Amanda Friar
rapidcityjournal.com
Two Hells Angels Motorcycle Club members involved in a stabbing during the 2011 motorcycle rally were sentenced in court in Sturgis on Monday.
Mark Duclos, 48, of Fairbanks, Ala. was sentenced to six years in the state penitentiary, with four years suspended. He was given credit for the 40 days he has served in jail already. He will be required to pay $2,000 in fines and $2,146.05 in restitution. Duclos was charged with one count of aggravated assault.
George Caruso, 58, of Shirley, Mass., who was charged with one count of simple assault, was sentenced to 360 days in the Meade County Jail. He will also be required to pay $2,000 in fines and $2,146.05 in restitution.
The pair were involved in a fight between the Hells Angels and the Mongols motorcycle club on Aug. 10, which resulted in a stabbing, sending a Mongols member and a Hells Angels member to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Character letters for each club member were sent to the state’s attorney’s office from family and friends supporting both Caruso and Duclos.
According to Meade County State’s Attorney Kevin Krull, the letters sent paint a positive picture of Duclos, though he felt that made the crimes committed worse.
“All of the letters makes it appear that he has a positive life back home and it appears he feels like he can behave like a criminal in Sturgis,” Krull said. According to Krull, Duclos’ behavior since the incident has been inconsistent, sometimes appearing a wheelchair and other times appearing to be able to walk.
Duclos’ attorney Angela Colbath out of Rapid City said he has always been consistent and that there was not so much as a traffic ticket listed on his record, so he should be given a shorter sentence.
“He understands that he needs to be mindful of the positions he puts himself into in the future,” Colbath said. “I believe that the character letters paint an accurate picture of who Mr. Duclos is.”
Duclos apologized for his actions in court, saying he was sorry that the situation arose of such magnitude.
A video of the fight that occurred on Aug. 10 showed that Caruso started the fight, throwing the first punch, which Fourth Circuit Judge Jerome A. Eckrich said was the reason they were there.
“You started this with the sucker punch and we wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you throwing the first sucker punch,” Eckrich said. “I would not have just sent Mr. Duclos off to jail if it weren’t for you. You’re much more culpable than Mr. Duclos.”
According to Deputy State’s Attorney Kasey Sorensen, Caruso has not acknowledged the fact that the incident took place or that he was involved.
“The only thing that he is remorseful about is that he got caught,” Sorensen said. According to Sorensen, the Mongols Motorcycle Club approached the Hells Angels to pay their respects and shake their hands, when Caruso threw the first punch, while wearing black gloves. “It was the middle of August. There was only one reason why Mr. Caruso would be wearing those gloves.”
Colbath asked that the court consider the letters submitted to the court from family, friends and business partners on Caruso’s behalf.
Mark Duclos, 48, of Fairbanks, Ala. was sentenced to six years in the state penitentiary, with four years suspended. He was given credit for the 40 days he has served in jail already. He will be required to pay $2,000 in fines and $2,146.05 in restitution. Duclos was charged with one count of aggravated assault.
George Caruso, 58, of Shirley, Mass., who was charged with one count of simple assault, was sentenced to 360 days in the Meade County Jail. He will also be required to pay $2,000 in fines and $2,146.05 in restitution.
The pair were involved in a fight between the Hells Angels and the Mongols motorcycle club on Aug. 10, which resulted in a stabbing, sending a Mongols member and a Hells Angels member to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Character letters for each club member were sent to the state’s attorney’s office from family and friends supporting both Caruso and Duclos.
According to Meade County State’s Attorney Kevin Krull, the letters sent paint a positive picture of Duclos, though he felt that made the crimes committed worse.
“All of the letters makes it appear that he has a positive life back home and it appears he feels like he can behave like a criminal in Sturgis,” Krull said. According to Krull, Duclos’ behavior since the incident has been inconsistent, sometimes appearing a wheelchair and other times appearing to be able to walk.
Duclos’ attorney Angela Colbath out of Rapid City said he has always been consistent and that there was not so much as a traffic ticket listed on his record, so he should be given a shorter sentence.
“He understands that he needs to be mindful of the positions he puts himself into in the future,” Colbath said. “I believe that the character letters paint an accurate picture of who Mr. Duclos is.”
Duclos apologized for his actions in court, saying he was sorry that the situation arose of such magnitude.
A video of the fight that occurred on Aug. 10 showed that Caruso started the fight, throwing the first punch, which Fourth Circuit Judge Jerome A. Eckrich said was the reason they were there.
“You started this with the sucker punch and we wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you throwing the first sucker punch,” Eckrich said. “I would not have just sent Mr. Duclos off to jail if it weren’t for you. You’re much more culpable than Mr. Duclos.”
According to Deputy State’s Attorney Kasey Sorensen, Caruso has not acknowledged the fact that the incident took place or that he was involved.
“The only thing that he is remorseful about is that he got caught,” Sorensen said. According to Sorensen, the Mongols Motorcycle Club approached the Hells Angels to pay their respects and shake their hands, when Caruso threw the first punch, while wearing black gloves. “It was the middle of August. There was only one reason why Mr. Caruso would be wearing those gloves.”
Colbath asked that the court consider the letters submitted to the court from family, friends and business partners on Caruso’s behalf.
Read more: http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/communities/sturgis/hells-angels-members-sentenced-in-august-stabbing/article_ca6cafbc-66f4-11e1-b3e4-0019bb2963f4.html#ixzz1oIZ348JE
