Former Pagan’s Motorcycle Gang Member Pleaded Guilty for Armed Assaults Against Rivals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A former member of the Pagan's Motorcycle Gang pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays for his involvement in a series of armed assaults against rival motorcycle club members.

James W. Prettyman, also known as "Rugby," 44, of Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty today to one count of attempt to commit assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and one count of aiding and abetting the possession of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

On Sept. 3, 2022, Prettyman and other members of the Pagan's and their support club travelled to Topeka, Ks., to carry out a revenge attack against another rival motorcycle gang. The plan was to "catch a stray" and "smash on sight" any rival member they saw. The Pagan's were aware that the rival motorcycle gang was having an event in Topeka that day, and the plan was to use either an axe handle or a gun on one of the rival gang members. After arriving in Topeka, a rival member was spotted in a hotel parking lot. As a member of the Pagan's prepared to shoot the rival, a disagreement occurred among members, and the group returned to the Kansas City area.

On Sept.17, 2022, Prettyman and other members of the Pagan's and their support club chased and forced a lone rival gang member from the road in Blue Springs, Mo. Various members of the Pagan's and the support club were armed with firearms and at least one axe handle. Prettyman and the others confronted the victim on the side of the roadway and ultimately, the victim was shot seven times, with wounds to his knee, thigh, forearm, biceps, buttocks and back of his leg.

Under federal statutes, Prettyman is subject to a sentence of not less than five years and up to life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the FBI, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.

Homeland Security Task Force

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Kansas City comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Missouri.