The government evidently mistakenly sent a cooperating witness list to the defendants, who then promptly called a club house meeting at which the informants would have been the "guests of honor"..

Or so the government claims..
Witnessses in Danger?

Ex-Highwaymen leader pleads guilty to racketeering

PAUL EGAN
The Detroit News

Detroit -- A former Detroit president of the Highwaymen Motorcycle Club could face more than 15 years in prison after he pleaded guilty this morning to racketeering.

Ronald Hatmaker, 51, admitted to knowing about or participating in crimes including extortion, drug dealing and illegal gambling but has not agreed to cooperate or testify against six other current or former Highwaymen leaders scheduled to stand trial in U.S. District Court in Detroit on April 1.

That trial, which kicks off the government's prosecution of more than 80 defendants charged in a lengthy FBI investigation of the club that was born in Detroit and has branches around the country, is expected to last two months.

Hatmaker told U.S. District Judge Nancy G. Edmunds he joined the Highwaymen in 2002 and served as Detroit president for parts of 2005 and 2006.

He admitted to threatening violence against a member who owed back dues and said he knew about illegal gambling and cocaine distribution inside the club's Michigan Avenue headquarters, in addition to other crimes.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Graveline said sharp disagreement remains between the government and Hatmaker's defense attorney, Jeffrey Cojocar, over Hatmaker's sentencing guideline range.

Prosecutors believe Hatmaker was involved in murder conspiracies against confidential informants in the racketeering case and say his sentencing guidelines, which are advisory only, are in the 15- to 20-year range, Graveline said.

Hatmaker denies he was involved in any murder conspiracy and says his guidelines should be about two years and six months to three years.

Edmunds allowed Hatmaker to remain free on bond and set his sentencing for Oct. 5.

Six alleged former or current leaders of the Highwaymen -- Aref "Steve" Nagi, Joseph "Little Joe" Whiting, Michael "Cocoa" Cicchetti, Leonard "Dad" Moore, Gary Ball Jr. and Anthony "Mad Anthony" Clark -- are to stand trial April 1.

I know a few of these guys including the PREZ,etc of the "Prison City" Chapter.They were doing alot of recruiting in the last year do partially i would say because of all the indictments.
I was asked more than once to "Probate" for the club in 2009.
I have respect for some of them but It just didnt happen.
Hell theres a number of Detroit Highwaymen living close to me.
1%ers Forever

The heinous 2002 execution-style slayings of a Livonia jeweler and his family provided federal agents a key informant in major crackdowns on two Detroit-area motorcycle gangs.

William "Billy Wadd" Smith, a former boss of the Devils Diciples bike club, was so horrified by the killings of the jeweler, his three children and their grandmother that he testified in state court against his own nephew, John Wolfenbarger, who was one of the shooters.

But Smith also owned a west side bar called the Copa Lounge that was a popular biker hangout.

What's never been revealed before is that after the Livonia killings, Smith allowed federal agents to secretly wire for sound and video the back room of the Copa, where prosecutors say members of the Outlaws, Highwaymen, and other alleged bike gangs openly discussed past and future crimes...

Even evil has limits

Guaranteed the Outlaws M.C. will put a green light on Billy "Wad" if he had them videotaped admitting and discussing crimes.All three clubs are 1%er clubs.I know members from all 3.
The OUTLAWS M.C. use to be used as muscle and drug distrubution by the Detroit Partnership and who knows they probably still do.?They donot fuck around and Billy"wads"Smith definitely knows that.
What gets me about Billy is he was featured on Gangland and he acts like this big tough guy becoming Prez mainly because of his coke connect,etc.Why didnt he just put a green light on his nephew and friend immediately.?They were not part of the Devils Diciples M.C.?Instead of becoming a rat which he always was is my philosophy."If u rat-u would always rat-capisce"
I know a Diciple that reguarly sends me club stickers and shit.I found an old photo from the early 70s of the Devils Diciples Michigan chapter and they dont want any of that type of shit in non-member hands even pics as they dont want the feds havin shit.Ever since me and him been friends.
THEM 2 fucks deserved to die for many reasons and Billy could have had it done easily but he chose to give them life in prison.

Whats crazy is these clubs were discussing business at a rivals bar for one and second all this shit had went down with "wads" and the murders so it seems like they would have steered clear of doing club business at that spot?
think first before you act?-lol.

Biker Club Portrayals clash

Like i allready posted when these indictments really started hitting the Detroit Highwaymen they stared recruiting heavily.
They tryed to get me to start being a Hangaround/Probate more than once in 2009 as they use a couple bars that i frequent for meeting/partying spots.Also i was locked up with Billy"Darkside"Taylor while in the M.D.O.C..whats so screwed is this guy has a sex offense on his record and was a highranking Detroit Highwaymen at onetime and is still a member to this day.He violated parole hanging at the Detroit Clubhouse.
He did good tattoo work.Worthy of charging street prices.I have a couple that i got at Cotton correctional.Didnt know he was sex offender till i looked him up after release on the M.D.O.C. list of active-offenders/files.Or i would have never fucked with him in prison.
If i was gonna call any M.C. big enough to run Detroit it would be the OUTLAWS M.C. who have more chapters and just as many members at there hated rival the Hells Angels.The Outlaws Have been the top 1%er group for years in what they call the Black Region which includes Michigan.Origanally formed in Chicago in the 30s but the National headquarters was moved to Detroit when Harry "taco" Bowman became the 1st National President not from the Chicago Mother Chapter.I dont know If Detroit is still considered the national headquarters Of the OUTLAWS M.C. or not?
Detroit Highwaymens Jackson{Prison City} chapter have practically pushed the Avengers M.C. out of Jackson and the surrounding area.
Some of these clubs are just an Organized Crime group on wheels and some are just bad motherfuckers on bad ass HARLEY DAVIDSONS.Cool news article.

Defendant in Highwaymen case is killed
Paul Egan / The Detroit News

Detroit -- A member of the Highwaymen Motorcycle Club who was a defendant in a massive federal racketeering case has been murdered, but officials said Monday they don't believe the killing is related to the court case.

Dennis Vanhulle, 43, who was known by the nickname "Gone," was shot in northeast Detroit about two to three weeks ago and died Saturday at Detroit Receiving Hospital, his attorney, Corbett Edge O'Meara, said Monday.

He opened the door of his Detroit residence and was shot in the throat, officials said. As of Monday, no one was charged in the killing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Marion, who is prosecuting the Highwaymen case, said federal agents are involved in the investigation of Vanhulle's killing but initial indications were that the killing was not related to the racketeering case.

Vanhulle, who worked as a carpenter, had not signed a plea agreement or even had discussions with federal prosecutors, O'Meara said.

More than 80 club members and associates are charged in the case and Vanhulle was not among the six alleged club leaders whose trial began April 1 and continued Monday.

Vanhulle faced charges of racketeering, threats, murder conspiracy and transportation of stolen goods. He was scheduled to stand trial along with 13 other defendants July 6.

"Dennis was a great guy; he was one of my few clients that I actually liked as a human being," O'Meara said.

His survivors include a former wife, an adult daughter and a young son, he said.

Possibly an "INTERNAL CLEANSING" before court. If he just opened the door for someone like that it would make me wonder if he knew em.?
These guys are ruthless.
I have hung with alot of 1%er Bikers/clubs and the Detroit Highwaymen are Pretty standup.I dont believe there the biggest club in Detroit as the news has printed as The OUTLAWS M.C. has 4-5 clubs just in the Detroit area and 7-8 in Michigan alone.
I would put the OUTLAWS and HIGHWAYMEN as the two TOP 1%er clubs in Michigan and the OUTLAWS were the first 1%ers to cross over into Canada,etc.Allthough the HELLS ANGELS are the biggest in Canada now.
Check out the OUTLAWS M.C. National site and see how DEEP these guys travel.
Good Article LILO.

Witness accused of murder.
Outburst disrupts trial

6 Highwaymen convicted of federal racketeering charge
Doug Guthrie / The Detroit News
Detroit -- Six members of the Highwaymen Motorcycle Club were found guilty today of racketeering conspiracy and various other charges and now face sentences of at least 10 years and up to life.

Five of the six were placed in handcuffs immediately after the verdict in U.S. District Judge Nancy G. Edmunds' courtroom and ordered to be taken directly to the federal penitentiary in Milan. Requests for delays in being taken into custody by Aref "Steve" Nagi, Gary "Junior" Ball Jr., Leonard "Dad" Moore, Joseph "Little Joe" Whiting and Anthony "Mad Anthony" Clark to allow their lawyers time to file appeals were denied by the judge.

The sixth defendant, Michael "Cocoa" Cicchetti, wasn't in court because he is convalescing at home after suffering a heart attack during the eight-week trial.

Trials over!

The Highwaymen are THE biggest in Detroit. Yes the outlaws are larger nationaly but not in Detroit. Here is a story out of Billy Wads book thaat involes all three clubs to an extent. Its an interesting read. Below


security story I can tell you. It was a couple months before the Christmas party. The Jokers were another club probably located probably located a quarter to half a mile away from the clubhouse on Chapel Street in Brightmoor. And we had an altercation with a bunch of Highwaymen. Us and the Highwaymen were close at the time – the Devil’s Diciples and the Highwayman. They were a very major club in Detroit, probably the major club in Detroit. I introduced them and we had a real friendly, good relationship there for a long time. And the alternation occurred when BJ of the Highwaymen and Steve O of the Devil’s Diciples went to the Joker’s clubhouse after hours – meaning after 2:30 in the morning. And there was one Joker behind the bar. He was trying to show off because Jokers are small, mediocre club. Barely getting by. Being members of two of the major clubs, they raised a lot of eyebrows – everybody’s eyebrows – now you’re talking major, major concern on everyone’s part. So they were sitting there having idle conversation at the bar. From what I understood, one of the Jokers – you know, how you’ve got a starting line with a cap gun? – he pulled out the cap gun, being drunk.





“Watch this.” And shot into the air. Now that’s a no-no. Devil’s Diciples andHighwaymen – we don’t pull a gun out – period – even if it’s just a cap gun or starter gun. So when he did that, word got back to us – meaning their national boss, Mad Anthony of the Highwaymen, and the news got back to me, being Steve O’s boss, the west side boss.

The bosses came to a meeting – me, Fat Dog, Spike and Barefoot. Paulie, the Disciple’s national advisor, was there. We needed to have a conversation with the Jokers.

“That’s your territory,” Fat Dog said to me. “You’re going to get some people together. You’re going to have a conversation with them.“

“We’re going to handle our part. We’re going to handle this.”

“What do you mean?”

“We’ll go by and tell them you don’t treat Devil’s Diciples like that. You know, while they’re in the room, being drunk or not, don’t need to show off and just want to pull a starter pistol out. We’re going to make that very clear that that’s not going to happen again.”

“The Highwaymen were there, too, Billy. We’ve already talked about it, you know. I don’t want to step on toes and vice versa. But we got a crew together. Why don’t we go together?”

“Alright, we’ll go together.”

The Joker’s bar was called Dickie’s and we knew that’s where the Joker’s hung out. So probably 50 Devil’s Diciples and 75 Highwaymen went there. What we did – we posted security – Highwaymen and Devil’s Diciples – in the neighborhood. There were probably ten Highwaymen that had the street covered. And Devil’s Diciples had other streets covered. No way in or out of this bar for probably a one mile square area; we had everything covered. So we went in. No Jokers in the place. I guess word had got out somehow and I don’t know how. There were some supporters of the Jokers inside the bar. We walked in, sat down, ordered drinks. One of supporters of the Jokers name was Victor. He wore a 1% tattoo on his neck. He was not club affiliated; he just knew a lot of Jokers. Hung out. You know, he’d see the bikers would come in and he’d tried to fit in. The 1% tattoo is something that the Hell’s Angels, the Outlaws, they wore the 1% tattoo along with about four other clubs in the country. Meaning they’re the badest of the bad. He’s pointing to the tattoo and told one of the Highwaymen and some of the Devil’s Diciples, “you know what this means?” And everyone knew that it meant that he was a supporter of the 1% clubs. We took it as he supported the Outlaws. After that, a fight broke out. He got beat up severely. As soon as the first punch was thrown, Mad Anthony looked at me.

“There goes.”

Me, him and Barefoot were sitting at a table, guarded by about ten people. No one could get near us. So a lot of people got viciously beat up. The bartender was a loyal supporter of the Jokers also. While we were walking out – after the fight – it was just the flash of an eye. It all transpired and we left.

Bird came in – about a 300 pound Highwayman. A chapter boss of Detroit. The bartender pulled a gun out. Just trying to make an idle threat as we walked out. He put one in the chamber and Bird grabbed his 9mm.

“Put it away, put it away!”

Pop, pop, pop, pop – Bird shot all around the bar. The bartender just dropped his gun and went back behind the bar.

From there, we went a mile down to my bar. Closed it up, we all stayed in there. A couple phone calls were made. The Outlaws called Bird on his cell phone.

“Hey, this is a Highwaymen, Devil’s Diciples thing. There’s nothing to do with the Outlaws.”

TA was the regional boss of several states. He was top dog of the Outlaws in that region.

“Hey, the Jokers are on their own. Even though they are a federation club and we belong to the federation – they act like men, they’ll be treated like men. We just don’t want it to have nothing to do with us.”

“It has nothing to do with you,” Bird said, “unless you want it to have something to do with you.”

At that point, that lead to the high security at the Christmas party.

Dennis was killed by a member from another club for something between the two of them.

outlaws run detroit plain and simple

ummm,yeah...ok

More Convictions

Robert Snell / The Detroit News

Detroit — The leader of the Detroit Highwaymen Motorcycle Club and five members should be sentenced to life in prison this month, federal prosecutors said Friday.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said the club's violent nature justifies the stiff sentences and would help deter others from engaging in such a criminal lifestyle.

The government's recommendation comes seven months after a jury convicted leader Aref "Steve" Nagi and five other Highwaymen members of numerous felonies. Over the eight-week trial, jurors heard allegations of beatings, drug dealing and efforts by the club to locate suspected "snitches" who passed information to the FBI.

The convictions closed the first phase in the government's prosecution of more than 80 alleged Highwaymen members and associates in one of the largest indictments ever brought in the Eastern District of Michigan.

"The (Highwaymen) enterprise terrorized southwest Detroit and the area surrounding it," Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane L. Marion wrote in a filing.

"Innocent individuals were fired upon, people were followed and beaten and robbed, orders to kill potential snitches were casually given out, and one can only guess at the amount of damage the drug dealing did in a community already ravaged by drug use and sales."

Nagi is scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday followed by the five others in coming days and weeks. The other members are: Gary "Junior" Ball Jr.; Leonard "Dad" Moore; Joseph "Little Joe" Whiting; Anthony "Mad Anthony" Clark; and Michael "Cocoa" Cicchetti.

All of the defendants were found guilty of conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), which carries a mandatory sentence of 10 years.

Link

Yea i met a whole lot of Highwaymen also in the M.D.O.C Billy Taylor Was convicted of a Violent rape and did 20 years.He also thinks hes a badass. I would never join a club who accepts Rapists or Pedophiles What kind of club is This? Next thing you no they will all be riding around elementry Schools with a sign on there bikes saying "FREE PUPPIES"

Bikers......I like how Tony and Christopher stole that load of liquor from those bikers in that one Soprano's episode......"ooooh, the Vipers!!!!" LOL

That was a funny episode. The Vipers..ha...!

How much do these biker gangs that are rivals put their difference aside to work together ? I wonder if they are like the Mafia in that regard.

Biker gangs seem very territorial when it comes to other clubs. They all want to be the biggest and baddest in their respective cities, which is something that gets in the way of any real solidarity amongst them. Also i think that the majority of them that commit crimes for their clubs it often so that they can continue living the party drug lifestyle that being a biker is all about.

That gangland episode on Billy wadd was by far the funniest shit ive seen.Billy wadd was talking like it was a SNL skit LOL

it comes down to the lifestyle that they want which is of freedom and living outside of society. Although this might sound like a idealistic thing it also attracts the very worst of the worst. You mix that with crystal meth and a bunch of other like minded people anything can happen. I think there was even a hells angel who was caught in nevada with a truck full of child porn.

Thought the same thing

It depends. I can't really speak for the biker scene in the USA, but in Canada -especially in regions such as Quebec and British Columbia- several chapters seem to be involved in quite high-level and diversified criminal activities.

I know for a fact that in the Netherlands several HA chapters have members that are reasonably high up in the upper echelons of the local underworld. Over there it wouldn't be the first time a member who looks like the stereotypical bald-headed, tattooed, Slayer shirt-wearing and steroid-taking biker thug gets nicked for what are surprisingly sophisticated drug trafficking, extortion or prostitution rackets.

US and Canada are totally different in this regard. Generally speaking, bike clubs are not high up the food chain here. Didn't a couple HA's break out of prison w/a fucking helicopter up there last year? If someone even attempted that here all 1,000 or so US HA's would be in jail within 5 minutes, along with probably 1,000 friends/family.

Federal (and some states) government is funding an ongoing war on motorcyclists and motorcycle clubs in this country.