Trial of Pagans president moved to later this summer

Off the Wire
MCs in the News

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A Myersville man at the center of a multistate sweep of the Pagans Motorcycle Club will have to wait 10 more weeks for his racketeering trial to begin in federal court.
Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Thomas E. Johnston scheduled David Keith "Bart" Barbeito's trial to begin July 13, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

The trial had been set to begin Tuesday.

Barbeito, 50, was one of 55 members of the motorcycle club taken into custody Oct. 6 as part of an eight-state sweep involving allegations of murder conspiracy, racketeering, kidnapping and extortion.

The lead defendant in the case, Barbeito -- president of the national motorcycle club -- is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and is being held without bail.

In mid-October, Barbeito pleaded not guilty to five federal counts of racketeering. He also faces state kidnapping and conspiracy charges in West Virginia.

During the fall search of Barbeito's Frederick County residence, FBI agents and police turned up a cache of firearms, cash and Pagan-related items, including documents, clothing and a wall clock with the club's logo.

The federal investigation of the Pagans and their activities dates back to at least 2001, according to court documents.

Many defendants have reached plea agreements with federal prosecutors instead of taking their cases to trial.

The most notable: Floyd B. "Jesse" Moore, the Pagans' national vice president.

Moore pleaded guilty to federal racketeering charges Dec. 18.

He faces the possibility of as much as 20 years in federal prison at sentencing, rescheduled for June 23.

-- Kate Leckie

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