A member of the Los Valerosos Motorcycle Gang, which supports the Pagan’s Motorcycle Gang, has pleaded guilty to charges related to an armed assault against a rival gang member. Graham S. Gattis, also known as “Dro,” 41, from East Ridge, Tennessee, entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays.
Gattis 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 documents, on September 17, 2022, Gattis and other members of the Pagan’s and Los Valerosos gangs pursued a rival gang member in Blue Springs, Missouri. The group forced the victim off the road. Members were armed with firearms and at least one axe handle. They confronted the victim on the roadside, where he was shot seven times in multiple areas including his knee, thigh, forearm, biceps, buttocks, and back of his leg.
Federal law mandates that Gattis faces a sentence ranging from five years to life in prison without parole. The actual sentence will be determined by the court after considering advisory sentencing guidelines and statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled following a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith are prosecuting the case. The investigation involved several agencies: the FBI; police departments from Independence, Blue Springs, and Kansas City in Missouri; as well as Homeland Security Investigations.
