OLD ORCHARD BEACH — Thomas “Tomcat” Mayne, 59, described by authorities as the regional treasurer for the American Outlaw Association motorcycle gang, is dead following a shoot-out with federal agents who were attempting to arrest him as part of a seven-state sweep of the Outlaws early Tuesday.
A second member of the Outlaw gang and president of the Maine chapter, Thomas “Taz” Benvie, 41, was taken into custody at his home on Railroad Avenue in Springvale without incident. Benvie made a brief initial appearance in federal court in Portland Tuesday and is scheduled for a detention hearing Thursday afternoon. His lawyer, David Beneman, said he’ll seek bail for his client.
Agents were trying to arrest Mayne on a federal warrant on racketeering charges. His brother-in-law, Kenneth Chretian, was arrested and charged with resisting the execution of a search warrant following the shooting incident.
“When our people arrived, shots were fired and our people returned fire,” said Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives Special Agent Glen “Andy” Anderson at a brief news conference Tuesday at Pine Point in Scarborough, near Ross Road.
A Special Response Team from the ATF was fired upon at about 6 a.m. while attempting to execute arrest and search warrants at 5 Sandy Circle, off the Ross Road in Old Orchard Beach, about a mile from the Scarborough town line.
According to the Office of the Maine Attorney General, which is investigating the use of deadly force that resulted in Mayne’s death, there were two men and two women in the home. Spokeswoman Kate Simmons said no one else was injured.
Agents found a shotgun and a handgun inside the house after the shooting, authorities said.
Altogether, 27 members and associates of the American Outlaw Association motorcycle gang were charged in a federal indictment unsealed Tuesday. A federal grand jury in Richmond, Va., charged many of the defendants with racketeering for allegedly participating in a criminal enterprise involved in attempted murder, kidnapping, extortion, illegal gambling and drug dealing.
Anderson, the ATF’s Special Agent in charge of the Boston regional office, said the indictments follow a two-year investigation.
“The ATF’s mission is to target criminal enterprises,” he said. “Our mission is to make the streets of the United States safer.”
One charge in the indictment alleges that the gang’s national president, Jack Rosga, allegedly directed gang members Mayne and Michael “Madman” Pedini to retaliate in Maine against the Hell’s Angels for an attack on Outlaws members in Florida, resulting in an alleged murder attempt in Canaan on Oct. 5.
The victim in that incident was seriously injured from gunshot wounds. Following tradition, the two Outlaw members who carried out the attack allegedly received new patches indicating they had performed a violent act on behalf of the Outlaws, according to information released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
According to the indictment, in the days before the alleged murder attempt, Benvie told an undercover member that “Jack (Rosga) is all over Madman about this.”
Rosga was arrested in Milwaukee and was one of more than two dozen Outlaws gang members across the country charged in connection with their alleged roles in violent crimes aimed at gaining the upper hand over rival gangs, officials said.
Anderson thanked Old Orchard Beach Police for the support role they played in the raid.
“Everything didn’t go as planned, but they did a great job,” said Old Orchard Beach Police Chief Dana Kelley, returning the compliment.
The police chief said the Outlaws have had a presence in Old Orchard Beach, but that people who live here and visitors who flock to the popular beach community shouldn’t be afraid.
“Old Orchard Beach is not a place where people should be concerned more than anywhere else,” Kelley said.
Arrested in Mississippi was Joseph Allman of Hollis, whom authorities described as a former president and enforcer of the Outlaws in Maine.
Sanford Police Deputy Chief Craig Sanford this morning said the agency assisted federal agents in a “very minor” way with the arrest of Benvie at about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Benvie is charged with conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, and conspiracy to commit violence in aid of racketeering. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 23 years in federal prison.
While Deputy Chief Sanford said records show no local arrests for Benvie, he said is known to police.
“We’ve bumped into him in the past. He had an aura of being a big motorcycle gang guy,” said Sanford.
— The Associated Press contributed to this report. Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 or twells@journaltribune.com.
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