Jul 15, 2008 10:21 pm US/Pacific
Cops, Bikers Charged For Racketeering Near Modesto
DENAIR (CBS13) ―
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Ray Heffington
U.S. Attorney's Office
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Frederick Noreberg
U.S. Attorney's Office
Stolen motorcycle parts, a chop shop, bike gangs, and federal authorities say local cops are caught in the middle. A two-year investigation ended with the arrest of nine people in Stockton, and one suspect is a high-ranking sheriff's department veteran.
The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department Captain isn't the only cop connection in the case. The indictment reads like the alleged operation was a mini motorcycle mob near Modesto.
At the heart of the two-year investigation is the Road Dog Motorcycle Shop in tiny Denair. The feds say the father and son owners have sold stolen parts, run a chop shop, and robbed people for more than a decade, and now Robert and Brent Holloway are under arrest.
Robert is a retired Stanislaus County Sheriff's Deputy and the feds say he used some old friends to stay out of trouble. Four former or current cops have been arrested and two have been accused of leaking investigation info, giving Holloway the heads-up when the police were coming.
Captain Raul Deleon is accused of lying to investigators about his relationship with Holloway. He's on administrative leave.
"It's a sad day for any of us in law enforcement any time current or former members are charged," said McGregor Scott, a U.S. Attorney.
Investigators say the rest of the suspects have ties to the Hell's Angel or other bike gangs, and the bike shop was their hangout. Two of them, Ray Heffington and Fredrick Noreberg, are still on the run.
That's 11 people the feds say are tied to organized crime in a tiny town of 200.
The U.S. Attorney's office isn't talking too much about what evidence they have in this case. They do say it was wiretaps that connected them to several suspects.
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