Hells Angel gets 15 years for gun

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - An admitted member of the Hells Angels motorcycle club will serve fifteen years in federal prison for being a felon found in possession of a firearm.

Christian A. Rufino, 42, of Brewster, NY, was arrested in December 2009 on a routine traffic stop in Cranston. He pleaded guilty in August of last year.

Thursday, a district court judge in Providence sentenced Rufino to 180 months behind bars, as well as 5 years of supervised release to follow, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Rufino was convicted previously on three different crimes:

• 1998: Armed robbery with intent to murder (Massachusetts)
• 1995: Assault and battery with dangerous weapon (Massachusetts)
• 1990: Bank robbery by force, violence and intimidation (Maine)

In the 2009 case, a Cranston Police officer stopped a rental car being driven by Rufino on Interstate 95 for speeding. While questioning him, the officer smelled a strong odor of marijuana, and took him out of the vehicle. A search of the car turned up a small bag of cocaine -- as well as a loaded .38 caliber handgun and ammunition from the car's trunk.