It was largely a semantic gesture made after they gathered at a motorcycle race in Maryland; the ensuing incident found them branded as "The 1% of motorcyclists whom caused problems" in local newspapers.

The Pagans, which “have been tied to traditional organized crime, including La Cosa Nostra, in cities like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and New York", quickly became dominant in the mid-Atlantic region.

The Pagans have grown slowly through a natural cycle of attrition in the smaller OMGs, the practice of patching over other chapters or entire clubs.

He cited Canada's anti-biker laws but also a large part of the reason was that Canadian Hells Angels are considered particularly violent members of the outlaw biker – or “one percenter” – community, Glick said in an interview.

[16] Along with the Bandidos, the Hells Angels and the Outlaws, the Pagans are classified by various law enforcement agencies in the United States as one of the "big four" motorcycle gangs.

Billig's fate remained unknown for at least 24 years, until in 1998 Paul Branch, a former Pagans member, revealed in a deathbed confession that on the day of her disappearance she had been abducted, drugged, raped, and murdered.

[37] Pagans national sergeant-at-arms Kirby "Bear" Keller was indicted by a federal grand jury in Maryland in 1976 accused of operating a five-state drug ring.

[16] A Pagans MC leader, Jay Carl Wagner, 66, was arrested in Washington County, Maryland, by 60-plus officers from state, local and federal officials with a bomb disposal robot on May 9, 2007, and later charged with possession of a regulated firearm after conviction of a violent crime.

[46] Pagans national president Keith "Conan" Richter was arrested February 26, 2021 after a police stop in East Windsor where a loaded pistol was found in a vehicle in which he was a passenger.

[47] Two 15-year-old girls who ran away from home in Ogden, Pennsylvania on March 7, 1975 were allegedly picked up by Pagan members and taken to the gang's clubhouse in Queens, where they were held captive and raped by 30 to 40 men for two days.

On March 11, 1975, the girls escaped after they were left unguarded and alerted police, who raided the Selden home and arrested six persons, including a woman, on narcotics and rape charges.

[48] On February 23, 2002, 73 Pagans were arrested on Long Island, New York after appearing at an indoor motorcycle and tattoo expo called the Hellraiser Ball.

[52] As many as 70 members of the Pagan's and Hells Angels took part in a brawl in the parking lot of the Pennysaver Amphitheater in Farmingville during a classic car show on October 13, 2016.

[55] While incarcerated, LaRocca continued to control his cocaine distribution network through his family contacts in organized crime and members of the motorcycle club until he was indicted again and given an additional 20 years.

[16] In January 1985, then national vice president of the Pagans Daniel "Danny the Deacon" Zwibel was indicted on RICO charges alongside co-defendants James Burke and Eugene (Nick the Blade) Gesuale who was the infamous “Pittsburgh connection” in the movie Goodfellas.

[60] On Wednesday, December 9, 2020, a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh indicted 30 members and associates of the Pagans Motorcycle Club with narcotics trafficking and firearm possession.

[62] Those charged include: Bill Rana, Eric Armes, Jason Evans, Hasani James, Cody Bonanno, Phillip Bonanno, Dominic Quarture, Mark Stockhausen, Patrick Rizzo, Anthony Peluso, Marissa Botta, David Pietropaolo, Thomas Snelsire, Wayne Webber, Ronald Simak, Anthony Scatena, James Stewart, Dorin Duncan, Jeffrey Kushik, Gary Hairston, Darian Wofford, Stephanie Zilka, Misty Walker, Richard White, Randy Camacho, Damian Cherepko, Brandon Hulboy, James Crivella, Seaira Collins and Jessica Taranto.

[63] In 2005, Pagans allegedly opened fire on and killed the vice-president of the Hells Angels' Philadelphia chapter as he was driving his truck on the Schuylkill Expressway.

[citation needed] On April 8, 2022, Pagans associate Jason Evans was sentenced to 57 months for his role in a large-scale operation trafficking drugs in western Pennsylvania and Ohio, federal prosecutors announced.

Prosecutors said Evans was a close associate of a "fully patched" Pagans Motorcycle Club member of the Pittsburgh chapter and served as an "enforcer.

"[65] On June 7, 2021, the vice president of a chapter in Pittsburgh, Patrick Rizzo, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Robert J. Colville to illegal firearms possession.

The seizure of 53 illegal guns, including a rocket launcher, and a "large quantity" of marijuana, crack, cocaine, and heroin was the end results of 12-month investigation conducted by members of the Rhode Island State Police Special Investigations Unit with assistance from the Rhode Island Attorney General's office, ATF, and FBI.