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Hells Angels associate arrested for Denair homicide
Sheriff

A long-term investigation into the local chapter of the Hells Angels and their associates in regards to marijuana sales led law enforcement to arrest a suspect for a 2015 homicide in Denair on Tuesday.

Jeffrey Velthoen, 35, of Modesto was arrested on suspicion of homicide for the 2015 shooting of Stephen Losey. The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department said Velthoen was an associate of the Hells Angels and that his arrest came about through information learned during a drug investigation.

The Central Valley Gang Intelligence Taskforce has been spearheading an investigation into Hells Angels members and their associated in connection with marijuana manufacturing and sales. Through that investigation the taskforce, along with the sheriff’s department and the Modesto Police Department served four search warrants at different locations in Modesto on Tuesday.

In addition to the arrest of Velthoen, law enforcement arrested Bradley Botelho, 35, of Modesto on suspicion of manufacturing a controlled substance and being a felon in possession of ammunition; and David Thayer, 34, of Modesto on suspicion of possession of marijuana for sale and being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.

Losey, 25, of Modesto was found shot on Feb. 17, 2015 in a pickup truck alongside a stretch of road between Denair and Hughson. The sheriff’s department initially got calls reporting an erratic driver that had gone off Berkeley Road, near Santa Fe Avenue. The first deputies to arrive at the scene found Losey in the truck with a gunshot wound. He was rushed to an area hospital, where he later died from his injury.

A crime scene was located not far from where the truck went off the road.

Later that same night, sheriff’s detectives learned that a second victim had been admitted to a hospital in Merced County with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. At that time a sheriff’s spokesman said it appeared that the second shooting victim was linked to the homicide, but no other details were ever released.

If anyone has additional information, they are asked to contact Detective Cory Brown at 209-567-4485 or District Attorney Investigator Alex Bettis at 209-595-0342.