The Rise and Fall of the Winnipeg Rock Machine May 1, 2013 Guns and cash and explosives on the table. From footage of the RCMP's press conference...... In 2008 Manitoba became the stomping grounds for one of Canada’s most notorious biker gangs. Rivals of the Hells Angels and infamous after a bloody 8-year biker war in Quebec that ended in 2002, the Rock Machine were by no means a new motorcycle club — and looking back, it seems it was only a matter of time before bullets and fire bombs started flying on the streets of Winnipeg. In 2008, after a number of busts by Winnipeg Police and Manitoba RCMP threw a wrench into the gears of the local Hells Angels, the Rock Machine graciously thanked law enforcement for “handing [them] the province” and quickly rumbled towards the top, trying to become Winnipeg’s dominant club. In 2011, things boiled over between the Hells Angels’ backed Redlined Support Crew and the growing Rock Machine who were engaged in a turf war despite Rock Machine’s claims of going legit. In March 2012 a Winnipeg police initiative dubbed Project Flatline led to the arrests of 11 suspects, including local Hells Angels president Dale Sweeney who just received an 11-year prison sentence for the cocaine trafficking. Considering some Canadian motorcycle chapters have existed for decades, the Rock Machine’s run in the ‘Peg was a short one. Manitoba RCMP managed to topple the club as they were positioning themselves for a bloody take over of the city and province. The extent of which was clear on Jan. 30, 2013 when RCMP, along with 140 police officers wrapped up a six-month investigation known as Project Dilemma and raided a number of locations in Winnipeg, seizing a bounty of drugs, guns, explosives and biker vests for the Rock Machine, the Vendettas and the Hell Hounds, their support clubs. According to a RCMP press release, police seized 13 pounds of cocaine, 1,800 tablets of Benzylpiperazine (a synthetic drug like ecstasy), two firearms and a commercial explosive device. Other searches saw seizures of four firearms, ammunition, two pipe bombs, eight other explosive devices, three pounds of cocaine, approximately eight pounds of weed and significant amounts of cash. 11 people were arrested, including four full-patch Rock Machine members, a prospect, and others pushing Rock Machine product. Despite the small number of arrests, the RCMP say this was enough to shake the organization to its core. To get some info about what the bust meant for the Manitoba chapter, I spoke to Sgt. Len Isnor with the Ontario Provincial Police’s biker enforcement unit who said the bust may have reached beyond Manitoba as the chapter was one of the club’s thriving branches. “The chapter that they had there was by far having the most success,” said Isnor. “They formed a very strong chapter, with some strong personalities and they were able to be successful in an area where other groups were down. Over the last few years the police in Manitoba and Winnipeg delivered a lot of blows to the Hells Angels … so it was perfect timing for another group to come in.” Seized coke and pills..... However, Mike McIntyre, the justice and courts reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press and the city’s veteran crime reporter, said he’s not so sure the bust will successfully bring down the Rock Machine. “The business that they’re in, which is largely the drug business, is not going away,” said McIntyre. “Every time the police do one of these projects—and they’ve done many of them now over the last five or six years in Winnipeg, previously targeting the Hells Angels—although it certainly has a short-term impact on the gang itself that they’ve targeted, it would be foolish for anyone to think that somehow they’ve nipped the market that these guys are in, in the bud.” He continued, “While they may temporarily disrupt the activity of the organization themselves, and certainly this was a blow to the Rock Machine, I think this is probably temporary.” McIntyre said although there is no shortage of resources or experience amongst Rock Machine ranks, the club’s facing a new enemy as internal strife—a result of a paid informant laying the web for Project Dilemma—has put the club on edge in a big way. “It puts a target on these guys. They know now that they’re not exactly going to get a free pass in this city,” said McIntyre. “This project, like so many others, utilized a full-patch member as an informant so the police got someone to turn on their brothers, if you will, for a price. That, no doubt, must create a sense of paranoia amongst these gang members, these bikers.” Although he isn’t sure how many Rock Machine associates remain on the streets, his sources tell him they’re rebuilding. “They’re certainly out there,” said McIntyre. “It’s not like McDonalds if they have a bunch of employees leave and they now have to go on a hiring spree where they put an ad in the paper and a bunch of people apply … it works a lot different in the crime world, you have to prove that loyalty and that trust.” Sgt. Travis Charlton with the RCMP drug section in Winnipeg and team commander on Project Dilemma said the Rock Machine did a good job of making itself appear larger than it was, saying their investigation discovered there were only four full-patch members as well as one prospect, all of which are in custody. Hazardous ammunition..... “Here in Winnipeg and in Manitoba there are currently no full-patch wearing members and prospects on the streets,” said Charlton. “There’s a few associates on the streets for the Rock Machine that are still friends with the members. They weren’t targets of our investigation; we just targeted the club members themselves. The Rock Machine is very fluid here as far as their recruitment and members, as members have gone in and out from the club.” When asked about the Winnipeg chapter being one of the strongest across the country, Charlton explained they had done a good job of promoting itself. “The Rock Machine here in Winnipeg, they were very strong at promoting the Rock Machine name through social media and different things … They weren’t very sophisticated as a club, but they were still able to move lots of drugs, and they had access to weapons and explosives,” he said. Charlton explained the club was still bringing in substantial amounts of drugs to be peddled in Winnipeg despite their small size. “They were getting several kilos of cocaine a month into Winnipeg and that was being distributed from the patch members down to their friends and associates who were selling it at the ounce level and smaller,” said Charlton. He added the investigation revealed a good chunk of drugs were coming from Quebec, “from the Rock Machine members in the Montreal area,” a place where the club has avoided out of respect for the Hells Angels. When asked if Manitoba had a problem concerning outlaw motorcycle gangs, Charlton said the problem is nationwide. “It’s not just a problem here in Manitoba, it’s a problem throughout the country.” Isnor and McIntyre said the bust is likely to create a vacuum in Winnipeg’s underworld. While Isnor said he couldn’t predict who might fill the void, McIntyre had some insight. “For street gangs in this city, Winnipeg will continue to be a little bit of a playground,” said McIntyre. “The more hits the big boys on the block are taking, the more opportunity it’s creating for them and ultimately the more danger it’s creating for everyone.”

Family man with no gang ties got caught up in drug trade; sent to jail in Project Deplete bust

A family man with no prior record will serve 3 1/2 years in prison after being nabbed as an incidental target in a sweeping police drug-and-guns crackdown. Mark Beitz, 32, was taken from Queen’s Bench Justice Colleen Suche’s courtroom in handcuffs Tuesday as several family members looked on in apparent sorrow. Beitz previously admitted guilt for the role he played in facilitating a cocaine deal between his cousin, Jamie Christopher Korne, and a paid police informant cops employed in what was dubbed Project Deplete. “You’re feeling sorry for yourself today,” Suche told Beitz, as she accepted the jointly recommended prison term for the first-time offender. “But the part I really want you to think about is the damage you’ve caused to society ... that’s why you’re going to jail for 3 1/2 years,” Suche said. Beitz helped broker a Jan. 9, 2012, cash-for-cocaine deal between the agent and Korne, a transaction for which he was to be paid a measly $100. He didn’t supply the 11 ounces of the drug in the $10,000 deal, police heard. The meeting between Korne and the police agent took place in the back of a vehicle at a car wash and was captured on video surveillance, the Crown said. Korne received a 3 1/2-year prison term late last year. Beitz apologized to the court and his family. He’s been on bail without incident since shortly after he turned himself in to police in February 2012. “I don’t ever want to see this place or go through this again,” he said. "You're feeling sorry for yourself today," Suche told Beitz. "But the part I really want you to think about is the damage you've caused to society ... that's why you're going to jail for 3.5 years," Suche said. Project Deplete saw RCMP and Winnipeg police target what they described as a number of major players in the provincial drug trade. Some involved had various gang associations. Others, like Beitz, had none whatsoever. In all, 16 suspects were nabbed in the months-long covert probe which saw the agent paid $500,000, plus expenses, in phases. All but one have since pleaded guilty and been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 18 months to eight years.

Former Manitoba Hells Angels leader Dale Sweeney sentenced to 11 years in prison

Monday, April 29, 2013

Former Manitoba Hells Angels leader Dale Sweeney has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for his role in spearheading a sophisticated cocaine trafficking ring. Sweeney, 43, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking in aid of a criminal organization and possession of proceeds of crime. Sweeney’s sentence was jointly recommended by the Crown and defence. Prosecutors would have recommended a much higher sentence had Sweeney been convicted after trial, said Crown attorney Geoff Bayly, noting the case against Sweeney was “extremely strong.” Sweeney was among nine people arrested in March 2012 following a joint city police and RCMP investigation targeting the Hells Angels and its support club, Redlined. Court heard Sweeney and his gang minions and street dealers raked in more than $100,000 a month selling crack cocaine, primarily in the Elmwood area. “We tell (rivals) to get the f--- out of Elmwood ... it is ours, bought and paid for,” said a co-accused in a phone conversation intercepted by police. Sweeney was sentenced to three years on the proceeds of crime charge and a further eight years on the drug trafficking charge. He received credit for one year of pre-sentence custody. Justice Rick Saull ordered Sweeney serve at least four years on the drug charge before he is eligible for parole. Sweeney agreed to forfeit more than $500,000 in assets, including equity in an Autumnview Drive home, two motorcycles, and the balances of several investment accounts. Defence lawyer Allan Gold suggested Sweeney will be a changed man when he is finally released from prison. “There is no reason to think he won’t renew his life in a constructive fashion,” Gold told court.

Hells Angel Rod Sweeney arrested

Wednesday, August 14,2013

A Hells Angel wanted in connection with a bizarre attack on two cyclists last week is now in custody. Rodney Patrick Sweeney, 45, was arrested on Tuesday, four days after police announced a warrant had been issued for his arrest. Sweeney has been charged with aggravated assault and assault with a weapon in connection with what police say was an unprovoked attack on a 27-year-old man and his 14-year-old nephew. The incident happened Aug. 5 at 11:15 p.m. near the corner of Concordia Avenue and Molson Street in East Kildonan. Police say the two victims were riding their bicycles when a man began following them in a vehicle. After a short distance, the suspect got out of the car and attacked the pair with a blunt weapon. The victims escaped with non-life-threatening injuries and called police. Neither victim appears to be affiliated with a gang or have provoked the attack, police said. “From our investigation, it seems to have been instigated by nothing — nothing that would provoke even an aggressive confrontation, never mind a violent attack,” police spokesman Const. Rob Carver previously said. Last summer, Sweeney agreed to abide by the conditions of a peace bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour until 2015. The little-used legal weapon was used by police at the time as part of efforts to keep a lid on a brewing turf war between the Angels and its rivals, the Rock Machine. Sweeney was detained in custody at the Provincial Remand Centre.

Hells Angels gangster wanted in blunt-weapon assault of teen & relative.....

Friday, August 09, 2013

The man accused of an unprovoked attack on two cyclists Monday night is also an alleged high-ranking Hells Angels member who had legally promised to end his criminal ways. At 11:15 p.m., a 14-year-old boy and 27-year-old male relative were out for a bike ride near Concordia Avenue and Molson Street when a man began following them in a vehicle. After a short distance, the suspect got out of the vehicle and attacked the 27-year-old and 14-year-old victims with a blunt weapon. The victims escaped, and called police. They were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injures. On Friday, police issued a warrant for the arrest of Rodney Patrick Sweeney, 45. Sweeney is white, 6-foot-2 and 230 lbs. with a medium build. He has short brown hair and a goatee. He’s also allegedly a long-time, high-ranking Hells Angels member, the brother of the gang’s reported president. It’s unclear what provoked the attack. “Certainly the two victims have nothing that would indicate they didn’t do anything to bring this upon themselves. They’re not known to police, there’s nothing whatsoever that would lead us to that conclusion,” Const. Rob Carver, police spokesperson, said Friday. “From our investigation it seems to have been instigated by nothing — nothing that would provoke even an aggressive confrontation, never mind a violent attack,” Carver said. Police warn Sweeney has been known to carry weapons and should not be approached. Instead, they ask anyone with details of Sweeney’s whereabouts to call (204) 986-3916. “Sweeney is known to police,” Carver said. “He’s the kind of individual we would not want members of the public to approach for any reason. He is … known to carry weapons. We would just want to know if he was seen and some indication of where he was.” “We’re hoping Sweeney will turn himself in, given the media attention.” Last summer, Sweeney agreed to abide with the conditions of a peace bond — to “keep the peace and be of good behaviour.” That bond remains under effect until 2015. The little-used legal weapon is intended to fight organized crime by keeping gang members apart. “It’s an all-encompassing thing to be a good citizen ... which this type of activity, if proven, would be in breach of,” Carver said. Sweeney’s brother Dale is the reported president of the Hells Angels, who were engaged in a violent drug turf war with rivals Rock Machine at the time. Sweeney was not charged with a crime at the time. But court heard Hells Angels associates “assembled in convoys to go on the hunt for rival Rock Machine members,” court documents state. Sometimes, the missions culminate in a home invasion, dubbed “knock knock ginger man,” the court documents state. Police implicated Sweeney in these so-called hunting missions through an intercepted text message from his brother. “Grab some of the boys tell them to put somework (sic) it. Keep pressure on they hurtin (sic) bud!” police quote Dale Sweeney as writing to Justin MacLeod, the alleged president of the HA’s “friend” gang, the Redlined Support Crew.

Angel's recovery has Parole Board skeptical Says clean so they ask for financial details

Thursday, June 27.2013.....

He says he's cut all ties to the Hells Angels, volunteers his time and has started up a burgeoning — and legitimate — painting business while taking university courses on sociology and crime by correspondence. Even Winnipeg police are cautiously optimistic Ian Grant's now a changed man who could be given additional freedoms, parole officials say. Despite this, the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) thinks it's still too soon for Grant to receive full parole from his 15-year prison term and has ordered him to remain living at a halfway house for at least the next six months. Grant, 39, learned earlier this month his bid for full parole — and a chance to live at a newly rented apartment — was denied. The board elected to keep him under the closer supervision which goes with day parole, which Grant's been free on without issue since last June. "Gains achieved on conditional release, while extremely positive, were seen as relatively short-lived when viewed against your persistent, dense and violent criminal history," the board stated in a recent decision. Grant was arrested as part of a sizable Manitoba police undercover bust targeting the Hells Angels and others in 2006. He was found guilty after trial of drug-trafficking and extortion and sentenced in May 2007. The recent PBC decision cites a wealth of positive changes Grant has made in his life. But ultimately, the board says it wants to take a wait-and-see approach before full parole can be granted. "Your skills and commitment to change need to be further tested," the decision said. The PBC imposed a new condition on Grant. In addition to past requirements he return nightly to a halfway house and avoid all contact with the criminal element, he must now also provide detailed financial information to the satisfaction of a parole supervisor.

Rock Machine honcho J.P. Beaumont’s prison death not suspicious: Cops

Wednesday, February 06, 2013 ...... The prison death of a high-ranking Rock Machine member last fall has been deemed to be not suspicious. J.P. Beaumont, who defected to the Rock Machine after previously having ties with the Hells Angels and its former puppet club, the Zig Zag Crew, was found dead at the Brandon Correctional Centre on Oct. 14. Brandon police and the RCMP serious crimes unit were called in to investigate the 39-year-old's death, which at the time was considered suspicious. On Wednesday, Brandon police said Beaumont's death was non-criminal. They declined further comment, citing privacy laws. Beaumont had a lengthy history with the justice system that dated back to the 1990s. A trial was slated to start in Winnipeg just days after his death on a number of charges, including dangerous driving, flight from police, and several other offences.

'Elite' bikers from outside Manitoba mixed up in Project Dilemma sting

First posted: Wednesday, April 03, 2013 It was an in-depth, costly and clandestine investigation into a feared biker gang which featured all the usual police hallmarks: a well-paid civilian informant, wiretaps and plenty of covert surveillance. But the RCMP’s recent Project Dilemma wasn’t without a few surprises, including the sudden and curious arrival of an inter-provincial “wrecking crew” to assist the Manitoba Rock Machine (RM) chapter as it worked towards bolstering its ranks, developing drug turf and throwing cold water on any potential police heat, court documents fleshing out details of the months-long probe show. Local RM leaders announced the arrival of two members of a Quebec-Ontario support club called the “SS Elite” during a Nov. 8 “church” meeting held at the home of the paid police agent, himself then a full-patch RM member. He is not identified by name in the documents. The new faces on the local biker scene — described as the first among the SS Elite “strike force” to travel to western Canada — were sent to “provide security, support, enforcement and logistics,” to the Manitoba RM chapter, local leaders told their small band of gathered members and prospects. The SS Elite was described by RM leaders as being modelled after the SS Waffen, “created to protect Hitler and other Nazis.” “As SS Elite members, they ultimately report to RM members in Montreal but are also required to protect and support the local chapter members,” the court papers say. One of the new arrivals said his instructions were to “’enforce the law.’” The other described how he was instructed to “be there for Winnipeg chapter members when they are in need and to make sure that they don’t get hurt.” Their incentive was to eventually be patched into the Rock Machine as full members, the documents state. Local RM leadership “assured” the SS Elite gangsters “they could become full-patch RM members if they proved themselves.” At this time, police say Winnipeg’s RM chapter was considered “provisional” because it didn’t have at least five full-patch members. One of the SS Elite members asked about potentially selling drugs in Dauphin. It was no problem, he was advised, despite the area’s drug turf being operated by a former RM member who was previously voted out of the club. “The north is a money maker,” the SS Elite member said. “You are in RM country ... Manitoba is RM country,” was the reply, the documents say. “As full patch SS Elite members, they could do whatever they want wherever they want within the province of Manitoba,” they were told. The RM’s local cocaine supply — referred to as the “food” situation — as well as the Rock Machine’s future plans were also discussed, according to the documents. Ideas to undermine police and investigations were also talked about: One high-ranking member called for the creation of a “legitimate company” called “Rock Machine Media Incorporated.” Its purpose was to weaken any police claim the RM was a criminal organization, the documents state. “This business ... would allow RM members to claim that they are shareholders in a legitimate business and that they derive income from it ... the goal is the long term viability and sustainability of the RM for the benefit of all.” By Jan. 18, something had changed, as the SS Elite “had been dissolved,” the documents state. No reason is stated. At a meeting that day at an Inkster Boulevard restaurant, it was unanimously decided one of the former SS Elite members would be granted prospect status. Thirteen days later, RCMP carried out raids across Winnipeg and collared 11 suspects, 10 of whom were directly indicted into the Court of Queen’s Bench to face trial. Along with pounds of cocaine and other drugs, RCMP also seized guns, pipe bombs and other explosives as well as Rock Machine paraphernalia. MANITOBA ROCK MACHINE: KEY DATES September 2008: Police monitor a meeting said to be the first public gathering of a newly formed Rock Machine in the province. Members seen at the meeting had no known ties to the former RM gang based in Quebec, but ties to other gangs. January 2010: Members of the Manitoba Hells Angels and support crew Redlined begin a series of violent attacks on RM members. They continue throughout the year with no retaliation from the RM. Spring 2011: The RM begin to retaliate against the Hells Angels and Redlined. The “biker war” reaches a fever pitch over the summer months, with several shootings and fire-bombings linked to the feud. The RM support club, the Vendetta Crew, emerges. By the fall, fighting decreases. June 2011: Winnipeg police seize a copy of the Rock Machine Canada constitution, dated Sept. 16, 2010. The document sets out the structure of the gang and its various chapters. March 2012: Project Flatlined, a crackdown on the Hells Angels and Redlined, takes a number of their members off the streets. This same month, high-ranking RM local RM members are reported to travel to Montreal to meet with Quebec-based members. August 2012: The RCMP Drug Section begins Project Dilemma. A full-patch RM member agrees to snitch on the activities of his gang for police. January 2013: Project Dilemma ends with raids across the city and the arrests of 11 suspects. — Source: Court documents and news archives

Prison term for Rock Machine member who sold trafficked in drugs, guns and dynamite

Wednesday, April 03, 2013......... John Adam Curwin admits he trafficked drugs, guns and dynamite. But the 30-year-old’s lawyer says the criminal acts weren’t done to line his pockets. Instead, they were committed for the brotherhood of Manitoba’s Rock Machine and to foster his own sense of belonging, the judge who sentenced him to 9 1/2 years in prison on Wednesday was told. The resolution to Curwin’s case comes just three months after he and the others were collared in the latest high-profile RCMP biker-gang dragnet, dubbed Project Dilemma. Curwin, 30, was the first of four reputed full-patch Rock Machine (RM) members arrested to resolve his charges. A handful of prospect members and others were also nabbed. Curwin pleaded guilty to four crimes, including trafficking a shotgun and possessing dynamite in association with a criminal organization on various dates between October and January. He also admitted to trafficking 1,806 tablets of BZP, a synthetic drug analogous to ecstasy. “It wasn’t about money. It wasn’t about violence. It was about brotherhood,” defence lawyer Eric Wach told Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Morris Kaufman. “He lived very modestly. Hand to mouth.” The months-long covert probe saw RCMP employ a paid police agent — a high-ranking RM member — to snitch on the gang’s activities between last August and January. According to a statement of facts tabled by the Crown, Curwin took an active role in the gang’s recent recruitment efforts, including being present at a Sept. 21 “meet and greet” with members of the “Crazy Indians” gang at an Osborne Village bar. He also socialized with a potential prospect from Nanaimo who came to Winnipeg after he connected with Curwin over Facebook. Curwin was lukewarm about his role in the gang’s drug activities, the court document said. “Curwin frankly explained to the agent that he wasn’t very good at drug-trafficking and that really wasn’t what he was in the club for. He commented he that he was there to ‘do the dirt,’ meaning the dirty work. Curwin stipulated that as long as he didn’t have to show his face that the club could rely on him to commit violent acts on their behalf,” the document said. Curwin made the comments as he arranged to sell the agent a stick of dynamite for $100. The purpose of the explosive wasn’t revealed, but Curwin told the agent “they (the RM club) could use the dynamite to blow up a car or basement.” Curwin is a former member of the now-defunct La Familia gang, which was linked to the Bandidos. He was handed a six-year prison term in 2007 for kidnapping, extortion and aggravated assault. After being granted parole, Curwin went straight for some time, diligently working a construction job and being a proud father to his child, Kaufman was told. “Slowly and surely,” he started to go downhill and got pulled back into gang life, Wach said. Curwin continues to have the support of his parents and others, Wach said. “I’ve seen Adam do the impossible,” a friend wrote in a letter read to the court. “He’s kind. He’s caring.” http://www.winnipegsun.com/2013/04/03/prison-term-for-rock-machine-member-who-sold-trafficked-in-drugs-guns-and-dynamite

First guilty plea in Project Dilemma sting of Rock Machine biker gang

First guilty plea in Project Dilemma sting of Rock Machine biker gang By James Turner ,Winnipeg Sun First posted: Wednesday, March 06, 2013 07:45 PM CST | Updated: Wednesday, March 06, 2013 A Rock Machine outlaw motorcycle gang prospect recently snapped up in an undercover sting which RCMP say decimated the gang in Manitoba has become the first of 11 suspects to face the music. Shannon Chad Campbell, 35, pleaded guilty Wednesday to possession of ammunition while prohibited and a court-order breach and was sentenced to 60 days in jail for his minor role in Project Dilemma. Judge Lee-Ann Martin also placed Campbell on probation for 18 months with conditions he have no contact with Rock Machine members or possess any gang paraphernalia or support gear. In October 2012, the paid police agent helping RCMP on the project visited Campbell at a Lockport Road home and saw him handling an assault rifle, court heard. He was on bail at the time and bound by a weapons prohibition. He was under conditions to be living elsewhere, Martin was told. When police carried out a search of the home in January, they found a baggie of 24 .22-calibre cartridges in the home’s laundry room. There was no mention of what became of the gun. “Mr. Campbell was not charged with criminal organization offences but there was a body of evidence about his involvement with the Rock Machine,” Crown prosecutor Mike Desautels said. Along with the ammo, RCMP also seized his prospect vest, support gear and a large hydraulic press. “And I don’t mean for automobiles,” Desautels said. Hydraulic presses are routinely found in drug labs. Campbell was not facing drug-related charges. Campbell was only “peripherally involved” in the overall investigation, defence lawyer Adam Masiowski said. The father of four has since cut ties with the Rock Machine and secured an order of separation from them while in custody, Masiowski said. “Mr. Campbell doesn’t want anything to do with these individuals any more ... he didn’t know them for very long,” he said. “The house that he rented was their property — that was the catalyst for a friendship that developed.” Campbell was the only Project Dilemma suspect to not be directly indicted into the Court of Queen’s Bench to face trial without a preliminary hearing. Currently nine remain in custody, with only one having secured bail so far. The project saw the unidentified civilian police agent paid in the range of $400,000 to snitch on members of the gang. Police and RCMP say they seized 13 pounds of cocaine, 1,800 tablets of Benzylpiperazine (a party pill also known as BZP), about eight pounds of marijuana, firearms, ammunition, two pipe bombs and eight other commercial explosive devices, a 2009 Audi S5, a significant amount of cash and Rock Machine-related clothing and paraphernalia.

Rock Machine off the map: RCMP

Rock Machine off the map: RCMP By Jim Bender,Winnipeg Sun First posted: Thursday, January 31, 2013 The Rock Machine Motorcycle Club will no longer ride their crime wave through the streets of Winnipeg. A total of 11 men, including many connected to the Rock Machine, have been charged with a number of offences related to drug and firearms trafficking and other criminal activities, RCMP announced Thursday. “We have in custody the entire Winnipeg chapter of the Rock Machine members,” said Insp. Len DelPino, the officer in charge of drug and integrated organized crime. “As a result, Winnipeg streets are safer today,” said RCMP assistant commissioner Kevin Brousseau. About 140 RCMP and Winnipeg police officers searched 13 different locations, arresting 11 people at 10 of the locations Wednesday, including a Wall Street business where explosives were found. Rock Machine members John Adam Curwin, Cameron Adam Hemminger, Todd Kenneth Murray and Joseph John Strachan were charged, RCMP said, along with Rock Machine prospect Shannon Chad Campbell. The other men charged were Christopher Lee Camara, Teagveer Singh Gill, Patrick La, Richard Dennis Lund, Donny Syraxa and Danny Vu Tran. The arrests came as the result as the RCMP’s Project Dilemma investigation that started in August 2012. “The long-term investigation responds to one of main concerns of the communities we serve across Manitoba, that being violence associated with drugs,” Brousseau said. Police and RCMP seized 13 pounds of cocaine, 1,800 tablets of Benzylpiperazine (a party pill also known as BZP), about eight pounds of marijuana, firearms, ammunition, two pipe bombs and eight other commercial explosive devices, a 2009 Audi S5, a significant amount of cash and Rock Machine-related clothing and paraphernalia. More arrests could be coming. “As the result of (Wednesday’s) searches, we’ve seized a number of items,” DelPino said. “That will lead us to other locations, possibly other people, further charges. Until we’ve got a full tally of what we have, we’re not finished our investigation.” DelPino would not speculate on whether the Rock Machine was preparing for any sort of biker war, considering the explosives — including sticks of dynamite — and firearms seized. “It does concern every Manitoban when you see these people having these types of things,” he said. “We’re just happy to be able to get it off the streets before it was used.” Charges in Project Dilemma: John Adam Curwin, 31, Rock Machine member Winnipeg, Manitoba Trafficking in Benzylpiperazine x 2 Firearms Trafficking x 1 Offer to Traffic a Firearm x 1 Possession of Proceeds Crime x 2 Trafficking Benzylpiperazine in Association with a Criminal Organization x 1 Firearms Trafficking in Association with a Criminal Organization x 1 Cameron Adam Hemminger, 42, Rock Machine member Winnipeg, Manitoba Trafficking Cocaine in Association with a Criminal Organization x 1 Trafficking Cocaine x 1 Possession of Proceeds Crime x 1 Todd Kenneth Murray, 43, Rock Machine member Winnipeg, Manitoba Trafficking in Cocaine x 3 Possession of Proceeds Crime x 3 Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine x 1 Trafficking Cocaine in Association with a Criminal Organization x 1 Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine in Association with a Criminal Organization x 1 Instructing Persons to Commit Offences in Association with a Criminal Organization x 1 Participating in the Activities of a Criminal Organization x 1 Joseph John Strachan, 42, Rock Machine member RM of East St. Paul, Manitoba Trafficking in Cocaine x 1 Possession of Proceeds Crime x 1 Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine x 1 Trafficking Cocaine in Association with a Criminal Organization x 1 Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine in Association with a Criminal Organization x 1 Instructing Persons to Commit Offences in Association with a Criminal Organization x 1 Participating in the Activities of a Criminal Organization x 1 Shannon Chad Campbell, 35, Rock Machine prospect RM of St. Andrews, Manitoba Possess Ammunition While Prohibited x 1 Fail to Comply with Conditions of a Recognizance x 2 Christopher Lee Camara, 33 Winnipeg, Manitoba Trafficking in Cocaine x 2 Possession of Proceeds Crime x 2 Teagveer Singh Gill, 28 Winnipeg, Manitoba Trafficking in Cocaine x 2 Possession of Proceeds Crime x 2 Patrick La, 26 Winnipeg, Manitoba Trafficking in Cocaine x 2 Possession of Proceeds Crime x 2 Richard Dennis Lund, 29 Winnipeg, Manitoba Trafficking in Cocaine x 1 Possession of Proceeds Crime x 1 Donny Syraxa, 27 Winnipeg, Manitoba Trafficking in Cocaine X 2 Possession of Proceeds Crime x 2 Danny Vu Tran, 27 Winnipeg, Manitoba Trafficking in Cocaine x 2 Possession of Proceeds Crime x 2 After-effects of 2012 gang war still being felt The Rock Machine were one of the key players in a gang war that appears to have climaxed in 2012. In December 2009, the Manitoba Angels' original puppet club, the Zig Zag Crew, was decimated in a major police project that saw the arrests of many of its members. The Redlined started taking over responsibilities, cops say. But the Rock Machine — first sited in Winnipeg in 2008 at a Notre Dame Avenue hotel with four people wearing "Rock Machine Nomads" vests — had other plans. By January 2010, the violent feud between the Rock Machine and its rivals had erupted, police say, and the tensions boiled over in the summer of 2011 with more than a dozen shootings and fire bombings in a battle over drug turf. UNREPORTED But court documents suggest there was far more gunfire, arsons and assaults that were kept private. "Since January 2010 there have been in excess of 20 reported and almost as many unreported incidents of violence between the Redlined/ Hells Angels and Rock Machine," the documents said. In November 2011, a makeshift bomb was tossed at the home of a Hells Angel in the middle of the night. The device, which looked like it was made out of shotgun shells and ballbearings, extinguished without detonating and without injuring anyone. No one called the cops. Later that same day, a man was beaten, court documents state. He declined medical treatment. The documents, prepared by police as part of the application to stick roughly 10 members of Hells Angels and Redlined under crime prevention- related peace bonds, suggest members gather intelligence on enemies and "have assembled in convoys to go on the hunt for rival Rock Machine members," court documents state. Sometimes, these "hunting missions" culminate at an enemy's property in a home invasion, dubbed "knock knock ginger man," the court documents state. Last month, Winnipeg police busted nine alleged Hells Angels and Redlined members in Project Flatlined — a clear dig at the name of the friend club. In spite of the arrests, police said the conflict is anything but over. "The war has been quiet in the past few months, but the rivalry is still existent and it appears the Rock Machine outlaw motorcycle gang are still intent on expanding their presence here and across Canada," police wrote in 2012. "More violence is predicted between these groups." http://www.winnipegsun.com/2013/01/31/rock-machine-off-the-map-rcmp

Biker Gang Rats of Winnipeg......

PAST INFORMANTS WHO RATTED ON WINNIPEG BIKERS & ASSOCIATES:

"Project Deplete/Drain (2012)" Who: Corey Cadotte, A former Rock Machine gang member paid in the range of $500,000 Arrests: 13 Seized: $1 million worth of drugs of many types (estimated).......... "Project Divide (2009)" Who: Former Zig Zag Crew member Michael Satsatin paid $450,000 Arrests: 34, mainly Zig Zag Crew associates Seized: 165 ounces of cocaine, 12 ounces of methamphetamine, 12,000 ecstasy tablets, an ounce of heroin, seven pounds of marijuana.......... .......... "Project Drill (2007)" Who: Scott “Taz” Robertson paid $500,000 Arrests: 18, mainly focused on the Manitoba Hells Angels Seized: Vehicles, $70,000 in cash, firearms, pot, and Hells Angels-related documents.......... .......... "Project Defence (2006)" Who: Franco Atanasovic paid more than $500,000 Arrests: 13, including three Hells Angels Seized: More than 7 kg of cocaine and 3 kg of methamphetamine.

RCMP to reveal info about Project Dilemma, latest covert crackdown on drugs

Wednesday, January 30, 2013 .......

RCMP will announce details Thursday regarding their latest major covert police crackdown on the drug underworld, the Winnipeg Sun has learned. Mounties began making several arrests in Project Dilemma late Tuesday and into Wednesday, according to justice sources, but the exact number isn’t currently known. It appears an investigation on Wall Street in Winnipeg on Wednesday, which involved city cops and Mounties, is related to Project Dilemma. A remote-controlled bomb unit was seen entering an auto garage at the scene. It’s believed some suspects in the crackdown may have ties to the Rock Machine outlaw motorcycle gang. RCMP are refusing comment on the case prior to a Thursday morning news conference. Suspects facing charges will be directly indicted into the Court of Queen’s Bench, according to sources. “It’s a fair assumption some of them will face drug-related charges,” said one source. The use of direct indictments means preliminary hearings meant to test the Crown’s case will be bypassed. The use of the procedure has become routine in high-level organized crime-related prosecutions in Manitoba, including Project Deplete, which in February 2012 saw 13 suspects collared and sent straight to trial following a months-long undercover operation. Deplete also saw cops use a police civilian informant paid in the range of $500,000 in phases (plus expenses) to arrange drug deals and report back to his police handlers. http://www.winnipegsun.com/2013/01/30/rcmp-to-reveal-info-about-project-dilemma-latest-covert-crackdown-on-drugs

More talker than biker

More talker than biker By Tamara King ,Winnipeg Sun First posted: Saturday, March 03, 2012

A Manitoba man who police say once claimed to be the Canadian president of the Vagos never actually became a member, says a well-placed source within the biker gang. Jamie Christopher Korne, 40, who was nabbed recently in a major drugs and gun trafficking bust, was going to head up a local chapter but failed to meet with Vagos brass in the U.S. to seal the deal and seemingly vanished for a year, the source tells the Winnipeg Sun. "He never actually became one. He was supposed to fly out, but he never showed up," said the source. The Vagos were speaking out after Korne's arrest in Project Deplete. In all, 16 people were swept up in the police operation. Court documents related to the bust say that police were concerned about Korne's potential access to guns and associations with gangs. "Korne told the agent during the course of Project Deplete that he is the national president of the Vagos gang," cops said in court documents unsealed in February. Korne — a former Manitoba Bandidos member also linked to the reformed Rock Machine gang — is accused of selling hundreds of grams of cocaine to a police snitch. The two drug transactions took place last October and Jan. 9, court documents state. "I don't want my motorcycle club associated with that crap," said the source. "We're in it for the biking and the brotherhood." The source also denies the Vagos presence in Winnipeg "at all," he said. Dubbed the "Green Nation", the Vagos have members in southern Ontario. In the U.S., the Department of Justice alleges the Vagos have been implicated in assault, extortion, fraud, murder, witness intimidation and other crimes. Traditionally, they're arch rivals to the Hells Angels. The allegations against Korne have not been proven and he is presumed innocent.

Biker busted in Project Deplete

Biker busted in Project Deplete By James Turner ,Winnipeg Sun First posted: Sunday, February 26,

A sweeping drug-and-guns dragnet by Manitoba cops has snared the reputed national president of a biker gang gaining police attention in Canada, the Winnipeg Sun has learned. Jamie Christopher Korne, 40, was nabbed last week for his alleged role in Project Deplete, a months-long covert investigation into drug and weapons trafficking. Korne — a former Manitoba Bandidos member who cops claim also once was linked to the reformed Rock Machine gang — is accused of selling hundreds of grams of cocaine to a police snitch paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to inform on the activities of people suspected of being major players in the provincial drug underworld. The two drug transactions Korne is accused in took place last October and as recently as Jan. 9, court documents state. Cops quietly sought arrest warrants for 16 suspects in the case. Each have been directly indicted into court. All are presumed innocent and the allegations have not been proven. The warrant pertaining to Korne was of the so-called "no-knock" variety, allowing them to enter a Boissevain suite unannounced. In court documents, cops say they were concerned about Korne's potential access to guns and associations with gangs. "Korne told the agent during the course of Project Deplete that he is the national president of the Vagos gang," cops said in court documents unsealed last week after his arrest. "Korne told the agent that he along with his associates have access to firearms," the affidavit said. Ontario gang police warned a year ago of the growing threat the California-based Vagos Motorcycle Club posed through an apparent expansion north of the border. "We would like to welcome Canada to the Green Nation," the club announced on its website last spring. The U.S. department of Justice alleges the Vagos, comprised of hundreds of members across the U.S and Mexico, have been implicated in assault, extortion, fraud, murder, witness intimidation and other crimes. Traditionally, they're arch rivals to the Hells Angels. In November 2010, the gang — also known as Green Nation — absorbed nine Toronto-area Rock Machine members. Police were searching for Korne since early February, but didn't track him down until the morning of Feb. 22 in the community of Newdale, about 20 kilometres northwest of Minnedosa. Investigators were initially stumped about exactly where he lived due to a number of "inconsistent" addresses associated to him, they said. That all changed Oct. 24 when Korne asked the informant to give him a lift home from Winnipeg to Boissevain, cops say. Police tailed the vehicle to an intersection in the small town. They did it again on Jan. 9, saying he was dropped off in front of a store they later discovered had two unnumbered suites on its second floor.

Manitoba on verge of Quebec-style biker war, court hears

July 05, 2011

WINNIPEG - Justice officials have publicly admitted for the first time what has become obvious to many - tensions are high on Winnipeg's biker front.

``There's a gang war going on,'' Crown attorney Mike Desautels told provincial court Associate Chief Judge Mary Kate Harvie on Monday. ``It has reached a fever pitch.''

Desautels made his candid comments during a bail hearing for a high-ranking member of the Rock Machine. He also shed new light on a wave of recent shootings in Winnipeg.

Jean Paul Beaumont was arrested late last week by police officers who had been conducting video surveillance of his home through a camera they had secretly installed in early May, court was told. Beaumont, the sergeant-at-arms of the Rock Machine, has a long criminal record and has been charged with repeatedly breaching conditions of his previous bail and probation, including a curfew and a driving prohibition.

The authorities claim Beaumont was caught on the hidden camera leaving his home and driving away in a vehicle on several occasions.

The Crown is fighting to keep Beaumont in custody, citing the ongoing battle between the Rock Machine and their rivals, the Redlined Support Crew.

Desautels filed a detailed report on the city's gang situation, authored by members of the Winnipeg police organized crime unit, to boost his argument that public safety is at stake. He told court police have been closely monitoring Beaumont, along with other gang members, because of the ongoing tensions in the biker world.

Beaumont's bail hearing was adjourned until Tuesday to allow the judge to read the report.

There was no publication ban on the proceedings.

The Hells Angels created the Redlined Support Crew last year to stand up to other criminal networks that might muscle in on their former drug turf after many of their members were arrested and jailed following a recent trio of undercover police operations. At the top of that list was the Rock Machine, which waged war with the Hells Angels in Quebec during the 1990s but has never had much of a presence in Manitoba until recently.

Multiple sources have told the Free Press the Rock Machine slowly has gained power in Manitoba, with some former Hells Angels associates even joining its ranks in recent months. Just recently, a founding member of the ``Game Tight Soldiers'' gang in British Columbia moved to Winnipeg and joined the Rock Machine ranks, according to a source.

Desautels told court Monday how Joseph Strachan, the Rock Machine president, had his Winnipeg home shot up last week. A home in Winnipeg's St. Vital neighbourhood belonging to Strachan's parents was then hit with gunfire and Molotov cocktails the following night. There were no injuries in either incident, and no arrests have been made.

Desautels said a member of the Redlined gang was also targeted last week when a ``flare'' was shot through the window of his home.

Police also are investigating whether two other recent shootings are linked to the ongoing hostilities. A 14-year-old boy was wounded early Monday morning after a townhouse was sprayed with gunfire. Police said the boy is lucky to be alive and may have been an innocent bystander. There were eight people inside the residence at the time, including a baby. No arrests have been made. Members of the organized crime unit are continuing to investigate.

Sources told the Free Press on Monday there may be other recent incidents that either haven't been reported to police or haven't been released to the public.

Last November, a former high-ranging associate of the Hells Angels was shot ``execution-style'' inside his own home.

No arrests have been made in the slaying of Daniel Kachkan, which was believed to have been connected to Kachkan's alleged role in a previous homicide. However, police distributed an internal memo around the time of the killing, warning that members of the Rock Machine motorcycle gang are believed to be armed and may be planning attacks against those affiliated with the Hells Angels.