Grand Island Man Arrested for Allegedly Coercing Teen to Commit Thefts to Join Motorcycle Club

A man from Grand Island, Nebraska, has been taken into custody by local authorities after allegedly pressuring an 18-year-old individual to engage in thefts as a requirement for membership in his motorcycle club, according to a statement released by the Grand Island police.

Jay Friedricksen, aged 33, is facing serious charges including aiding and abetting a class IIA felony and unlawful recruitment for club membership.

According to an arrest affidavit, a series of burglaries targeting three construction businesses in Grand Island occurred between January 22 and February 19. The thefts resulted in the loss of numerous tools estimated to be worth $11,480.

On February 21, officers from the Grand Island police department stopped a vehicle that was speeding down South Locust Street. The driver, identified as Jeronimo Gutierrez, 18, was found to be in possession of a significant quantity of stolen construction tools.

Upon further investigation, it was revealed that Gutierrez had taken the tools as part of an initiation process to join a local motorcycle club, allegedly at the direction of Friedricksen, who was identified as the club’s president. The address of Friedricksen’s clubhouse was also uncovered during the course of the investigation.

A search warrant was executed at the clubhouse on February 23, leading to the discovery of additional stolen tools and club-related merchandise, as detailed in the affidavit.

Gutierrez is currently facing charges for two counts of theft by unlawful taking exceeding $5,000.

Following a court hearing on Monday, a judge in Hall County set Friedricksen’s bond at 10% of $10,000. Bail was posted on Tuesday, with the next court appearance scheduled for March 25.

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