OFF THE WIRE
By The Associated Press
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - The former national vice president of the Pagan's Motorcycle Club was sentenced Friday to four years and nine months in prison for his federal racketeering conviction.
Floyd "Jesse" Moore showed no emotion when U.S. District Judge Thomas Johnston announced the sentence, which included a $3,000 fine. Moore would also serve three years of supervised release after he gets out of prison.
Moore, 65, pleaded guilty in December 2009 to charges involving conspiracy to kill a woman and participating in illegal raffles. The murder was never carried out.
Moore's attorney, James Earhart, noted that Moore had cooperated with prosecutors, was no longer involved in the outlaw biker gang. He said Moore also had adamantly discouraged drug use within the club, is devoted to his children and involved in community projects such as Toys for Tots, among other things.
However, Johnston said, "this sentence needs to deter others for racketeering and violence."
The sweeping federal racketeering case brought in October 2009 targeted dozens of Pagan's leaders and associates from West Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey and several other states.
Many of the charges detailed violent efforts to intimidate and extort smaller biker gangs and clubs, and illegal gambling centered on raffles for nonexistent motorcycles. Other crimes involved drug dealing and weapons violations.
Federal prosecutors alleged threats were carried out in order to consolidate the club's power in the eastern United States.
"I've been with this case for a long time now," Johnston told Moore. "I have no illusions you were the center at most if not all of this case.
"You are clearly intelligent, strong willed ... there's no question in my mind that you were firmly in control of this organization. I've seen the fear that presents itself with those that failed to follow your instructions."
David Keith Barbeito, the club's former national president, was sentenced in December to 2 and 1/2 years in prison on weapons and racketeering charges. He was the lead defendant in the government's case against the biker gang and left the club's top spot after his arrest.
Charges against many of the out-of-state defendants were dismissed in exchange for guilty pleas to state misdemeanor gambling charges. One defendant died of natural causes while in custody.
Moore had been confined to his St. Albans home with electronic monitoring since September after being jailed for 11 months. Johnston declined a defense request that Moore's sentence be reduced by the time he spent at home.
