Pubdate: Sat, 03 Mar 2007 Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Copyright: 2007 Winnipeg Free Press Contact: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502 Author: Mike McIntyre BANDIDOS HEAD VOWS BIKER GANG IS HERE TO STAY Jury Finds Him, 3 Associates, Guilty THE head of the Manitoba Bandidos launched into a profanity-laced tirade and vowed the notorious biker gang was here to stay -- moments after a jury found him and three associates guilty of kidnapping and torturing a rival drug dealer. Friday afternoon's verdict could represent a crushing blow to the local chapter, as the men are facing lengthy prison sentences for their roles in the February 2005 attack. A fifth accused had previously pleaded guilty. "The Bandidos aren't (expletive) going anywhere," gang leader Ron Burling shouted in court as he was led away in shackles by sheriff's officers. "God forgives. The Bandidos doesn't." Burling also directed his venom towards Crown attorney Daniel Chaput with a barely audible threat that is now being investigated by justice officials. Only the words "rape" and "girlfriend" could be clearly heard from the public gallery. The five gang members -- Burling, Adam Curwin, Billy Joe Ducharme, Daniel Blair and Daniel Pereira -- have all been detained in custody and a sentencing date is expected to be set next week. Burling is currently serving a nine-year prison term for a violent home invasion in which he accidentally shot off his own toe. Manitoba is one of only a few provinces in Canada with a full-time Bandidos presence. The gang's status took a major hit last year when eight Bandidos were executed in Ontario in what police called an "internal cleansing." Five other Bandidos members and associates -- including three from Manitoba -- have been charged with the killings. A preliminary hearing is underway. In Winnipeg, jurors began their deliberations on Thursday afternoon following one of the longest trials in recent memory. The case began in early January. They found the accused guilty as charged of kidnapping, aggravated assault and extortion for their role in a disturbing attack on a 20-year-old man. Jurors were told the victim owed Burling money as part of an outstanding drug debt. The man and his girlfriend were allegedly lured to an inner-city residence by a so-called "friend" who had been told of the pending attack by the accused. Jason Michel, a former high-ranking biker associate who admits to participating in parts of the attack, was called as a Crown witness to detail the incident. His evidence was considered crucial since the victim offered little during his testimony, claiming to have no memory of the incident or who was responsible. Michel told court the man and his girlfriend were run off the road and dragged from their vehicles into a nearby home by Burling's co-accused and another Crown witness. They were separated and held in different parts of the house for several hours, with the man being severely beaten and forced to turn over money, he said. His injuries included fingers crushed with a sledgehammer and having a tattoo forcibly removed with a knife. "He looked like a beach ball. His head was swollen. He was beat up," Michel testified earlier in the trial. Michel's credibility was a hot issue for defence lawyers, as he admitted to having an extensive record for crimes including break-and-enter, assault, uttering threats and breach of court orders. But jurors clearly believed his testimony. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek