Spalding County deputies go to Pacific northwest, arrest two wanted biker gang members

SPALDING COUNTY, Ga. — Spalding County Sheriff’s Deputies announced Friday they’ve arrested two people for a violent assault that took place on May 1 at a local restaurant.

The two suspect lived in Oregon.

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Deputies traveled to the northwestern U.S. and arrested 40-year-old Dustin Wendelin of Freewater, Oregon and 29-year-old Charles Montgomery who also lived in Freewater. Investigators believe the two men are responsible for an attack that left a man with a fractured skull and bleeding in the brain.

Deputies said that the two men entered Big Jim’s Wing Shack around 11:30 p.m. on May 1 where they confronted the victim who was there with a friend and singing karaoke. They believe both suspects are members of the 1% Pagan Outlaws motorcycle gang.

“According to witnesses, several members of the 1% Pagans, Outlaw motorcycle gang entered the business as the victim and his friend were singing karaoke,” Sheriff Darrell Dix said. “One of the Pagan Outlaws started a fight with the victim and when it was over, the victim was left severely beaten, suffering a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain. The suspects then left before the responding deputies arrived.”

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Deputies said they struggled to identify the suspects early in the investigation because they were not from the area. They partnered with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to help track the Pagans.

They were then able to identify Wendelin and Montgomery as their primary suspects. Deputies said Wendelin was a chapter president of the motorcycle gang territories in Washington state and Oregon. He worked for the Washington State Penitentiary as a correctional officer since 2011.

“On Oct. 5, 2021, investigators with the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office flew to Washington state and arrested Wendelin, who had been in custody since Sept. 9, 2021 in Walla-Walla and Montgomery who had been in custody in Oregon,” Dix said. “Both are also facing charges stemming from an extensive investigation relating to crimes committed by the Pagans Outlaw Motorcycle Gang by authorities in Washington State and Oregon.”

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Dix said both suspects are facing charges of aggravated assault, aggravated batter and three counts of violating Georgia’s Street Gang Act. Dix did not rule out further charges.

Wendelin and Montgomery are being held at the Spalding County jail without bond.

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