An F.B.I. official says the investigation started in 2005, when a potential Hells Angels member walked into the F.B.I office in Syracuse saying he had some information they wanted. Three years later, five people have been arrested and lives have been saved.

F.B.I. agent Robert DeSantis says a Hells Angels prospect, who was going through the initiation process, became the bureau's best source in cracking down on potential crimes.

"In this case this man was a trusted friend, and we were able to get him in the induction process of the Hells Angels club," said DeSantis.

The once trusted friend informed the F.B.I. the group was planning to take out a rival biker group in Fulton. The plan was to shoot as many people as possible at the bar where they had gathered. DeSantis said on the day and time of the planned attack about 30 people were at the bar.

Aside from that attack, there were more plans, and more group activities the F.B.I. was interested in learning more about. For help, they called on the Oneida County Sheriffs Department, whose investigators uncovered some key evidence in what appeared to be regular illegal activity.

"They had video taped what looked like an extortion plan with two members of the Hells Angels, which was David Lust and another gentleman," said DeSantis.

That video was taken at a 2006 biker night gathering at Sylvan Beach.

The other man turned out to be Dominick Bonanno, a man police say is a member of a mafia family in New York City. In all, five people were arrested and two will serve life sentences.

The names of the two Sheriff's Investigators who assisted the F.B.I. are being withheld by the department for their safety. They were recognized Thursday during a private ceremony.