A former member of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Gang pleaded guilty on Apr. 7 before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays for his role in an armed assault against a rival motorcycle club member in Blue Springs, Missouri.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address violent crime linked to organized groups. The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri supports community outreach and prevention programs aimed at addressing issues like violent crime and drug trafficking, according to the official website.
Jeffrey S. Hannah, also known as “Got-It,” age 43, from Grain Valley, Missouri, admitted guilt to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering and one count of possession of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. According to court records, on September 17, 2022, Hannah and other members from the Pagan’s and their support club Los Valerosos chased down a lone rival gang member by forcing him off the road. Members were armed with firearms and at least one axe handle; after confronting the victim roadside, he was shot seven times with injuries including wounds to his knee, thigh, forearm, biceps, buttocks and back of his leg.
Under federal statutes Hannah faces between five years and life imprisonment without parole; sentencing will be determined by the court following an investigation by the United States Probation Office. The prosecution is led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith following investigations conducted by multiple agencies including the FBI as well as local police departments.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative that brings together resources from across the Department of Justice against illegal immigration-related crimes as well as cartels and transnational criminal organizations.
The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri has offices in Kansas City, Jefferson City and Springfield according to its official website. The office handles federal prosecutions across 66 counties stretching from Iowa’s border southward to Arkansas’ border—and eastward halfway across Missouri—with collaboration among federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners according to its official website. It is affiliated with the U.S. Department of Justice according to its official website.
