2026

A Montgomery County judge ruled on April 15, 2026, that an expert in outlaw motorcycle gang subculture can testify at the upcoming trial of six Pagans Motorcycle Club members. The trial, set to begin on May 18, 2026, stems from a violent October 2025 confrontation and shootout with the rival Unknown Bikers Motorcycle Gang at a West Norriton Wawa. www.pottsmerc.com +3

The Ruling
Judge Risa Vetri Ferman determined that expert testimony is relevant to establishing the defendants’ intent, motive, and the nature of the alleged conspiracy. www.pottsmerc.com +1

Permitted Testimony: The expert, Jeremy Scheetz of the ATF, may educate jurors on the structure, hierarchy, and “1% or 1 percenter” ethos of outlaw motorcycle gangs. He can also explain the significance of gang symbols, colors, and patches.

Excluded Testimony: The judge prohibited the expert from offering “speculative analysis” of video evidence or discussing the defendants’ prior criminal records or arrests. www.pottsmerc.com +2

Case Background

The incident occurred on October 17, 2025, when Pagans members allegedly initiated an attack on rival bikers to forcibly remove their “colors” (vests). www.timesherald.com +2

Casualties: Six people were wounded in the ensuing gunfire, including two innocent bystanders—a man shot in the face while filling tires and a woman shot near the store entrance.

Legal Theory: Prosecutors are using accomplice liability, arguing that “the act of one is the act of all” during the coordinated assault.

•Defendants: The six men facing trial are

George Hripto Jr.
,
Erik P. Rosenberger
,
George Cwienk III
,
Manuel Baez-Santos
,
Joel Hernandez-Martinez, and Justin Ray Noll www.timesherald.com

Defense Counter-Argument

Defense attorneys argued that gang-related testimony would unfairly prejudice the jury by focusing on “guilt by association” rather than individual actions. They also pointed out that 13 of the 14 shell casings found at the scene were linked to the Unknown Bikers, who they claim were the ones responsible for the gunshot injuries.

www.timesherald.com +2

MARYLAND BIKER CLUB NABBED IN EASTERN PA. HARLEY HEIST SPREE

https://hoodline.com/2026/04/maryland-biker-club-nabbed-in-eastern-pa-harley-heist-spree/#:~:text=MARYLAND%20BIKER%20CLUB,April%2017%2C%202026

Authorities say a Maryland motorcycle club rolled into eastern Pennsylvania, hit five Harley-Davidson dealerships, and rolled back out with nearly $200,000 in bikes before the law caught up with them.

hree alleged members of the group were charged Thursday in connection with thefts that investigators say took place between April 2 and July 20, 2025, across Bucks, Dauphin, Lehigh, Monroe and York counties. One late July incident reportedly turned violent and ended in a high-speed chase into Maryland. The suspects are currently being held there and are expected to be arraigned in Pennsylvania at a later date.

In a news release, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General said 53-year-old Jermaine Holland, 48-year-old Jennifer M. Heist and 36-year-old Craig Grinage each face felony counts of corrupt organizations, organized retail theft, robbery and related offenses. The office identified the trio as members of the Guerilla Motorcycle Club, a chapter of the Maryland-based Wheels of Soul, and noted that Maryland authorities have charged other club members in similar heists. “This brazen and violent group made a big mistake coming into the Commonwealth to commit crimes,” Attorney General Dave Sunday said in the release.

As reported by CBS Pittsburgh, investigators say most of the thefts followed the same script. One person would stroll onto the showroom floor and make a small purchase, while an accomplice quietly wheeled a motorcycle out of the dealership. On July 20 at Eisenhauer Harley-Davidson in Manchester Township, York County, prosecutors allege Holland went a step further, climbing onto a customer’s motorcycle,
pointing a handgun, and taking off, which triggered the pursuit into Maryland where officers recovered a firearm. CBS reports the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Organized Retail Crime Section led the investigation.

How investigators say the ring operated

The Attorney General’s Organized Retail Crime Section says surveillance footage and witness statements tied that same two-person tactic to thefts at Harley-Davidson lots in all five counties, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General said. In several cases, dealership workers described only a brief gap between the distraction at the counter and the disappearance of a bike, giving suspects just enough time to move a motorcycle to a waiting vehicle before staff realized what was happening. State officials say those repeating patterns, combined with additional investigative work, linked the Pennsylvania thefts to related charges already filed against club members in Maryland.
How investigators say the ring operated

The Attorney General’s Organized Retail Crime Section says surveillance footage and witness statements tied that same two-person tactic to thefts at Harley-Davidson lots in all five counties, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General said. In several cases, dealership workers described only a brief gap between the distraction at the counter and the disappearance of a bike, giving suspects just enough time to move a motorcycle to a waiting vehicle before staff realized what was happening. State officials say those repeating patterns, combined with additional investigative work, linked the Pennsylvania thefts to related charges already filed against club members in Maryland.

Legal context and penalties

Prosecutors charged the defendants under Pennsylvania laws designed to go after coordinated theft operations rather than just one-off shoplifters. Under the state’s organized retail theft statute (18 Pa.C.S. §3929.3), running an organized retail theft enterprise can be prosecuted as a felony, with tougher grading as the value of the stolen goods climbs. The corrupt organizations law (18 Pa.C.S. §911) lets prosecutors pursue the alleged enterprise itself, exposing defendants to first degree felony penalties and potential civil remedies. According to the Attorney General’s office, the Organized Retail Crime Section will handle the prosecutions.
What to watch next

The three defendants remain in Maryland custody while Pennsylvania authorities finalize paperwork and set an arraignment date, and officials have not publicly committed to an extradition timeline. Investigators say the probe is still active and that more arrests or charges could follow as agencies coordinate across state lines. Anyone with information about the Harley-Davidson thefts is urged to contact the Office of Attorney General or local police, according to the release.

Man facing drug and gun charges may have ties with Oshawa biker club Satan’s Choice

Story by Spiro Papuckoski April16, 2026 •
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/man-facing-drug-and-gun-charges-may-have-ties-with-oshawa-biker-club-satan-s-choice/ar-AA214dKE

An Ontario man facing drug and gun charges doesn’t appear to be shy about his apparent ties to a resurgent biker club in Oshawa.

Last week, Trent Lakes resident Joshua Fawcett was arrested and charged by Ontario Provincial Police following an investigation that led to the seizure of 53 long rifles, 278 grams of cocaine and a quantity of Canadian cash.

The OPP said the accused was suspected of having firearms despite being prohibited from possessing them.

Police said a warrant was used to search a building on Bessie Ave. in Trent Lakes on April 8. According to a website and Facebook account , a Joshua Fawcett is listed as the owner of Fawcett Excavating located on Bessie Ave.

Police said a warrant was used to search a building on Bessie Ave. in Trent Lakes on April 8. According to a website and Facebook account , a Joshua Fawcett is listed as the owner of Fawcett Excavating located on Bessie Ave.

An attempt to contact the Joshua Fawcett who owns the Facebook account to confirm he is the same person charged by the OPP went unanswered Thursday.

Despite his recent legal woes, it appears Fawcett may be associated with the resurrected Satan’s Choice motorcycle club and its new leader Harley Guindon .

In a photo shared to a Facebook account with the same name as the accused, a man is pictured wearing a shirt bearing the Satan’s Choice patch while posing with Guindon during a trip to Bali, Indonesia, in January.

The account also tagged Guindon in the photo.

On that same trip, the man on the Facebook page was also photographed cooling off in a pool with Guindon .
A Joshua Fawcett can also be found regularly commenting on Guindon’s social media.

I’m proud to say Harley Guindon is one of my brothers,” Fawcett said in an April 7 Facebook post
.
“I believe in him. I believe in this. It’s real! There’s no one I’d rather have standing beside me, in front of me or behind me. And I know he will do any of those things because he’s got my back just like I’ve got his.”

The supportive gesture was in response to a 12-minute video Guidon posted thanking his followers for the biker club’s membership growth since his acrimonious split with Hells Angels.

Satan’s Choice relaunched last summer

Last summer, Guidon announced he was relaunching Satan’s Choice, which was founded by his father Bernie Guidon in 1965 in Oshawa. It had merged with Hells Angels in 2000 before the younger Guidon revived the club 25 years later.

“The Choice is back,” Guidon said on Facebook in August 2025 . “I am refounding the Satan’s Choice, with the permission of my father, who I have made an honorary member.”

Guidon, who also runs a clothing business in Oshawa called Harley G’s, has indicated that he has personal issues will two members of Hells Angels. But he has said he is not at war with the Hells Angels.

However, his store has not been immune to violence in recent months.

In early February, shots were fired at the shop which shattered the store’s windows. A social media post showed plywood put up to cover the damage before repairs could be made.

A week later, Durham Regional Police said officers responded to a report of an armed person outside the store .

Cops soon learned that two male individuals arrived at the location in a black vehicle and approached the storefront. Police allege one male used a hammer to break the glass front door while the second male tried to ignite an incendiary device.

Two suspects, both of whom were 16 years old, were arrested a short time later and charged with dozens of offences.

Prosecutors Drop Felony Charges Against 4 Men in 2024 Portland Biker Clash

The men reached plea deals on lesser assault charges after a deadly shooting during the incident.
Apr. 15, 2026

https://nationaltoday.com/us/me/portland-me/news/2026/04/15/prosecutors-drop-felony-charges-against-4-men-in-2024-portland-brawl/

Prosecutors have dismissed felony charges against four men accused of using hammers in a 2024 fight on Portland’s Forest Avenue involving alleged rival biker gangs. The men reached plea deals on Wednesday, pleading guilty to lower-level assault charges and receiving brief jail sentences. One man, Aaron Karp, previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter for fatally shooting a bystander during the incident, claiming self-defense.

WHY IT MATTERS
The case highlights the challenges prosecutors face in proving serious charges in chaotic street brawls, as well as the ongoing tensions between rival motorcycle clubs in the Portland area. The incident resulted in a tragic loss of life and raised questions about how law enforcement should respond to conflicts between organized criminal groups.

THE DETAILS

In 2024, the state charged seven men who were accused of attacking members of an alleged rival biker gang. Aaron Karp pleaded guilty in 2025 to manslaughter for shooting 54-year-old Susan McHugh during the fight, claiming self-defense. The other six men were originally charged with elevated aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy, but four of them pleaded guilty to lower-level assault charges and will serve brief sentences. Lawyers for the men said their clients, who were reportedly affiliated with the Higher Calling motorcycle club, had gone to the parking lot to retrieve stolen merchandise before the fight broke out.

• In July 2024, the state charged seven men in the Forest Avenue incident.

• In 2025, Aaron Karp pleaded guilty to manslaughter for the shooting death of Susan McHugh.

• On Wednesday, four of the men reached plea deals on lesser assault charges.

THE PLAYERS

Aaron Karp
Pleaded guilty in 2025 to manslaughter for shooting 54-year-old Susan McHugh during the 2024 fight, claiming self-defense.

Caleb Pelkey
One of the men charged, evaluating a plea deal that would lead to up to 30 days in jail for misdemeanor assault.

Kristofer Haken
One of the men charged, being held out of state and not present at the settlement conference.

Jason Keenan
Pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor-level counts of assault, sentenced to 30 days in jail and a $600 fine.

James Moody
Pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor assault, sentenced to 30 days in jail and a $600 fine.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

“The evidence shows this was chaos.”
— David Bobrow, Attorney

“These charges were extremely serious and I think the state knew they had an uphill battle proving them.”
— Vincent LoConte, Attorney

“They were trying to right a wrong. And I think that was recognized in the plea offers today.”

Biker (Mathew Drumond) accused in 2019 (Jason Brown) death denied bail after allegedly contacting Outlaws

By Dale Carruthers

Biker (Mathew Drumond) accused in 2019 (Jason Brown) death denied bail after allegedly contacting Outlaws
byu/416TDOT0DOT inCrimeInTheGta

Mathew Drumond remains in custody while awaiting trial.

An alleged Outlaws motorcycle club member who was granted bail while charged in the beating death of a former club prospect is back behind bars for allegedly breaching his release conditions.

Mathew Drumond, 39, of London, is charged with manslaughter in the death of Jason Brown, 43, whose body was found along an Oshawa road on March 13, 2019.

Brown, a Guelph resident, had been kidnapped from a cemetery in Harriston, a community northwest of Guelph, one day before his body was found nearly 200 kilometres away, police said.

Drumond is an alleged full-patch member of the Outlaws motorcycle club, and Brown was a one-time prospect for the club, police said.
The Outlaws, the oldest motorcycle club in the world, have chapters across Canada, including in London and Sarnia.

Police charged Drumond and a North Perth woman with first-degree murder in Brown’s death in February 2025. Three other people, including Drumond’s brother, Joshua, were previously charged in the killing.

The charge against Mathew Drumond was later reduced to manslaughter, and he was freed on bail in December under conditions that included not communicating with anyone linked to the Outlaws.
London police arrested Drumond on April 7 and charged him with 10 counts of failure to comply with a release order. He is accused of breaching his conditions by communicating with individuals linked to the Outlaws, according to court records.

Drumond was denied bail Tuesday. He was under a reverse onus, meaning the defence had to show why detention was not justified. A publication ban was placed on any evidence presented during the hearing.

Brown’s sister, Tara, who watched the bail hearing virtually, previously said Mathew Drumond and her brother had known each other since 2014 and were best friends.

New details about Brown’s death were revealed in June, when Jessica Martin, 35, of North Perth, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of being an accessory after the fact to manslaughter and was sentenced to time served in pretrial custody.

According to an agreed statement of facts, Brown had a “significant” drug habit and was a former Outlaws prospect, CTV reported.
Brown was beaten with a baseball bat, tied up with duct tape and put into a vehicle. He died in the vehicle or after being taken to the Outlaws’ Toronto clubhouse, the broadcaster reported.

Steven Walsom-Gerigs, 35, of Brantford, and Travis Willard Wand, 32, of Wellington North, previously pleaded guilty to charges related to the aggravated assault of Brown and to assault causing bodily harm to another man who had gone to the cemetery with Brown.

Martin admitted to destroying two cellphones, one of which belonged to Brown, picking up Wand after he dumped the vehicle used in Brown’s death and burning Wand’s bloody clothes, CTV reported.

Joshua Drumond, a Winnipeg resident who is also alleged to be a member of the Outlaws, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to eight years.

Mathew Drumond’s manslaughter case remains before the courts. A trial confirmation hearing is scheduled for April 29 in Guelph.
dcarruthers@postmedia.com

Biker accused in 2019 death denied bail after allegedly contacting Outlaws

Canadian Outlaws MC Member Arrested for Breaching His Release Conditions on Murder of A Prospect.

Motorcycle club meeting in Tennessee town turns into deadly gunfire, sheriff’s office says

Troyce Grant Fox13 Memphis Tennessee April12, 2026
fox13memphis.com/news/motorcycle-club-meeting-in-tennessee-town-turns-into-deadly-gunfire-sheriffs-office-says/article_94e4c520-c569-4edd-8a00-31ccbd238bbf.html

HENNING, Tenn. — A motorcycle club meeting in the small Tennessee town of Henning turned into gunfire over the weekend, killing a man and injuring another man, the sheriff’s office said.

The motorcycle club, 1WheelMotion, took to Facebook on Sunday — identifying the man killed as a beloved DJ known as MotorCat. A family member confirmed to FOX13 that he was killed the night before.

According to the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO), the shooting happened at the motorcycle club’s meeting point on McFarlin Avenue. There, an argument between two men, 54 and 31, escalated into gunfire, the sheriff’s office said.

LCSO said more than one weapon was involved. Deputies also recovered additional firearms arms from a vehicle belonging to one of the men, including one stolen from another county.

The injured person was taken to Regional One for treatment, officials said.

In a statement, Lauderdale County Sheriff Brian Kelly said such violence would not be tolerated, adding those involved would be held accountable. His full statement is below:

“Let me be clear. This type of violence must stop. When tempers take over and firearms are introduced, the outcome is permanent. Lives are lost, families are left to deal with the consequences, and there is no way to undo that decision. If you choose to engage in this behavior, you are gambling with your life and the lives of others. We will hold those responsible fully accountable.”

FOX13 spoke to a local DJ who worked with MotorCat.

“He was just always just like a big brother, you know, just showing me the ropes, giving me the game,” Frank Nitty, of Henning, said. “Stuff that he would do if he couldn’t do it, if he was booked already, he was sending my way and vice versa,” Frank Nitty, of Henning, said. “So, we were together for about 20 years now. ”

LCSO has not released the names of the people involved in the shooting.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Criminal Investigations Division at the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office at 731-635-1311.
Homicide of DJ at 1WheelMotion MC Clubhouse in Tennessee

Bar owner denies ‘hidden room,’ defends biker club ties ahead of liquor license hearing

The attorney for the owner of a Bryant bar linked to a lawsuit and alleged biker gang ties is pushing back.

Author: Tanya Modersitzki April 6, 2026
https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/benton-bryant/bar-biker-club-liquor-license-hearing/91-af5fc37d-d1b0-4fff-b6fc-03b330025270

BRYANT, Ark. — The attorney for the owner of a Bryant bar linked to a lawsuit and alleged ties to a biker gang is pushing back. We’ve reported that Burks Brothers Brewing is named in a lawsuit filed by a former detective after claims of an officer’s involvement with the biker gang.

The bar owner’s attorney, Kale Ludwig, responding in a statement, said, “I hate to ruin a good headline, but Burks Brothers is not a biker bar, and there is no ‘hidden room’.”

In December, we reported that former Bryant Police detective Shanna Hastings is suing the chief of police and mayor, claiming she was wrongfully fired after raising concerns about another officer’s alleged involvement with the Banditos motorcycle gang.

Her concerns stemmed from an investigation at Burks Brothers last summer after a fight with a Banditos member and two others, which resulted in someone allegedly being stabbed. Charges were later dropped.

Body cam footage THV11 obtained in January shows a hidden room behind a bookcase discovered by Hastings and an Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) agent.

In a statement, Ludwig said, “The area being referenced was disclosed to ABC in the approved floor plan and is posted at the premises. It is a storage area, not open to the public, and accessed through a bookshelf door.”

The owner of Burks Brothers is Dr. Jesse Burks. Ludwig said Dr. Burks “has been open about his association with a motorcycle club. It’s a law-abiding group. There’s nothing illegal about it.”

The statement goes on to say, “Dr. Burks is a practicing podiatric surgeon and an upstanding member to our community. His goal is simply to operate the bar in full compliance with the rules of the ABC and provide a safe, enjoyable environment for his patrons.”

Ludwig said the fight last summer was an isolated incident.

Burks Brothers goes before the ABC board this Thursday.

The entire statement from Ludwig said, “I hate to ruin a good headline, but Burks Brothers is not a biker bar, and there is no ‘hidden room.’ The area being referenced was disclosed to ABC, in on the approved floor plan and is posted at the premises. It is a storage area, not open to the public, and accessed through a bookshelf door. Dr. Jesse Burks has been open about his association with a motorcycle club. It’s a law-abiding group. There’s nothing illegal about it. Like any bar, there was an isolated incident among patrons last summer, but that does not define the business or how it is run. Dr. Burks is a practicing podiatric surgeon and an upstanding member to our community. His goal is simply to operate the bar in full compliance with the rules of the ABC and provide a safe, enjoyable environment for his patrons.”

The City of Bryant attorney denied any further comment.

Former Pagan’s Motorcycle Gang Member Pleaded Guilty for Armed Assault Against Rival
Tuesday, April 7, 2026

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Missouri

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former member of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Gang pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays for his involvement in an armed assault against a member of rival motorcycle club.

Jeffrey S. Hannah, also known as “Got-It,” 43, of Grain Valley, Mo., pleaded guilty today to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering and one count of possession of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

On Sept.17, 2022, Hannah and other members of the Pagan’s and their support club, the Los Valerosos, chased and forced a lone rival gang member from the road in Blue Springs, Mo. Various members of the Pagan’s and Los Valerosos were armed with firearms and at least one axe handle. Hannah and the others confronted the victim on the side of the roadway and ultimately, the victim was shot seven times, with wounds to his knee, thigh, forearm, biceps, buttocks and back of his leg.

Under federal statutes, Hannah is subject to a sentence of not less than five years and up to life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the FBI, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department
.
Operation Take Back America

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

*********************
DOJ: Kansas City biker gang associate sentenced after rival shot 7 times

Nick Sloan Digital Content Producer KMBC April 7, 2026

KANSAS CITY, Mo.
—
A Kansas City man connected to an outlaw motorcycle gang will spend seven years in federal prison for a violent attack against a rival biker.

Bryan Fletcher, 49, was sentenced Monday to 84 months behind bars without parole.

He previously pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering and using a firearm during a crime of violence.

Charges in the case come from a September 2022 incident where Fletcher and other gang members allegedly chased a rival motorcyclist, forcing him off the road.

Court records state that members of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club and its support club, Los Valerosos, were armed with guns and at least one axe handle when they confronted the victim along the roadside.

The victim was shot seven times, suffering injuries to his leg, arm, and back.

The case was investigated by the FBI along with multiple local and federal agencies.

B.C. Hells Angel facing new Ontario murder charge

He’s been charged in the U.S. for allegedly agreeing to send hitmen to kill two Iranian dissidents. He was convicted in Manitoba of trafficking cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl.
By Kim Bolan Vancouver Sun April 3, 2026

https://vancouversun.com/news/crime/bc-hells-angel-ontario-murder-charge

B.C. Hells Angel Damion Ryan.
PHOTO BY MANITOBA RCMP /PNG

It’s been a rough few years for B.C. Hells Angel and Wolfpack gangster Damion Ryan.

A would-be hitman tried to kill him in the food court at Vancouver Airport in April 2015.

Since then, he’s been charged in the U.S. with agreeing to send hitmen to kill two Iranian dissidents. He was convicted in Manitoba of trafficking cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl. He was named as a defendant in a B.C. government lawsuit targeting three Hells Angels clubhouses.

And now he has been charged in Ontario with first-degree murder in connection with a January 2021 slaying in Bolton, about 50 kilometres northwest of Toronto.

Ontario Provincial Police announced the new charges against Ryan, 45, on April 1. He is set to make a first appearance in an Ottawa courtroom on April 13.

Meanwhile Ryan’s sentencing hearing in the drug trafficking conspiracy is due to begin in Winnipeg on May 6, after his conviction on five counts in December 2025.
t
The new charges against Ryan also include counts of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder in 2020 and 2021.

The OPP said they relate to a shooting on Nov. 12, 2020, on Steeles Avenue West in Vaughan. One person was injured and taken to hospital.

Then on Jan. 18, 2021, in the early afternoon, OPP officers were called about a shooting on Harvest Moon Drive in Bolton.

“Two people sustained gunshot wounds inside the home, including the victim from the Vaughan incident,” the OPP news release said.

Giovanni Costa, 65, was found dead at the scene. His son Michael was the target of the murder conspiracy but survived both attempts on his life.

Ryan was the fifth person charged. Two others charged, Filmon Fesshaghirgis, 27, and Waheed Barakziye, 48, remain fugitives.

“With a fifth person arrested, the OPP’s investigation continues as officers work to identify the whereabouts of two wanted individuals. If anyone has any information, we urge you to contact police immediately,” OPP Detective Inspector Steven Martell said in the release.

Also charged in the case are Christopher Brown, of Barrie, Neheniah Tirfe, of Toronto.

Ryan, who grew up in east Vancouver, was wounded in a 2010 shooting at a restaurant on Oak Street. He eventually moved to Ottawa, where he was a member of Nomads chapter of the Hells Angels before it was disbanded over an internal dispute.

He then joined the biker gang’s Attica, Greece chapter, before transferring back to B.C. to join the Haney chapter, of which his uncle is a long-time member.

Ryan was arrested in February 2022 at an Ottawa house once owned by the family of fellow Wolfpack gangster Rabih Alkhalil on the Manitoba drug conspiracy charges. Alkhalil has been convicted of two counts of murder in both Ontario and B.C.

While in custody awaiting trial, Ryan was charged in January 2024 in the U.S. with having a role in the unsuccessful murder plot targeting the unnamed Iranian dissidents. The indictment in the case alleges Ryan was working for Iranian drug lord Naji Zindashti — on orders from the Iranian government — and alleges he was recorded on an encrypted device agreeing to put together a team to do the hit for US$350,000, plus $20,000 in expenses.

kbolan@postmedia.com

No crime or criminals here, say B.C. Hells Angels fighting court forfeiture of clubhouses

New court filings say the government is improperly relying “on global allegations” against the Hells Angels.

By Kim Bolan Vancouver Sun March 31, 2026
https://vancouversun.com/news/no-crime-or-criminals-bc-hells-angels-fighting-court-forfeiture-clubhouses

The owners of two Hells Angels clubhouses that the B.C. government wants to take over deny the biker gang is a criminal organization.
And the companies that own the Haney and Mission City chapter buildings linked to the notorious motorcycle club claim their Charter rights are being violated by the B.C. director of civil forfeiture and the police.

Both Haney Farms Ltd. and 0593308 B.C. Ltd. recently filed almost identical statements of defence to a lawsuit launched by the government agency in December.

The director alleges that the Haney and Mission clubhouses, as well as a Surrey one that had been rented by the Hardside chapter, have been financed and maintained using criminal proceeds.

The B.C. government also said that the Hells Angels is a criminal organization in Canada, as defined by the Criminal Code, and “is affiliated with other criminal organizations and individuals engaged in unlawful activities which have similar purposes to its own.”

“Some of these criminal organizations or individuals contribute to, or participate in, the commission of serious offences for the benefit of and/or at the direction of members of the Hells Angels,” the December lawsuit alleged.

But the new court filings said the government is improperly relying “on global allegations” against the Hells Angels.

“The defendant denies that the Hells Angels is a criminal organization or affiliated with other criminal organizations and individuals engaged in criminal activities, and further denies that it has a reputation for violence, that it relies on this reputation for the purposes of intimidation and other unlawful activities, or that its global presence, membership, recruitment process, structure and rules facilitate its members to engage in any unlawful activity as alleged or at all.”

The Haney clubhouse, at 13733 McKechnie Rd., sits on 1.9 hectares in Pitt Meadows and is owned by Haney Farms, which has two full-patch Hells Angels as directors. The property, designated farmland, is assessed at $893,624.

Mission City’s clubhouse, at 7071 Mershon Rd., is owned by 0593308 B.C., which has three Hells Angels as directors. It’s assessed at $1,086,000.

But both statements of defence deny that the corporate owners are holding the properties for the benefit of the Hells Angels.
They also deny a government claim that current and past members of each chapter have convictions for various criminal offences, including drug trafficking, drug smuggling, conspiracy, and firearms possession.

Yet Mission Hells Angel Jason Arkinstall was granted day parole in February after convictions for smuggling large amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine into Canada in 2020. The Parole Board of Canada noted his continued Hells Angels membership in its ruling.

And Haney Hells Angel Damion Ryan, who is also part of the Wolfpack gang alliance, was convicted in Winnipeg in December of conspiracy to traffic in meth, cocaine and fentanyl, as well as conspiracy to profit from the proceeds of crime as a member of an organized crime group. He has yet to be sentenced.

The two new statements of defence were filed two months after the owner of the Surrey property that had been used by the Hardside chapter filed their defence.

Gurbinder Singh Johal and his wife Kulwant, who own the house at 18068-96th Ave. in Surrey, said they had “no knowledge of the alleged unlawful activities referred to in the notice of civil claim and are not, and have not, been connected to any such unlawful activities.”
They also said they evicted their tenant, Hells Angel Gurpreet Dhaliwal.

The latest government lawsuit targeting the Hells Angels was filed 2 1/2 years after a court victory that led to the forfeiture of Hells Angels clubhouses in Nanaimo, east Vancouver and Kelowna. Many of the allegations in the current case mirror those in the earlier lawsuit, which was originally filed in 2007.

After initially losing that case in B.C. Supreme Court, the director won in the B.C. Court of Appeal.
While the bikers sought to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada, in 2023, the country’s highest court declined to hear the case, clearing the way for the forfeiture of the clubhouses.

All three have now been sold or demolished.