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Hells Angels Hammer Assault: Six Indicted in NY Racketeering Case
WHITE PLAINS, NY – Six members and associates of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang are facing federal charges after a years-long investigation exposed a web of racketeering, narcotics trafficking, and violent crime across Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties. The indictment, unsealed today, details a brutal assault on a rival gang member with a hammer, committed in broad daylight inside a crowded restaurant.
THOMAS SCHMIDT, JOSEPH KAPLAN, JOHN CALVACCHIO, JEFF AMATO, and GARY PAGANELLI were taken into federal custody this morning and presented before United States Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy. MICHAEL PICCIONE was apprehended near Los Angeles, California, and will appear before a magistrate judge in the Central District of California. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim, the “New Roc Hells Angels” operated as a criminal enterprise from at least 2008 through August 2014, engaging in narcotics trafficking (cocaine, oxycodone, and marijuana), extortion, money laundering, contraband cigarette sales, prostitution, and the distribution of altered motor vehicle parts. The gang allegedly used violence and intimidation to maintain control of their territory and enhance their reputation.
The most shocking incident detailed in the indictment is a December 2012 attack on a member of the Diablos motorcycle gang. While diners ate nearby, members and associates of the New Roc Hells Angels allegedly beat the Diablos member repeatedly on the head with a hammer inside a Poughkeepsie restaurant. The attack was allegedly retaliation for the Diablos encroaching on Hells Angels territory. FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. stated the assault “placed innocent people in danger.”
THOMAS SCHMIDT, the former Vice-President of the New Roc Hells Angels, faces the most serious charges, including participating in a racketeering conspiracy (Count One). He, along with JOSEPH KAPLAN, is charged with assault in aid of racketeering activity (Count Two) related to the hammer attack. SCHMIDT, MICHALE PICCIONE, JOHN CALVACCHIO, JEFF AMATO, and GARY PAGANELLI are all accused of conspiring to distribute narcotics (Count Three). SCHMIDT and PICCIONE face money laundering conspiracy charges (Count Four), while PAGANELLI is charged with possessing and distributing cocaine (Count Five), and AMATO with possessing and distributing methamphetamine (Count Six).
Authorities have not released details regarding potential penalties, but racketeering and narcotics charges carry significant prison sentences. The FBI Westchester Safe Streets Gang Task Force continues to investigate, seeking to dismantle the New Roc Hells Angels and ensure those responsible for this alleged violence and criminal activity are brought to justice. Further updates will be provided as the case progresses.
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime|Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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