DAYTON — One member of the Thug Riders Motorcycle Club has entered a plea.
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Matthew Hawkins pleaded guilty to one count of committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering, according to court records filed in the United States Southern District of Ohio court on April 3.
Records do not show when Hawkins will be sentenced.
As previously reported by News Center 7, Michael Henry pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering activity and attempted assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering activity charges in February.
>> PHOTOS: Here are the 14 members of Thug Riders Motorcycle Club facing organized crime charges
12 other Thug Riders were indicted in June, including Brent Egleston, Brandon Fisher, Cody Hughes, Daniel Hutten, Jared Peters, Joey Marshall, John Smith, Joseph Rader, Juan Robles, Justin Baker, Michael Reese, and Norman Beach.
The Department of Justice said the men are a part of an “outlaw motorcycle gang.”
Law enforcement agencies arrested the 14 men of the Dayton Chapter of the Thug Riders Motorcycle Club in June 2024 after years of investigating, according to a previous News Center 7 report.
Investigators claim the members and their associates engaged in criminal acts, including murder, arson, assault, extortion, and identity fraud.
>> RELATED: Member of motorcycle gang accused of violent crimes appears in federal court
The group is accused of making money off of organized crime. They’ve allegedly committed extortion and at least eight violent crimes.
Members are accused of several crimes, including shooting and killing Joseph Nickelson in Harrison Twp. in September 2021 and engaging in a shootout at a Springfield motorcycle gang’s clubhouse in March 2024.
They also allegedly blew up someone’s vehicle in Huber Heights in 2021.
According to federal court documents filed on April 8, no trial date has been set.
We will continue to follow this story
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