Chosen Few Motorcycle Club Members Arrested in Early Morning Raids

BUFFALO, NY—Acting United States Attorney Kathleen M. Mehltretter, FBI Special Agent In Charge Laurie J. Bennett, ATF Resident Agent in Charge David Dejoe, New York State Police Major Matthew Renneman of the State Police Special Investigations Unit, Lancaster Police Chief Gary Stoldt and Depew Police Chief Thomas Domino announce that, based in part on an indictment handed up in federal court on March 31, 2009 and in part on a criminal complaint filed yesterday, beginning at 6:00 am today, approximately 200 agents and officers from their respective agencies and departments, assisted by SWAT teams, arrested 20 current and three former members of the Chosen Few Motorcycle Club. The Safe Streets Task Force was a major part of this investigation. The indictment charged eight of those arrested with violations of the Federal Racketeering and Corrupt Organizations statute (RICO) and violations of federal explosives statutes based on three attempted murders and two attempted arsons (including one where it is alleged members of the Chosen Few used pipe bombs in an attempt to destroy the clubhouse of the Lonely Ones Clubhouse in Blasdell, and kill an occupant of the clubhouse) committed in an internecine “war” against the Lonely Ones Motorcycle Club in late 2003. The complaint, which charges five of those charged in the indictment and additional defendants, alleges that those charged were part of an enterprise, the Chosen Few Motorcycle Club and conspired to commit Violent Crimes in Aid of the Racketeering Enterprise that is alleged in the March 31, 2009 indictment. The violent crimes alleged are: a conspiracy to commit a gang assault against two identified and other unidentified members of the Kingsmen Motorcycle Club and conspiracies to both assault and to murder a former member of the Chosen Few.

In addition, the agents and officers taking part in this morning’s operation conducted court-authorized searches of the Chosen Few’s clubhouse, 94 Main Street, Depew, both the home and the garage of Chosen Few president Alex Koschtschuk, 12541 Uebelhoer Road in Alden and the home of Chosen Few Treasurer Dennis Rogowski, 664 French Road, Cheektowaga.

Arrested on the March 31, 2009 indictment were ALEX KOSCHTSCHUK, 58 Alden, NY, ALAN SEGOOL, 48, West Falls, NY, JAMES LATHROP, 36, Alden, NY, BRADLEY BEUTLER, 36, Depew, NY, CLYDE UTZ, 50, Alden, NY, BRION MURPHY, 52, Attica, NY, GERALD ROGACKI,47, Alden, NY and MATTHEW WATKINS, 33 Elmira Heights, NY.

Charged in yesterday’s complaint were: ALEX KOSCHTSCHUK, ALAN SEGOOL, DENNIS ROGOWSKI, 43, Cheektowaga, NY, NORMAN HERZOG, 43, Lackawanna, NY, LIONEL CARTER, 53, Belmont, NY, JAMES LATHROP, BRADLEY BEUTLER, GARY PHILLIANS, 44, Angola, NY, PAUL ROORDA 48, Buffalo, NY, MICHAEL SEGOOL, a/k/a NINO, 25, Buffalo, NY, ROBERT TREADWAY, 41, Depew, NY, MARTIN WHITEFORD, 37, West Seneca, NY, CHARLES KUZNICKI, a/k/a NAZI CHUCK, 38, East Aurora, NY, ROBERT GEIGER, 42, Medina, NY, DONALD DIANA, 47, Depew, NY,and ROBERT SUMMERVILLE a/k/a ALDEN BOB, a/k/a COWBOY, 46, East Aurora, NY.

Initial appearances before Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy are ongoing. The government will be asking that 15 of the 20 defendants be detained pending trial.

Conviction on the RICO charges carry a maximum term in prison of 20 years; conviction on the pipe bomb charges carries a maximum prison term of 10 years; and the conviction on the Violent Crimesin Aid of Racketeering charges carry a maximum term in prison of 10 years.

Also participating in the arrests and searches were officers from the Erie County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team, Lancaster Police Department SWAT team, Amherst Police Department SWAT team, New York State Police SWAT team, Cheektowaga Police Department, Erie County Probation Department, New York State Parole, Amherst Police Department, Buffalo Police Department, Cheektowaga Police Department, Drug Enforcement Agency, and the United States Marshall’s Service.

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