Outlaw gets five years for RICO charges

Outlaws Rocker

Mark Steven "Snuff" Fiel, 59, faces a five-year sentence imposed by a U.S. District Court judge for efforts he made in helping the Outlaws Motorcycle Club establish a Virignia chapter.

Mr. Fiel is among 27  members indicted in June on racketeering and other charges. More than half entered guilty pleas and five others, including Outlaws national president Jack Rosga, were convicted. Tthree were acquitted in jury trials.

The charges came from what federal prosecutors said was a series of violent crimes committed by club members largely in an attempt to gain a foothold  and an advantage over  the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club.

"This case is about fear, intimidation, expanding your turf — it's about racketeering activity," said Dennis Fitzpatric, the federal prosecutor, at the start of the case.  "This is a violent enterprise that lives, breathes and celebrates that violence."

Defense attorneys painted a different picture. They said prosecutors portrayed  isolated incidents as an organized criminal enterprise. They said the government is trying to dismantle an organization because it doesn't like 1% motorcycle clubs.

"This case is really about the government's disapproval of bikers' nonconforming attitude," said Angela Dawn Whitley, one of Fiel's attorneys at the case's beginning.  "They don't like the fact they don't cower to authority."

Fiel, who has a multitude of health problems, sought leniency from the judge. The judge noted that Fiel had spent 12 years in prison for charges related to his prior membership in a different club and joined the Outlaws MC despite court orders to not affiliate with another club.