Former Indian Motorcycle CEO and local luminary Rey Sotelo
appeared in federal court Monday morning for allegedly conspiring
with a central California chop shop, but the judge continued the
status conference until February, according to court records and
U.S. Attorney Laurel Montoya.
Former Indian Motorcycle CEO and local luminary Rey Sotelo appeared in federal court Monday morning for allegedly conspiring with a central California chop shop, but the judge continued the status conference until February, according to court records and U.S. Attorney Laurel Montoya.
Attorneys for both sides will continue to review evidence and paper work until Sotelo returns to the federal court 9 a.m., Feb. 9. He has yet to enter a plea, but has told the Dispatch he is innocent and had no idea the motorcycle shop was trying to export a stolen Harley-Davidson to Sweden without paying the proper tariffs.
The bike in question never made it to Scandinavia, but Sotelo has been charged with conspiracy after state and federal law officers arrested him July 15 in Gilroy for allegedly helping to counterfeit the bike’s official papers. Eight other men throughout Stanislaus County were also arrested that morning for allegedly associating with the Road Dog Cycle in Denair, southeast of Modesto. Federal prosecutors have used a grand jury’s findings to indict a total of 11 men, including five with law enforcement connections.
Montoya said the other defendants were arraigned on a superseding indictment Monday, but there were no changes regarding Sotelo’s charges, she said.
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