Twenty-Three Defendants Charged with Drug and Gun Offenses in Federal Investigation of North Georgia Motorcycle Clubs

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Georgia
August 16, 2012

Defendants Include Regional President of Outlaw Motorcycle Club and Georgia President of the Outlaw-Affiliated Black Pistons Motorcycle Club

GAINESVILLE, GA—Twenty-three defendants, most with ties to the Outlaw Motorcycle Club in Georgia and its affiliated clubs, have been charged with federal drug and gun offenses arising from a undercover investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. FBI agents and local law enforcement officers cooperating in the investigation arrested 21 of these defendants today, while also executing seven search warrants at the Outlaw Motorcycle Club clubhouse on Cascade Road in Southwest Georgia; the Hoodlums Motorcycle Club headquarters on South Waterworks Road in Buford, Georgia; and the residences of several defendants.

Six indictments charging 20 defendants and one criminal complaint charging three defendants were unsealed today in federal court in Gainesville, Georgia, and 20 of the defendants arrested this morning began appearing before United States Magistrate Judge Susan S. Cole for their initial appearances. Another defendant, arrested in Dallas, Texas, appeared in federal court there today. Agents continue to seek the whereabouts of two defendants. The indictments charge crimes including methamphetamine and cocaine conspiracy and possession, using and carrying firearms during the commission of drug trafficKing crimes, conspiracy to illegally make and transfer a destructive device, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and knowingly transferring a firearm to a convicted felon. The criminal complaint charges three defendants with obstructing the FBI undercover investigation.

“All but two of the defendants charged in this investigation have direct ties to the Outlaw Motorcycle Club or other motorcycle clubs that are affiliated with and controlled by the Outlaws,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “The charges unsealed today allege that these motorcycle club members engaged in substantial drug trafficKing and weapons offenses. This case is a big step forward in maKing sure that these groups don’t threaten the safety of our North Georgia communities.”

Brian D. Lamkin, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, stated, “Today’s arrests of the numerous members of the Outlaw Motorcycle Club and those of several of its affiliate clubs represents the unified efforts of our region’s law enforcement in addressing a serious and very structured crime problem. The Outlaw Motorcycle Club, its affiliate clubs, and its membership are not above nor beyond the law and today’s arrests, the culmination of a two-year intensive investigation, should serve as clear evidence of that.”

The criminal charges all relate to acts by individuals or small groups of individuals and do not allege that any of the criminal acts were performed on behalf of the motorcycle gangs or as an official part of membership in the gangs.

Among those arrested today was Larry McDaniel, a/k/a, Larry Mack, 65, of Atlanta, Georgia, who is the president of the Silver Region of the Outlaw Motorcycle Club. The Silver Region encompasses Georgia and Alabama. Also arrested were Sean King, 40, of Gordon, Georgia, a member of the Outlaw Motorcycle Club of Georgia; and Howard Brown, 63, of Milledgeville, Georgia, the Georgia president of the Black Pistons Motorcycle Club. The Black Pistons Motorcycle Club is an affiliated club of the Outlaw Motorcycle Club.

McDaniel, King, and Brown are charged in a criminal complaint with obstructing the FBI undercover investigation in connection with the disclosure to other club members who were targets of the investigation that a member of the Cleveland, Georgia chapter of the Black Pistons was working as an informant for the FBI. McDaniel, King, and Brown made initial appearances before United States Magistrate Judge Susan S. Cole in federal court in Gainesville today. King and Brown were released on bond during today’s hearings. The United States moved for McDaniel to be held without bond, and a detention hearing for McDaniel has not yet been set.

Also charged in federal indictments unsealed today:

Phillip Alexander, a/k/a “Skullf**ker,” 49, of Buford, Georgia, with aiding and abetting the possession of cocaine and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.
Walt Verrill, a/k/a “Black Piston Walt,” 48, of Sautee, Georgia, with cocaine conspiracy and aiding and abetting the possession of cocaine and methamphetamine with intent to distribute it.
Benny Leverett, a/k/a “Outlaw Benny,” 46, of Buford, Georgia, with aiding and abetting the possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.
Dan Redding, a/k/a “Hoodlum Dan,” 26, of Fort Worth, Texas, with aiding and abetting the possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.
Renyol Castrojon, 21, of Gainesville, Georgia, with conspiracy and possession counts relating to methamphetamine.
Larry Samples, a/k/a “Duke,” 42, of Hull, Georgia, with cocaine conspiracy, aiding and abetting the possession of cocaine with intent to distribute it, and using and carrying firearms during the commission of a drug trafficking crime.
Darren Lloyd, a/k/a “Panhead,” 48, of Winterville, Georgia, with cocaine conspiracy, aiding and abetting the possession of cocaine with intent to distribute it, and using and carrying firearms during the commission of a drug trafficking crime.
George Jordon, a/k/a “Hammer,” 45, of Hull, Georgia, with cocaine conspiracy, aiding and abetting the possession of cocaine with intent to distribute it, and using and carrying firearms during the commission of a drug trafficking crime.
Winfred Turner, a/k/a “Outlaw Bubba,” 61, of Watkinsville, Georgia, with cocaine conspiracy, aiding and abetting the possession of cocaine with intent to distribute it, and using and carrying firearms during the commission of a drug trafficKing crime.
Dennis Riley, 35, of Hull, Georgia, with cocaine conspiracy, aiding and abetting the possession of cocaine with intent to distribute it, and using and carrying firearms during the commission of a drug trafficking crime.
James Brown, 41, of Danielsville, Georgia, with cocaine conspiracy, aiding and abetting the possession of cocaine with intent to distribute it, and using and carrying firearms during the commission of a drug trafficking crime.
Tony Parrott, 45, of Ellijay, Georgia, with methamphetamine conspiracy and distribution, and conspiracy relating to cocaine.
Howard Haney, 41, of Alpharetta, Georgia, with methamphetamine conspiracy and distribution.
Davey Honeycutt, 41, of Gainesville, Georgia, with cocaine conspiracy and possession charges and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
Brandon Musser, 27, of Gainesville, Georgia, with cocaine conspiracy and possession charges.
Thomas Coley, a/k/a “Preacher,” 58, of Elberton, Georgia, with cocaine conspiracy and possession charges.
Phillip Honeycutt, 46, of Gainesville, Georgia, with cocaine conspiracy and possession charges.

All the above defendants, with the exception of Howard Haney , are either members of, or otherwise affiliated with, the Outlaws, Southern Knights, the Black Pistons, or the Hoodlums Motorcycle Clubs. The Southern Knights, Black Pistons, and Hoodlums Motorcycle Clubs are affiliated with the Outlaws Motorcycle Club.

George Norwood, 48, of Cumming, Georgia, and Raymond Sellers, 65, of Dawsonville, Georgia, were arraigned on charges that they conspired to unlawfully make a destructive device, specifically, a bomb, and to unlawfully transfer the bomb to an undercover agent. The indictment alleges that Sellers provided the undercover agent with a list of ingredients he would need to make the bomb. According to the indictment, on July 21, 2012, the undercover agent delivered to Sellers a quantity of sulphur, which was one of the ingredients that Sellers stated that he would need to construct the bomb. According to an affidavit filed in support of a search warrant for Sellers’ residence, Norwood claimed that Sellers is capable of building a bomb strong enough to destroy a house. Norwood is charged separately with possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

In their initial appearances before Magistrate Judge Cole today, the government asked for Norwood and Sellers to be held without bond, and Judge Cole scheduled a detention hearing on August 21 at 1 p.m. Norwood and Sellers are both connected with the Black Pistons Motorcycle Club.

James Robert (Bobby) McGlothlin, 48, of Dawsonville, Georgia, is charged with providing a firearm to another individual with knowledge that the other individual was a convicted felon. McGlothlin was released on a bond.

In their initial appearances before Magistrate Judge Cole today, the government asked for McDaniel, Alexnader, Verrill, Leverett, Redding, Castrojon, Norwood, Sellers, Samples, Llyod, Jordon, Turner, Riley, Brown, Parrott, Haney, Davey Honeycutt, Phillip Honeycutt, Musser, and Coley to be held without bond, and Judge Cole scheduled detention hearings for these defendants on August 21 at 23.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the North Georgia Major Offenders Task Force, which is composed of the law enforcement officials from the FBI, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Gainesville Police Department, Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, and Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. In addition, the White County Sheriff’s Office provided significant assistance in the investigation.

Assistant United States Attorneys William L. McKinnon, Jr. and Sally Molloy are prosecuting the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Information Office at USAGAN.Pressemails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.justice.gov/usao/gan.