N.B. Hells Angels member gets 10 years for Ontario drug, weapons crimes
Police say 125 kg of crystal meth seized after Robin Moulton arrested last year
A New Brunswick man described as a full-patch member of the Hells Angels was sentenced to 10 years in prison after admitting to drug and weapons charges in Ontario.
Robin Moulton, 56, of Minto, N.B., pleaded guilty to five of the 21 charges he faced last November, according to court records recently provided to CBC News.
Moulton was charged last spring after the Ontario Provincial Police conducted a traffic stop and later seized 125 kilograms of crystal meth. Police said in a news release the drugs had an estimated value of $7.5 million.
Moulton pleaded guilty to trafficking crystal meth, possessing a prohibited rifle, possessing a firearm suppressor, having a firearm in his possession while prohibited by a previous order, and possessing ammunition while prohibited.
The crimes took place March 27 last year in the Township of Head Clara and Maria, a rural area west of Ottawa.
The
Ontario Provincial Police released a photo of the 125 kilograms of
crystal meth, a firearm and suppressor, and New Brunswick Hells
Angels-branded shoes. (Ontario Provincial Police)
Moulton was sentenced during an appearance Nov. 29 in the Ontario Court of Justice in Pembroke, according to records the court provided to CBC recently.
Justice Howard Chisvin sentenced Moulton to a total of 10 years on the charges, though Moulton was credited a year for time already spent in custody.
10 years for N.B. Hells Angels member for Ontario crimesCrown attorney Tim McCann gave the judge an agreed statement of facts outlining the details of what Moulton admits, but the document was not available from the court when CBC requested a copy. The document was also not read out loud during the sentencing.
The Ontario Provincial Police did not respond to a request for comment about the outcome.
No comment from lawyer
CBC News attempted to speak to defence lawyer T.J. Burke, who had represented Moulton in the case.
"Mr. Burke has advised that he has no comment regarding the subject, have a nice day," said a person who answered the phone at his law office before hanging up on May 23.
Burke told the judge during the sentencing hearing, according to a recording reviewed by CBC, that Moulton previously ran a business buying homes and flipping them.
"This is obviously an unfortunate situation that Mr. Moulton has found himself in," Burke said during the sentencing.
Moulton said nothing during the hearing beyond saying he was guilty after the five charges were read.
Robin Moulton is wearing the Hells Angels MC Nomads N.B. patch in this Facebook photo from 2017. (Facebook)
Moulton was convicted of drug trafficking offences in New Brunswick in 2018.
According to Parole Board of Canada decisions, police believe Moulton returned to his home province of New Brunswick in 2016 with the purpose of setting up a chapter for Hells Angels.
The Hells Angels have had a Nomads chapter in New Brunswick since 2016, as part of an eastern expansion for Canada's largest and most powerful outlaw motorcycle gang.
Moulton previously told the parole board that he saw the Hells Angels as more of a "social club" and noted that membership wasn't illegal. He also told the board there was "no evidence of any connection" between his club and the crimes he committed in 2018.
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Hells Angels member buys Minto property from behind bars
Robin Moulton’s new house is next door to a building that was owned by slain biker Ronald Richard
A man who police describe as a full-patch Nomads member of Hells Angels has bought property on the main street in Minto, making the purchase from jail.
Robin Moulton, who faces several drugs and weapons-related charges, bought 456 Pleasant Dr. for $50,000 a few weeks after a judge denied him bail.
His lawyer, TJ Burke, declined to comment on the purchase.
The property is next door to another building that was owned by homicide victim Ronald Richard.
Richard used to be a member of the Bacchus motorcycle club.
But a Facebook post from Moulton described Richard as the "fallen president" of the Gate Keepers' Capital City chapter.
The club has been described by police as a "farm team" for the Hells Angels.
The
logo for the Gate Keepers motorcycle club, described by police as a
'farm team' for Hells Angels, appears on the door of a building on
Pleasant Drive in Minto. (CBC)
On a Friday afternoon, the windows were covered at Richard's building. Only the motorcycle club's logo, a smiling Grim Reaper, was visible on the front door.
The building now belongs to Richard's wife, Amanda Dawn Richard, according to property records.
It has a sign for a gym on the front. But the business closed years ago, and the person who answered the number listed for the gym is unrelated to the property.
Next door, the windows of Moulton's property were covered too, with signs for security cameras.
No one answered the door at either building.
An unsolved homicide
The homicide of Ronald Richard is being investigated by the RCMP's major crime unit. (Facebook )
Richard's body was found on a rural property in Hardwood Ridge, near Minto, on July 23.
Police have said little about his death, only that the killing wasn't random.
The investigation continues, but no one has been arrested in connection with Richard's death, according to RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Jullie Rogers-Marsh.
In August, about 80 bikers, many with Hells Angels patches, showed up at a memorial for Richard that was organized by the Gate Keepers.
Moulton back in court Nov. 16
After he was denied bail, Moulton's Facebook page was updated to encourage supporters to buy T-shirts supporting Moulton as a "political statement."
"Since they chose not to give me a bail we have made these shirts for my defence team," the post says.
The shirts say "Free Robin Angel" on the front, and "Support Big House Crew, Maritimes Division" on the back.
"No justice," the shirts say. "Just us."
Robin Moulton, 48, and Marie Antonette Bugay, 40, of Fredericton are both facing drug and weapons-related charges. (Facebook)
Moulton, 48, will return to Saint John provincial court on Nov. 16 to enter pleas to 12 charges and elect his mode of trial.
Police seized a number of items when arresting Moulton, including high-powered weapons and drugs. The weapons included a rifle with a silencer and a loaded handgun.
Moulton will appear in court with Marie Antonette Bugay, a "known associate" of Moulton's.
She has not yet entered pleas to 10 drugs and weapons-related charges, including possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and possession of a loaded prohibited firearm without a licence.
Biker arrests
Police across the region have arrested several people they believe to be affiliated with outlaw motorcycle gangs in the past several months.
Two men were arrested after a raid on a Nova Scotia Hells Angels clubhouse last week. They face drug-related charges.
In August, nine men who police believe to be hangarounds with the Hells Angels Woodbridge (Ontario) chapter were arrested on P.E.I.
RCMP say that as part of the Hells Angels' efforts to build a presence in New Brunswick, they established a Nomads chapter. (CBC)
A P.E.I. RCMP investigator who specializes in organized crime said in August that police are watching for violence stemming from the re-emergence of Hells Angels in the Maritimes.
"You're competing over turf," Cpl. Andy Cook said at the time.
"There's no way to get around that. That's exactly what's happening."
Hells Angels began strengthening their presence in New Brunswick in the fall of 2016, planting six members in the province, according to Cook.
They established a Nomads chapter, made up of long-standing, elite Hells Angels members.
The organization is called Nomads because it doesn't have its own clubhouse, unlike traditional chapters.
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RCMP arrest Hells Angels member from Fredericton
Robin Moulton, 48, identified as full-patch member of motorcycle gang, is charged with drug, firearm offences
A Fredericton man, identified by RCMP as a full-patch member of the Hells Angels, has been charged with drug and firearm offences in connection with a joint-police investigation that resulted in a heavy police presence in the city's downtown this week.
Robin Moulton, 48, was arrested on Tuesday at around 7:20 a.m. while driving on the Trans-Canada Highway near Woodstock, RCMP Cpl. Jullie Rogers-Marsh said late Thursday afternoon.
'Outlaw motorcycle gangs are a national priority for the RCMP.'
- Jullie Rogers-Marsh, RCMP spokesperson
A search of the car led to the seizure of "a quantity" of what is believed to be cocaine, she said.
Police began searching his Fredericton residence on Brunswick Street on Wednesday and remained there into Thursday. Searches are also underway at several other locations in New Brunswick, said Rogers-Marsh, without elaborating on where those locations are.
Moulton is charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and possession of a restricted firearm. The type of firearm has not been released.
He has been remanded in custody until Friday at 10:30 a.m., when he is to appear in Woodstock court to face the charges.
The Service New Brunswick corporate affairs registry lists a Robin Moulton of 214 Brunswick St., Apt. 201, as the director of Route 81 Maritimes Inc., the merchandising arm of the Hells Angels.
The registration was last updated on Aug. 1, the document shows.
Rogers-Marsh could not say whether police anticipate any other arrests or more charges.
"It's an ongoing investigation and it will depend on the evidence that our members gather," she said.
The investigation is being led by the RCMP, in partnership with the Canadian Border Services Agency and the Saint John, Fredericton, Kennebecasis Regional and Edmundston police forces.
Many groups interconnected
Police say Hells Angels began strengthening their presence in the Maritimes in 2016. (CBC)
"Outlaw motorcycle gangs are a national priority for the RCMP," said Rogers-Marsh.
She said Moulton is a member of the Hell Angels MC, Nomads New Brunswick chapter, which established in the province last fall.
"Many of these groups and their support clubs are interconnected. They are not restricted by provincial jurisdictions and have national and international associations," said Rogers-Marsh.
"The results of this investigation are an example of our ongoing efforts regarding the Hells Angels Nomads N.B. and other outlaw motorcycle gangs, and why it is so important to deter these crime groups."
Earlier this month, an investigator who runs the RCMP's organized crime task force on P.E.I. said police are watching for signs that motorcyle gangs are trying to expand or gain more control of drug trafficking in New Brunswick.
Cpl. Andy Cook said his unit is concerned about turf wars and violence stemming from the re-emergence of Hells Angels in the Maritimes.
Asked Thursday whether New Brunswick RCMP are concerned about violence erupting between rival motorcycle gangs in the province, Rogers-Marsh said police will continue to monitor the activities of the various groups "to ensure public safety."
Minto homicide victim was Bacchus member
Moulton's arrest comes on the heels of the homicide of a former member of the Bacchus motorcycle club near Minto.
The body of Ronald Richard, 50, was found on July 23 on a rural property in Hardwood Ridge.
RCMP said they do not believe the homicide was random but have not provided any other details.
Bacchus is a New Brunswick-based club affiliated with the Hells Angels.
Rogers-Marsh declined to comment Thursday on whether there's any indication the two cases are connected.
"That is a separate investigation and it would be inappropriate for us to start speculating," she said.
Richard was charged in December 2014 with possession of drugs, weapons and prohibited weapons.
He was convicted of possession of benzylpiperazine, a drug known as BZP, and possession of marijuana over 30 grams.
With files from Karissa Donkin
Bacchus members face organized crime charges
Charges a first in Nova Scotia, say RCMP
Bacchus motorcycle gang members chargedRCMP have laid criminal organization charges against three members of the Bacchus motorcycle gang.
Patrick James, 45, and David Pearce, 38, both from Dartmouth and Duane Howe, 43, from Grand Desert have each been charged with the commission of an offence for a criminal organization and extortion.
"This is an investigation that's been going on since September 2012 where initially we had laid charges of intimidation and threats," said RCMP Insp. Joanne Crampton.
"Now, due to further investigation, we've recognized that we can lay charges now of criminal organization as well as extortion."
RCMP said the investigation in September involved a search of four locations including a clubhouse on Hogan Road in Nine Mile River and residences on Renfrew Road and Elmwood Road in Dartmouth and Dyke Road in Grand Desert.
Three members of the Bacchus motorcycle group have been charged with the commission of an offence for a criminal organization. (CBC)
The accused will remain free until their court appearance, which is scheduled for Monday in Dartmouth provincial court.
"This is the first time in Nova Scotia to have these charges laid and in particular against the Bacchus. They are very complex charges. We did so in consultation with Crown counsel making sure that we did have all the evidence there in order to lay the charges," said Crampton.
"I think that makes a statement in and of itself in that if convicted of these charges, it would show that the Bacchus is an outlaw motorcycle gang and are a criminal organization. It would also show that they're not just a bunch of motorcycle enthusiasts, which is what they would like to make themselves out to be in the public."
'They work as a group overall'
Crampton said the charges are a first for Nova Scotia but have been prosecuted successfully against the Hells Angels in other parts of Canada, such as Ontario.
There are several Bacchus chapters in Atlantic Canada — one in Nova Scotia, three in New Brunswick, one in Prince Edward Island and two in Newfoundland.
"They work as a group overall, all 80 members work together. It's not just one particular chapter working independently but they work in conjunction with each other," Crampton said.
"I think we should we should be concerned. The Bacchus are the second largest outlaw motorcycle gang next to the Hells Angels in Canada and we have them here in Atlantic Canada so I think that's very significant."
Crampton said the charges announced Thursday are unrelated to the charges faced by a man who served as the president of the local chapter of the Bacchus motorcycle gang.
Paul Roderick Fowler, 44, was charged with attempted murder after police allege he attacked a 50-year-old man with a hammer in Hants County on New Year's Eve.
Fowler, who is also charged with uttering threats, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and unsafe storage of a firearm, has had his bail hearing held over until Monday.
Biker gang stakes claim in Nova Scotia
Police say an outlaw biker gang with close ties to the Hells Angels has established itself in Nova Scotia.
The Bacchus motorcycle gang has links to the Hells Angels.
The new "1%" crest hasn't been seen in Nova Scotia since the Hells Angels chapter folded in 2003 after a series of police raids that put most of its members in prison.
Insp. Greg Laturnus, with the RCMP Intelligence Unit, said the 1% designation is an open claim of outlaw status among bike gangs.
"We have a national strategy to combat outlaw motorcycle gangs, and certainly the Bacchus motorcycle club is considered an outlaw motorcycle gang," Laturnus told CBC News.
But Paul Fowler, a new Bacchus Nova Scotia club member, disputes that, saying members have families and jobs.
"We are far from organized. And we're not a crime group neither," said Fowler.
"In our mind, the true meaning of the 1% is that we are the one per cent that doesn't fit in with the other 99 per cent of society, for whatever reason. You know, we like to do things our own way. We like to hang out together, ride motorcycles and party."
Longtime links
Bacchus is one of Canada's oldest biker clubs, with longtime links to the Hells Angels. Its members have been arrested in raids involving the Angels, and the club is respected in the outlaw biker world.
RCMP say the 1% patch indicates an outlaw biker gang. ((CBC))
Cpl. Steve MacQueen, head of the RCMP's outlaw motorcycle gang unit, said the takeover came after two Hells Angels rival clubs, the Outlaws and the Rock Machine, showed interest in establishing chapters in Nova Scotia.
Fowler agrees that being in a club like Bacchus will deter other groups. However, he said that's not why he and other members made the move.
"I don't think we have the ability to prevent other clubs from opening and doing their thing. We're just saying that we are here, this club's been around for 38 years or so and we're gonna continue hanging around together and being brothers," said Fowler.
The new Bacchus patch may go unnoticed by most Nova Scotians, but police said people in the criminal underworld have already noted its presence in the province.
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