In entering his plea, Mr. Schneider admitted the following facts:

a.  The Aryan Brotherhood prison gang is a criminal enterprise comprised of individuals associated in fact.  It operates both inside and outside the California Department of Corrections and engages in various racketeering activities, as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 1961, that affect interstate commerce.  In support of the enterprise, members and associates of the Aryan Brotherhood engage in criminal acts, including murder, robbery, distribution of controlled substances, and conspiracy to commit those crimes.  In turn, members receive protection from rival gangs, among others.  Rival gang members and others who disrespect or threaten the Aryan Brotherhood are subject to assault or murder.  And Aryan Brotherhood members who seek to withdraw from the organization or who cooperate with law enforcement are branded as traitors and ordered to be killed.  Some members of the Aryan Brotherhood, particularly those who are incarcerated, generate income by directing other members and associates to engage in illegal activities including drug distribution and robberies. 

b.  At the times charged in count one of the Indictment, Mr. Schneider was an associate and later a high ranking member of the Aryan Brotherhood.  He participated in the affairs of the Aryan Brotherhood by, among other things, committing crimes I was ordered to commit, assisting others by making knives and other weapons, and ordering others to commit crimes on behalf of the Aryan Brotherhood.

c.  During 1994 and 1995, Mr. Schneider conspired with his co-defendant, Brenda Moore, to smuggle methamphetamine into Pelican Bay State Prison in Crescent City, California.  Ms. Moore agreed to smuggle methamphetamine into the prison, where Mr. Schneider was incarcerated, for him to then distribute to others inside the prison.  In furtherance of the conspiracy, Ms. Moore sent methamphetamine to him using the legal mail system.

d.  In 1994 and 1995, Mr. Schneider conspired with other members of the Aryan Brotherhood to commit a series of robberies to raise money for himself, Brenda Moore and others.  In furtherance of that conspiracy, he introduced Ms. Moore to Aryan Brotherhood member Robert Scully and other members with whom she could commit robberies.  Mr. Schneider groomed Mr. Scully so he would handle some of the robberies once he was released from prison.

e.  In March 1995, Mr. Scully was released from Pelican Bay State Prison on parole.  Mr. Schneider asked Ms. Moore to pick him up, and to give him a gun and assistance with the robberies.  On March 29, 1995, Ms. Moore and Mr. Scully were staking out a possible robbery target in Santa Rosa, California.  They had a sawed-off shotgun, which Ms. Moore had provided.  While they were seated in Ms. Moore's truck, Sonoma County Sheriff's Deputy Frank Trejo noticed the truck while on routine patrol and pulled his patrol car up to it.  Deputy Trejo got out of his car and approached the truck.  Ms. Moore and Mr. Scully got out of the truck, and Mr. Scully had Ms. Moore's sawed-off shotgun.  Mr. Scully ordered Deputy Trejo to his knees and had him place his hands on his head.  Ms. Moore removed Trejo's radio and gun belt and then Mr. Scully shot Deputy Trejo once in the head, killing him instantly. 

Under the terms of his plea agreement, Mr. Schneider will be sentenced to life imprisonment.  He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 30, 2003 at 9:00 a.m. before Judge Illston.

Mr. Schneider's co-defendants have already pled guilty and been sentenced.  Sentences for the other defendants ranged from 84 - 168 months imprisonment.

The prosecutions are the result of a multi-year investigation by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Santa Rosa Police Department and the California Department of Corrections.  Hannah Horsley is the Assistant United States Attorneys prosecuting the case.