August 30, 2010
HELLS ANGELS VICE PRESIDENT INDICTED BY FEDERAL GRAND JURY IN DENVER ON GUN CHARGE
DENVER – Richard E. West, aka Richard E. Kearney, age 44, of New York, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver late last week on a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm, United States Attorney John Walsh and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Marvin Richardson announced. West is being held in federal custody without bond. Friday afternoon (August 27, 2010), West appeared in U.S. District Court in Denver before a Magistrate Judge where he was advised of the charges pending against him and the associated penalties.
Richard West was arrested by law enforcement officers on July 28, 2010. He was then charged by Criminal Complaint on July 29, 2010 with being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on that same charge on August 26, 2010.
According to the indictment, as well as the affidavit in support of the Criminal Complaint, on July 28, 2010, in the area of Colorado Highway 50 and milepost 195 in Gunnison County, Colorado, law enforcement encountered 15 to 20 motorcycles. The motorcycles were partially driving eastbound in the westbound lane. While making a traffic stop of the entire motorcycle group, law enforcement observed that the riders were wearing “Hells Angels” colors. One male rider who had a “vice president” patch on his jacket was contacted. Subsequent to that contact it was determined that the Hells Angels vice president, Richard West, had a loaded Charco Inc., Model Bulldog Pug .44 caliber revolver in his waistband. West had a previous felony conviction out of New York in 2004 for felony third degree criminal possession of a loaded firearm. It is felony violation of federal law for felons to possess firearms. He was then arrested, while others riders received traffic citations.
“Thanks to thorough law enforcement planning, and the excellent work of a coalition of law enforcement agencies, a convicted felon with a loaded firearm was arrested and taken off the streets of Colorado,” said U.S. Attorney John Walsh.
“ATF values the relationships with our law enforcement partners that focus on removing violent armed criminals from our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Marvin Richardson.
If convicted, the defendant faces not more than 10 years in federal prison, and up to a $250,000 fine.
A coalition of law enforcement agencies, including the Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office, the Gunnison Police Department, the Colorado State Patrol (CSP), the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and other Western Slope law enforcement agencies worked together for over six months to prepare for the motorcycle rally in Gunnison. It was the hard work of that coalition that led to the arrest and filing of charges against Richard West.
West is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kurt Bohn.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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