A Pagans motorcycle gang leader from North Huntingdon Township will spend at least five years in federal prison for his role in organizing a deadly attack on a rival motorcycle gang in New York.
Dennis "Rooster" Katona, 36, of Lincoln Way, pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court on Long Island, N.Y., to federal racketeering charges of assault and conspiracy to commit assault, Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Brown said Wednesday.
Under terms of the plea bargain, Katona will spend between 63 and 78 months in prison, Brown said. Katona will be formally sentenced in federal court in about 10 weeks.
Katona received a stiffer sentence than most of the other 70 Pagans who have pleaded guilty to participating in the Feb. 23 attack on Hells Angels gang members. Brown said Katona will serve more time because he helped to organize the event.
"They (Pagan leaders) were the architect of the plan," Brown said.
When Katona was arrested, he had a map of the arena in Plainview, N.Y., where the Hells Angels had a motorcycle and tattoo exhibit. The map was marked to show where the Hells Angels had their exhibit tables, prosecutors said.
Although the Pagans were armed with guns, knives and clubs, they suffered the most in the melee. One Pagan was shot to death, four suffered gunshot wounds and five were stabbed in the confrontation.
Katona was identified by prosecutors as the sergeant-at-arms for the Pagans' Mother Club, the gang's national governing group. When he pleaded guilty Tuesday, he admitted in court that he and other leaders organized the bloody confrontation "to retrieve back Pagan colors (denim jackets) ... by force" from two Pagans who had defected to the Hells Angels.
"They didn't return back property belonging to the Pagans," Katona said.
Katona, who once operated the East Coast Cycles Inc. store on Route 51 in Fayette County, told the judge that he assaulted several Hells Angels.
Katona also was charged in Nassau County Court with attempted gang assault and riot in the first degree. A spokesman for the Nassau County District Attorney said none of the Pagans who plead guilty in federal court would face state charges.
Katona was one of several area members of the Pagans motorcycle gang who pleaded guilty to various charges in connection with the attack. Warren "Bake" Schaller, 51, of Youngwood; Thomas W. Lofink, 40, of Belle Vernon; Girard Genevie of Sutersville; and Jesse "L.J." Grayson of Belle Vernon, also have entered guilty pleas stemming from the attack.
