Members of a Pennsylvania motorcycle club convicted of robbery and conspiracy

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(WHTM) – Two members of a Pennsylvania motorcycle club were found guilty of federal robbery last week.

Solomon Rodriguez, 34, of Reading, and Steven Wong, 43, of Shalotte, NC, were charged with Hobbs Act robbery, weapons possession and related charges. The Hobbs Act defines robberies that involve interstate or foreign commerce, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The two were members of the Schuylkill County chapter of the notorious Ryders Motorcycle Club, of which Wong was president.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania said Wong recruited members of the club “to participate in a series of brutal burglaries” in Berks and Schuylkill counties.

“Wong rewarded loyal members of the conspiracy with cash and free drugs,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. The robberies involved targeting street drug dealers and using a fully automatic assault rifle.

“This group used extreme violence, entering people’s homes with machine guns drawn and committing crimes that brutalized their victims,” ​​said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Philadelphia Field Division. “Through our collaboration with the Pennsylvania State Police and local police departments, we were able to bring these criminals to justice and end their crime spree, making our communities safer again.”