Outlaw faces fraud charge

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MCs in the News

David “Oatmeal” Garcia, 35, a member of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, was arrested late last week without incident by local and federal law enforcement after he allegedly committed insurance fraud.

Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cleveland Police Department made the arrest Friday in Chattanooga.

Garcia’s arrest on a state charge of conspiracy to commit insurance fraud stems from an intensive year-long investigation managed by the ATF into the motorcycle club’s chapters in Chattanooga and Cleveland, according to Bob Gault, media relations coordinator for BCSO.

A number of local members of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club were arrested in a February 25 sting at their local clubhouse located on Strawberry Lane.

“As a part of the investigation agents acquired knowledge of a conspiracy to report as stolen a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The motorcycle was then to be broken down and sold as parts and the owner collect the proceeds of an insurance claim,” said Gault.

ATF agents assisted by Bradley County Sheriff’s investigators and SWAT, Tennessee Highway Patrol and the 10th Judicial District Drug Task Force descended on the Outlaws Motorcycle Club while officials also served warrants in Hamilton County.

From Chattanooga were Ryan “Lil R” Birt, Robert “BB” Boone, Jeremy “Cracker” Rittenhouse, Roger “Buddah” Roof, James “Dozer Miller, Kelly Adams and Marcus Smith. Charles “Robbie” Kinsey from Ringgold, Ga. Kinsey is a member of the Cleveland Chapter. Arrested from Rossville, Ga., were Steven “Steve-O” Tucker, James “Smiley” Westbrook and James “J.P.” Parker of Whitwell and two people from Marion County, Hershell Raines and Gary “Doodah” Raines. Cases are still pending in federal court.

“In February during the arrest of local Outlaws members on federal indictments, the stolen motorcycle that had been stripped and reassembled with other parts was recovered by the ATF, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Bradley County Sheriff’s Office, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, 10th Judicial District Drug Task Force and other agencies participating in the roundup,” said Gault.

“Based on his level of involvement in the conspiracy the case against Garcia was presented to the Bradley County Grand Jury. Two other defendants, James Parker and Steven Tucker, were earlier indicted by a Federal Grand Jury in Chattanooga and are now awaiting trial,” according to Gault.

Garcia was also charged in Bradley County for failure to appear on an alleged traffic related offense.

He was released from the Bradley County Jail after posting a $5,000 bond, according to Gault.

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