(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Roger Clarke, 53, of New Hampshire, Christopher Clarke, 21, of New Hampshire, Joseph Bivona, 46, of Centereach, Michael Baffa, 57, of Farmingville, and Robert Miller, 54, of West Babylon, were indicted for Gang Assault in the First Degree, and other related charges, for their alleged participation in an armed, violent melee in Lindenhurst in September 2025.
“This was a brazen and dangerous outbreak of violence that put our community at risk,” said District Attorney Tierney. “What began as a confrontation between rival motorcycle gangs quickly escalated into a chaotic melee in the middle of Sunrise Highway involving weapons and resulted in numerous serious injuries. Violence of this nature will not be tolerated.”
According to the investigation, on September 14, 2025, at approximately 3:28 p.m., alleged members of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club and Demons of Hell Motorcycle Club, the latter of which is a support group of the Hells Angels, were allegedly involved in a violent altercation involving knives, hammers, and other weapons outside of a gas station in Lindenhurst off Sunrise Highway.
The altercation allegedly began when members of the Demons of Hell and one member of the Hells Angels interrupted a memorial service for a member of the Pagan’s being held at a Lindenhurst bar. Shortly thereafter, at least 15 individuals met nearby at the Route 66 gas station where the confrontation escalated and a melee ensued.
It is alleged that during the melee, Roger Clarke and Christopher Clarke, members of the Demons of Hell, stabbed and beat a Pagan’s rival with a hammer, causing the victim to suffer a stab wound which resulted in emergency surgery to treat his injuries. Roger Clarke is further alleged to have stabbed an additional member of the Pagan’s while that victim was attempting to flee the scene. The victim sustained a stab wound with lacerations to his liver and colon and required emergency surgery to treat his injuries.
Bivona, Baffa, and Miller are all alleged members of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club. They are alleged to have acted together to beat a seventy-six-year-old alleged Hells Angel member with weapons, including baseball bats. The victim suffered a brain bleed, resulting in multiple emergency surgeries and continued medical treatment.
On January 20, 2026, Roger Clarke was arraigned on the indictment before Supreme Court Justice John B. Collins for the following charges:
· One count of Gang Assault in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony;
· One count of Gang Assault in the Second Degree, a Class C violent felony;
· Two counts of Assault in the First Degree, Class B violent felonies; and
· Two counts of Assault in the Second Degree, Class D violent felonies.
Justice Collins ordered Clarke held on $75,000 cash, $750,000 bond, or $750,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. Clarke is due back in court on February 3, 2026 and faces 25 years in prison if convicted on the top count. He is being represented by John Halverson, Esq.
On January 20, 2026, Christopher Clarke was arraigned on the indictment before Justice Collins for the following charges:
· One count of Gang Assault in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony;
· One count of Gang Assault in the Second Degree, a Class C violent felony;
· One count of Assault in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony; and
· One count of Assault in the Second Degree, a Class D violent felony.
Justice Collins ordered Clarke held on $25,000 cash, $250,000 bond, or $250,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. Clarke is due back in court on February 3, 2026 and faces 25 years in prison if convicted on the top count. He is being represented by Danielle Coysh, Esq.
On January 20, 2026, Bivona was arraigned on the indictment before Justice Collins for the following charges:
· One count of Gang Assault in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony;
· One count of Gang Assault in the Second Degree, a Class C violent felony;
· One count of Assault in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony; and
· Two counts of Assault in the Second Degree, Class D violent felonies.
Justice Collins ordered Bivona held on $75,000 cash, $750,000 bond, or $750,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. Bivona is due back in court on January 29, 2026 and faces 25 years in prison if convicted on the top count. He is being represented by Michael Castro, Esq.
On January 20, 2026, Baffa was arraigned on the indictment before Justice Collins for the following charges:
· One count of Gang Assault in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony;
· One count of Gang Assault in the Second Degree, a Class C violent felony;
· One count of Assault in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony; and
· Two counts of Assault in the Second Degree, Class D violent felonies.
Justice Collins ordered Baffa held on $75,000 cash, $750,000 bond, or $750,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. Baffa is due back in court on February 27, 2026 and faces 25 years in prison if convicted on the top count. He is being represented by Michael Perninsiglio, Esq.
On January 21, 2026, Miller was arraigned on the indictment before Justice Collins for the following charges:
· One count of Gang Assault in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony;
· One count of Gang Assault in the Second Degree, a Class C violent felony;
· One count of Assault in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony; and
· Two counts of Assault in the Second Degree, Class D violent felonies.
Justice Collins ordered Miller held on $75,000 cash, $750,000 bond, or $750,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. Miller is due back in court on February 3, 2026 and faces 25 years in prison if convicted on the top count. He is being represented by Tara Laterza, Esq.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Ashley Cangro and Melissa Turk of the Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, and the investigation was conducted by Detective Corey Malinowski of the Suffolk County Police Department’s First Precinct Detective Squad and the Suffolk County Police Department’s Criminal Intelligence Section.