Two Chicago-Area Men Plead Guilty to Federal Racketeering Conspiracy Charges

ST. LOUIS—The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that two Chicago-area residents pled guilty this week to racketeering conspiracy in United States District Court in St. Louis.

Carlyle Fleming, a/k/a “Thundercat,” 33, and Allan Hunter, a/k/a “Dog,” also 33, both of Chicago, were indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2011. In connection with their pleas, both men admitted that they were associated with the Wheels of Soul outlaw motorcycle gang, a nationwide motorcycle organization claiming chapters in more than 20 states including Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. As part of his plea, Fleming admitted to having attempted to kill two different individuals in separate incidents in Chicago, Illinois in 2009. In the first incident, Fleming admitted that he had shot a man in the abdomen, later telling fellow Wheels of Soul members that he would have killed the victim but the gun jammed. In the second, Fleming acknowledged that he had attempted to kill another victim by stabbing him in the head. According to eyewitnesses, the victim was nearly scalped. Fleming admitted that he had committed these offenses, at least in part, to increase his status within the Wheels of Soul enterprise.

Allan Hunter, once the president of the Midwest region of the Wheels of Soul, admitted to engaging in numerous racketeering acts in furtherance of that enterprise. First, Hunter acknowledged that he had conspired with other Wheels of Soul members to distribute “crack” cocaine in the Chicago area. Hunter also admitted that in January 2011, he authorized other conspirators to travel to East St. Louis, Illinois to kill members of a rival motorcycle club. To that end, Hunter assisted other members as they attempted to acquire an AK-47 assault rifle to be used in the murders. In February 2011, Hunter solicited another member of the Wheels of Soul to construct pipe bombs and transport them from Kentucky to Chicago. He acknowledged in connection with his plea that he intended to use those pipe bombs against rival motorcycle clubs. The plan was interrupted when law enforcement agents in Kentucky intervened and arrested a co-conspirator, discovering him in possession of an explosive compound. Lastly, Hunter admitted that he had conspired with other members of the Wheels of Soul to dispose of several firearms following a shooting in Marion, Ohio in March 2011 in which one person was killed.

Both defendants face sentences of up to 20 years in prison. In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges. They appeared before Chief United States District Judge Catherine D. Perry, who set sentencings for May 2012.

The investigation into the Wheels of Soul began in 2009 after an armed robbery and a murder occurred in St. Louis, Missouri, allegedly by members of that organization’s St. Louis Chapter. Investigators with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in St. Louis later teamed with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in Chicago, and the investigation expanded to include targets not only in those cities, but in Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Louisville, Youngstown, Ohio, and Denver. In all, 18 defendants were charged in a multi-count indictment in which it is alleged that these members of the Wheels of Soul are responsible for multiple murders, attempted murders, conspiracies to commit murder, kidnapping, and trafficking in firearms.

As is always the case, charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.