Hells Angels "Full Patch" Member Facing 5-40 Years in Prison on Drug Trafficking, Firearm Charges |
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Topics: Hell's Angels
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U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Rhode Island
14 May 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PROVIDENCE, RI – A “full patch” member of the Rhode Island chapter of the Hell’s Angels Motorcycle Club arrested as part of a Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation by members of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force is facing between 5 and 40 years in federal prison after admitting to trafficking methamphetamine and cocaine and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.
Douglas Leedham, 54, of North Providence, was arrested on February 8, 2019, by members of the Safe Streets Task Force after a court-authorized search of his residence resulted in the seizure of approximately 39 grams of methamphetamine, 19 grams of cocaine, two handguns, a 12 gauge shotgun, two body armor vests, 35 knives, four hatchets, five expandable and four flashlight batons, a set of brass knuckles, $6,422 in cash, and assorted items used in the packaging and distribution of drugs.
Appearing today before U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Leedham pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Leedham, who has been detained since his arrest, is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29, 2019.
According to court records, Leedham was convicted in Rhode Island Superior Court in September 2013 of carrying a pistol without a license. He was sentenced to a term of five years in prison - suspended with five years’ probation.
Possession with the intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine is punishable by statutory penalties of 5 – 40 years in federal prison to be followed by a minimum of 4 years supervised release. Possession with the intent to distribute cocaine is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison and 3 years supervised release. Felon in possession of a firearm is punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment and 3 years supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The FBI’s Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force consists of agents and law enforcement officers from the FBI, RI State Police, Providence, Cranston, Woonsocket, Pawtucket, and Central Falls Police Departments, R.I. Department of Corrections, and the Rhode Island National Guard.