Three members of the same Winnipeg family are headed to prison after admitting to their roles in a massive Hells Angels drug dealing network.
Full-patch biker Sean Wolfe, his half-brother, David Single and his half-sister, Patricia Walsh, appeared together Thursday morning to deal with charges stemming from their December 2009 arrest.
Wolfe pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic cocaine and was sentenced to nine years in prison. Single pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and received seven-and-a-half years behind bars. Walsh also pleaded guilty to trafficking and was given six years custody.
All of the sentences were joint-recommendations between Crown and defence lawyers.
The trio were targeted as part of "Project Divide,", which saw police utilize gang associate Michael Satsatin who was paid $450,000 to work as an undercover informant who helped investigators capture dozens of drug and weapons deals on audio and video surveillance.
Police charged 33 members and associates of the Hells Angels following the 13-month probe, which involved more than 300 police officers in Manitoba and British Columbia. A total of 18 accused have now pleaded guilty and been sentenced to various periods of custody.
Wolfe is a long-time Hells associate who was promoted several years ago from the Zig Zag Crew, the so-called puppet club of the notorious biker gang. He is a former model and the cousin of hockey player Riley Cote, one of the National Hockey League's most feared enforcers who laces up the skates for the Philadelphia Flyers.
Police describe Wolfe in court documents "as a person one should not cross."
"He is not only highly respected but feared by numerous individuals and has the propensity to resort to violence," one of the investigating officers wrote in his affidavit for Project Divide.
Walsh was in tears during her initial court appearance following her arrest and claimed to have no criminal involvement or understanding of why she'd been arrested.
Crown attorney Chris Mainella told court Walsh was involved in several separate cocaine transactions carried out on behalf of Wolfe. Her arrest warrant included allegations she drove her two young children to school before heading to a meeting with Satsatin, who was sold seven ounces of cocaine in April 2009. Police say Single met with the agent at the Tuxedo Park Shopping Centre to discuss drug transactions.
Hells Angels get multi terms for drug deals
A family that commits crime together does time together.
Three members of the same Winnipeg clan learned that Thursday after pleading guilty to their roles in a massive Hells Angels drug-dealing network.
Full-patch biker Sean Wolfe admitted to conspiracy to traffic cocaine and was sentenced to nine years in prison. His half-brother, David Single, admitted to possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and received seven-and-a-half years behind bars. Wolfe's half-sister, Patricia Walsh, also admittedy to trafficking cocaine and was given six years in custody.
All sentences were joint recommendations from Crown and defence lawyers.
The trio were targeted as part of Project Divide, which saw police utilize gang associate Michael Satsatin, who was paid $450,000 to work as an undercover informant and help investigators capture audio and video of dozens of drug and weapons deals during surveillance.
Police charged 33 members and associates of the Hells Angels following the 13-month probe, which ended in December 2009 and involved more than 300 police officers in Manitoba and British Columbia. A total of 20 accused have now pleaded guilty and been sentenced to various periods of custody.
Wolfe, 33, is a longtime Hells associate who was promoted several years ago from the Zig Zag Crew, the so-called puppet club of the notorious biker gang. He is a former model and the cousin of hockey player Riley Cote, one of the National Hockey League's most feared enforcers, who plays for the Philadelphia Flyers.
Police describe Wolfe in court documents "as a person one should not cross. He is not only highly respected, but feared by numerous individuals and has the propensity to resort to violence," one of the investigating officers wrote in his affidavit for Project Divide.
Crown attorney Chris Mainella told court Walsh, 36, was involved in several separate cocaine transactions carried out on Wolfe's behalf. Police say Single, 34, met with the agent at the Tuxedo Park Shopping Centre to discuss drug transactions.
As part of their sentence, the three agreed to forfeit several items seized by police as proceeds of crime.
Hells Angels get multi terms for drug deals
A family that commits crime together does time together.
Three members of the same Winnipeg clan learned that Thursday after pleading guilty to their roles in a massive Hells Angels drug-dealing network.
Full-patch biker Sean Wolfe admitted to conspiracy to traffic cocaine and was sentenced to nine years in prison. His half-brother, David Single, admitted to possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and received seven-and-a-half years behind bars. Wolfe's half-sister, Patricia Walsh, also admittedy to trafficking cocaine and was given six years in custody.
All sentences were joint recommendations from Crown and defence lawyers.
The trio were targeted as part of Project Divide, which saw police utilize gang associate Michael Satsatin, who was paid $450,000 to work as an undercover informant and help investigators capture audio and video of dozens of drug and weapons deals during surveillance.
Police charged 33 members and associates of the Hells Angels following the 13-month probe, which ended in December 2009 and involved more than 300 police officers in Manitoba and British Columbia. A total of 20 accused have now pleaded guilty and been sentenced to various periods of custody.
Wolfe, 33, is a longtime Hells associate who was promoted several years ago from the Zig Zag Crew, the so-called puppet club of the notorious biker gang. He is a former model and the cousin of hockey player Riley Cote, one of the National Hockey League's most feared enforcers, who plays for the Philadelphia Flyers.
Police describe Wolfe in court documents "as a person one should not cross. He is not only highly respected, but feared by numerous individuals and has the propensity to resort to violence," one of the investigating officers wrote in his affidavit for Project Divide.
Crown attorney Chris Mainella told court Walsh, 36, was involved in several separate cocaine transactions carried out on Wolfe's behalf. Police say Single, 34, met with the agent at the Tuxedo Park Shopping Centre to discuss drug transactions.
As part of their sentence, the three agreed to forfeit several items seized by police as proceeds of crime.
I do not believe that drug, property, non-violent or mentally ill offenders should be imprisoned. Prison should always be a last resort, not over-relied upon. Only the most dangerous offenders who pose a risk to public safety should be imprisoned. Imprisoning non violent offenders is dangerous, because it causes further overcrowding and increases their chances of re-offending when released due to pro-criminal attitudes, values, behaviours in prison, the prevalence of drugs and gangs and the negative prison subculture. Prison serves no purpose for these siblings. I would also like to know more about the mitigating factors in this case. When there are more Hells Angels on the streets, there are less street gangs. Street gangs are often more violent than criminal organizations and they are known to kill rival gang members, shoot in broad daylight, etc. The HA make an effort not to create trouble with non-gang members. The Hells Angels are much more organized than street gangs such as the Manitoba Warriors, Indian Posse, Mad Cowz, etc. If drugs were legalized and sold and regulated by the government, criminal organizations and gangs would be out of business. It would eliminate the underground black market for drug dealing and would free up court space and reduce overcrowding. Prohibition only causes more harm and problems and crime.
Drugs should be legalized and regulated. That would free up court space and reduce prison overcrowding and eliminate the need for the underground drug market.
Drugs should be legalized and regulated. That would free up court space and reduce prison overcrowding and eliminate the need for the underground drug market.
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