Former Hells Angels secures immediate release

Former Hells Angels gets deal in bar homicide

A former Manitoba Hells Angels member struck a deal with justice officials Wednesday that saw him admit to killing a man inside a Winnipeg bar in exchange for his immediate freedom.

Billy Bowden, 34, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to two years of time already served, which was given double-time credit of four years. He was expected to be returned to the community by the end of the day.

Bowden admitted to playing a role in the November 2007 stabbing death of 24-year-old Jeff Engen inside the Empire Cabaret. A co-accused, Matt Wegier, remains before the courts and is set to go on trial in March 2011.

Prosecutor Daniel Chaput told Queen’s Bench Justice Rick Saull there were several problems with the Crown’s case against Bowden that prompted the plea bargain for a much lighter sentence than usual. Although there were more than 50 potential witnesses to the killing, Chaput said "surprisingly very few had much to say about what happened."

As well, there are no witnesses putting the knife in Bowden’s hand and the Crown can only prove he participated in the group attack.

"It was the unknowns the Crown struggled with. We couldn’t say who stabbed the victim. We couldn’t say Mr. Bowden knew a knife was present or that the victim was being stabbed," said Chaput.

He said the Crown would have sought a longer sentence against Bowden if he were convicted at trial.

"Equally, he could have been acquitted. This way, the Crown secures a manslaughter conviction and a sentence we recognize is on the low end of the spectrum," said Chaput.

Engen, a bodybuilder, was in the basement lounge of the Empire when he got into a dispute with several men about Bowden’s ex-girlfriend, court was told.

Engen was stabbed four times, including one which pierced his heart. He then climbed the stairs to get help, but collapsed near the dance floor. Despite efforts by a patron of the club to revive him, Engen died.

Witnesses said they were surprised a weapon got past the club's new security measures -- including a full-body metal detector -- which had been put in place after four people were shot and wounded there a month before Engen's stabbing.

The club's owner, Sabino Tummillo, closed the Empire's doors shortly after the stabbing and it never re-opened.

Bowden joined the Hells Angels in July 2004 but was kicked out of the gang in 2006 following an internal dispute, according to sources.

He has a lengthy criminal record which includes being caught by police with a loaded gun just two months after Engen’s slaying. He eventually pleaded guilty and was given six months of time in custody spent in custody plus a fine. Bowden admitted in court he had been carrying the gun "for his own protection."

Bowden also made headlines in March 2005 when he was shot in the leg by a gang associate in the Dirty Laundry bar at 720 Corydon Ave. The shooter was also shot and wounded by someone returning fire, but no one was ever charged. Dirty Laundry closed shortly after the incident.

This article is biased in that it says little to nothing about the defence lawyers' statements and does not mention anything relating to the defendant's background or childhood. Most often, people join gangs because they are are living in poverty and feel the need to have a sense of belonging and identity which they receive in a gang. A plea bargain is better than an acquittal though and is there is insufficient evidence as to whether this man held the knife or not. I believe that gang members need more community supports and resources, not prison. 

A peek inside the Hells Angels' home

A peek inside Hells' home

The Manitoba Hells Angels clubhouse -- now under provincial government ownership -- was both a Las Vegas-style party pad and a powerful, heavily fortified symbol of the gang's dominance in the criminal underworld.

Court documents obtained Wednesday by the Free Press provide a rare and detailed glimpse into the inner-workings of the notorious outlaw bikers and the place they called home.

The 2,865-square-foot Scotia Street home, currently assessed at $357,000 on the open market, was taken over by Manitoba Justice officials last week after filing a claim under the Criminal Property Forfeiture Act. It is the first time such a step has been taken in Manitoba and mirrors similar seizures in Ontario and British Columbia.

"The clubhouse serves as a symbol to rival criminal organizations of their presence and domination over unlawful activity in the area," Det.-Sgt. Ken Downs wrote in an affidavit filed in support of the court application. "It provides a base of operations, a place to make social ties and recruit new members, is a safe area to conspire about the commission of unlawful acts... and allows the Hells Angels to commit unlawful activities in secrecy."

Downs is a member of the Thunder Bay Police Service with extensive knowledge of the Canadian biker scene. He said the Manitoba chapter specifically began using the property, located behind the Kildonan Presbyterian Cemetery, because it was the last home on a dead-end street.

"This deters surveillance by rivals and police," said Downs. He said the Hells also had the home registered under the name of Leonard Beauchemin, a resident of Keewatin, Ont., with previous ties to the gang.

"This is a purposeful act done to disassociate the organized crime group from illegal profits. They are aware... it presents challenges for effective law enforcement," Downs wrote.

Beauchemin now has a month to appeal the interim order, which cites the clubhouse as a hub of criminal activity such as drug trafficking and money laundering.

Police also make the case the clubhouse had a "frat house" type atmosphere meant to build strong bonds between bikers. In several hundred pages of affidavits and photographs, police document various features of the home including an elevated stage and stripper pole where exotic dancers routinely performed, a well-stocked bar that included a running tab for all members, two full-sized video arcade games and a pool table.

The walls were covered with photographs of other Hells Angels members and chapters around the world, and crude signs including one that read "NO RATS, NO FAT CHICKS, NO GUNS." A huge portrait of founding Hells member Sonny Barger also hung above the fireplace.

There was also a VIP "Members Room" that was only open for full-patch bikers, not prospects or hangarounds. The room contained a chalkboard to allow bikers to "write out their conversations instead of speaking them for fear law enforcement had installed listening devices."

The Manitoba chapter also had a large supply of "support wear" T-shirts, hats and tuques which carried slogans such as "Silence is golden, duct tape is silver"; "When in doubt knock ' em out"; "Three can keep a secret if 2 are dead"; and "Shoot rats not drugs."

Police also provided written documentation that show the collection of monthly dues, minutes taken from monthly gang meetings known as "Church" and even lists of rules and regulations that all Hells members and associates must follow. Police say there was also an "extraordinary" surveillance system surrounding the property, which included nine hidden exterior cameras that would be monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week by designated members assigned to work "The Shift." Some of the cameras possessed "night vision" that would allow the bikers to clearly see images in the dark.

Police included extensive details of the Hells Angels history around the world, including details on the 35 existing Canadian chapters that include an estimated 476 active members.

There are also lengthy summaries of previous surveillance done on the Manitoba bikers, including a blow-by-blow account of observations made by police monitoring their 2009 Halloween party at the clubhouse.

Besides the clubhouse, police seized two motorcycles and four vehicles on the property, plus all contents of the house such as furniture. However, most Hells Angels-related paraphernalia was already gone, seized last December during Project Divide, a major police sting operation that used a former biker associated as a paid informant who captured dozens of drug and weapons deals on audio and video surveillance.

A total of 35 people were arrested, and 22 have already pleaded guilty and received lengthy prison sentences. Police launched two similar projects in 2007 and 2005 which have left the Manitoba chapter reeling.

www.mikeoncrime.com

STRICT CODE OF CONDUCT: A list of rules to be followed

Like any clubhouse, the Hells Angels had a strict set of rules that all members, associates and visitors were expected to follow. Police detailed many of these in court documents obtained Wednesday by the Free Press. They included the following:

HAVE ON YOU AT ALL TIMES:

Your house key and gate opener

Pens and a note pad

Lighter and rolling papers

Condoms and gum

Rolaids and Tylenol

Winnipeg phone list and phone or pager

TO DO:

Learn to roll a smoke.

Wear your vest at all times to parties, every time you're on your bike or at the clubhouse.

Never leave your vest lying around, hang it up and show respect. Never leave it in an unsafe area like your truck or car.

Take pride in yourself and your club.

Shake every member's hand right. Don't rush. Repeat names. Get to know your members, including their smoke brand, coffee size and what they want in it.

Hells Angel's clubhouse raided and seized

Hells' clubhouse raided, seized

It looks like it's the end of the road for a haven for Hells Angels after the clubhouse on a serene stretch of Scotia Street was raided.

Manitoba Justice officials, with the support of Winnipeg police, moved in Thursday morning to take control of the well-known biker hangout after the province obtained a court order allowing the property to be seized.

Manitoba Justice filed an interim court order, which triggered the raid. Early in the day police had blocked off the entire street, located behind the Kildonan Presbyterian Cemetery. Later, only the property itself was off-limits.

The house has allegedly been used as a site to plan and carry out criminal activity such as money laundering. That makes it liable for forfeiture under the Criminal Property Forfeiture Act.

No arrests were made related to the seizure, said Gord Schumacher, director of the province's criminal property forfeiture unit.

"We go after property, not people," he said.

"It pretty much looks like a clubhouse. It's a bar, basically," said Schumacher, describing the inside of the house, which he said had a "decent layout."

"It's a place where the Hells Angels hang their hats."

A source said the two associates of the biker gang in the clubhouse at the time of the raid were told to leave.

Besides the clubhouse, police seized two motorcycles and four vehicles on the property, plus all contents of the house such as furniture. However, most Hells Angels-related paraphernalia was already gone, seized in December during Project Divide, a major police gang operation, and two previous projects as well.

Schumacher said the property owner, Leonard Beauchemin, has 40 days to file a statement of defence to refute the province's allegations.

Beauchemin lives in Ontario. He is not a full-patch Hells Angels member, Schumacher said.

The legal trigger for Thursday's raid allows for proceeds from unlawful acts and property used in an unlawful acts to be forfeited to the government. The property at 2679 Scotia St., which contains a large one-storey building set far back into the well-kept yard, is at the end of the quiet, tree-lined street, flanked by a clearing to the north and the Red River to the east.

The Hells Angels do not own the Scotia Street property, said Winnipeg defence lawyer Jay Prober.

Prober said he is representing a client involved with the seizure though he could not specify who. He has put calls in to Manitoba Justice officials regarding the action.

"We'll have to see whether it's an illegal or a legal seizure," said Prober, who is trying to retrieve items of clothing belonging to his client he said were taken in the raid.

Neighbours, who did not wish to be identified, said they are relieved about the raid but doubt it will be the end of the ordeal. One neighbour said property values on the street have fallen as much as 20 per cent because of the biker gang clubhouse.

Hells clubhouse seized

Manitoba Justice officials and Winnipeg police seized the Hells Angels Winnipeg clubhouse Thursday.

The property, located at 2679 Scotia St., has been seized under the provincial Criminal Property Forfeiture Act, a civil law that allows property used in unlawful acts to be seized by the government.

The law is often used to seize houses that served as marijuana grow operations, but in a statement released Thursday, Manitoba Justice said it alleges the Scotia Street clubhouse was being used by the biker gang "as a place to plan and carry out criminal activity."

The allegations have not been proven in court, but the clubhouse was seized Thursday under an interim court order.

Hells Angels' clubhouse seized in Winnipeg

The Manitoba government has temporarily seized a Hells Angels clubhouse in Winnipeg and is seeking court permission to take it over permanently.

Manitoba Justice has filed a statement of claim in the Court of Queen's Bench for the forfeiture of the property and its contents at 2679 Scotia St. in the city's Rivergrove area.

Justice Department spokesman Gordon Schumacher said the property has been used as a place to plan and carry out criminal activity.

"There are a number of offences that we are alleging took place here, including money laundering, breaches of the Liquor Control Act, proceeds of crime, amongst others. And it's based on those charges that were here today."

Police said the Scotia Street home has been a Hells Angels Clubhouse for just over a decade.

An interim order has allowed the province to seize the property immediately, according to a news release issued by the province.

The claim alleges the property was used as a place to plan and carry out criminal activity. That makes it subject to forfeiture under Manitoba's Criminal Property Forfeiture Act.

According to the legislation, proceeds from unlawful acts and property used in an unlawful act may be forfeited to the government by order of the court. Along with real estate, items such as cash and vehicles can also be forfeited.

Proceeds from the sale of forfeited property are placed in a fund to support activities such as:

• Compensating victims of the unlawful activity.
• Remedying the effects of the unlawful activity.
• Promoting safer communities by funding programs that reduce or prevent crime or enhance the practices and training of law enforcement agencies.
• Covering the costs of the court application and seizing, managing and selling property ordered forfeited by a court.

Property ordered forfeited by a court can be sold, donated or destroyed.

The province hasn't indicated what it plans to do in this case.

A total of 35 statements of claim have been filed since the legislation was enacted in 2004.

Seized clubhouse PR
Taking away the clubhouse of the Hells Angels’ Manitoba chapter — at least temporarily — isn’t going to eliminate the outlaw motorcycle gang’s presence, a street source says.
Hells Angels members won’t have an official hangout if they lose the clubhouse but it won’t put an end to the chapter, the source said.
“It’s good PR for the police but the band will still march on even without a place to chill,” the source said.
A Hells Angels clubhouse in Oshawa, Ont., was seized by that province’s government and demolished in March. Similar seizures have occurred in other Canadian cities.
The Manitoba government’s move to take control of the biker club’s lair is the latest chapter in the back-and-forth saga between organized crime and law enforcement in Manitoba.
Lately, law enforcement seems to be coming out on top against Hells Angels members and associates.
Police have had tremendous success in finding trusted people to flip and become paid informants to infiltrate the Hells Angels or Zig Zag Crew, its so-called street crew.
Many Hells Angels members and associates are serving lengthy prison sentences or are in custody awaiting the resolution of charges.
The number of Manitoba Hells Angels members on the street is unclear.
Three long-term undercover projects — Defence, Drill and Divide — by the Manitoba integrated organized crime task force resulted in charges against more than 60 people between 2006 and 2010. The clubhouse was raided each time.
Manitoba Justice officials and Winnipeg Police Service officers moved in and temporarily seized the clubhouse at 2679 Scotia St. on Thursday under the provincial Criminal Property Forfeiture Act, a civil law that allows property used in unlawful acts to be seized by the government.
In court documents the government alleges the clubhouse was being used “as a place to plan and carry out criminal activity.”
The province has started legal proceedings to take over the secluded property. The property’s legal owner, Leonard Beauchemin, has 40 days to file a statement of defence.

Just because the house was raided and seized, does not mean the Hells Angels will disappear. They will find another house where they can plan their criminal activities.  This is not the end of the Hells Angels.

The clubhouse was ALLEGEDLY used to plan and carry out criminal activities. Shouldn't the state have to PROVE the property was used as a place to plan and carry out criminal activity, instead of simply "allege"? There should be a court decision prior to a seizure. This is a clear invasion of civil liberties. Plus, it has not been proven that ALL the individuals who lived in the house were involved in this so-called planning, yet all of their items are being seized! 

I have trouble with the logic here.

The house is owned by some guy that lives in Ontario.

I'm guessing that he rented the house out.

Now he has 40 days to file a statement of defence??? For what??? Charging too much rent??

To me, this is no different if I rent a property that I own to a person or persons and they do something illegal inside that house....does that mean I forfeit my house??? Makes no sense as the landlord has very little control over what is done behind the closed doors of his rented property. He/she cannot just walk in unannounced to look at what is happening at any given time. They have to give notice to the tenant.

The article states that the house has a nice layout and the yard is well kept. If I'm the landlord I would think of this as a model tenant. Rent is paid, yard is maintained.

I dunno...

I wonder if the government would have tried this if the house the Hells Angels rented was some $20,000 hovel on Magnus and not maintained....I think not. 

Does this mean that if any level of government passes a law that is clearly an invasion of Canadian civil liberties (found to be criminal) their offices can be seized and sold? haha.

Are people losing their homes they unknowingly rent to people who turn around and used them for grow operations? did the HA actively plan criminal activity from the house or were they somewhere else? How does one prove that?

Some other questions.

I see many (including the press) state that the Hells Angels is a criminal organization and that they are all committing crimes. This is derived from the theory that some of the Hells Angels are in prison for crimes. Therefore all of them are active in that endeavour.

Okay. Based on that theory.

[Take] Winnipeg Police Service officers ... charged or convicted of serious crimes. .

The question I have is this. Did they plan those crimes in their homes and cars? Did the government seize their "stuff". Based on the logic for the seizure of the HA clubhouse the law should have taken the stuff of these officers. Also, because they were WPS officers does that mean that all WPS officers are criminals?

My point being that just because one person from a group of friends or co-workers commits a crime does not mean that everyone else is guilty too.

I know...people will not like what I say here. However, I ask these questions in an effort to get people thinking. If we let the government tread on the rights of one group, what group is next?

Freedom is important...many good people fought and died for us to have it. [edited]

"The claim alleges the property was used as a place to plan and carry out criminal activity. That makes it subject to forfeiture under Manitoba's Criminal Property Forfeiture Act."


Shouldnt the state have to prove the property was used as a place to plan and carry out criminal activity rather than just 'allege'?

I am no fan of HA, but there should be a court decsion prior to seizure?

"The claim alleges the property was used as a place to plan and carry out criminal activity. That makes it subject to forfeiture under Manitoba's Criminal Property Forfeiture Act."

With the same rationale , most political offices , lawyers offices ,police stations and churches should be seized under this act as well.

This legislation is awful. They don't have to prove anything to take your property, just have a suspicion and your house and car are seized. How does this stuff stand up against the charter ?

They will just move to a new place.

are we living in Canada, the Governments can just walk in and take what they want under these conditions?....I am not a Hell's Angel fan by any means but the way this is happening doesn't seem right...

The Crown alleges that criiminal activity were carried out here so the property is to be forfeited?

There, but for the Grace of God , go you or I.

Nothing proven, but alleged.

Seriously, what kind of legislation is this?! Complete invasion of civil liberties, if the government is under no obligation to prove anything before seizing property! They just have to "allege" something! How does that stand up against the Charter? That is wrong. Nothing has been proven, merely alleged. 

Hells Angel man sentenced to additional jail time

Project Divide sting leads to additional jail time

A Winnipeg man is headed to prison after pleading guilty to his role in a major Hells Angels sting operation.

Ryan Cory Sawatzky admitted Tuesday to selling two ounces of poor quality cocaine to a long-time biker associate who was actually working undercover for the police.

Sawatzky, 28, was given 33 months behind bars, in addition to six months of time already spent in custody under a joint-recommendation from Crown and defence lawyers. He was one of 31 people arrested last December as part of "Project Divide" and is the seventh to plead guilty.

Crown attorney Mark Lafreniere said Sawatzky was caught on camera delivering the drugs to the secret agent outside his home last November. Sawatzky had been a prospect with the Zig Zag Crew, which is the feeder crew to the Hells Angels, but had turned in his vest weeks earlier in an apparent bid at a fresh start in life.

He quickly got pulled back in when the agent, Michael Satsatin, came looking $150 in unpaid dues that he still owed, court was told. Sawatzky agreed to eliminate his debt by selling the cocaine, which had been severely diluted by cutting agents and was only seven per cent pure.

Defence lawyer Ian Garber told court his client is a cancer survivor who desperately wants to get out of jail to be a father to his five-year-old son. The boy is currently living with his mother.

Satsatin was the treasurer of the Zig Zag Crew when he agreed to become a secret agent and capture the inner workings of the criminal organization in exchange for $450,000 and witness protection. Investigators seized 165 ounces of cocaine, 12 ounces of methamphetamine, 12,000 ecstasy tablets, one ounce of heroin and seven pounds of marijuana during their 13-month investigation, along with cash, firearms and gang paraphernalia. More than 300 Mounties and police from Winnipeg, Brandon, Ste. Anne and B.C. were involved.

Cancer survivor heads to prison after police sting

A cancer survivor who tried to work his way out of debt by selling drugs for the Hells Angels is headed to prison.
Ryan Cory Sawatzky pleaded guilty Tuesday to trafficking two ounces of poor quality cocaine to a longtime biker associate who was actually working undercover for the police.

Sawatzky, 28, was given 33 months behind bars, in addition to six months of time already spent in custody under a joint recommendation from Crown and defence lawyers.
He was one of 31 people arrested last December as part of Project Divide and is the seventh to plead guilty.
"I have nobody to thank but that (expletive) organization and my (expletive) stupidity," Sawatzky told police following his arrest.
Crown attorney Mark Lafreniere told court Sawatzky was caught on camera delivering the drugs to the secret agent outside his home last November. Sawatzky had been a prospect with the Zig Zag Crew, which is the feeder crew to the Hells Angels, but had turned in his vest weeks earlier in an apparent bid at a fresh start in life.
He quickly got pulled back in when the agent, Michael Satsatin, came looking for $150 in unpaid dues he still owed, court was told. Sawatzky agreed to eliminate his debt by selling the cocaine, which had been severely diluted by cutting agents and was only seven per cent pure.
Defence lawyer Ian Garber told court his client had already fought through two bouts of cancer and desperately wants to get out of jail to be a father to his five-year-old son.
The boy is currently living with his mother.
"To his credit, he had walked away from this group and set out on a better path," said Garber.
Satsatin was the treasurer of the Zig Zag Crew when he agreed to become a secret agent and capture the inner workings of the criminal organization in exchange for $450,000 and witness protection.
Investigators seized 165 ounces of cocaine, 12 ounces of methamphetamine, 12,000 ecstasy tablets, one ounce of heroin and seven pounds of marijuana during their 13-month investigation, along with cash, firearms and gang paraphernalia.
More than 300 Mounties and police from Winnipeg, Brandon, Ste. Anne and B.C. were involved.

I completely disagree with drug offenders being sentenced to prison. Prisons should be reserved for the most dangerous, high risk and violent offenders, not drug offenders, who could be better assisted outside of prison. This man is a father and had gone through a cancer struggle and doesn't deserve to be in prison for selling a small amount of cocaine. Prison is a negative environment which only exposes drug offenders to more pro criminal attitudes, values and behaviours as gangs and drugs are prevalent in Canadian prisons. Prison will not help this man in becoming a more productive citizen. He will likely only become further entrenched in the lifestyle. He is not dangerous to the public, therefore, he should not be in prison. If he has a drug addiction, he can best be helped through community sanctions, not prison, as prison programs are largely under-funded and the prison subculture counteracts with strategies and skills inmates may have learned in a prison program. 

I would have recommended a conditional sentence of 23 months combined with 3 years probation. He could have conditions imposed to live with his wife and son, attend substance abuse programs if he has those issues, community service work and employment assistance.  

Hells Angel courier sentenced to 3 years

Hells Angel courier sentenced to 3 years

A Winnipeg construction worker is headed to prison after admitting to trafficking drugs on behalf of the Hells Angels.

Kyle Andrew Oliferchuk, 31, pleaded guilty Wednesday to selling four ounces of poor quality cocaine to an undercover police agent last November. The drug was only 22 per cent pure and had been severely diluted, court was told.

The deal was arranged during a meeting at the Tim Hortons on Archibald Street and was captured on police surveillance happening at Charlee's Resteraunt on Stadacona Street, court was told. Oliferchuk was paid $3,200 in marked police bills in exchange for the drugs.

Oliferchuk was sentenced to three years behind bars, in addition to five months of pre-trial custody, under a joint-recommendation from Crown and defence lawyers.

Oliferchuk was one of 31 people arrested in December as part of a 13-month police investigation called "Project Divide" which targeted members and associates of the motorcycle gang. He is the sixth accused to plead guilty.

Crown attorney Chris Mainella told court earlier this week the Crown is prepared to recommend lenient sentences for those accused who wish to admit responsibility at an early stage.

Oliferchuk has a previous criminal history, including several breaches of court orders, but no direct ties to the Hells Angels. He was recruited by a friend — a former gang prospect — to be a courier in exchange for some easy money, court was told.

Defence lawyer Jay Prober said his client plans to make a fresh start when he is released on parole, including getting married to his girlfriend. Queen's Bench Chief Justice Marc Monnin warned Oliferchuk his sentences will only increase if he continues to be involved in criminal activity.

Construction worker jailed for drug deal
A Winnipeg construction worker is headed to prison after admitting to trafficking drugs on behalf of the Hells Angels.
Kyle Andrew Oliferchuk, 31, pleaded guilty Wednesday to selling four ounces of cocaine to an undercover police agent last November. The drug was only 22 per cent pure and had been severely diluted, court was told.
The deal was arranged during a meeting at the Tim Hortons on Archibald Street and was captured on police surveillance happening at Charlee's Restaurant on Stadacona Street, court was told. Oliferchuk was paid $3,200 in marked police bills in exchange for the drugs.
Oliferchuk was sentenced to three years behind bars, in addition to five months of pretrial custody, under a joint-recommendation from Crown and defence lawyers.
Oliferchuk was one of 31 people arrested in December as part of a 13-month police investigation called Project Divide, which targeted members and associates of the motorcycle gang. He is the sixth accused to plead guilty. Crown attorney Chris Mainella told court earlier this week the Crown is prepared to recommend lenient sentences for those accused who wish to admit responsibility at an early stage.
Oliferchuk has a previous criminal history, including several breaches of court orders, but no direct ties to the Hells Angels. He was recruited by a friend -- a former gang prospect -- to be a courier in exchange for some easy money, court was told.
Defence lawyer Jay Prober said his client plans to make a fresh start when he is released on parole, including getting married to his girlfriend. Queen's Bench Chief Justice Marc Monnin warned Oliferchuk his sentences will only increase if he continues to be involved in criminal activity.

Drug offenders and dealers should not be in prison. What is the purpose? Prison has been proven not to deter, prevent or reduce crime. It actually increases recidivism when offenders are released. Drug offenders are not a risk to society and are not dangerous, therefore, incapacitation is not the goal. Obviously, rehab is not the goal because we all know prison programs lack funding and are not effective. So the goal must be revenge/punishment/retribution. This is the wrong goal to sentence someone for. 

If we truly want to prevent and reduce crime, we need to address the underlying factors contributing to crime. This article made no mention of any mitigating factors for this man, which is biased. When non violent offenders are housed with violent offenders, prisons can be known as the schools of crime as they create more hardened criminals as drugs and gangs are rampant. 

This man made a mistake. He was drawn in by the prospect of making money. His previous record is only for minor breaches. This should NOT warrant a prison sentence. 

If this man has a drug addiction, I would sentence him to get drug treatment and also to learn about the impact drugs have on individuals. I would also say that he needs employment assistance and possibly education, both of which decrease the chance of re-offending. If I were the Judge, I would have sentenced him to a 2 year conditional sentence in the community under strict conditions, to have to associations with known gang members or drug dealers, to live with his girlfriend, curfew, drug treatment and impact programs, and to be working in the daytime. I would also have him pay a fine, which he could work off by doing community service work. 

THIS ^^ is how we should properly teach and assist offenders to become productive members of society once again.  

Two men jailed for selling drugs?! Absolutely absurd!

Two jailed for selling drugs

WINNIPEG--Two Winnipeg men have admitted to selling drugs on behalf of the Hells Angels to an undercover police agent. The deals were captured  on audio and video surveillance.

Joseph Ronald Desjarlais, 34, was given four years in prison, while Dustin Jeremy Barker, 22, received three years behind bars Tuesday following joint-recommendations between Crown and defence lawyers.

The penalties are in addition to five months already spent in custody, which was given just single-time credit based on their histories of breaching court orders.

Desjarlais and Barker were among 31 people arrested last December as part of "Project Divide". A total of five accused have now pleaded guilty and been sentenced, with several more expected in the coming weeks.

Both men were caught on candid camera meeting with local gangster Michael Satsatin, who agreed to become a paid secret agent and capture the inner workings of the criminal organization in exchange for $450,000 and witness protection.

Desjarlais gave the agent five ounces of cocaine in exchange for $8,000 in marked police money in a deal that went down in the parking lot of the Youth for Christ building on Talbot Avenue last November, court was told.

Desjarlais had just gotten out of prison months earlier after serving a lengthy term for theft and robbery. He had no official ties or history with the Hells Angels until he met a member of the Zig Zag Crew – the puppet club for the outlaw motorcycle gang – while serving his time. Desjarlais agreed to become a drug courier because he wanted to pad the income he was making working for a landscaping company.

Barker, who the cousin of a full-patch Zig Zag member, was caught by police delivering two ounces of cocaine to the agent in the parking lot of a Shoppers Drug Mart on north Main Street last November. Barker had also been recently released from jail for various "petty crimes" and breaches of court orders tied to his own addiction to drugs, court was told.

Investigators seized 165 ounces of cocaine, 12 ounces of methamphetamine, 12,000 ecstasy tablets, one ounce of heroin and seven pounds of marijuana during their 13-month investigation, along with cash, firearms and gang paraphernalia. More than 300 Mounties and police from Winnipeg, Brandon, Ste. Anne and B.C. were involved.

Easy money drug courier gets 4 years in prison
Easy drug money was too much for Joseph Desjarlais to resist.
“When a guy shows up at your doorstep with a bunch of money in his hand ... it’s hard to say no,” Desjarlais told a judge Tuesday. “I’m just ashamed of it all.”
Desjarlais, a low-level drug courier for the Zig-Zag Crew street gang, was sentenced to four years in prison.
Desjarlais, 34, was one of 31 people arrested last December in an undercover police sting targeting organized crime.
Court heard Desjarlais met co-accused and full-patch Zig-Zagger Craig Mirus in prison. When both men were released from custody, Desjarlais went to work for Mirus as a drug courier.
Police surveillance captured Desjarlais meeting with Zig-Zagger turned police agent Michael Satsatin outside an Elmwood fire hall and leaving five ounces of cocaine in his vehicle.
Dustin Jeremy Barker, 22, another drug courier scooped up in the same investigation, was sentenced Tuesday to three years in prison.
Barker, a drug addict, agreed to deliver drugs as a favour for his cousin, co-accused Zig-Zagger Gerald Frommelt, said defence lawyer Saheel Zaman. Zaman said Barker had smoked some of Frommelt’s drugs and felt he “owed him.”
Police surveillance captured Barker passing Satsatin two ounces of cocaine in the parking lot of a Main Street Shoppers Drug Mart.
Barker’s first child will be born while he is in prison, said Crown attorney Chris Mainella.
“If this is not a wake-up call to him, I don’t know what will be,” he said.
Desjarlais and Barker did not receive double credit for the time they have already served in custody. While their arrests pre-dated changes eliminating “two-for-one” credit, Mainella argued the men weren’t entitled to it because of their history of not obeying court orders and the unlikely prospect they will be granted early release.

Hells members get better deal for guilty pleas

MANITOBA justice officials say the clock is ticking for members and associates of the Hells Angels to decide if they want to play Let's Make A Deal by trading a guilty plea for a reduced prison sentence.
Two Winnipeg men caught up in a massive undercover police sting operation admitted Tuesday to selling drugs on behalf of the outlaw motorcycle gang. That means five of the 31 people arrested last December in "Project Divide" have now resolved their cases.
"The Crown, at this early juncture, is prepared to recommend lenient sentences for those willing to plead guilty," federal Crown attorney Chris Mainella told court. "But at some point, just like the children's game, the music will stop and people are going to be left standing."
Joseph Ronald Desjarlais, 34, was given four years in prison, while Dustin Jeremy Barker, 22, received three years behind bars Tuesday following joint-recommendations between Crown and defence lawyers. The penalties are in addition to five months already spent in custody, which was given just single-time credit based on their histories of breaching court orders.
Mainella told court his office would have sought stiffer sanctions against the pair if they had dragged the matter out. He said they should be given credit for quickly admitting responsibility and saving taxpayers the expense of a lengthy trial.
Desjarlais and Barker were caught on camera meeting with local gangster Michael Satsatin, who agreed to become a paid secret agent and capture the inner workings of the criminal organization in exchange for $450,000 and witness protection.
Desjarlais gave the agent five ounces of cocaine in exchange for $8,000 in marked police money in a deal that went down in the parking lot of the Youth for Christ building on Talbot Avenue last November, court was told.
Desjarlais had just got out of prison months earlier after serving a lengthy term for theft and robbery. He had no official ties or history with the Hells Angels until he met a member of the Zig Zag Crew -- the puppet club for the outlaw motorcycle gang -- while serving his time.
Barker was caught by police delivering two ounces of cocaine to the agent in the parking lot of a Shoppers Drug Mart on north Main Street last November while his girlfriend and her three-year-old child waited inside his vehicle. This will be his first federal prison sentence.

So this is a prime example of how prisons for drug offences, are the schools of crime. This low level dealer met a gang member in prison and only continued his criminal behaviour, as a more hardened criminal equipped with more skills, outside of prison once released. Longer prison sentences dont send a message or deter crime, they actually increase recidivism. We need to address the underlying factors contributing to crime, such as drug addiction and unemployment, in this case.

Dealing drugs, which is a victimless and harmless "crime" as established by the government, should not warrant a lengthy prison sentence! As you can see with the first accused, he met a gang member IN PRISON while serving a previous term. This is a prime example of how prison is the "school of crime" turning offenders into more hardened criminals. Prison should only be reserved for the most dangerous, high risk and violent offenders, where the main emphasis should be rehabilitation for these serious offenders. For drug dealers, prison is merely teaching them new skills and exposing them to more pro criminal attitudes, values and behaviours, as gangs and drugs are very prevalent in today's prisons. Prison will not help these individuals whatsoever, in becoming more productive citizens. We need to address the underlying causes of crime and identify the factors contributing to crime, such as addiction, for the second accused. He has a drug addiction which is likely fuelling his criminal behaviour. I highly doubt he has been offered any rehab or drug treatment. 

The Hells Angels keep help keep more dangerous street gangs from getting too large, such as the Indian Posse and the Mad Cowz. The Hells Angels do not harm people, kill people, sexually assault people, etc. They sell drugs and are organized and professional. 

Harsher and longer prison sentences are not sending a message or teaching anybody a lesson. Why? Because longer sentences do not deter future crimes. It's proven in research. Deterrence is a complete myth. Longer sentences also do not prevent or reduce crime, and they have been shown to increase recidivism within individuals when released, due to the fact they have been offered no rehab, overcrowding causes increased violence and hostility and prison deprivations only make them more bitter and angry with society. 

So for what purpose, are we imprisoning drug dealers? Deterrence doesn't work. Incapacitation isn't the purpose because these individuals are not a risk to society as they have not harmed anybody and society does not need to be protected from them as they are not dangerous. Rehabilitation is not the purpose, as prison programs lack funding and are not implemented properly. If rehab was the purpose, they would not be in prison, as community sanctions can better offer rehab programs which are much more effective. So the only purpose of prison left, is retribution/punishment or in other words, revenge. Our prison system should NOT be one based on revenge, but should be one based on rehabilitation and restoration of these offenders. They need help and need to be treated with respect and care, if we want them to change. If we were truly invested in preventing and reducing crime, we would focus on rehab programs, as they are effective in addressing the underlying causes of crime and factors contributing. 

Prisons for drug dealers and drug offences, are like the schools of crime. Dangerous gangs and drugs and violence and pro criminal attitudes/values are prevalent in prisons and small time drug dealers, often meet criminal associates and become more hardened criminals, more likely to re-offend when released. This is NOT in the best interests of society. Let's not turn our justice system into the expensive failure that we see in the US!  

Bail denied for ex-RCMP turned alleged Hells Angels associate

Bail denied for ex-RCMP turned alleged Hells Angels associate

A judge has denied bail to a former Manitoba RCMP officer who gave up the badge and allegedly became a high-ranking Hells Angels associate.

Wayne Shuttleworth learned Monday he will have to remain behind bars while pending on charges connected to a massive undercover police investigation dubbed "Project Divide." Shuttleworth has been in custody since December, when police executed a series of search warrants and arrested 31 targets in Manitoba and British Columbia.

A court-ordered ban prevents specific details of the bail hearing from being published.

Court documents obtained by the Free Press show Shuttleworth apparently hid his policing past from fellow Zig Zag Crew members, knowing it would be an automatic ticket to rejection from the gang that serves as a puppet club to the Hells. Shuttleworth, 39, has been charged with participating in a criminal organization, trafficking a firearm, possession of proceeds of crime and conspiracy to launder money. Police identified Shuttleworth in search warrant affidavits as a full-patch member of the Zig Zag Crew.

The documents say Shuttleworth was an RCMP officer between 1991 and 1994, who had extensive firearm training and "an ongoing interest in firearms." Shuttleworth allegedly had various conversations with secret police agent Michael Satsatin in which he discussed having a connection on the Sandy Bay Indian Reserve that would allow him to purchase firearms.

Investigators seized 165 ounces of cocaine, 12 ounces of methamphetamine, 12,000 ecstasy tablets, one ounce of heroin and seven pounds of marijuana during their investigation, along with cash, firearms and gang paraphernalia. More than 300 Mounties and police from Winnipeg, Brandon, Ste. Anne and B.C. were involved.

Last Project Drill drug dealer sentenced to 8.5 years

Last Project Drill drug dealer gets 8.5 years

Wayne Holmes didn’t want anything to do with the Hells Angels, but in the end his relationship with one of the outlaw biker gang’s long-time associates was his undoing.

Holmes, 52, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic in cocaine and was sentenced Wednesday to 81/2 years in prison.

Holmes was among 18 people arrested in December 2007 as part of Project Drill, a undercover police investigation targeting the Hells Angels and its associates.

As in similar investigations before and since, Operation Drill relied on the use of a paid agent — in this case, career criminal and biker associate Scott (Taz) Robertson — to ensnare the criminal targets.

Court heard Robertson put the word out he was unsatisfied with the poor quality cocaine he was buying from Hells Angels associate Allen Morrison and was looking for a new supplier.

Enter Al Lebras, a Hells Angels “prospect” and long-time drug dealer. Lebras negotiated three cocaine deals with Robertson worth $61,000.

Holmes — who had no gang ties himself but was Lebras’ drug-dealing partner — delivered the drugs while another man accepted the cash. The drug deals were all caught on police video and audio.

“It’s effectively Mr. Morrison’s doing that gets Mr. Lebras and Mr. Holmes caught in the net,” said Crown attorney Chris Mainella. “Mr. Holmes made it very clear on the intercepted communications he wanted nothing to do with the Hells Angels. He wouldn’t go to the clubhouse, he didn’t trust them. He simply dealt with Mr. Lebras.”

When police executed a search warrant at Holmes’ Waterford Avenue house, they found $150,000 and one kilogram of benzocaine, which is used to dilute cocaine, sometimes with fatal consequences. It has been linked to a potentially fatal blood condition called methemoglobinemia.

Unlike other cutting agents such as baking powder, benzocaine reduces the purity of the cocaine while still maintaining a “high,” Mainella said.

“The problem is you may be killing the person through their blood.”

Holmes is the last Project Drill accused to be sentenced. Robertson didn’t testify once as all 18 accused pleaded guilty to reduced charges and did not proceed to trial. They received sentences ranging from four years to 15 years.

According to court records, Robertson was to be paid $650,000 for his co-operation, plus expenses. He is now living in witness protection.

Sentence closes book on undercover sting operation 
ONCE a trusted friend of the Hells Angels who helped facilitate the flow of cocaine from British Columbia to Manitoba, Wayne Holmes has now become a footnote in local legal history.
Holmes, 52, pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiracy to traffic drugs and was given an eight-and-a-half year prison sentence under a joint agreement between Crown and defence lawyers. His case closes the book on a successful undercover police sting operation, dubbed Project DRILL, which saw 18 high-ranking bikers and associates taken down in 2007.
"He was the last man standing," Crown attorney Chris Mainella told court Wednesday. He noted that every single person who was arrested pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug network and was given a sentence ranging from four years to 15 years.
Holmes hasn't been convicted of any crimes since 1975 but got involved in the drug business through his association with longtime Hells hangaround Al Lebras, court was told. Holmes now admits he stored cash, cocaine and the cutting agent to dilute the drug in his home and allowed a B.C. drug courier to stay with him.
Queen's Bench Justice Brenda Keyser said it's no surprise Holmes found himself in legal hot water. She said when you "lie with dogs, you get fleas."
Holmes has spent 28 months in custody since his arrest. He must now serve another three years, 10 months.

I think 8 and a half years is WAYY too harsh! This man had no gang ties and when you think about it, his crime really wasn't that serious. Nobody was harmed or killed and he didn't want anything to do with the Hells Angels. Stats show that longer sentences are no more effective, actually cause more harm and recidivism, than shorter sentences. I would also like to know the mitigating circumstances in this case, and this man's background and family life, any previous record, etc. I would have sentenced this man to maybe 3 years prison, because it still is a relatively serious drug offence, with drug treatment and counseling, life skills, education, employment assistance, etc. 

Hells Angels associate sentenced to 8 and a half years prison

Hells Angels associate sentenced to 8.5 years prison

A Hells Angels associate has been sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison after pleading guilty to a string of charges from his arrest in an undercover police sting operation.

Allen Morrison, 38, was one of 18 people targeted during Project Drill, in which a secret agent was paid $625,000 plus expenses to conduct a series of drug deals which were captured by police audio and video surveillance.

Morrison was caught in 2007 arranging four major cocaine deals in which he sent a lower-level "courier" to meet with the agent at various city locations, including Polo Park Shopping Centre, Shoppers Drug Mart, Burger King and A&W in which cash and drugs changed hands.

Morrison was a longtime biker associate, officially deemed a "Hangaround", who was slowly climbing the criminal ladder at the time of his arrest, court was told.

Morrison also pleaded guilty Tuesday to obstruction of justice for his actions at a December 2007 sentencing hearing on drug offences from 2003. At the time, Morrison and his lawyer told court he had walked away from his gang affiliations, moved out of Winnipeg with his wife and children and was looking forward to living a life on the straight and narrow.

In fact, Morrison had just spent the past few months practically begging to be made a full-patch Hells member and deliberately misled the court in an attempt to get a more lenient sentence, court was told.

Morrison apologized for his actions Tuesday and spoke of a "new way of thinking" which including living crime-free once he is released from prison. A cynical Queen’s Bench Justice Brenda Keyser wasn’t buying it.

"I have great difficulty believing there’s any truth to that," she said. "It’s not the first time he has tried to con the court."

Morrison was given single-time credit for 28 months of pre-trial custody, meaning he has six years and two months left to serve. He was also ordered to pay back $50,000 he received in exchange for the drugs he supplied to the agent and will have to spent another year behind bars if he can’t come up with the cash.

Biker pleads guilty
Has longtime biker associate and drug dealer Allen Morrison changed his ways?
A judge who sentenced him to 8.5 years in prison doesn't think so.
Morrison pleaded guilty Tuesday to possession of cocaine for the purposes of trafficking, conspiracy to traffic in cocaine and obstruction of justice. The last charge is in connection to Morrison's attempt to mislead the court into believing he was turning his back on a life of crime.
"I have grave doubts Mr. Morrison seriously wants to move in a positive direction," said Justice Brenda Keyser. "It's not the first time he has tried to con the court."
Morrison, 38, was one of 18 people arrested in December 2007 as part of a undercover police investigation targeting the Hells Angels and its associates.

Biker, drug dealer jailed 8.5 years
Has longtime biker associate and drug dealer Allen Morrison changed his ways?
A judge who sentenced him to 81/2 years in prison doesn’t think so.
Morrison pleaded guilty Tuesday to possession of cocaine for the purposes of trafficking, conspiracy to traffic in cocaine and obstruction of justice. The last charge is in connection to Morrison’s attempt to mislead the court into believing he was turning his back on a life of crime.
“I have grave doubts Mr. Morrison seriously wants to move in a positive direction,” said Justice Brenda Keyser. “It’s not the first time he has tried to con the court.”
Morrison, 38, was one of 18 people arrested in December 2007 as part of Project Drill, a undercover police investigation targeting the Hells Angels and its associates.
Morrison was already in custody at the time of his arrest. That same month he was sentenced to one year in jail after being convicted at trial of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. At that sentencing hearing, Morrison told the court he had severed his ties with his criminal associates and had moved to the country with his girlfriend and young child.
What the court didn’t know was that Morrison was still dealing drugs with an eye to becoming a Hells Angels “prospect.” “There is no question Mr. Morrison lied to the court in order to receive a more lenient sentence,” Crown attorney Pat Flynn said Tuesday. “Were it not for Project Drill we would never have known about it.”
As in similar investigations before and since, Operation Drill relied on the use of a paid agent — in this case, career criminal and biker associate Scott “Taz” Robertson — to ensnare the criminal targets. Morrison negotiated four drug deals with Robertson worth $50,000. The money has not been recovered.
Morrison was sentenced to eight years on the drug charges and an additional six months for obstruction of justice. He received 28 months credit for time served but will serve another year in custody if he does not repay the $50,000.
Morrison claimed he was ashamed of his actions and again promised that his days as a criminal are in the past.
“I don’t ever want to create victims in my life again,” he told Keyser.
Keyser didn’t believe him.
“I think his prospects for rehabilitation, quite frankly, are slim.”

Drug trafficking nets man 8 year term
ALLEN Morrison had two major goals in life -- to join the ranks of the Hells Angels and to bring the purest cocaine to the streets of Winnipeg.
An undercover police sting operation made sure Morrison came up short on both fronts.
Morrison, 38, was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison Tuesday after pleading guilty to a string of trafficking charges from his December 2007 arrest. Morrison was one of 18 people targeted during "Project Drill", in which a secret agent was paid $625,000 plus expenses to conduct a series of drug deals which were captured by police audio and video surveillance.
Morrison was caught arranging four major cocaine deals in which he sent a lower-level "courier" to meet with the agent at various city locations, including the Polo Park Shopping Centre, Shoppers Drug Mart, Burger King and A&W in which cash and drugs changed hands.
Police also intercepted a phone call in which Morrison pledged to bring better quality cocaine to the city. The agent was complaining about the diluted product he'd been receiving.
"I want it to be very pure to get everyone hooked on crack again," said Morrison.
Morrison was a longtime biker associate, officially deemed a "Hangaround", who was slowly climbing the criminal ladder at the time of his arrest, court was told.
Morrison also pleaded guilty Tuesday to obstruction of justice for his actions at a December 2007 sentencing hearing on drug offences from 2003. At the time, Morrison and his lawyer told court he had walked away from his gang affiliations, moved out of Winnipeg with his wife and children and was looking forward to living a life on the straight and narrow.
In fact, Morrison had just spent the past few months practically begging to be made a full-patch Hells member and deliberately misled the court in an attempt to get a more lenient sentence.
"He made representations through his council he knew to be false," Crown attorney Pat Flynn told court.
Morrison apologized for his actions Tuesday and spoke of a "new way of thinking" which including living crime-free once he is released from prison. A cynical Queen's Bench Justice Brenda Keyser wasn't buying it.
"I have great difficulty believing there's any truth to that," she said. "It's not the first time he has tried to con the court."

I definitely agree that this man is manipulative and has lied to the court about his actions and behaviour. He participated in cocaine deals (which by the way, are not THAT serious of a crime) and pleaded guilty to it. 

I would like to know whether there were any mitigating factors in this case or the background history of this man and his lawyer's arguments. 

I feel that 6 years is too harsh of a sentence. Research has proven that longer sentences are no more effective in reducing and deterring crime, than shorter sentences. 

I feel that prison should only be meant for the most dangerous, high risk and violent offenders. From this article, I would not classify this man as any of those. Drugs are not that violent of an offence, as there are no victims. He did not harm anybody. If he has drug addiction problems and gang problems, I would suggest a gang desistance program, family counseling, counseling to uncover the root causes of his criminal behaviour, healthy living skills and addictions treatment. 

I don't know if a lengthy prison sentence is necessary for this man. I would suggest possibly a year in prison because it was a drug offence and to express denunciation combined with counseling and drug treatment.  

Man's drug addictions lead him down a criminal path

Drug problems downfall for man

Lloyd Jansen thought he could dig himself out of a massive drug debt by selling cocaine for the Hells Angels.

But the 26-year-old Winnipeg man only added to his growing list of problems when he got caught up in an undercover police sting operation.

Jansen pleaded guilty Tuesday to his role in "Project Divide", which saw 31 people arrested last December after police used a secret agent to capture dozens of drug deals on video and audio surveillance. He was sentenced to three years in prison, in addition to time served, under a joint-recommendation from Crown and defence lawyers.

Jansen was caught on camera last July delivering 10 ounces of cocaine to the agent, Michael Satsatin, in the parking lot of the Safeway store on Henderson Highway in North Kildonan.

Defence lawyer Darren Sawchuk said his client fell on hard times when he became hooked on crack cocaine and ran up more than $50,000 debt to several local dealers who had ties to the notorious outlaw motorcycle gang.

Jansen quit his job as a diesel mechanic and became a street-level dealer. Crown attorney Chris Mainella said he was "trying to work his way up" the criminal ladder.

Court documents obtained last week revealed how many of Winnipeg's most popular suburban restaurants, stores, shopping malls and entertainment outlets were used as the backdrop for the Hells Angels to conduct their transactions.

Investigators seized 165 ounces of cocaine, 12 ounces of methamphetamine, 12,000 ecstasy tablets, one ounce of heroin and seven pounds of marijuana during their investigation, along with cash, firearms and gang paraphernalia. More than 300 Mounties and police from Winnipeg, Brandon, Ste. Anne and B.C. were involved. Satsatin was paid $450,000 plus expenses and put in the witness protection plan.

Blair Alford, 55, was sentenced April 1 to 40 months behind bars after admitting to selling 12 ounces of cocaine to Satsatin in the parking lot of a Rona store on Kenaston Boulevard. The other 29 accused remain before the courts.

I would like to have known more of this man's background life such as how long he's been addicted and if he has attempted to go through any programs. 

I think this is a case where a drug treatment court might be successful. This man plead guilty and in order to be eligible for a drug treatment court, the individual must take responsibility for their actions. This man has done that. I definitely don't agree with the 3 year sentence as I feel that we need to consider alternatives to imprisonment in more cases. This man could participate in a drug treatment program and regular drug testing. If he completed it successfully, he would likely to given probation. If he failed to abide by the conditions , he would be processed through the regular courts and possibly given incarceration then. 

I think he needs help for his drug problem and it he agreed to a program, I think this could be a successful alternative. I also think that he needs employment assistance. 

Drug offenders, in my opinion, should not be in prison. They are the individuals that can best be helped through rehabilitation. Drug offenders pose a very small threat to the safety of society and I feel that prison should only be reserved for violent murderers and psychopaths, for people who actually do harm to another person. 

Most criminals who serve extended periods of incarceration, become institutionalized and are incapable of proper decision making and of reintegration. This is NOT in society's best interests. These people are often then released back into the same social and economic conditions which contributed to their criminal behaviour initially. We need to help offenders uncover the root causes of their behaviour and the factors contributing to crime and then address those, if our goal is really to prevent and reduce crime. Prison has been proven to NOT reduce or deter crime. So why are we still using it for small time offenders??  

Hells Angels drug deals take place in the open, at restaurants and shops

Hells Angels drug deals out in open; Bikers conduct illegal activity at restaurants, shops

Many of Winnipeg's most popular suburban restaurants, stores, shopping malls and entertainment outlets were used as the backdrop for the Hells Angels to conduct dozens of drug and weapons deals.

Court documents obtained Friday reveal the numerous locations where gang members and associates quietly did their business while under surveillance during a year-long police sting operation. Police arrested 34 suspects last December after trusted gangster Michael Satsatin agreed to become a paid secret agent and capture the inner workings of the criminal organization in exchange for $450,000 and witness protection.

Investigators seized 165 ounces of cocaine, 12 ounces of methamphetamine, 12,000 ecstasy tablets, one ounce of heroin and seven pounds of marijuana during their investigation, along with cash, firearms and gang paraphernalia. More than 300 Mounties and police from Winnipeg, Brandon, Ste. Anne and B.C. were involved.

Police detail every step of their undercover operation in hundreds of pages of search warrant affidavits, which were unsealed this week. One of the accused has pleaded guilty, while the other 33 remain before the courts.

Perhaps the most surprising venue for a drug deal was outside the Youth for Christ building on Talbot Avenue. The agent was told to meet one of the targets of the investigation in the parking lot just before 9:30 p.m. on Nov. 18. Plans had been made earlier in the day during a meeting at a Visions electronic store in St. James, according to police. The agent had already paid $5,000 as a down payment on five ounces of cocaine, which was placed inside his car by the target.

Another unlikely meeting spot was the Fort Rouge Recreation and Leisure Centre. The agent was given one ounce of heroin from a target in September 2009 in exchange for $7,000 cash. They also discussed a possible deal in which the target would obtain a Glock handgun and give it to the agent for $5,000. The pair had a followup meeting a week later at a Salisbury House restaurant, in which the target claimed he had obtained a .22-calibre handgun with a silencer and would sell it for $4,000. The agent declined, saying he only wanted a Glock.

Other deals monitored by police include:

-- The agent met with a target inside Joey's restaurant on Kenaston Boulevard in March 2009 and ordered 2,000 ecstasy tablets during their lunch. The target also discussed how he had easy access to false passports, guns, explosives, grenade launchers and numerous types of drugs.

-- The agent met with a target in the parking lot of Moxie's restaurant on Kenaston Boulevard in April 2009 and was given 5,000 ecstasy tablets in exchange for $5,000 cash.

-- The agent met with a target at the Boston Pizza on Kenaston Boulevard in June 2009 and ordered five ounces of cocaine. After receiving the drugs, the agent met with the target at the Tuxedo Park Shopping Centre to complain about the poor quality.

-- The agent met with a target on the patio at Earls on Main Street in September 2009. They discussed a future cocaine deal, but the target claimed the current price was too high, and the quality coming out of Mexico was too low.

-- The agent met with a target at a south end tanning salon in October 2009. The target brought his young daughter with him, who was present as he discussed an upcoming shipment of 3,500 ecstasy pills and a kilogram of cocaine that the agent said he was interested in purchasing. They had a followup meeting days later inside the Silver City Polo Park cinema, but no drugs were exchanged.

-- The agent met with a high-ranking Hells Angels member at the Falafel Place restaurant on Corydon Avenue in October 2009 to discuss various ongoing issues related to drug dealing within the gang.

-- The agent met with two targets at the Tim Hortons on Archibald Street in November 2009. The targets -- unaware they had already fallen into a trap -- complained to the agent about how they were "paranoid" because of previous police operations in which agents were used. "It's so hard to meet good people," one of the targets said.

Other revelations in the search warrants include a new Hells Angels policy to try beefing up their ranks after sting operations in 2006 and 2007 left the Manitoba chapter close to the minimum six members required to maintain chapter status.

They also document their dealings with Satsatin, who had no previous criminal record at the time he began working for the police operation in November 2008 but openly admitted to police he regularly sold drugs as part of his gang involvement.

59 year old veteran Hells Angels biker, sentenced to 15 years

'Non-existent remorse': Judge

Ensnared by buddy, biker gets 15 years in jail

It will be a long time before Hells Angels prospect Al LeBras gets his wings, if ever.

The 59-year-old longtime outlaw biker — one of 18 people arrested following a 2007 police investigation targeting the Hells Angels and associates — was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in prison.

LeBras pleaded guilty to three counts of drug trafficking, money laundering and instructing the commission of an offence for a criminal organization.

LeBras’ sentence was jointly recommended by the Crown and defence.

Justice Brenda Keyser said the only factor in LeBras’ favour was his guilty plea.

“He has shown non-existent remorse and rehabilitation is not even remotely a factor,” Keyser said. “He could easily be facing a longer period of custody were it not for the joint submission.”

Project Drill began in November 2006 and was handled by the Manitoba Integrated Organized Crime Task Force. It focused on drug trafficking in Manitoba, B.C., Alberta and Ontario. Police agent and career criminal Scotty Robertson was paid more than $500,000 to ensnare LeBras, a longtime friend, and other targets, including then-Manitoba Hells Angels president Dale Donovan.

Cocaine

Court heard that LeBras, on two different occasions, sold Robertson a kilogram of cocaine and half a kilogram of cocaine. A third drug deal was in the works before police pulled the plug on the investigation and arrested the suspects, said Crown attorney Chris Mainella. Mainella said LeBras encouraged Robertson to try joining the Hells Angels and offered to assist his efforts.

Court heard LeBras laundered tens of thousands of dollars through the Merchants Hotel, exchanging small denomination bills for $50 and $100 bills.

Mainella said the owners of the hotel told police they used the laundered money to stock their ATM machines.

“This is classic money laundering,” he said.

LeBras has been associated with outlaw biker gangs his entire adult life. He has admitted to selling drugs since at least 1975 and has been in and out of jail for decades.

Lebras’ sentence includes a $46,000 fine, satisfied by the seizure of two Harley Davidson motorcycles.

Veteran biker, 59, gets 15 year sentence 

Arrested after year-long police investigation

He is one of Winnipeg's original bikers, a veteran of the organized crime scene whose main goal was to become a full-patch member of the Hells Angels.

So when a team of heavily armed police officers surrounded his home in December 2007 -- effectively ending his chances to finally reach the promised land -- Al Lebras decided to literally go out flying the colours.

The 59-year-old longtime biker prospect told police he needed a few minutes to get dressed, then emerged from the home wearing his Hells Angels support shirt and vest which proudly displayed his loyalty.

"There's an old saying about a captain going down with the ship," Crown attorney Chris Mainella told a Winnipeg court on Tuesday. "It's actually kind of admirable. It's also clear evidence of his mindset. He is a member of this organization and he will go down with this organization."

Lebras, who led the now-defunct Los Brovos gang in the 1970s and maintained close ties with the biker scene ever since, has now officially reached rock bottom.

He received a 15-year prison term Tuesday after pleading guilty to several charges including participating in a criminal organization, conspiracy to traffic cocaine and money laundering. He must also forfeit his beloved 2003 and vintage 1938 Harley Davidson motorcycles, plus $140,000 cash seized by police.

Defence lawyer Danny Gunn said his client will be an old man when, or if, he ever tastes freedom again.

"When I think of a retirement party, this is indeed a sad one," Gunn said. "Mr. Lebras has little to look forward to. This is as far as Mr. Lebras has ever fallen."

Lebras was one of 18 Hells Angels members and associates arrested three years ago following a year-long undercover police investigation dubbed "Project Drill" that involved having a career criminal become a "secret agent." Scotty "Taz" Robertson was able to infiltrate the gang and conduct a series of drug and weapons deals that were caught on video and audio surveillance by police. He was paid $650,000, plus expenses, for his efforts.

During the investigation, police seized five machine guns, three handguns, 11 kilograms of cocaine, 2,000 tablets of methamphetamine and 13 pounds of marijuana. They also uncovered a murder plot before anyone was hurt, but another gang target was shot dead in Thompson before the case ended.

Two of those deals were with Lebras, who began climbing the criminal ladder again in 2004 following his most recent release from prison. Lebras, whose record spans 40 years and includes several lengthy prison terms, was looking to curry favour with the Hells Angels and obtain full-member status. He had a connection in British Columbia who could ship pure cocaine by the kilogram.

Lebras was caught by police arranging a drug deal in September 2007. He met with the agent at a downtown Thai restaurant to discuss the delivery, then turned over the drugs the next day at a car wash in River Heights, court was told. Lebras then met the agent at his home in late September to be paid $31,000 cash -- which was actually marked money provided to Robertson by his police handlers. The deal was recorded in a video camera hidden inside the agent's car.

Lebras arranged for a half-kilogram shipment in October 2007, and was caught on a phone wiretap discussing how he was laundering his drug profits through the Merchant's Hotel in Winnipeg's North End. Lebras said he was converting large quantities of $20 bills into $50 and $100 bills without having to go through a bank, which would potentially attract attention to his criminal ways.

"Notorious is as notorious was as notorious as he ever shall be," Mainella said Tuesday in discussing Lebras' latest -- and most dramatic -- brush with the law. "The message here is your biological clock is not going to prevent you from a lengthy sting in prison."

Lebras has served 27 months of pre-trial custody, which was only given single-time credit instead of the usual two-for-one because of his extensive criminal background. That means he has another 12 years and three months left to serve.

Crown and defence lawyers also agreed that he must do half of his time before being parole eligible, instead of the normal one-third.

"Pretty clear there is non-existent remorse here, and rehabilitation is not a factor. He should be warehoused for a significant period of time," said Queen's Bench Justice Brenda Keyser.

"It's my hope he finds the strength to survive the next many years," his lawyer told court.

I agree with this sentence. It is extremely difficult for organized criminals to be detected, let alone convicted and they are very dangerous. There are millions of potential victims, through laundering and stealing money. This man has been in and out of prison for most of his life, and has still continued in the same lifestyle. It is entrenched in him. Of course there is that possibility that prison will make him even more entrenched in this lifestyle as it tends to "create better criminals." He had been very loyal to the Hells Angels and his criminal background was distributed over a 40 year history. 

He is eligible for parole in 6 years, 2 months (which is half his sentence of 12 years and 3 months)