Pagan's Motorcycle Club bikers sentenced on firearms and drug charges

Two members of a Florida motorcycle club were sentenced last week after being convicted of firearms charges, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.

A jury previously found guilty Richard Todd Badali, 53, of Casselberry, for the unlawful sale of a firearm to a convicted felon and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Badali, a ranking member of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release.

Thomas Richard Laakmann, 60, of Orange City, was also previously found guilty by a jury for the sale of a firearm to a convicted felon and possession of a firearm by a person convicted of misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. Laakmann was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release.    

Both men are prohibited from associating with members of the motorcycle club while on supervised release, according to the Department of Justice.

The sentencing of Badali and Laakmann represent a years-long effort by authorities to infiltrate the motorcycle club and document the illegal operations perpetrated by members of the club, which included the unlawful distribution of firearms and narcotics, the DOJ said.

Eight other members of the club had pleaded guilty, including William Tendrich, 40, of Fort Pierce, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison for firearms offenses; Anthony Posadas, 67, also of Fort Pierce, sentenced to 18 months for firearms offenses; Michael Clancy, 58, of Vero Beach, sentenced to 2 years for a cocaine offense; Jorge Duquen, 53, of Miami, sentenced to 10 months for a cocaine offense; Hector Garcia, 62, of Miami, sentenced to 18 months for a cocaine offense; Michael Carter, 62, of New Smyrna Beach, sentenced to 51 months for firearms offenses; Robert Klimkowski, 61, of Melbourne, sentenced to a year of probation for narcotics offenses; and Thomas Close, 60, of Sebastian, sentenced to 15 years for a firearm offense.