Alleged Pagan motorcycle club member accused of attempted murder set to plead guilty to federal charge

An alleged member of the Pagan’s motorcycle club who was charged with attempted murder earlier this year is set to plead guilty to a federal charge related to having an associate of the outlaw motorcycle club store firearms and ammunition for the organization, according to online court records.

A federal judge signed a court order this week allowing Michael Dorazo, of the Glendora section of Gloucester Township, to be transferred from the Salem County Correctional Facility to Camden federal court on Sept. 23 in order to plead guilty to a federal charge he faces.

Dorazo, who authorities say is a member of the Camden County chapter of the Pagans, was charged in August 2020 with being a felon in possession of a firearm after a confidential informant told law enforcement that Dorazo provided six firearms and a large amount of ammunition to store in the informant’s garage.

Members of the Pagans became enraged with the informant, who authorities said was an associate of the motorcycle club, when the person told the club he sold the Pagans’ firearms. (Authorities said they seized them.)

Eventually, the informant was allegedly struck with an axe handle and held at gunpoint by other influential leaders of the Pagans in South Jersey over the mishandling of the firearms, authorities said.

Dorazo, also known as “Cage,” was not charged in the assault. Federal authorities have also described Dorazo, 41, as a known distributor of methamphetamine in and around Camden and Gloucester Counties, though he does not face any current drug charges.

He has previously been convicted of multiple felonies, including burglary and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, meaning he cannot legally posses a firearm.

The federal charge against Dorazo came as the U.S. Attorney’s Office of New Jersey has put an emphasis on investigating the Pagans, an organization that has expanded rapidly in the state recently and has allegedly been responsible for brutal assaults, drive-by shootings and distributing drugs across the state.

Dorazo was initially being held on the federal gun charge, according to court documents, but a judge released him in December 2020 on a $100,000 unsecured appearance bond, home incarceration with location monitoring and other restrictions.

Then in May, a federal judge lifted the home incarceration and allowed Dorazo to look for employment, according to court documents.

Less than three weeks later, Dorazo led police in South Jersey on a manhunt after authorities heard gun shots in a Deptford home they were responding to due to a domestic disturbance, authorities said. Dorazo, who was armed with two handguns and a high-capacity assault weapon, fled the scene, leading police on a multi-hour search, authorities said.

The neighborhood was put in lockdown during the search, with residents instructed to stay inside for about four hours.

Dozaro was eventually found by police in the neighborhood. He “took steps to deploy a handgun towards officers,” but was tackled and arrested, police said.

Dorazo has been charged with attempted murder, burglary during an attempted murder, domestic violence incident and weapons charges. Those charges are being prosecuted in state court and remain pending.

His attorney declined to comment.

This story has been updated to reflect that Dorazo’s attorney declined to comment.