Road Dog defendant gets 18 months prison

FRESNO -- A defendant in the federal racketeering case against Road Dog Cycle Shop was sentenced to 18 months in prison Monday, his attorney said.

Michael Orozco, 52, a leader in the Manteca chapter of the Alky Haulers motorcycle club, entered a guilty plea in June to one count of conspiracy to collect extensions of credit by extortion.

Prosecutors asked for 24 months, defense attorney Mac McGinnis said. "We got it whittled down to 18, which was rather good," McGinnis said.

Also Monday, U.S. District Judge Oliver W. Wanger heard arguments on whether undercover agents, an FBI agent and a federal prosecutor, can take the stand to testify about the investigation into Road Dog Cycle owner Robert C. Holloway.

Wanger will allow four law enforcment members to testify at Thursday's hearing

Orozco was the third defendant in the case to plead guilty.

Reynaldo Sotelo, 52, admitted he conspired with Holloway and others to traffic in motor vehicle parts. Sotelo, of Gilroy, was once chief executive officer of Indian Motorcycle. Ray M. Heffington, 40, former president of the Merced chapter of the Hells Angels, admitted to trafficking in stolen motorcycle parts.

Holloway, 61, was arrested in July 2008 with 11 other men. Authorities say Holloway and his son Brent ran a criminal enterprise out of their Denair motorcycle shop. They are charged with racketeering, running a chop shop, trafficking in stolen motorcycle parts and using violence to collect debts. Holloway is in a Fresno halfway house awaiting trial.

McGinnis said Orozco will not testify against any of the other defendants.

"Oh, hell no," McGinnis said. "He was just a minor player."

Bee staff writer Patty Guerra can be reached at pguerra@modbee.com or 578-2343.