agingrebel.com
On May 17, William N. Nettles, the United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina convinced a federal grand jury to return a “91-count indictment charging members and associates of the Rock Hell City Nomad Chapter of the Hells Angels with racketeering and racketeering conspiracy, narcotics violations, Hobbs Act robbery, money laundering, and firearm violations.” The indictment was sealed and remained secret for three weeks.
On June 7, local, state and federal police in both South Carolina and North Carolina arrested 19 people including: Daniel Eugene “Diamond Dan” Bifield, Mark William “Lightening” Baker, David Channing “Gravel Dave” Oiler, Bruce James “Bruce-Bruce” Long, Richard “Little Mark” Thrower, David “Yard Owl” Pryor, James Frederick “Big Fred” Keach, Jr., Frank “Big Frank” Enriquez, Jr., Donald “Brooklyn Donnie” Boersma, Lisa Ellen Bifield (the wife of Daniel Bifield), Lisa Ellen Stockton, Johanna Looper, Kerry Chitwood, Carlos Hernandez, Ronald Dean “Big Ron” Byrum, Jr., Trent Allen Brown, Bruce Ranson “Diesel” Wilson, Thomas McManus “Uncle Tom” Plyler, Jamie Hobbs and Somying Anderson.
The Official Version
A press release issued the day of the arrests by the District of South Carolina stated:“The arrest warrants were served along with the execution of 23 search warrants in North and South Carolina. During today’s operation, law enforcement seized methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, pills, and approximately 100 firearms, including two automatic machine guns. Special Agent in Charge David Thomas stated, ‘The significance of the extensive and long-term investigative efforts that resulted in the arrests today represent the FBI’s continuing commitment to the dismantling of organized criminal organizations. By working in a joint environment with federal, state, and local counterparts, we send a clear message that such pervasive criminal activities will not be tolerated.’
“These arrests follow a two-year interagency investigation by the South Carolina Hells Angels Task Force (SCHATF). Assisting in the investigation and today’s operation were the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Columbia and Charlotte Field Divisions; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Lexington County Sheriff’s Department; Lexington Police Department; Rock Hill Police Department; York County Sheriff’s Office; Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office; State Law Enforcement Division; Gastonia, Police Department; Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department; Gaston County Sheriff’s Office; and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
“United States Attorney Bill Nettles commended the inter-agency cooperation, saying, ‘Today’s arrests and seizures are an important step in our ongoing fight against criminal gangs operating in South Carolina. This investigation is also another example of what can be accomplished through a close partnership among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.’ The case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay N. Richardson.”
The end of the press release disingenuously stated, “The United States Attorney stated that all charges in this indictment are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.”
Complex Case
The case is called USA v. Bifield et al. It is, officially, a “complex case.” As of Monday, July 16 there have been 482 filings in Bifield. This complexity appears to have been manufactured by the prosecution in order to complicate the defendants’ abilities to refute the charges and to discourage press coverage. In a story published June 20, The Aging Rebel stated “The human being chosen to suffer in this case is the lead defendant Daniel Eugene “Diamond Dan” Bifield. Bifield is an unusually well liked and well respected member of his club. The point of this case is to hurt him. It is impossible to comprehend the case that bears his name without understanding that.”Bifield made a lengthy, written statement to this page last Wednesday. That statement, which has been slightly edited, follows. It is the first public statement Bifield has made since his arrest. You can decide for yourself if Dan Bifield is being treated like a man who is presumed to be innocent. The statement contains some rough language.
Diamond Dan Speaks
My name is Diamond Dan. I have been a Hells Angel for over 37 years and I am a man of respect and honor. I am a fair man and a man of my word. I do not disrespect people and I have manners. I am a proud man, husband and Hells Angel! I am dedicated and loyal to what I love and believe in and nothing can take away or change that.I helped start the Hells Angels charter in Bridgeport, Connecticut, helped the Hells Angels in New York City and helped start the Rockhell, South Carolina charter.
I want to thank all the people who have spoken up for my wife, for me and for my club. I very badly need their help and support.
Railroaded
I know our federal government has done some illegal stuff. We are all being set-up and railroaded because of who and what I am. A lot of people including my family and friends are being hurt by this. For the record, we are not guilty of these crimes. We are not an organized crime group. We never have been and we never will be. The only organized crime here is by the federal government! The government entraps us, lies about us and tricks us. It is trying to make us into something we are not!I have always tried to help people and keep the peace. I have tried to help everybody who has ever known me and even people I did not know. I am not a trouble maker and I do not go around beating, hurting or killing people. I am more of a problem solver. I am not a drug dealer or a gun dealer. The worst thing I do is smoke weed and get some speeding tickets.
I am so sick and tired of all these lies and stories the federal government is always making about us. They don’t care who they hurt or use as long as they get what they want. I feel so bad because of all the people and families who have been ruined by the government. I am completely torn apart by all they have done to my beautiful wife Lisa and by the way they are treating her. She does not deserve this! And, all this has happened to her because of me.
From the first day I moved to South Carolina the law police have made it known that they hate me and hate the Hells Angels and that they were out to get us. I couldn’t understand why. We never really bother anybody!
My wife has helped so many people by putting on support parties and benefits for men, women and children. A man couldn’t ask for a better wife. She has saved me in so many ways. She has given me and taught me so much! When I came to South Carolina I had nothing. Lisa took care of me, gave me a home, supported me and loved me like no other woman. She gave me a family and a reason to want to live and make it in life. She was always on me to do good. You can’t help but to love and like her. I think she is awesome.
Fighting For His Life
Now I’m fighting for my wife, my club and my life. I am at the point where I don’t care what they do to me. I may spend the rest of my life in prison but I would never sell out the people I love and believe in. I will never turn by back on any of them.The feds have ruined and taken everything we had and worked for. They blew up our house! They searched and destroyed it! And, all they found were seven knives! They didn’t have to do all that. We were told and knew they were coming but we had no idea it would be a set-up. I told the cops over and over that they didn’t have to come blow up our house and destroy it. I told them that we had nothing in there. We never have and we never would. I told one of the officers to call us or let us know (when the indictment was unsealed) and I would turn myself in to whoever I had to. The officer told us the feds were coming after us for drugs and guns! I told him that was bullshit! All I ever sold was gold and silver. My wife and I even had an ad in Carolina Chrome Magazine. It was a good thing our 13-year-old daughter wasn’t there (during the raid) because if she had been there she would have been hurt!
Besides, if they think I was afraid of them they are wrong. When I stepped outside with my hands up they (the Swat Team) had five red dots in the middle of my chest. And do you know what I told them? I said, “Go ahead and shoot me.” One of the feds ran up to me and tried to push me hard but I pushed back and held my position. I told them they did not have to do all that. I was more worried about my wife. She was so scared, upset and confused! I wanted to run over and hold her. We hardly had any clothes on by they (Swat) didn’t care. They took our jewelry which we had paid for long before all this bullshit. They took and kept my club jewelry that had been given to me 30 years before. They even took the bracelet my wife had given me for my birthday. The took the diamond earring she had given me for our anniversary. They took our wedding bands. They took her diamond bracelet that we had upgraded at the jewelry store. None of this was bought with drug money! I guess that is what you call justice. When we were in court one of the Marshalls told my wife that I had given her old bracelet to some other woman. But the fact is that my wife was with me when traded in the old bracelet at the store. See how they lie?
Anybody who knows me knows how I am. I always helped my wife at the bar and watched over her. We always travelled together. We were a happy family. I never had a woman love me like she has. It hurts deeply that she is suffering because of me.
Who Bifield Is
You people out there who want to judge me or talk shit about me don’t know who I am! You have no idea. I always talk to people with respect and courtesy. In my life I have helped children, women, families, career people, special needs children and abused children. I did not do any of that to impress people. I did it because I cared about them and wanted to help. It makes me feel good in my heart and it is the right thing to do. I say this as a husband, a man, a Hells Angel and a convict. I have never done anything I was ashamed of. My wife was always telling me that I can’t help everybody and that I was too trusting. That is just how I was.I see how they did my wife and me! They took us to different jails. They put us in the hole with no visits, mail, phone calls or recreation. We have no clothes. They refused to give me clean clothes, showers, tooth paste, soap or toilet paper. I had to wipe myself with a towel! I weighed 224 pounds and now I weigh 211. The cells were dirty and nasty and ice cold. There was little food and it sucked. Ask my wife all they did to her and how badly they treated her. All of this was at the orders of the feds. She has never been arrested or in trouble for anything before. She worked hard in the bars she was partners in. She took care of her daughter, me and everybody else.
When I was in the hole I finally managed to get something to write with, a couple of pieces of paper and an envelope from another convict. Believe me, that was not easy. I wrote my public defender about the conditions in the hole. I included a letter to my wife in the same envelope and asked the defender to send it to her but he never mailed that letter because he was afraid. I have to ask myself if I want somebody like that to represent me in court. He seems like a nice guy and he has tried to help me but I need somebody who will go all out. Besides, he works for the government. He doesn’t know me or understand me. Can I trust him? All that has happened to Lisa and me is wrong and unfair. I think it is cruel and unusual punishment.
Presumed Innocent
Most likely they will not allow my wife bond and that is really wrong! She cries all the time and is so confused about all that is happening. She doesn’t deserve to be in jail. This hurts me so badly. I only care a little about what they do to me but I do care very much about her and my club. You can mess with me but when it comes to my family and club I will fight back with my life. Our legal system and prison system suck. They just expect everybody to roll over and tell – to make a deal.It isn’t about being fair or who is right and who is wrong.
When I went to court I smelled so bad. I hadn’t been allowed to clean myself or shave for almost a week. I even told the judge about it. I was told I would get a shower and clean clothes but that didn’t happen until I got out of the hole the next day.
My bond hearing was a joke. This whole deal has been like one, big circus! None of us could really understand all the charges in the indictment. The judge even seemed confused as she was reading it off.
Mr Bifield is a violent person who beats, extorts and threatens people! They found tons of knives at his house!
I had about five knives and two that I carry. Then they put this ATF agent on the stand who claimed they had me saying that if anybody bothers or hurts Lisa that I would kill them. We asked if they had a tape. They replied they knew it. It was a lie. What I did say was that if anybody raped, killed, or tried to hurt my wife, daughter, me or my club that I would kill them. It would be for the reason of protection! I think any man might say that.
Then they tried to say I beat and stomped my beautiful wife! Anybody who knows me knows that wouldn’t happen. Besides, my wife would kill me if I did that. My probation officer knows better. I have never hit my wife and I never would. That isn’t my style. Yet, they accused me of that during my bond hearing.
Then they went back into my prison record and used crimes from 30 years ago. It was another set up and railroad job. And, of course the judge went for it.
I have been living in South Carolina since I got out of prison in 2008. Where are all the crimes, assaults, deaths and whatever? All you need to join the Hells Angels is be over 21-years-old, own a bike and hang around for a year or so. I was in prison for over 27 years and if I ever did something wrong it was my choice. It had nothing to do with the club. Again, 27 years in prison. Where are all the fights, beatings and killings? There aren’t any. It was just federal government lies and bullshit!
Tragedy Of Federal Law Enforcement
It hurts me to think I will never see my wife or my family again. I may die in prison for believing in what I do and for being what I am. If that is the case let it be so.My love and respect to my beautiful wife Lisa, brothers, support clubs and to my true friends. I am so proud of you all! Please do what you can to help us – especially Lisa.
I may be in the hole again because these guards have no respect. They talk to you like shit and just fuck with you. I am always being put on lockdown. You have to sit on your bed all the time. You can’t stand, workout or walk! It’s crazy and it is wrong!
A man can only take so much bullshit. A human being doesn’t need to be treated like this. It (these conditions) make it hard for me to defend myself and get things done. And that’s the point! If I were free I could get so many more people involved to help us. And, tell the truth!
I can’t say much about the case yet. Hell, I don’t even know about the case myself yet! But, knowing the government I am sure they did a lot of illegal and low life stuff.
And, now they are saying I can’t write my wife because of the case.