Category: Gangs in the news…

15 biker gang members plead guilty after Richmond Hill shootout
Officials said several bystanders were caught in the crossfire.

Graham Cawthon WJCL Savannah, Georgia, Dec 12, 2025
https://www.wjcl.com/article/outcast-motorcycle-gang-richmond-hill-georgia/69710784

Fifteen members of the Southeast Georgia chapter of the Outcast Motorcycle Gang have been convicted in what officials described as the largest motorcycle gang prosecution in Georgia history, officials announced Friday.

Information released Friday by the Office of Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr said the case, dubbed Operation “Patronus,” followed a 13-month, multiagency investigation that led to the recovery of more than 100 firearms. Authorities said investigators executed more than 40 search warrants, including 17 residential warrants across multiple Georgia counties, Fort Stewart and Wakulla County, Florida, and also seized two motorcycles and two cars.

All 15 defendants pleaded guilty in Bryan County to conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit robbery by intimidation, and violating Georgia’s Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, according to the attorney general’s office.

Prosecutors said the charges stem from an attempted armed robbery and shootout on June 17, 2022, at Flacos House Bar & Grill and the Red Roof Inn on U.S. Highway 17 in Richmond Hill.

Officials said several bystanders were caught in the crossfire and that six members of a rival gang were the intended robbery targets.
The case also targeted the chapter’s leadership, including alleged president Melaun Aiken, vice president Eddie Latson, secretary Lee Alan Mole and road captain Joseph Leeks, officials said.

Aiken, 48, was sentenced Dec. 3 to 25 years, with seven years in prison and the remainder on strict probation, after entering a non-negotiated plea, authorities said.

Mole, 61, was sentenced Oct. 8 to 20 years, with two years in prison; Simmons, 44, received 20 years with four years in prison on July 23; and Latson, 45, was sentenced Dec. 4, 2024, to 20 years with four years in prison, according to the attorney general’s office.
Other sentences ranged from prison time followed by probation to strict probation, including one defendant who received 20 years of strict probation and banishment from Georgia except for one county, officials said. Authorities said no charges were dismissed as part of the pleas.

“This historic case is a testament to the results we’re able to achieve when all levels of law enforcement work together,” Carr said in a statement.

Full list of defendants and charges:

Melaun Arturi Aiken (aka “Do Wurk”), age 48
• 11 counts of Aggravated Assault
• 7 counts of Attempted Armed Robbery
• 21 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 2 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault
• 2 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery by Intimidation
• 2 counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony
As part of this plea, Aiken is also required to pay $17,345 in fines, which includes $7,500 for Gang Leadership charges and five separate fines equating to $1,969 each.

Lee Alan Mole (aka “Trench”), age 61
• 11 counts of Aggravated Assault
• 7 counts of Attempted Armed Robbery
• 14 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 2 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault
• 2 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery by Intimidation
• 2 counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

Taurus Marquis Simmons (aka “Repeat”), age 44
• 11 counts of Aggravated Assault
• 7 counts of Attempted Armed Robbery
• 14 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 2 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault
• 2 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery by Intimidation
• 2 counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

Terrance Donita Potter (aka “Chatter Box”), age 47
Potter entered a non-negotiated plea to the following charges. On Aug. 22, 2025, he was sentenced to 20 years of strict probation and banishment from the State of Georgia except for one county.
• 11 counts of Aggravated Assault
• 7 counts of Attempted Armed Robbery
• 14 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 2 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault
• 2 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery by Intimidation
• 2 counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

Eddie Latson (aka “Stash”), age 45
Latson pleaded guilty to the following charges. On Dec. 4, 2024, he was sentenced to 20 years, with the first four years to be served in prison and the remainder on strict probation.

• 11 counts of Aggravated Assault
• 7 counts of Attempted Armed Robbery
• 14 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 2 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault
• 2 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery by Intimidation
• 2 counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony
As part of this plea, Latson is also required to pay $5,655 in fines.

Joseph Leeks (aka “Axel”), age 46
Leeks pleaded guilty to the following charges. On Feb. 6, 2025, he was sentenced to 20 years, with the first four years to be served in prison and the remainder on strict probation.
• 8 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 2 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault
• 2 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery by Intimidation
As part of this plea, Leeks is also required to pay $3,000 in fines.

Marquis Jones (aka “Grudge”), age 41
Jones pleaded guilty to the following charges. On Sept. 22, 2025, he was sentenced to 20 years, with the first 180 days to be served in a Probation Detention Center and the remainder on strict probation.
• 8 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 2 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault
• 2 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery by Intimidation
As part of this plea, Jones is also required to pay $4,255 in fines.

Donovan Scott (aka “Sockit”), age 38
Scott entered a non-negotiated plea to the following charges. On July 23, 2025, he was sentenced to 20 years, with the first two years to be served in prison and the remainder on strict probation.
• 8 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 2 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault
• 2 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery by Intimidation

Shron Gilbert (aka “Hard Left”), age 54
Gilbert pleaded guilty to the following charges. On March 17, 2025, he was sentenced to 20 years, with the first four years to be served in prison and the remainder on strict probation.
• 11 counts of Aggravated Assault
• 7 counts of Attempted Armed Robbery
• 14 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 2 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault
• 2 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery by Intimidation
• 2 counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony
As part of this plea, Gilbert is also required to pay $4,155 in fines.

Demon Thompson (aka “9 Ball”), age 46
Thompson pleaded guilty to the following charges. On July 3, 2024, he was sentenced to five years of strict probation.
• 4 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 1 count of Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault
• 1 count of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery by Intimidation
As part of this plea, Thompson is also required to pay $2,905 in fines and perform 80 hours of community service.

Paul Gosden (aka “White Collar”), age 54
Gosden pleaded guilty to the following charges. On Aug. 22, 2025, he was sentenced to five years of strict probation.
• 4 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 1 count of Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault
• 1 count of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery by Intimidation
As part of this plea, Gosden is also required to pay $2,905 in fines.

Theron Singleton (aka “DMB” and “Do My Best”), age 60
Singleton pleaded guilty to the following charges. On March 17, 2025, he was sentenced to 10 years of strict probation.
• 4 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 1 count of Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault
• 1 count of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery by Intimidation
As part of this plea, Singleton is also required to pay $4,255 in fines.

Labarron Pollock (aka “Bootleg”), age 50
Pollock pleaded guilty to the following charges. On May 1, 2024, he was sentenced to 10 years of strict probation.
• 4 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 1 count of Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault
• 1 count of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery by Intimidation
As part of this plea, Pollock is also required to pay $2,180 in fines and perform 80 hours of community service.

Jemar Mack (aka “Ghost” and “Ghost Ryder”), age 45
Mack pleaded guilty to the following charges. On Feb. 6, 2025, he was sentenced to 20 years, with the first four years to be served in prison and the remainder on strict probation.
• 4 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 1 count of Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault
• 1 count of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery by Intimidation
As part of this plea, Mack is also required to pay $3,000 in fines.

Whitney Lenore Hooks (aka “Secrets”), age 39
Hooks pleaded guilty to the following charges. On July 3, 2024, she was sentenced to five years of strict probation.
• 4 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
• 1 count of Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault
• 1 count of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery by Intimidation
As part of this plea, Hooks is also required to pay $2,905 in fines and perform 80 hours of community service.

The State’s case against an additional defendant has been put on indefinite hold due to a medical diagnosis of incompetence stemming from physical injury.

Dozen Hells Angels bikies charged after morning raids in Sydney

By Adam Vidler 9 News Sydney Australia December 11, 2025
https://www.9news.com.au/national/hells-angels-bikies-charged-allegedly-breach-consorting-warnings/0e0cfd3b-b1ec-4e1e-86ec

A dozen Hells Angels bikies have been charged with consorting with criminals during a period of what police describe as “escalating tension” with a rival gang.

Strike Force Bension was established in August this year to respond to the intensifying feud between the Hells Angels and the Gladiators, following an alleged clubhouse “takeover” in the New South Wales Hunter region in July.

Police issued 27 public safety orders against alleged gang members and associates, to prevent them visiting the clubhouse afterwards.

Since August, more than 30 consorting warnings were issued to alleged members of the Hells Angels.

However, police allege these warnings were breached on various national runs and the club’s 50th anniversary celebrations, in NSW, the Australian Capital Territory, South Australia, and Victoria.

From 6am yesterday, police carried out a total of 14 search warrants across Sydney and arrested 12 men, all of whom were charged with consorting with criminals.

State of Florida v. Clinton Neal Walker

Press Release | December 10, 2025

Mongols Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Member Sentenced to Prison in Bike Week Shooting

DAYTONA BEACH – During a hearing this morning, defendant Clinton Walker entered no contest pleas to Aggravated Rioting and Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Rioting. He was then sentenced to five years and two months in prison followed by five years of probation with no early termination. Special conditions, in addition to standard conditions of probation, include:

• No membership or contact with any member of the Mongols Outlaw Motorcycle Gang or any other outlaw motorcycle gang (OMG).

• Surrender all gang paraphernalia, OMG Mongols vest (“cut”). Any other “cut” or item, including badges, stickers, signs, etc., which designates membership, status, rank, or any other means of affiliation to any OMG.

• No possession of firearms, weapons or ammunition.

Walker was one of the dozens of members of the Mongols Outlaw Motorcycle Gang taken into custody on July 2, 2025, during Operation Mongolian Beef, which stemmed from the gas station shooting in New Smyrna Beach during Bike Week on March 8, 2025.

“The defendant and his gang engaged in a brazen act of violence that – by the grace of God – did not result in a fatality,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said about the case. “Gang activity will be rooted out and vigorously prosecuted in the 7th Circuit.”

“The Mongols brought their gang violence into our community at a busy gas station in broad daylight. If they thought there would be no consequences, they came to the wrong place,” Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood noted. “I’m glad to see justice done in this case, I appreciate each of our local, state and federal partners who helped lock up and prosecute all the gang members responsible, and I hope this message gets through: We are not going to tolerate lawlessness in Volusia County, Florida.”

“Mr. Walker’s actions brought fear and disorder to our communities,” FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley added. “He was not a bystander during the shooting on March 8, 2025. He was an active participant in orchestrated violence that put innocent lives at risk. Let this sentencing send a strong message to others. The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to target, dismantle and disrupt criminal gangs that threaten our neighborhoods.”

The joint operation was carried out by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office, FBI Jacksonville, FBI Tampa, FBI Miami, FBI Richmond, FBI Newark, FBI Columbia, FBI Charlotte, with assistance from the State Attorney’s Office for the Seventh Judicial Circuit, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S Marshals, FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the sheriff’s offices of Brevard, Broward, Collier, Escambia, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Polk, and the police departments of Boca Raton, DeLand, Lakeland, New Smyrna Beach, Palm Bay, Orange City, Orlando, Rockledge, and Titusville.

Assistant State Attorney Helen Schwartz successfully prosecuted the case for the State of Florida. The Honorable Elizabeth Blackburn presided over the case and pronounced sentence.

For more information contact:
Haley Harrison | Public Information Officer | Office of State Attorney R.J. Larizza, Florida’s Seventh Judicial Circuit | SAOPIO@SAO7.org

Key West motorcycle gang member arrested in teen sex solicitation case: Sheriff

By NBC6 Miami Florida • December 9, 2025
https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/key-west-motorcycle-gang-member-arrested-in-teen-sex-solicitation-case-sheriff/3731972

A member of the Key West outlaw Pagan motorcycle gang was arrested in a teen sex solicitation case, authorities said.

Derek Marshall Queen, 43, was arrested Monday on charges of obscene communication with a minor, lewd and lascivious behavior toward a minor, soliciting a minor for prostitution, transmitting harmful material to a minor, use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony, and destruction of evidence, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office officials said.

Authorities said Queen had contacted a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl online, but it was actually an undercover investigator.
Queen allegedly propositioned the person for sex, despite repeatedly acknowledging that he believed the person was underage, and sent multiple images showing him exposed and pleasuring himself, authorities said.

After a joint investigation involving the FBI, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Queen was arrested and booked into jail.

Queen is no stranger to law enforcement. In March of 2024, he was arrested on kidnapping, battery and robbery charges after he and two other Pagan members beat up a rival gang member on Big Pine Key, authorities said.

Man shot outside Northwest Jacksonville motorcycle club

By ActionNewsJax.com News Staff WOKY December 06, 2025
https://www.wokv.com/news/local/man-shot-outside-northwest-jacksonville-motorcycle-club/5CQ5A7LWJJEQHHN26HHDUHA4IA/

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is searching for the person who shot a man outside a local motorcycle club.
The shooting happened just before 4 a.m. Saturday at the Group Riders Motorcycle Club, located at 8142 New Kings Road.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office says the shooting happened outside the motorcycle club and did not explicitly say the motorcycle club was involved.

Deputies said a man in his 60s was sitting in a car when he was hit in the cheek by a bullet. Officers said his injury was not life-threatening.

It’s unclear what led to the shooting. Investigators are looking to see if it was caught on surveillance video.
Investigators do not have any description of the suspect or what kind of vehicle the suspect was in.

Anyone with information is asked to call JSO at 904-630-0500.

7 men ordered to stand trial on charges in connection with Montco Wawa shootout

By Jim Melwert, KYW Newsradio December 5, 2025
https://www.audacy.com/kywnewsradio/news/local/7-members-pagans-motorcycle-club-ordered-to-stand-trial-wawa-parking-lot-shooting

WEST NORRITON (KYW Newsradio) — Seven members of the Pagans Motorcycle Club have been ordered to stand trial on charges in connection with a shootout in the parking lot of a Montgomery County Wawa.

Prosecutors showed video on Friday of nine members of the Pagans Outlaw Motorcycle Club pulling into the West Norriton Wawa on Main Street and Trooper Road around 9 p.m. on Oct. 17, surrounding two members of the Unknown Motorcycle Club.

At least 14 shots were fired. No one was killed, but six people were wounded, including two uninvolved bystanders — a man putting air in his tires was hit in the face, and a woman smoking a cigarette near the store’s entrance was shot in the side.

During the contentious seven-hour preliminary hearing, a Montgomery County Detective testified that 13 of the 14 shell casings recovered at the scene came from guns carried by the Unknowns. Prosecutors said they had permits to carry and acted in self-defense.

Defense attorneys argued there’s no evidence any of the Pagans caused any of the injuries, arguing that’s proved by the Unknowns firing 13 of the 14 known shots.

But prosecutors argued every Pagan knew what was happening as they pulled in the parking lot, and the Unknowns acted in self-defense, and had permits to carry firearms.

All charges, including aggravated assault, riot, and reckless endangerment, were held for trial.
Two other Pagans, George Cwienk III, 51, and Erik Rosenberger, 46, are charged, but their lawyers didn’t show. Their preliminary hearings will be rescheduled.

Joel Hernandez-Martinez, 36; George Hripto Jr., 50; Jason Lawless, 45; Manuel Baez-Santos, 34; Erik Dixon, 33; Luke Higgins, 29; and Justin Noll, 34, are scheduled for a formal arraignment on Jan. 7, 2026.

B.C. Govt Aggressively Targets Hells Angels by Suing to Seize their Clubhouses, Especially Langley

The Hells Angels clubhouse in Langley has been the gathering place for the White Rock chapter of the outlaw biker gang for years.

B.C. Govt Aggressively Targets Hells Angels by Suing to Seize their Clubhouses, Especially Langley

The B.C. Civil Forfeiture Office has targeted Hells Angels clubhouses around Metro Vancouver, but Langley remains a stronghold for the gang. On Wednesday, Dec. 3, the province announced it is going to court to seize the properties belonging to the outlaw motorcycle gang’s chapters in Mission, the Hardside chapter in Surrey, and the Haney chapter in Pitt Meadows. The government alleges that the properties are the proceeds of crime, which has not yet been proven in court.

The new forfeiture case comes in the wake of a 2023 court decision that saw the gang’s Kelowna, Vancouver, and Nanaimo clubhouses seized following a years-long legal battle. If successful in its new court actions, the government will leave the Hells Angels with few clubhouses remaining in the Lower Mainland, with the major exceptions of Langley and Coquitlam. Langley has been home to both the White Rock and West Point chapters of the club in recent years.

The White Rock chapter was formed in 1983 as the Hells Angels began spreading across B.C. and consolidating its influence over smaller, independent biker gangs. It moved to its current Langley site, at 21764 61 Ave., decades ago. A sizeable gate, fences, hedges, and security cameras guard the five-acre rural property near Milner. Like most neighbouring properties, the site is zoned for rural uses, rather than the conventional P-1 institutional zoning that is used for most gathering places and clubhouses, like Royal Canadian Legion or Lions halls in Langley Township.

According to the Township, under ALR rules rural sites can hold up to 10 gatherings a year; Hells Angels clubs are widely reported to require weekly meetings of their members. The City of Surrey has attempted to block the Hardside chapter from using a rented Surrey home as a clubhouse with a civil action that began in 2020, arguing they are violating local bylaws. That case has been moving slowly through the courts and is currently scheduled to go to trial in February 2027. In 2023, the White Rock chapter clubhouse in Langley was the site of a huge gathering to celebrate the chapter’s 40th anniversary, with numerous police watching as the local bikers and guests from across Canada entered and left. The West Point chapter is one of the newest full chapters in the province, formed in 2012 and reportedly an offshoot of the White Rock chapter. It was originally planning to establish a clubhouse in Surrey, but according to media reports at the time, then RCMP Supt. Bill Fordy publicly announced that the Surrey RCMP would strongly resist their efforts to put down roots there. After 2012, reports had the West Point chapter meeting in informal settings in Langley, including upstairs from a pub, and later in a rented home on an acreage in South Langley. According to Cpl. Tom Saunders of the B.C. Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU), an anti-gang unit, the West Point chapter were most recently located in a leased industrial unit at 5778 Production Way in Langley. “Since we have begun civil proceedings on many of the Hells Angels MC [motorcycle club] clubhouses, many landlords have decided not to renew the lease to the Hells Angels MC and their clubs for fear of civil proceedings against them,” Saunders said. “This was the case with the Hells Angels MC West Point Chapter Clubhouse.” They vacated that site in 2023. Since being ousted from that location, they have used other sites for club meetings and events, and have not overtly advertised where they are gathering, said Saunders. “We anticipate that other clubs will be taking a less overt approach to advertising their clubhouse locations moving forward,” he added.
Source: Langley Advance Times

Man Sentenced for Supplying Shotgun to Comanchero Gang Associate

The Comanchero Motorcycle Club’s clubrooms in Woolston, Christchurch, on August 28, 2024, which is 19 days after Michael James Whitelock had passed a shotgun to an unlicensed associate at the premises. (File photo)

Man Sentenced for Supplying Shotgun to Comanchero Gang Associate

A South Canterbury man’s claim he was not aware of the gang connections of an associate he illegally gave a shotgun to was not accepted by a judge.

The illegal handover of firearms in Christchurch, on August 9, 2024, was one of five firearms charges that Michael James Whitelock, 37, was sentenced on, by Judge Hermann Retzlaff in the Timaru District Court on Friday.

The four other charges related to a search warrant executed at Whitelock’s property north of Temuka, on March 13, 2025, when police recovered a Tikka 7mm 08 rifle, a Crossman air rifle, a .22 pistol and an assortment of various calibre ammunition.
The court heard that an aggravating feature of these two incidents was that Whitelock had previous firearms convictions in 2015. On that occasion Whitelock was jailed for 4½ years in the Greymouth District Court having pleaded guilty to the ill treatment of animals, unlawful possession of firearms, and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

According to the police summary of facts, Whitelock was at the Woolston, Christchurch, gang pad of the South Island Comanchero Motorcycle Club last August when the exchange of the pump action shotgun took place.

Whitelock first met with a high-ranking member of the Comanchero gang before removing the firearm from his motor vehicle and, at the direction of the associate, placed it in a gang nominee’s vehicle.

Whitelock left the gang pad, and shortly afterwards, the nominee left for his address, in his vehicle which had the firearm.
“The firearm was recovered during a search warrant at that address three weeks later,” the summary said.
“The Comanchero member was not a firearms licence holder.”

After a search of Whitelock’s property in March, the summary said he admitted to possession of the firearm at the Comanchero’s pad.

Michael James Whitelock in the Greymouth District Court in August 2015 when he pleaded guilty to 12 charges, including serious ill treatment of animals and firearms offences. (File photo)Sarah-Jane O’Connor / THE PRESS

“He further admitted owning the other firearms located at his address, claiming he used them for hunting.”

The summary said Whitelock claimed the .22 pistol did not work, and was used as a toy by his child.

Defence lawyer, Thomas Nation, said his client had made a number of errors of judgement during his life and his criminal history was evidence of that.

Nation said Whitelock was at a point where he had an opportunity to provide for those who rely on him, and he had a strong work ethic.
“This really represents a turning point for him,” he said.

The pump action shotgun that Michael James Whitelock supplied to an associate involved with the South Island Comanchero Motorcycle Club in Christchurch. Whitelock was sentenced to six months community detention in the Timaru District Court on five firearms-related charges. (File photo)THE TIMARU HERALD

Police prosecutor Sergeant Ian Howard said the biggest aggravating feature was that Whitelock had possession of firearms when he shouldn’t have, and then deliberately supplied them to the gang member at the gang pad.

Howard said police also rejected a suggestion he wasn’t fully aware of the affiliation.

“He certainly would have known where he was, and what he was doing, and who the person was that he was dealing with.”
Howard said it was “sheer luck” that the firearm was now not in the hands of the gang members that it was supplied too.
Judge Retzlaff said he was unsure whether he could accept the lack of gang links claim.

“The aggravating features of these circumstances are previous convictions.”

Judge Retzlaff said in mitigation, the pre-sentence report advanced community detention, community work and a donation to charity.
“This is advanced on the basis of your recognised strong work ethics, self-employment and your business associates…
“I have noted a $5000 donation made to search and rescue.

“I do not accept that you are completely ignorant as to your associate’s gang connections.”

Judge Retzlaff’s starting point was 24 months jail for possessing the shotgun and supplying it to a non-licensed person. He uplifted that to 28 months for the remaining charges and increased that to 30 months for Whitelock’s previous relevant convictions.

A 25% early guilty pleas discount reduced that to 22½ months, with a deduction of a further 1½ months for a “positive personal background”.
Judget Retzlaff referred to the pre-sentence report and submissions from Whitelock’s counsel, in ruling that the potential level of culpability could be met, by a fine margin, with a non-custodial sentence.

The judge said the hope was that Whitelock could continue to remain free from any future negative associations or reoffending, and he imposed the maximum community detention sentence of six months.

Judge Retzlaff said that was the least restrictive outcome and allowed for the continued prospects of rehabilitation, along with continued constructive employment.

Whitelock was also sentenced to 100 hours community work and ordered to pay a further donation of $1000 to The Salvation Army.
Judge Retzlaff ordered the destruction of the firearms and ammunition.

Source: The Press TE MATATIKA

Massive Crackdown on Comancheros in New Zealand: Nearly All Members Facing Charges

. https://bikerliberty.com/2025/12/05/massive-crackdown-on-comancheros-in-new-zealand-nearly-all-members-facing-charges/

In a landmark development from late 2024 into early 2025, New Zealand Police have effectively dismantled the operations of the Comanchero Motorcycle Gang (MCG) through a series of coordinated investigations, resulting in nearly every patched member and associate facing criminal charges. This multi-year effort, described by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster as “the single biggest blow to the Comancheros’ operations since Operation Nova” in 2019, has led to 137 charges laid against gang members nationwide. The arrests and seizures have severely disrupted the gang’s alleged activities in drug trafficking, money laundering, and organized crime, with every member of the leadership group now in custody or charged.

Background on the Comancheros in New Zealand

The Comancheros, an Australian-origin outlaw motorcycle gang founded in 1966 in Sydney, established a foothold in New Zealand around 2016–2017, largely through the deportation of Australian members under the “501” policy (non-citizens with criminal records). Led by figures like Pasilika Naufahu (deported sergeant-at-arms turned NZ president), the gang quickly grew to an estimated 50–60 members across chapters in Auckland, Christchurch, and other areas. Known for their aggressive expansion, the Comancheros have been linked to methamphetamine importation, violent turf wars, and high-profile incidents, including the 2020 trial of members for drug supply and the 2019 Operation Nova raids that seized $3.7 million in assets. Police classify them as a transnational organized crime group, with ties to international cartels for cocaine and meth smuggling.

The Investigations: A Three-Year Multi-Phase Operation

The crackdown stemmed from four interconnected operations (Avon, Scuba, Embargo, and Bridle) spanning 2021–2024, involving hundreds of warrants, surveillance, and international cooperation. These targeted the gang’s “Commission” scheme—a directive allegedly issued in 2021 requiring members to pay kickbacks (e.g., $5,000 per kg of meth sold) to fund gang activities, including purchasing headquarters, businesses, firearms, and even military-style training imported from overseas trainers.

Operation Timeline Key Targets Arrests/Charge Seizures
Scuba 2021–2023 Money laundering and drug supply networks in Auckland/South Auckland. 14 members/associates charged with drug importation and laundering. $5.8M in assets restrained (properties, $1M cash, Range Rover, Harley-Davidsons); 41 patches; 250+ devices.
Avon Late 2024 Cash/drug runs between Auckland and Christchurch; entire Christchurch chapter. 22 charged (including all 18 patched Christchurch members, aged 18–55). 6.5 kg methamphetamine; 4 firearms; 9 patches; $222K cash; $1.9M assets restrained (Auckland properties, vehicles).
Embargo Mid-2024 “Commission” directive enforcement; nationwide properties/vehicles. Additional 14 arrests; cumulative 137 charges. 2.6 kg cannabis; 760g cocaine; 172 ammo rounds; 4 firearms (incl. 2 sawn-off shotguns); 32 patches; 83 phones; 39 devices.
Bridle Early 2025 Cocaine importation via Port of Tauranga; senior leadership. 4 charged, including a 36-year-old senior leader (last uncharged leadership member). Linked to earlier 2024 cocaine busts; ongoing transnational probes.
Total Impact: Over 100 arrests, with 62 search warrants in one phase alone. The operations exposed a sophisticated network allegedly generating millions through meth/cocaine sales (e.g., 200+ kg meth intercepted in related probes like Operation Weirton 2022). Assets restrained exceed $9M, including luxury vehicles, properties, and cash.

Leadership Takedown: By April 2025, the final senior leader—a 36-year-old from Howick—was arrested on cocaine importation charges, completing the sweep of the entire hierarchy.

Key Arrests and Charges

Christchurch Chapter Wipeout (August 2024): All 18 patched members arrested in Operation Avon, charged with supplying Class A drugs, money laundering, and gang participation. The chapter’s Woolston headquarters insignia was removed post-raid.

Nationwide Sweeps: Charges include drug importation/supply (meth, cocaine, cannabis), firearms possession, money laundering, and participating in an organized criminal group under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009.

High-Profile Figures: Pasilika Naufahu (president) faced prior charges; recent arrests targeted enforcers like those in the “Filthy Few” elite unit. A disgraced accountant was implicated in laundering via NZ/international banks.
Broader Implications and Police Response

Detective Superintendent Paul Basham noted the operations’ “considerable impact” on the gang’s operations, crediting relentless multi-agency work (NZ Police, Customs, Organized Crime Group). Commissioner Coster emphasized: “From the moment the gang established a presence… there has been a multi-agency effort to continuously target, disrupt and enforce.” While the drug supply chain may see short-term disruption, experts like researcher Jarrod Gilbert warn of resilient black-market adaptations.This follows New Zealand’s 2024 anti-gang laws banning patches in public and enhancing search powers. Internationally, similar crackdowns continue (e.g., Tonga aiming to dissolve the chapter; arrests in Turkey). As of December 2025, court proceedings are ongoing in Auckland and Christchurch District Courts, with potential sentences up to 14 years for importation offenses.For updates, monitor NZ Police releases or RNZ/NZ Herald coverage. If you’d like details on specific arrests or related gangs (e.g., Mongrel Mob), let me know!

Alleged B*EAST MG member who is an ex-constable deputy pleads guilty to murder in shooting of rival Sun Devils MC Member

Alleged B*EAST MG member who is an ex-constable deputy pleads guilty to murder in shooting of rival Sun Devils MC Member

AarAaron Grant who plead guilty of killing Jesse Metzger in 2023, speaks to his attorney Joe Wells in 183rd Harris County Criminal District Court, in Houston, Wednesday, Dec 3, 2025.

On December 3, 2025, Aaron Grant, a 39-year-old former Harris County Precinct 4 constable deputy, entered a guilty plea to murder in the 183rd Harris County Criminal District Court in Houston, Texas. The plea relates to the January 27, 2023, fatal shooting of Jesse Metzger, a 32-year-old member of the Sun Devils motorcycle club (an offshoot of the Bandidos). Grant, affiliated with the rival Brothers East Motorcycle Club (B*EAST), is set to serve 35 years in prison as part of the agreement, with additional concurrent two-year sentences for related charges.

Details of the Shooting Incident

The incident unfolded in the early morning hours on the 20100 block of the North Freeway. Grant, who had been at Bombshells restaurant with friends, was driving a Honda CRV when he encountered Metzger riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle alongside his Sun Devils club president after they had eaten. The vehicles drove parallel until Grant fired shots from his vehicle, striking Metzger in the back. Metzger managed to reach a nearby Home Depot parking lot, where he collapsed and was pronounced dead at 12:49 a.m. by medics. Instead of calling 911, Metzger had phoned a friend at 12:12 a.m., reporting he was being followed and hit; the friend and another individual arrived at the scene and flagged down a passing Precinct 4 deputy. Ballistics evidence linked the .40-caliber rounds from this shooting to an earlier 2022 roadway incident involving Grant. Prosecutors described the act as stemming from uncontrolled anger, with Assistant District Attorney Georgina Stephenson noting, “He was just somebody who was angry and couldn’t control themselves — and Jesse was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Background on Aaron Grant

Former Precinct 4 constable deputy, Aaron Grant listens to victim impact statements before Judge Lance Long in Harris County 183rd criminal district court in Houston, Wednesday, Dec 3, 2025.

Grant served in the U.S. Marines for eight years before pursuing a career in law enforcement, attending San Jacinto College. He worked as a deputy for Harris County Precinct 4 from 2018 to March 2020, after which he transitioned to construction work and briefly joined the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office for about a year. His involvement with B*EAST placed him amid escalating tensions with rival clubs like the Bandidos. Following his arrest for Metzger’s murder, Grant posted $200,000 bail but faced further accusations of domestic violence from his ex-wife, Raquel Cano, including beatings, stalking, and an incident where he allegedly held a knife to her stomach in 2024. An earlier 2019 outcry by Cano while Grant was still a deputy led to an investigation, but charges were not pursued, and she retracted her statement at the time.

The Victim: Jesse Metzger

Metzger was a father of three and a dedicated member of the Sun Devils. His family believes he was targeted due to his visible club-affiliated vest, amid broader gang rivalries. He was shot in the back during the encounter and died shortly after in the parking lot.
Additional Charges and Plea Agreement

In addition to murder, Grant pleaded guilty to:

• Continuous violence against the family, involving years of alleged abuse toward Cano, who described being isolated from loved ones and living in “constant fear the way I breathed would set him off in a rage.”

• Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, tied to the March 2022 roadway shooting where ballistics matched the murder weapon.
Other pending charges were dismissed as part of the deal. The plea was overseen by Judge Lance Long, and defense attorney Joe Wells called the 35-year sentence a “fair mediation,” noting challenges in the prosecution’s case, such as Metzger’s decision not to call 911 directly.

Courtroom Proceedings and Victim Impact Statements

During the hearing, emotional statements were delivered by Metzger’s family and Cano. Metzger’s mother, Heidi Fiedler, said, “That’s the nature of the culture… He thought that by killing somebody from the Bandidos or Bandidos support club — he could level up in Beast and get more recognition,” adding, “Thirty-five years is not a fair trade for the life of my son… My sentence is the rest of my life. People said I should try to forgive you. I can’t.” His stepfather, Russell Fiedler, addressed Grant’s military background: “You lost that right and privilege because Marines have honor and integrity… You were also a law enforcement officer — you chose to disgrace that. You have no value anymore because you chose a cowardly act by shooting Jesse Metzger in the back.” Grant appeared nonchalant, smiling and waving at family members, and received a “Semper fi” salute from a relative as he was escorted out.This case underscores ongoing issues with motorcycle club rivalries and domestic violence allegations against former law enforcement officers. Prosecutors emphasized that while gang tensions existed, Grant acted independently in the shooting.

Texas Brothers East MC Member Ex-Cop Pleads Guilty To Murder of Rival Gang Member