Indicted Hells Angels members appear in court

Jace Radke

Friday, Dec. 12, 2003 | 11:13 a.m.

Six Hells Angels Motorcycle Club Members appeared in U.S. District Court this morning and entered not-guilty pleas in connection with charges stemming from last year's gunbattle at a Laughlin casino that left three dead.

An indictment handed down by the federal grand jury in Las Vegas charges 42 Hells Angels with 10 counts each of violence in the aid of racketeering and one firearms charge in connection with the April 2002 brawl at Harrah's Laughlin during a motorcycle rally.

Two Hells Angels and one member of the Mongols motorcycle gang were shot and killed in the bar area of the casino and 12 others were injured.

Additional defendants were expected to be arraigned this afternoon, and some of the defendants have already been arraigned in other jurisdictions. Nine of the 42 defendants are considered fugitives, and have not yet been arrested.

This morning Ron Arnone, 39, and Jeffrey Carney, 42, both of Washington state; Sohn Regas, 36, of Reno; David Steely, 36, and Shawn Frazer, 33, both of California, and John Ward, 42, of Arizona appeared before U.S. Magistrate Peggy Leen.

Leen released all six men on personal recognizance bonds under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services, and also ordered the defendants not to have any contact with the other Hells Angels charged in the indictment, possible witnesses or victims.

Leen set a trial date in the case for Feb. 17 before District Court Judge James Mahan.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Duncan said during the hearing that evidence in the case includes, "over 100 videotapes and 15 audio tapes."

The defendants wore jeans or slacks and shirts or sweaters to court today, while three Hells Angels watching the proceeding had on the trademark leather vests the group is known for.

Four U.S. marshals were present in the court during the hearing, two more than the usual allotment for arraignments.

Dale Leedom, the leader of the Fairbanks, Alaska, chapter of the Hells Angels agreed Wednesday to be extradited to Las Vegas to face charges. Leedom is one of 57 people arrested Dec. 2 after the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives led a raid on Hells Angels clubhouses in Nevada, Alaska, California, Washington and Arizona.

Regas and Patrick Kalabolas, 55, of Las Vegas, are the only two Hells Angels from Nevada charged in the 22-page indictment that is the result of a two-year undercover investigation by the ATF. Kalabolas is one of the nine Hells Angels charged who has not yet been arrested.

The indictment outlines what prosecutors describe as a "highly organized criminal enterprise" in 23 states and 25 countries that is involved in threats, violence, murder, robbery and conspiracy to distribute drugs.

Federal prosecutors alleged the Hells Angels created a "climate of fear" by assaulting members of rival motorcycle clubs, including the Mongols.

In the April 27, 2002, brawl at Harrah's Laughlin, Hells Angels and Mongols fought with guns, knives, hammers and wrenches.

Clark County District Attorney David Roger said he hopes to have local indictments in the case by the first of the year, and plans to prosecute the case parallel to the federal case.

Schaefer, 34, of Arizona, could be a defendant in the local murder case stemming from the River Run brawl. Schaefer was investigated by Metro Police, and was among the possible defendants that the department forwarded to the district attorney's office for review.