NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

MATT J. WHITWORTH

Contact Don Ledford, Public Affairs ● (816) 426-4220 ● 400 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 ● Kansas City, MO 64106

www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/index.html

OCTOBER 8, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TWO MOTORCYCLE CLUB MEMBERS SENTENCED

FOR METH CONSPIRACY

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Matt J. Whitworth, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that two motorcycle club members were sentenced in federal court today for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Robert R. Peters, 52, of Kansas City, Kan., and Robert L. Mays, also known as “Goose Rob,” 54, of Kansas City, Mo., were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Fernando J. Gaitan. Peters was sentenced to eight years in federal prison without parole. Mays was sentenced to five years in federal prison without parole.

Peters and Mays each pleaded guilty to his role in a conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine between Jan. 1, 2002, and May 31, 2007. They are among 11 defendants charged in a June 19, 2007, federal indictment.

Peters was a member of the El Forastero Motorcycle Club and Mays was a member of the affiliated Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club. Members of both motorcycle clubs were required to annually pay dues and attend a certain number of motorcycle trips, known as runs, each year. On each run, the members were required to pay money that was pooled, or collected by each club charter, then forwarded to the specific El Forastero or Galloping Goose charter that hosted the particular motorcycle run in order to purchase methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana. Those drugs were maintained in run bags, which were distributed to all club members that attended the run.

Peters and Mays both admitted that, as active members, they participated in the distribution of between 500 and 1,500 grams of methamphetamine. That amount is based on 20 runs over a five-year period, with each run involving the distribution of at least one ounce (28 grams) of methamphetamine.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Valenti. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department.

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