Two members involved in the Devils Diciples motorcycle gang pleaded guilty Monday to charges that stemmed from their involvement in a 2012 killing of a fellow gang member near Robertsdale.
Fred "Shooter" Weiss, 47, of Northport, plead guilty to a charge of manslaughter, and was given a sentence of 16 years in prison, but will only serve four years under a split-sentence issued by Judge Jody Bishop.
Under the sentencing guidelines, Weiss will serve three years of supervised probation after his prison term concludes. The balance of his sentence is suspended, meaning that if Weiss serves out the terms of his probation without getting arrested, the remainder of his sentence can be dismissed.
Murder charge dismissed
Weiss faced a murder charge in connection to the 2012 death of Samuel Dixson, 54, of Milton, Fla., but he pleaded to a lesser count on Monday because he was drunk at the time of the incident.
The murder count carried a potential life in prison.
Baldwin County Assistant District Attorney Chandra Paul told Bishop that Weiss was "intoxicated to the point where legally the law requires" that he be charged with manslaughter. Weiss also has to pay $7,180 in restitution and cannot have contact with Dixon's wife, Analyn.
Motorcycle gang cover-up
Dixson's body was found Sept. 12, 2012, near the Styx River off County Road 68. The body was found after the Rosinton Volunteer Fire Department responded to a fire that destroyed a mobile home, which authorities pinpointed as the meeting place for the motorcycle gang.
The Baldwin County Sheriff's Office suspected Dixson, a Gulf Coast chapter Devils Diciples member, was shot four days earlier. Dixson was a disabled veteran who was in the Army for 13 years.
Investigators suspect Dixson was shot in the face during a party celebrating the one-year existence of the Devils Diciples' Tuscaloosa chapter.
The incident triggered a string of cover-ups surrounding the shooting that has led to multiple arrests and felony charges of hindering a prosecution. All told, eight people were arrested - Adam Mayton, 31, of Tuscaloosa, was found dead June 23, 2014.
Before his death, Mayton said that Weiss was responsible for shooting Dixson.
Most of those arrested are scheduled for court appearances on March 23.
Holcomb's guilty plea
Harlis Holcomb, 61, of Carrollton, plead guilty Monday to hindering prosecution, and was given 10 years in prison, but will only have to serve five years of probation under the split-sentence he was given by Bishop.
Holcomb also has to pay a $7,187 restitution and cannot have any contact with Dixon. He is also barred from contacting any motorcycle club.
Motorcycle gang
The Devils Diciples gang, headquartered in Michigan, has chapters in Alabama. In 2012, four Alabama men were among 41 Devils Diciples who were indicted in Michigan on federal racketeering charges.
Gang members are required to own Harley-Davidson motorcycles and go by a club name or nickname to conceal their identities, according to the FBI.
The gang has been known to participate in crimes, including drug sales, thefts, selling stolen motorcycles, conducting illegal gambling businesses, robbery, extortion and violence.
Baldwin County Sheriff Huey "Hoss" Mack said in 2012 that he didn't believe there was an active chapter in Baldwin County, but acknowledged that the group had met locally.
http://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2015/02/devils_disciple_motorcycle_gan.html
Fred "Shooter" Weiss, 47, of Northport, plead guilty to a charge of manslaughter, and was given a sentence of 16 years in prison, but will only serve four years under a split-sentence issued by Judge Jody Bishop.
Under the sentencing guidelines, Weiss will serve three years of supervised probation after his prison term concludes. The balance of his sentence is suspended, meaning that if Weiss serves out the terms of his probation without getting arrested, the remainder of his sentence can be dismissed.
Murder charge dismissed
Weiss faced a murder charge in connection to the 2012 death of Samuel Dixson, 54, of Milton, Fla., but he pleaded to a lesser count on Monday because he was drunk at the time of the incident.
The murder count carried a potential life in prison.
Baldwin County Assistant District Attorney Chandra Paul told Bishop that Weiss was "intoxicated to the point where legally the law requires" that he be charged with manslaughter. Weiss also has to pay $7,180 in restitution and cannot have contact with Dixon's wife, Analyn.
Motorcycle gang cover-up
Dixson's body was found Sept. 12, 2012, near the Styx River off County Road 68. The body was found after the Rosinton Volunteer Fire Department responded to a fire that destroyed a mobile home, which authorities pinpointed as the meeting place for the motorcycle gang.
The Baldwin County Sheriff's Office suspected Dixson, a Gulf Coast chapter Devils Diciples member, was shot four days earlier. Dixson was a disabled veteran who was in the Army for 13 years.
Investigators suspect Dixson was shot in the face during a party celebrating the one-year existence of the Devils Diciples' Tuscaloosa chapter.
The incident triggered a string of cover-ups surrounding the shooting that has led to multiple arrests and felony charges of hindering a prosecution. All told, eight people were arrested - Adam Mayton, 31, of Tuscaloosa, was found dead June 23, 2014.
Before his death, Mayton said that Weiss was responsible for shooting Dixson.
Most of those arrested are scheduled for court appearances on March 23.
Holcomb's guilty plea
Harlis Holcomb, 61, of Carrollton, plead guilty Monday to hindering prosecution, and was given 10 years in prison, but will only have to serve five years of probation under the split-sentence he was given by Bishop.
Holcomb also has to pay a $7,187 restitution and cannot have any contact with Dixon. He is also barred from contacting any motorcycle club.
Motorcycle gang
The Devils Diciples gang, headquartered in Michigan, has chapters in Alabama. In 2012, four Alabama men were among 41 Devils Diciples who were indicted in Michigan on federal racketeering charges.
Gang members are required to own Harley-Davidson motorcycles and go by a club name or nickname to conceal their identities, according to the FBI.
The gang has been known to participate in crimes, including drug sales, thefts, selling stolen motorcycles, conducting illegal gambling businesses, robbery, extortion and violence.
Baldwin County Sheriff Huey "Hoss" Mack said in 2012 that he didn't believe there was an active chapter in Baldwin County, but acknowledged that the group had met locally.
http://www.al.com/news/mobile/index.ssf/2015/02/devils_disciple_motorcycle_gan.html