Warlocks Motorcycle Club (Pennsylvania)

Founded 1967
Location Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Type Outlaw motorcycle club
Region East Coast
Website www.warlocksmc.org

The Warlocks Motorcycle Club is a "one-percenter" Outlaw motorcycle club that was formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1967. It was the first official outlaw motorcycle club founded in Pennsylvania. The club is most prominent in the Philadelphia metropolitan area and throughout the Delaware Valley, including Wilmington, Chester, and South Jersey. However, there are now chapters all throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. The club's insignia is a Harpy, female monsters in the form of birds with human faces. Roman mythology, and their colors are Red and White. The club expanded rapidly at the end of the Vietnam War when thousands of ex-soldiers returned to the United States, many to Pennsylvania, feeling outcast from society.

Criminal activities

In December 1988, the individuals associated with the Warlocks kidnapped the then Breed chapter president Craig "Coyote" Gudkneckt. After several Warlock members had been jumped in a Bensalem bar, Gudkneckt was taken to the home of a Warlock where he was tied up, beaten and pistol-whipped. Gudkneckt escaped.

On May 6, 1995 Police Sgt. Ippolito "Lee" Gonzalez of Franklin Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey pulled over Warlocks members Robert "Mudman" Simon and Charles Staples on a traffic stop moments after the two had committed a commercial burglary. Simon shot Gonzalez twice, in the head and neck, and Gonzalez died instantly. Simon later said he shot Sergeant Gonzalez because he did not want to return to prison. Simon was quickly apprehended, pled guilty, and was sentenced to death. In 1999, Simon was stomped to death by Ambrose Harris, another death-row inmate, in New Jersey's Trenton State Prison. Harris argued self-defense, and charges were dropped.[1]

In 2006, Tommy Zaroff, born about 1972 (age 42–43), a former President of the Bucks County chapter of the Warlocks was arrested on suspicion of possessing ten pounds of methamphetamine, and was sentenced to at least five years after pleading guilty to charges including distributing a controlled substance, profiting from illegal acts and conspiracy.[2][3] On February 4, 2009, Daniel "Dirty Dick" McElheney, born about 1944 (age 70–71), was arrested under his alias Richard McElheney, after his home was raided by police. Police seized six rifles, ten handguns and various illegal drugs.[4]

In October 2008, Pennsylvania State Attorney General Tom Corbett alleged that the Warlocks motorcycle club is involved with a methamphetamine manufacturing operation based in Berks County Pennsylvania. The sting was dubbed "Operation Underground". Corbett said the operation manufactured and distributed $9 million worth of methamphetamine throughout southeastern Pennsylvania and possibly (supplied) to members of the Warlocks motorcycle club, which has allegedly been linked to organized crime and drug trafficking. "The Warlocks have been the subject of other investigations, and we will continue to investigate the Warlock-Spadafora meth connection," Corbett said. He added that the investigation is continuing and he expects more arrests. There were no Warlocks arrested or charged at the time of this press release.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Death row inmate said to beat and kick another to death in New Jersey prison
  2. ↑ Mason, Laurie (January 12, 2006), "Meth ring member pleads guilty Thomas Zaroff has ties to the Warlocks motorcycle gang, police said.", The Intelligencer (Doylestown, PA): B5
  3. ↑ Caparella, Kitty (July 27, 2006), "Meth arrests hurt 2 motorcycle clubs: Breed, Warlocks ties found", Knight Ridder Tribune Business News
  4. ↑ Caparella, Kitty (February 11, 2009), "BRIEF: Warlock biker faces drug, weapons charges", McClatchy – Tribune Business News (Washington DC)
  5. ↑ Shooting target found in Berks County meth raids looks like a police officer (WITH VIDEO)

External links/sources