The News Room [News Archive]
Sheriff Contact: John Roach: 313-224-0615
Release Date: Saturday, May 31, 2003
Late night raid at Hellraiser Motorcycle Club nets guns,
drugs, cash and felons --- After hours establishment was
scene of fatal shooting in March
At approximately 3:15 a.m. this morning officers of the Wayne
County Sheriff’s Office conducted a raid on an illegal
after hours club operating out of a small building on Detroit’s
lower east side. The Hellraiser Motorcycle Club at Bellevue and
Kercheval had been under surveillance by undercover officers for
months, according to Sheriff Warren Evans.
“During our undercover operation, officers witnessed a
variety of illegal activity taking place, including illegal alcohol
sales and were able to purchase illegal drugs,” said Evans. “The
combination of alcohol, drugs and a number of guns we seized posed
a real threat - not only to the patrons, but to the surrounding
neighborhood as well.”
Evans said the club had been under surveillance for the past three
months and has a history of violent activity. On March 10, 2003,
a 22-year old male was shot multiple times outside of the club
and later died from his wounds.
After the raid, more than 400 patrons were ticketed. Most were
released, but others were arrested on outstanding misdemeanor and
felony warrants, including aggravated assault, possession of narcotics
with intent to deliver, domestic abuse and unlawful carrying of
a concealed weapon. An additional 25 members of the club were still
being processed as of 3:00 p.m. and may face additional charges.
Another three people were arrested on extradition warrants from
other states.
Almost exactly three months ago, on March 2, deputies raided a
Highland Park after hours club known as Club Powerplant, which
resulted in the arrest of 47 fugitives, the seizing of $7,000 in
cash, the issuing of 350 tickets and the impoundment of 150 vehicles.
The county recently took ownership of the former club, which is
located at Oakland and Victor. Evans said his department is studying
his department’s options for the building.
“This shows that the culture of after hour clubs in the
city is still very strong,” Evans said. “Taking down
another major operation like this should send a message to other
illegal club operators that their time is limited.”
WAYNE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ---
SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION --- EXECUTION OF A SEARCH WARRANT
LOCATION: 2228 BELLEVUE AT KERCHEVAL, DETROIT [Industrial Neighborhood]
NAME:
HELLRAISER MOTORCYCLE CLUB
REASON: ILLEGAL AFTER HOURS PARTIES ON
WEEKENDS
OFFERING USE AND SALES ILLEGAL DRUGS ; UNLICENSED ALCOHOL SALES
HISTORY: February
2003, Special Operations received intelligence information that the Hellraiser
Motorcycle Club, 2228 Bellevue,
Detroit, was hosting illegal after hours parties on weekends, offering
the use and sales of illegal drugs and unlicensed alcohol.
March 10, 2003, the Hellraiser Motorcycle Club was the scene
of a fatal shooting where a 22 year old male was shot multiple
times outside the club during an after hours party and later died
from those wounds. After the shooting, after hours parties no longer
took place.
April 2003, surveillance indicated that the Hellraisers Club
re-opened the after hours parties. Surveillance showed that the
parties occurred on during the early morning hours of each Saturday,
from 1:30 am to 5:00 am. Many other violations in the vicinity
were connected to the after hours parties and were observed during
surveillance. Reckless driving, disturbing the peace, littering,
operating a vehicle under drugs and/or intoxicants, drag racing,
public consumption of alcohol, urinating in public, and generally
loitering in the neighborhood. During the parties, hundreds of
vehicles would be parked in the immediate area of the club.
May 2003, undercover operations revealed that illegal sales of
alcohol and marijuana were an integral part of the after hours
parties. Numerous firearms and other weapons were observed inside
and on the grounds of the club.
May 31, 2003, a search warrant was executed by the Wayne County
Sheriff's Special Operations Division, with support from other
divisions. A large number of firearms seizures occurred, along
with seizures of illegal drugs. Appearance tickets were issued
to those individuals who were frequenting the club at the time
of the raid. Persons on the premises who were found to have confirmed
warrants for their arrest, were taken into custody. Patrons of
the illegal club, whose vehicles were found in the area, had their
vehicles towed and impounded according to nuisance abatement statutes.
TIME OF RAID - 3:15 am
UNITS ON SCENE
SRT, Special Operations, [Narcotics, Morality, SIU], FAST, Internal
Affairs, FOC
ARRESTS/CHARGES:
- 404 Patrons ticketed for Loitering in an illegal establishment
-
Approximately 20 Hellraisers Club Members,
who could face charges of Operating an illegal establishment
TOTAL WARRANTS:
-
Approximately 50, including misdemeanors for domestic violence,
assault, traffic cases
FELONY WARRANTS:
- Approximately 12 of the 50, including aggravated assault, possession
of narcotics with intent to deliver, CCW
-
Also includes 2 extradition warrants from Los Angeles for B&E,
one on felony narcotics extradition warrant from Texas.
DRUG SEIZURES:
-
Approximately three pounds of marijuana
CASH SEIZURES:
-
Approximately $87,000
WEAPON SEIZURES:
-
21 guns [7 rifles and shotguns and 14 handguns]
VEHICLE IMPOUNDMENTS
-
142
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