Gang Member Sentenced to over 16 Years in Prison
Las Vegas, Nev. – A member of the white supremacist gang, the Aryan Warriors, was sentenced to over 16 years in federal prison today for ordering the violent prison assaults of two men in order to maintain or increase his position in the gang, announced Greg Brower, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada.
Daniel Joseph Egan, aka "Dano," 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kent J. Dawson to 200 months in prison and six years of supervised release. Egan was originally indicted in July 2007 and pleaded guilty in July 2008 to two counts of Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering. Egan admitted that he was a leader in the "Aryan Warriors," a criminal organization that seeks to control the Nevada prison system and to operate in various communities in Nevada, including Las Vegas, Reno, and Pahrump. The Aryan Warriors, comprised solely of white males who espouse racial purity, corrupt prison guards, distribute narcotics, extort money from individuals through threats and the use of violence, run illegal gambling operations, and assault other inmates. Egan admitted that he stabbed an inmate to become a member of the Aryan Warriors, and that in a leadership position, he approved of and ordered assaults on other inmates. Egan admitted to ordering the October 2004 assault on Mark Fechtman, a rival prison gang member housed at High Desert State Prison. Fechtman was slashed with a razor type weapon and received lacerations to the face, head, and back. Egan also admitted to ordering the January 2005 assault on inmate Cody Dunn, who ran gambling operations for the Aryan Warriors at Ely State Prison and High Desert State Prison and was believed to be an informant. Five Aryan Warrior prospects stabbed Dunn 16 times.
Egan's sentence was enhanced because of the seriousness of the injuries to the victims, because the assaults were motivated in order to increase his position in the gang, and because he is an organizer or leader in the gang. Egan also has a lengthy criminal history including numerous drug, dangerous weapon, and theft offenses.
The Nevada federal case against the Aryan Warriors includes 12 other defendants. Ten of those are awaiting trial on violent crime, racketeering and drug charges. Two other defendants, Robert Allen Young, aka "Lil Rob," and Kory Allen Crossman, aka "Lobes," have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and Nevada Department of Corrections Inspector General's Office, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Eric Johnson, Kathleen Bliss, and Nicholas Dickinson with assistance from Thom Gover of the Nevada Attorney General's Office. Other agencies that have contributed to the investigation include the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the Nye County Sheriff's Department.
