Police made eleven arrests within a two block radius of a fundraiser at Duffy’s Ale House in Lindenhurst, New York Saturday night and early Sunday morning.
The event, called “Bikers For Thomas Strong,” raised money to help continue the treatment of a 13-year-old Seaford, New York boy named Thomas Napoli who was diagnosed with an aggressive, rare brain tumor two years ago. When the tumor hemorrhaged it caused nerve damage to the extremities of his right side. The boy continues to need extensive care. His other benefactors have included the John Theissen Children’s Foundation, Seaford Little League, Adelphi University, the Long Island Hitmen Lacrosse team and the Tampa Bay Rays.
Long Island Pagans
“Bikers For Thomas Strong” also attracted police attention because it marked both the 50th anniversary and the reopening of the Pagans Long Island chapter. That chapter was decimated by a largely bogus federal racketeering case in 2010 based on an FBI investigation called “Operation On The Road Again.” The Long Island chapter’s president at that time, Jonathan Richard “Junior” Ebeling, became a cooperating witness in that case.At least 300 motorcycle enthusiasts attended the event Saturday night.
Police from Suffolk and Nassau Counties, New York State Police and Metropolitan Transportation Authority police surrounded the event and performed courtesy safety stops and searches on bikers as they left the event between 7:45 p.m. and 1 a.m.
Five Clubs
According to published reports, police arrested eleven men and seized five handguns, a rifle and a shotgun, a baton, marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine and three vehicles.The men arrested included six Pagans from North Carolina and Delaware, two members of the Dirty Ones Motorcycle Club from New Jersey and the Bronx, a member of the Steel Wheels Motorcycle Club in Pennsylvania, and single members of the Black Sheep Motorcycle Club and the Armored Saints Motorcycle Club from New Jersey.
All eleven men were arraigned today in District Court in Central Islip, New York.