OFF THE WIRE
BY: Mike Wynn
courier-journal.com
A state prison officer who had a history of misconduct and allegedly headed the Louisville chapter of a violent drug-funded biker gang has been charged in a multistate murder and racketeering scheme, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in St. Louis.
Federal authorities said they arrested Carlos Wesley “Pit Bull” Rose, 48, last week on evidence that he conspired in gang activities and acquired materials for a pipe bomb to kill members of a rival motorcycle club in Chicago.
The capture resulted from a two-year investigation that yielded 18 arrests from the Wheels of Soul — a national biker gang with chapters in at least 20 states, officials said. Members are accused of various acts of violence, robbery, drug trafficking and extortion in four cities across the Midwest.
Rose has served as a corrections officer at the Kentucky State Reformatory in La Grange since 2006 and was suspended for ten days last year over harsh treatment of an inmate. But as of Friday, he remained an active employee of the state Department of Corrections.
Department spokesman Todd Henson would not comment on when officials will address Rose's employment status but said in a prepared statement that the department conducts background checks during the hiring process for new officers.
“At the time that Rose was hired, there was nothing in his background check that would prevent his employment and since he has been employed at the DOC, there has been no conduct on his part that would necessitate his dismissal,” he said.
New hires are selected by the reformatory and approved by department Commissioner LaDonna Thompson.
Henson said the department doesn't suspect any wrongdoing at the prison. “If we did, we would certainly investigate it,” he said.
The criminal indictment was returned June 9 but remained sealed until after the arrests on July 12. It alleges that Rose was named chapter president in September at a regional meeting in Chicago.
Investigators also accuse Rose of procuring explosives, which he and a fellow gang member planned to use in a pipe bomb to kill members of the Chicago motorcycle gang, Hell's Lovers, in February.
The indictment says Oldham County police officers pulled Rose over on Feb. 18 and discovered a “highly explosive mixture” of ammonium nitrate and aluminum powder called Tannerite concealed inside his vest, along with a cannon fuse. Officers also found a stolen handgun and later uncovered 18 containers of Tannerite at his home.
Oldham County police did not provide comment Friday afternoon, and Jan Diltz, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, said the office can not discuss details of the investigation while the case is pending.
Rose was earning $25,000 in annual salary at the time of his arrest.
According to personnel records, he was suspended from duty in February for shoving an inmate against the wall. A letter of reprimand says the inmate, who was handcuffed behind his back at the time, suffered swelling and a laceration to his nose and bruising inside his mouth.
“As a correctional officer, you receive annual training on the use of force,” the letter said. “You knew or should have known that your actions posed a serious risk to the inmate's welfare and threatens the security of the institution.”
Henson would not comment on the incident.
Rose remains in the custody of U.S. Marshals, but his location is being withheld for security reasons.
Sirena M. Wissler, assistant U.S. Attorney, said the court will appoint a lawyer to Rose when he makes his first appearance in St. Louis, but scheduling for the case depends on when he can be transported there.
He faces a charge of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a sentence of 20 years to life. The charge of conspiracy to commit murder in the aid of racketeering activity carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.
Reporter Mike Wynn can be reached at (502) 875-5136.
Reporter Tom Loftus contributed to this report.
