(KRON) -- A federal jury found two Hells Angels Motorcycle Club members guilty of multiple crimes for their participation in the Sonoma County charter of the Hells Angels, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) said Friday. Christopher Ranieri was convicted for his role in a murder and Raymond Foakes was convicted for carrying out a violent beating.
Foakes also known as "Rainman," was at one point the president of the Sonoma charter. He was convicted for an hours-long beating of a former Hells Angels member. The DOJ asserts that the victim had an affair with Foakes' common-law wife, and the beating was to expel him from the group.
Foakes and other members of the Sonoma charter beat the victim with a baseball bat, forcibly tattooed their forehead, and pistol-whipped them in the face, the DOJ said. Foakes also sexually assaulted the victim's wife and threatened her to keep her from telling authorities. Due to this, he was convicted of witness intimidation.
Rainieri, also known as "Ray Ray," is the president of the Salem, Massachusetts chapter of the Hells Angels. The DOJ said he was involved in the murder of former Hells Angel Joel "Doughboy" Silva, which happened in Fresno.
Silva's feud with Rainieri began in 2014 at a motorcycle event in Laconia, New Hampshire. Per the DOJ, Silva threatened another member of the Salem chapter who was close to Rainieri. Rainieri, along with Fresno charter president Brian Wendt and Sonoma charter president Jonathan Nelson, decided in a meeting at Rainieri's home that Silva needed to be killed.
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On July 15, 2014, Silva was "lured" to the Fresno Hells Angels' clubhouse and shot in the back of the head by Wendt, the DOJ said. Silva's body was incinerated at a crematory and his truck was set on fire. Rainieiri later returned to Fresno to attend a party celebrating the murder.
Foakes was convicted of participating in a racketeer-influenced and corrupt organizations (RICO) conspiracy, assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering and witness intimidation. Ranieri was convicted of the RICO charges and conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering.
Both men are being held in federal custody. Rainieri faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, and Foakes faces a possible sentence of 60 years.
from KRON4 https://ift.tt/aWQsf6X
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