BY: Richard Gazarik
pittsburghlive.com
The reputed national president of the Pagans motorcycle gang said state police jeopardized his and his wife's safety by using heavy-handed tactics when they raided his house last week to search for drugs.
Dennis "Rooster" Katona, 45, of 113 Ember Lane, Hempfield, was ordered held for trial Thursday on the drug charges after a preliminary hearing before Norvelt District Judge Roger Eckels, who refused to reduce Katona's $750,000 bond.
"They attacked the house and broke every window in the house, then threw concussion grenades in," Katona said after the hearing. "It was just me and my wife there, fearing for our lives."
A Special Emergency Response Team from state police stormed the house in the quiet, rural Evanstown area, startling neighbors who watched as a state police helicopter hovered on June 29.
Trooper Patrick Nied of the organized crime unit said troopers conducted a room-by-room search of home. In Katona's bedroom, Nied said, he found more than 84 grams of cocaine and nearly 100 grams of methamphetamine with a street value of $20,000.
Nied testified he found $1,000 on the bed, $2,000 in Katona's wallet and $809 in his pocket. Troopers also found a digital scale used to weigh drugs and an "owe sheet" with a list of initials followed by amounts of money, he said.
Nied testified the evidence indicates someone who is dealing drugs.
At one point during the hearing, Eckels told Katona to be silent after he was heard muttering "liars" during Nied's testimony.
Katona had to be helped into the courtroom by two deputy sheriffs because of pain in his leg. He said he was run over by a car and has several screws in the leg.
The search warrant for his home has been sealed by President Judge John Blahovec. Defense attorney William McCabe tried to question Nied about the circumstances leading up to and during the raid, but Assistant District Attorney Karen Patterson objected to the line of questioning.
McCabe conceded that while Katona may be guilty of drug possession, there was no evidence to prove he was involved in selling drugs. McCabe said the drugs could have been for personal use and the "owe sheet" could be debts to Katona for other reasons.
Patterson said the amount of drugs seized by police exceeded those for personal use and the evidence proves that Katona is a drug dealer.
McCabe asked Eckels to lower Katona's bond to $100,000, saying he is not a flight risk and has a minor criminal record devoid of violence. He has five children and five grandchildren.
Patterson argued that Katona is violent and a flight risk.
She said a passport, knives and brass knuckles were found during the search. Katona served a federal prison sentence after being convicted of assault and racketeering in an attack by the Pagans on the rival Hell's Angels in Long Island, N.Y., in 2002, she said.
Katona objected to Patterson's portrayal of the charges.
"I apologize, your honor. She's lying. I was never charged with assault. Tell the truth. I'm sorry, your honor," he said.
As he was led to a sheriff's car to return to the county prison, Katona, who said he has leukemia, stopped to hold an impromptu press conference with reporters.
He said troopers never advised him of his constitutional rights, never showed him a copy of the search warrant, and refused to allow him to make a telephone call to his lawyer.
"Yes, once again my rights were not read to me," he said as he hobbled along in shackles, his heavily tattooed arms cuffed at the wrists.
McCabe said his cross-examination of Nied was hampered by the lack of the search warrant.
Dennis "Rooster" Katona, 45, of 113 Ember Lane, Hempfield, was ordered held for trial Thursday on the drug charges after a preliminary hearing before Norvelt District Judge Roger Eckels, who refused to reduce Katona's $750,000 bond.
"They attacked the house and broke every window in the house, then threw concussion grenades in," Katona said after the hearing. "It was just me and my wife there, fearing for our lives."
A Special Emergency Response Team from state police stormed the house in the quiet, rural Evanstown area, startling neighbors who watched as a state police helicopter hovered on June 29.
Trooper Patrick Nied of the organized crime unit said troopers conducted a room-by-room search of home. In Katona's bedroom, Nied said, he found more than 84 grams of cocaine and nearly 100 grams of methamphetamine with a street value of $20,000.
Nied testified he found $1,000 on the bed, $2,000 in Katona's wallet and $809 in his pocket. Troopers also found a digital scale used to weigh drugs and an "owe sheet" with a list of initials followed by amounts of money, he said.
Nied testified the evidence indicates someone who is dealing drugs.
At one point during the hearing, Eckels told Katona to be silent after he was heard muttering "liars" during Nied's testimony.
Katona had to be helped into the courtroom by two deputy sheriffs because of pain in his leg. He said he was run over by a car and has several screws in the leg.
The search warrant for his home has been sealed by President Judge John Blahovec. Defense attorney William McCabe tried to question Nied about the circumstances leading up to and during the raid, but Assistant District Attorney Karen Patterson objected to the line of questioning.
McCabe conceded that while Katona may be guilty of drug possession, there was no evidence to prove he was involved in selling drugs. McCabe said the drugs could have been for personal use and the "owe sheet" could be debts to Katona for other reasons.
Patterson said the amount of drugs seized by police exceeded those for personal use and the evidence proves that Katona is a drug dealer.
McCabe asked Eckels to lower Katona's bond to $100,000, saying he is not a flight risk and has a minor criminal record devoid of violence. He has five children and five grandchildren.
Patterson argued that Katona is violent and a flight risk.
She said a passport, knives and brass knuckles were found during the search. Katona served a federal prison sentence after being convicted of assault and racketeering in an attack by the Pagans on the rival Hell's Angels in Long Island, N.Y., in 2002, she said.
Katona objected to Patterson's portrayal of the charges.
"I apologize, your honor. She's lying. I was never charged with assault. Tell the truth. I'm sorry, your honor," he said.
As he was led to a sheriff's car to return to the county prison, Katona, who said he has leukemia, stopped to hold an impromptu press conference with reporters.
He said troopers never advised him of his constitutional rights, never showed him a copy of the search warrant, and refused to allow him to make a telephone call to his lawyer.
"Yes, once again my rights were not read to me," he said as he hobbled along in shackles, his heavily tattooed arms cuffed at the wrists.
McCabe said his cross-examination of Nied was hampered by the lack of the search warrant.
Read more: Pagan leader from Hempfield blasts police - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/westmoreland/s_745735.html#ixzz1Ra324ETQ
