Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla.

A Department of Corrections officer at the Washington State Penitentiary allegedly involved in a violent biker gang appeared in Walla Walla County Superior Court on Friday morning, Sept. 10, and waived extradition to Spalding County, Georgia on a grand jury indictment.

Dustin L. Wendelin, 40, of Milton-Freewater, Oregon, and an accomplice, Charles Montgomery, of Umatilla County, Oregon, each face charges of aggravated assault, aggravated battery and three counts of violating the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act of Georgia, according to a Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office release.

According to the release, Wendelin and Montgomery were part of a months-long investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies across the country. Wendelin was arrested by Walla Walla County deputies early Thursday morning, Sept. 9, at the prison in Walla Walla and Montgomery was arrested a few hours later in Umatilla County.

The two men are alleged to hold leadership positions in a local chapter of the Pagan’s 1%, which officials dubbed an outlaw motorcycle gang.

The Sheriff’s Office release said the extradition of both men would be “the first step in a joint investigation” into the West Coast Pagan’s motorcycle club. The investigation stemmed from several “traffic stops” in the county.

Additional charges are pending, officials said.

The gang is reportedly known for violent crimes, including bombings, shootings, assaults and homicides, said officials.

Wendelin had few words in the extradition hearing before Judge Brandon L. Johnson.

“Were you aware of that indictment, sir?” Johnson asked Wendelin.

“I was, as of yesterday,” Wendelin answered via webcam from the Walla Walla County Jail.

After waiving extradition, Wendelin waved to the courtroom and said, “Judge, if I may? I don’t think I’ll get a chance to otherwise, so I just want to say I love my fiancée more than life itself.”

Wendelin was then led away by jail staff members to begin his journey to Griffin, Georgia.

Also involved in the investigation of the two men were the Georgia Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; FBI; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; DOC Special Investigations Service; Washington State Patrol; Umatilla Tribal Police Department; Spalding County Sheriff’s Office; Morrow County Sheriff’s Office; and police departments in Milton-Freewater, Hermiston, Boardman, Pendleton, Portland, Seattle and Spokane.