One of the 12 defendants charged with conspiracy and other crimes in the federal racketeering case involving the Road Dog Cycle shop, has pleaded guilty.
Michael Orozco, 51, of Manteca pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to collect extensions of credit by extortionate means. Orozco entered the plea Monday in the United States District Court in Fresno.
Orozco’s arrest was part of a federal investigation into the Road Dog Cycle shop in Denair and its owner Robert Holloway. Prosecutors contend Holloway operated a criminal enterprise from his motorcycle shop, used violence and extortion to collect debts, used his store as a chop shop, and trafficked in stolen motorcycle parts.
At the time of his arrest, Orozco was the president of the Manteca chapter of the Alky Haulers outlaw motorcycle club, according to the prosecution.
As part of his plea, Orozco admitted to conspiring with Holloway to threaten violence to a man that owed the two men money, according to Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Cullers and Laurel Montoya, who are prosecuting the case. The prosecutors said Orozco and Holloway loaned $5,000 to Josh Bell, with the implicit threat that if Bell did not repay the loan on time, some type of harm would befall him or his property would be taken. Orozco took Bell’s motorcycle on Dec. 10, 2007, because the debt had not been repaid, according to the prosecution.
Orozco also admitted to speaking with Holloway a week later about law enforcement’s involvement in the investigation of the stolen bike.
A grand jury indicted 13 men as a result of the two-year long investigation, led by the Central Valley Gang Impact Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. The first case to go to trial was for retired Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Capt. Raul DeLeon, who was charged with four counts of making false statements to investigators and one count of conspiring to obstruct justice. DeLeon was found not guilty in May.
Orozco is the first defendant to enter a guilty plea as part of the racketeering case. Ray Heffington, 42, of Chowchilla has filed an intent to enter a plea agreement, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Heffington is charged with two counts of conspiracy.
Daniel Martell and John Roger Bird, who were both arrested during the Road Dog Cycle investigation, have pleaded guilty to being felons in possession of a firearm. They were not charged with conspiracy.
Holloway, a retired Stanislaus County Sheriff’s deputy, was the prime target of the investigation and has been held in custody since his arrest in July 2008. He was recently granted permission to move into a Fresno halfway house.
Orozco is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on Aug. 24. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. Orozco has been held at the Fresno County Jail since his arrest in July.
To reach reporter Sabra Stafford e-mail, sstafford@turlockjournal.com
Michael Orozco, 51, of Manteca pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to collect extensions of credit by extortionate means. Orozco entered the plea Monday in the United States District Court in Fresno.
Orozco’s arrest was part of a federal investigation into the Road Dog Cycle shop in Denair and its owner Robert Holloway. Prosecutors contend Holloway operated a criminal enterprise from his motorcycle shop, used violence and extortion to collect debts, used his store as a chop shop, and trafficked in stolen motorcycle parts.
At the time of his arrest, Orozco was the president of the Manteca chapter of the Alky Haulers outlaw motorcycle club, according to the prosecution.
As part of his plea, Orozco admitted to conspiring with Holloway to threaten violence to a man that owed the two men money, according to Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Cullers and Laurel Montoya, who are prosecuting the case. The prosecutors said Orozco and Holloway loaned $5,000 to Josh Bell, with the implicit threat that if Bell did not repay the loan on time, some type of harm would befall him or his property would be taken. Orozco took Bell’s motorcycle on Dec. 10, 2007, because the debt had not been repaid, according to the prosecution.
Orozco also admitted to speaking with Holloway a week later about law enforcement’s involvement in the investigation of the stolen bike.
A grand jury indicted 13 men as a result of the two-year long investigation, led by the Central Valley Gang Impact Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. The first case to go to trial was for retired Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Capt. Raul DeLeon, who was charged with four counts of making false statements to investigators and one count of conspiring to obstruct justice. DeLeon was found not guilty in May.
Orozco is the first defendant to enter a guilty plea as part of the racketeering case. Ray Heffington, 42, of Chowchilla has filed an intent to enter a plea agreement, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Heffington is charged with two counts of conspiracy.
Daniel Martell and John Roger Bird, who were both arrested during the Road Dog Cycle investigation, have pleaded guilty to being felons in possession of a firearm. They were not charged with conspiracy.
Holloway, a retired Stanislaus County Sheriff’s deputy, was the prime target of the investigation and has been held in custody since his arrest in July 2008. He was recently granted permission to move into a Fresno halfway house.
Orozco is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on Aug. 24. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. Orozco has been held at the Fresno County Jail since his arrest in July.
To reach reporter Sabra Stafford e-mail, sstafford@turlockjournal.com
