April 05, 2025

Beyond The Blue Lights: The biker gang next door

, by Josh Nathan-Kazis,

At the end of Hillsdale Court, an unassuming street just a mile and a half from Wesleyan’s campus, lies a gated compound that has the Middletown Police Department scratching its head.

Surrounded on all sides by covered chain-link fencing, it’s hard to say what lies inside without relying on guesswork and rumors. The casual snooper can discern two or three bright red buildings behind the fences. A Chevy Blazer with red sidings parks near the biggest of the buildings. One neighbor has reported seeing a black lawn jockey on the property.

The compound is the Connecticut headquarters of the notorious Hell’s Angels Motorcycle Club. Referred to as “secret” by some, the compound’s existence is certainly little known within the Middletown community. Even Wesleyan’s interim director of Public Safety, Dave Meyer, a 26-year veteran of the department, was unaware of its presence.

Famous for their tricked-out Harley-Davidsons, their penchant for violence, and their puzzling relationship with the 1960s California hippie scene, the Hells Angels have been immortalized and mythologized in every imaginable pop-cultural medium. In his book, “Hell’s Angels,” Hunter S. Thompson described the sight of an Angel on his motorcycle as being “like Genghis Khan on an iron horse, a monster steed with a fiery anus, flat out through the eye of a beer can and up your daughter’s leg with no quarter asked and none given.”

On a recent winter night, Lieutenant Rick Siena of the Middletown Police Department sat in his idling SUV near the gates of the compound. “God knows what they got in there,” he sighed. Once, during a routine patrol, Siena drove right up to one of the compound’s gates and shone his headlights inside. Almost immediately, four men in full gang colors appeared just beyond the gates and asked if there was a problem.

Lt. Siena said that, since the compound was built six years ago, Hells Angels from the entire region have descended upon it about four or five times annually. The death’s head patches that they wear on the back of their black leather riding vests indicate which chapter they are members of, and Siena said that he has seen Angels visit the compound from as far away as Virginia.

One event promoter, who asked not be named, said that while he has met members of every motorcycle gang imaginable, from the Outlaws to the Bandidos to the Pagans, the Hell’s Angels are a class apart. “To get in, you have to have done some serious shit,” he said.

The promoter is involved in a family business that organizes motorcycle expos and swap meets. The expos draw two to three thousand bikers over the course of a weekend, and feature vendors selling new and used motorcycle parts and accessories. Musical acts such as Commander Cody and Foghat generally perform sets.

Hell’s Angels frequently show up at the expos. “Angels, when they come in, they aren’t paying,” the promoter said. “You try and charge them; most of them are gonna bust your balls.”

At the same time, the club is aware of its high profile, and is very conscientious about its public image. “They’ve got really good P.R. these days,” said the event promoter. “They show up and sell T-shirts. That’s their whole thing; they sell T-shirts. When we’ve had problems with individual Angels, we see the ‘big dog’ come out and reprimand them.”

This doesn’t mean that the club has converted itself into a quilting circle. “My brother totally witnessed the Angels bash somebody’s skull in with a ball peen hammer,” the promoter remembers.

“In New York one time, there was some evil shit going down,” he said. “They were shutting down a rival, battling over drug turf. The Hell’s Angels set up their own security at the gate of our event.” The club posted lookouts on every street corner, and communicated by walkie-talkie.

“It was basically a military set-up.”

“The Angels have a violent history,” said Middletown’s Lt. Siena. Still, he admits that their presence is not a major concern for the police department. “We’ve had very few problems with the Hell’s Angels in our city,” he said. “We stay alert. If we saw a trend, we would do something about it. But they don’t cause us trouble.”

The Hell’s Angels isn’t the only motorcycle gang in the area. In 1998, members of the Meriden chapter of the Diablos Motorcycle Club were jailed on various charges, ranging from murder for hire to heroin conspiracy. The James Gang, headquartered in Wallingford, is also highly active in Meriden.

Lieutenant Siena said that, after a spike in gang activity in the late 1980’s, biker gangs were less of a problem for a period. Now, younger members are getting involved, and activity is back up.

Still, Siena said that the public safety threat posed by motorcycle gangs has never been close to as deadly as what he said is the real danger posed by the biker culture – motorcycle accidents.

71 Comments

  1. no club

    Mike Yevtuck 97 Pacific Blvd Keyport NJ will beat chuck Zito the way hells angels are known for beating and killing women and children.

  2. no club

    Mike Yevtuck 97 Pacific Blvd Keyport NJ pisses all over the USA hells angels and the hells angels can’t do anying about it.

    Order order in the house. Give my hells angels pals some junk food and make Sonny’s French

    I can make Jokes about anything but most comedy writers go after easy target. So I picked the most pathetic freaks in the USA because it seems these freaks like to target me also.

    top ten list.
    (Hells angels Secrets)

    (1) In-between Males the Official Junk Food of the USA Hells angels gang sponsored by the numbers 8+1.

    (2) Some men’s Junk is A hells angels treasure.

    (3) Sonny Barger likes French Junk as food , Sonny Barger has a Bon’er Appeti’te
    Is this a fact or a Joke LOL

    (4) Ho Ho HO No Sonny Barger and the Hells angels are not Pirates they just like to Bury treasures in their trunks.

    (4) Sonny Barger is so Butt ugly the plastic surgery Doctor could not determine Sonnies face from his behind so he flipped a coin and thats why Sonny Barger wears that hells angel supporter hole under his chin instead of where he requested.

    (5) Sonny Barger the USA hells angel Leader known for having 3 holes is said to have buried many a mans family Jewels .

    (6)) If you think Sonny Barger sucks at acting and nothing could be worse, you have not heard Sonny Barger Sing.

    (7) looking at Sonny Barger Santa Lost for words Just said Ho Ho Ho—ly shit

    (8) Santa’s Wife kicked Santa’s ass when she heard Santa stopped off to see 3 ho’s on Christmas Eve

    (9) originally there was 8 dwarfs But Sonny Barger Quit after the Dwarfs made the hit song and purposely left out sonny’s bargers 3rd hole . Seems back at that time Tri sexual men like Sonny were not accepted. Hey Ho hey ho So that’s the 8 minus 1 = 81 just do the math.
    Even with three Holes sonny don’t fit in anywhere so Sonny Barger keeps looking to con neckt

    (10) Chuck Zito is suing the 7 remaining dwarfs for stealing his idea.
    Chuck said he wrote a song about Sonny walking the streets to look for men to support him and the uglier hells angel members..

    It goes like this

    Hey Hole Hey Hole its time to get off at work. You hump and pump just stick em in the rump Hey Ho hey Ho its off to work you goes.

    (11) Hells angels get typing mad when I make fun of Sonny bargers delicated cuntdision.

    Is it soup Yet?

  4. no club

    This punk is in no club but he stands alone against the USA hells angels because he hates the USA for hells angels molesting beating and murdering women and children and then the hells angels like scumbags go to charity events yet the scumbags do nothing to help all the women and children they victimize .SIC

  5. no club

    Mike Yevtuck 97 Pacific Blvd Keyport NJ will beat chuck Zito the way hells angels are known for beating and killing women and children.

    I think hells angels put this address online for over 10 years . I guess the hells angels filthyfew just kill women and children and type about men that beat and piss all over hells angels.

  6. no club

    the hells angels seemingly have a much higher Percent of members that collect child porn harm rape molest and murder women and children all over the USA .

    I think hells angels by far have the Largest percent of scumbags that commit crimes on women and children out of every club group[ organization etc in the USA.

    I think USA hells angels specialize and are at war with women and children through out the USA

  7. no club

    Mike Yevtuck 97 Pacific Blvd Keyport NJ is not into MMA I was getting him mixed up with Chuck Zito .
    Chuck Zito is always pretending he is looking for an MMA or cage fight but he never does.

    Mike Yevtuck fights for real that is why the hells angels hide and type because Mike Yevtuck has beaten up every hells angels that attacked him. he has even beaten some hells angels in small group.

  8. 81 support child porn

    Hell’s Angel & Nevada brothel owner Dave Burgess convicted of child pornography PDF Print E-mail
    Saturday, 19 July 2008
    Former brothel owner gets 15 years in child porn case
    Associated Press
    Las Vegas Review-Journal
    Jul. 19, 2008

    http://www.lvrj.com/news/25644904.html

    CHEYENNE, Wyo.– A former Nevada brothel owner has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for his conviction on two child pornography charges in Wyoming.
    David Burgess was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court for possessing and transporting child pornography.

    U.S. District Judge Alan B. Johnson also sentenced the 55-year-old Hells Angel motorcycle club member to 10 years of supervision upon his release, lifetime registration as a sex offender and a fine of $20,000.

    Investigators found two hard drives containing thousands of images of child pornography in Burgess’ motor home after a traffic stop last summer in western Wyoming. A jury convicted Burgess in April on both charges against him.

  11. Kill this guy already

    Kill this guy already you filthy freak frauds prove you hells angel nomanor 666 cowards just don’t beat molest and murder women and children you filthy flock of freak punks.

    http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2011/02/hells_angels_hater_mike_yevtuc.php?fbc_channel=1

    I have been watching the angels online cry and complain about this guy for over 10 years.

    IS it true do the USA hells angels only beat molest and kill women and children ?

    whats the problem guys you scared?

  12. STF

    The USA hells angels obsession with Mike Yevtuck belies a certain unnatural fixation.
    The hells angels all want to be tough and hot looking like Mike yevtuck but the hells angels could never have the Body because they are to lazy and they will never have the heart to stand for what is rightous.

    hells angels wanted to be Mike yevtuck but they were not born with the heart of a lion instead they were born with hearts of weasles, wood peckers,pigeons ,rats

    USa hells angels Pee wee rounded out just a pig . Dave burgess child porn convict leader ,chuck Zito the great pretender, lofranco leader of NJ rat pack , George christie presidental wow talk about crazzy LOL , ray rat foakes etc are just freaks in a flock of freaks

    I guess that why hells angels will alway live in the shadow of Mike Yevtuck .

    Mike Yevtuck is real .

  13. Wheel

    Mike Yevtuck goes to Thailand ALONE! You know anyone who goes to Thailand alone and DOESN’T bugger little children? I hear he likes boys that dress like little girls.

  14. STF

    Mike Yevtuck the man that beats upA Hells angels for supporting child porn .

    Mike Yevtuck is is the Manthat beats up hells angekls for Harming raping beating molesting and murdering women and children all over the USA.

    Mike Yevtuck the Man that the USA Hells angels hate and fear.

  15. Mike Yevtuck is Back in the USA ready to beat up hells angels if they have ther nerve to attact

    everyone on the planet knows Mike Yevtuck pisses all over the USA hells angels

    Mike Yevtuck is the god of the USA Hells angels hells ruler. The Godflocker the Thailander .
    The man that made the USA hells angels curtsy like nice little ladies.

    Hey Chuck Zito and the rest of you USA hells angel freaking cowards. Mike Yevtuck is back in the USA for a limited time . Put away your keyboards,web sites and all those internet war weapons in your arsenal you cowardly Feathered Filthy Fowl Fraudulent Freaks

    and come on over and talk turkey or what ever language a foul filthy maggot infested USA hells angel freak speaks.

    Hey punks if you and your pink pals got something to say Mike yevtuck back in the USA. You have no excuses you cowardly big mouth freaks.

    Mike Yevtuck is the god of the USA Hells angels . The Godflocker the Thailander .
    The man that made the USA hells angels curtsy like nice little ladies.

  16. Mike Yevtuck is Back in the USA ready to beat up hells angels if the cowardly USA hells angels have the nerve to attack

    everyone on the planet knows Mike Yevtuck pisses all over the USA hells angels

    Mike Yevtuck is the god of the USA Hells angels hells ruler. The Godflocker the Thailander .
    The man that made the USA hells angels curtsy like nice little ladies.

    Hey Chuck Zito and the rest of you USA hells angel freaking cowards. Mike Yevtuck is back in the USA for a limited time . Put away your keyboards,web sites and all those internet war weapons in your arsenal you cowardly Feathered Filthy Fowl Fraudulent Freaks

    and come on over and talk turkey or what ever language a foul filthy maggot infested USA hells angel freak speaks.

    Hey punks if you and your pink pals got something to say Mike yevtuck back in the USA. You have no excuses you cowardly big mouth freaks.

    Mike Yevtuck is the god of the USA Hells angels . The Godflocker the Thailander .
    The man that made the USA hells angels curtsy like nice little ladies.

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