Canada - Winnipeg - Former Hells Angel joins brother in jail

OFF THE WIRE
Source: winnipegfreepress.com
By: Mike McIntyre


WINNIPEG - A high-ranking former Hells Angels associate who got family members involved in his criminal ways will be joining his brother behind bars just in time for Christmas.
Joseph Ducharme pleaded guilty on Tuesday to trafficking cocaine and participating in a criminal organization. He was sentenced to four years and nine months to be served at Stony Mountain penitentiary.
His younger sibling, George, is already in prison after pleading guilty to his role in the drug-dealing network earlier this year and receiving a three-year sentence.
The Ducharme brothers were among the targets of "Project Divide", which saw 35 gang members and associates brought down by a year-long undercover police investigation. Officers used the services of a gang member turned informant to secretly capture various drug and weapons deals on audio and video surveillance.
Joseph Ducharme admits recruiting his brother to deliver two ounces of cocaine to the secret agent, Michael Satsatin. The March 2009 deal went down in the parking lot of the Boston Pizza restaurant in St. James and was caught on video camera.
He is the former vice-president of the Zig Zag Crew, which served as the "farm team" for the Hells Angels, court was told. Ducharme is the 28th accused to plead guilty already this year, leaving just seven remaining suspects before the courts.
Satsatin was the treasurer of the Zig Zag Crew when he agreed to become a secret agent and capture the inner-workings of the criminal organization in exchange for $450,000 and witness protection. Investigators seized 165 ounces of cocaine, 12 ounces of methamphetamine, 12,000 ecstasy tablets, one ounce of heroin and seven pounds of marijuana during their 13- month investigation.
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