Here is a recent indictment involving the Rochester chapter of the Hells Angels.

http://www.fbi.gov/buffalo/press-release...ine-trafficking

This indictment is a great example of how the Feds make these guys look really dangerous and there are a ton of charges so it looks really bad. However, when you actually look at these charges we are talking about a few grams of meth sold here another few there. the headlining charge in this indictment involves an assault where several members of the HA were involved. I know all the guys indicted so I thought I would tell their version.

There is a female bartender at the bar Spenders on Lyell Avenue, who is a friend of the club. She was being harassed by a drunken guy who tried to pick her up, and when she spurned his advances he started to get nasty. She warned him to shut up but he would not stop. He threatened her and then he started threatening her HA friends. She then proceeded to call her HA buddies who came down and beat the guy half to death. I know the Feds would say an act like this helps to further the reputation of the Angels. My rebuttal is the HA have established themselves. Everyone on the planet knows them. they do not need to beat up some asshole to maintain their reputation. I do not think this act should be included as a RICO predicate act. I think many of the RICO cases fail against the HA because many of them are just like this. the government paints these guys as criminal masterminds, but the evidence shows them to be a bunch of slobs who like to get high and get into fights.

Another scam the Rochester guys are involved in is stealing scrap metal. A Rochester guy just got sentenced for doing this.

http://www.fbi.gov/buffalo/press-release...nt-from-railcar