Thursday, September 29, 2011

Texas - Two Johnson County men included in motorcycle gang arrests

OFF THE WIRE
BY: Matt Smith
 cleburnetimesreview.com
A Burleson and an Alvarado resident were arrested Tuesday morning, along with 26 additional members of the Bandido Outlaw Motorcycle Gang and its affiliated support clubs, according to James T. Jacks, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas.
An investigation by the FBI, DEA and numerous other law enforcement agencies, which lasted several years, culminated in the Tuesday arrests.
The agencies were investigating the Bandidos, Rebel Riders and Los Homeboys motorcycle gangs for illicit distribution of drugs and firearms in North Texas.
During the investigation, law enforcement officials seized heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, firearms, vehicles and cash.
“These Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force arrests, the result of an excellent, well coordinated multi-agency law enforcement investigation, illustrate the success of our district’s federal, state and local law enforcement partners’ collaboration in taking down these drug trafficking networks,” Jacks said.
The suspects arrested face various charges and are scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey L. Cureton today at the Parker County Jail in Weatherford.
Timothy Richie Love, AKA Leatherneck Sniper, 39, of Burleson, faces a charge of conspiring with five others from Jan. 1, 2010, to now with intent to possess and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
If convicted, Love faces a sentence of 10 years to life in prison.
Benjamin Edward Neuner, AKA Rebel Rider Ben, 58, of Alvarado, was arrested on a charge of possession of a machine gun.
The complaint alleges that Neuner provided numerous firearms, laser sights and ammunition to the Bandidos including firearms that he altered to obscure the ballistic information of any bullet fired from the firearm.
If convicted, Neuner faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
A federal criminal complaint is a written statement of the essential facts of the offenses charged and must be made under oath before a magistrate judge, according to a Department of Justice release. A defendant is entitled to a presumption on innocence until proven guilty. The U.S. Attorney’s office has 30 days to present the matters to a grand jury for indictment.