One of three members of the Bacchus Motorcycle Club facing criminal organization charges appeared in a Dartmouth courtroom today.
Patrick James, 45, of Dartmouth is facing a total of eight charges which include uttering threats, harassment, commission of an offence for a criminal organization, and extortion.
This is the first time the RCMP have laid criminal organization charges against members of the outlaw motorcycle gang in Nova Scotia.
Police laid the charges as a result of an ongoing investigating which started in September.
The men were previously charged with uttering threats and intimidation on Sept. 21 after police searched four locations, including the Bacchus clubhouse on Hogan road in Nine Mile River, and residences on Renfrew Road and Elmwood Road in Dartmouth and Dyke Road in Grand Desert.
Duane Howe, 43, of Grand Desert, and David Pearce, 38, of Dartmouth are also facing charges. Their lawyers appeared in court on their behalf.
“We’ve put the matter over so we can look at the file,” says defence lawyer Patrick MacEwan. “There is additional information that we have not received and we are hoping to get that in the near future so we can make a decision about where to go from here.”
“The matter just adjourned until later in February to give them an opportunity to look at the disclosure and decide what to do on the next date,” says Crown lawyer Melanie Perry.
The case is scheduled to return to court Feb. 21.
RCMP estimate there are roughly 80 people associated with the Bacchus across Atlantic Canada.
