agingrebel.com
The most interesting of the hodgepodge of federal allegations filed against members and associates of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club in Gainesville, Georgia two weeks ago is the charge of “obstructing an FBI undercover investigation” made against Outlaws Regional President Larry McDaniel, Outlaw Sean King and Black Pistons State President Howard Brown.
The obstructing charge references a Black Pistons Motorcycle Club patch pulling party at the Black Pistons’ clubhouse in White County, Georgia on July 19, 2012 but seems to blame cops who watch television shows that are inappropriate for them. The criminal complaint that underlies this charge the three men was made FBI case agent Mark Sewell and all the quotes below were written by him.
Concerned Citizen
In Sewell’s version of events he “received information from a concerned citizen” on July 18 that “indicated that the Outlaws were aware that the ‘Feds’ had placed either an Undercover Employee or a Confidential Informant inside the Black Pistons Motorcycle Club’s Cleveland, Georgia chapter. Furthermore, the Outlaws mentioned the suspected UCE or CI by his real name and his BPMC ‘club name’”.“However, the concerned citizen was not aware of how the Outlaws had come to the conclusion that the Feds had an undercover employee or Confidential Informant inside the BPMC. In reality, your affiant and the FBI had placed a UCE and two CIs into the Black Pistons, as members and associates. Furthermore, the real name mentioned by the concerned citizen matched the real name of CI-1. As a safety precaution, your affiant personally met with CI-1 on July 19, 2012 and advised CI-1 of the potential revelation of his identity as an FBI Informant.”
Black Pistons
That day one Outlaws patch holder, King, and six Black Pistons including Howard Brown “entered the BPMC Cleveland clubhouse and confronted CI-1 and the other BPMC members and probates. During this confrontation, these individuals demanded that CI-1 and the other BPMC members surrender their BPMC ‘patches’, to include full patches, probate patches and property patches.”The two CIs and other men in the clubhouse were told that Outlaws Regional President “Larry McDaniel had sent the…individuals to close the BPMC clubhouse because McDaniel said ‘…there is a Fed in the house and I have an Office of Background Investigations letter that proves it….’”
According to Sewell, “After approximately 24 hours, all remaining individuals inside the BPMC Cleveland clubhouse eventually departed the area, primarily for safety concerns. Also, the regional BPMC party that was planned for that weekend was canceled and the BPMC Cleveland clubhouse remains presently closed.”
Yo Larry It’s Snitch One
The next day snitch one “telephonically contacted” McDaniel “…and inquired why McDaniel had ordered that the BPMC Cleveland chapter closed.” The conversation began like this:Larry McDaniel: Hello.
Snitch One: Hey man.
LM: What’s up?
Snitch: What’s going on.
LM: Well, we had information given us, given to us that is pretty much telling us to close that down and information saying…. You know anybody named Mark Sewell?
Snitch: No! I don’t! Who….
LM: Huh?
Snitch: Who is that?
LM: I have no idea. It’s saying…that’s a name that…that you have something to do with the Feds and that’s your contact name.”
Case Agent Melts
“McDaniel is in possession,” Sewell wrote, “of your affiant’s name. Furthermore… the Outlaws Motorcycle Club is in possession of CI-1’s real name and the information that he is, in fact, a FBI Informant. It is clear to your affiant that the OMC has shared the identity of CI-1 with McDaniel…. Furthermore, it is clear that the OMC has shared with McDaniel the name of your affiant to validate their accusation to McDaniel that ‘…there is a Fed in the Black Pistons house ….’ Your affiant’s 15 years of FBI investigative experience, which includes having achieved successful prosecutions in 2 public corruption investigations, leads your affiant to affirm that this investigation has a public corruption leak that is relaying sensitive information to the OMC. Furthermore, this leak is obstructing the FBI’s formal investigation into the OMC by hindering the ability of CI-1 to safely assist the FBI in the investigation of the Outlaws and the criminal activities of their members. Your affiant’s experience indicates that the name of your affiant, who is also one of two Contact Agents for the CI and the name of the CI are closely held secrets within the FBI. Only via direct contact with FBI agents or FBI documents can a public corruption leak gain the names of the Contact Agent and/or the CI. While the name of the Contact Agent may occasionally be used in non-sensitive FBI documents, the real name of the CI is closely guarded and can only be accessed by people with direct FBI computer access or direct access/overhear to FBI employees. All of the facts listed in this paragraph serve to strengthen your affiant’s allegation that there is a public corruption leak that is effectively obstructing this investigation.”Sons of Anarchy
Other statements in the complaint allege that Outlaws in Florida had “inside sources” that revealed information about the two-year-long undercover investigation to McDaniel.And, like so many other thoughtful people, Special Agent Sewell is eager to blame television shows like Sons of Anarchy and The Devils Ride for this disintegration of an orderly police state into…well…anarchy.
“My 15 years of FBI investigative experience has proven that individuals, whether sworn officers or law enforcement employees, are often referred to as inside sources,” Sewell writes. “…traditionally sworn and uniformed officers, often maintain close and unprofessional relationships with members of outlaw motorcycle gangs. This is an unexplained phenomenon and continually comprises (sic) OMG investigations across America. With the popularity of current television programs that glamorize the OMG culture, the desire for some law enforcement officials to maintain close, unprofessional and sometimes criminal relationships with OMG members will not easily disappear.“ (Italics added by The Aging Rebel.) “As an example, this investigation has previously uncovered three law enforcement officials that are maintaining close, unprofessional relationships with subjects of this referenced North Georgia OMG investigation. It is through these close and unprofessional relationships that OMG members often gain information that is obstructive to FBI investigations and dangerous to the safety of FBI Informants.”