Comancheros trio plead guilty, sentenced after punching prisoner

Comancheros New Zealand chapter president Pasilika Naufahu was jailed for 10 years in February. Photo / File

The Comancheros New Zealand president and two other senior gang members will spend a further three months behind bars after pleading guilty to assaulting a prisoner.

New Zealand chapter president Pasilika Naufahu, vice-president Tyson Daniels and Jarome Fonua today entered guilty pleas to an amended joint charge of assault after punching a man at Mt Eden Prison in November 2019.

The trio are already serving prison sentences for money laundering and drug related convictions after their respective trials in 2019 and 2020.

They were each sentenced to a further three months' imprisonment at Auckland District Court.

Comancheros vice president Tyson Daniels wearing Versace at his sentencing. Photo / Michael Craig

The initial charge laid against them was assault with intent to injure, which held a maximum penalty of three years in prison.

But today the Crown put in an application to amend the joint charge to a lesser charge - common assault. It holds a maximum penalty of one year.

They sat in the dock flanked by six police officers, and waved at Daniels' wife and two sisters in the public gallery.

"They are clearly not happy with what he has done," said Daniels' lawyer Marie Dyhrberg QC.

"They are standing by him and making their opinions of his conduct clear to him."

"This was very foolish, random, and a short period of time was involved in this incident," said Dyhrberg QC.

She confirmed the prisoner was punched but said "it's not the worst of its kind".

Dyhrberg said Daniels has been serving time at Waikeria Prison but could not participate in programmes that would help his chances with the Parole Board because of this pending charge.

Daniels punched the prisoner twice, Fonua once, and Naufahu once along with a swing and miss, the court heard.

A lawyer representing Fonua and Naufahu said they both took responsibility.

A New Zealand chapter of the Australian motorcycle gang was established following the deportation of 14 Comancheros.

They were among the "501" deportees - a nickname that derives from the immigration law used to remove them from Australia.

Operation Nova

Naufahu was jailed for 10 years over money laundering and conspiracy to supply a Class B drug in February.

He was arrested as a part of a covert police investigation called Operation Nova that targeted the Comanchero Motorcycle Club.

Fonua, the club's secretary, pleaded guilty to participating in an organised criminal group and money laundering.

Jarome Fonua in the High Court at Auckland for his sentencing in November 2020. Photo / File

He was sentenced to four and a half years in jail in November.

He also admitted possession of 5.9g of methamphetamine.

Daniels has also been sentenced for his crimes.

He had admitted participating in an organised criminal group and nine money laundering charges which came from purchasing a swag of expensive vehicles.

This goldplated motorcycle was among the assets seized in Operation Nova. Photo / Supplied

More than 80 police officers were involved in the raids, which led to about $4 million of assets being seized, including firearms and several luxury vehicles such as a Rolls-Royce Wraith and gold-plated Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

There were four Range Rovers - with price tags of $175,000, $255,000, $218,000 and $280,000 - a $200,000 Mercedes-Benz, a Lamborghini for $285,000, and two Rolls-Royces which cost $364,000 and $595,000.

A drug runner, Connor Clausen, trusted by the Comancheros and found guilty of conspiring to supply pseudoephedrine, was jailed for three years and eight months in December 2020.