60-year-old Delray Beach Pagan Outlaws member arrested in Keys pursuit

Monroe County deputies arrested 60-year-old John Ray Melvin of Delray Beach after attempting to stop a pack of motorcyclists near Mile Marker 58 on U.S. 1 in the Grassy Key area. Deputies said the incident began around 3:15 p.m. when one rider pulled over and was cited for driving with a suspended license while the remaining riders fled the initial stop.

Authorities located the group later on Kyle Avenue in the Marathon area, where deputies reported the riders had blocked the roadway and a public bicycle path. A records check during that encounter revealed Melvin was wanted on outstanding warrants from Palm Beach County for possession of cocaine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Deputies took Melvin into custody, towed his motorcycle and booked him into the Monroe County jail; law enforcement said extradition was pending and bond information was not immediately available.

Deputies described Melvin as a self-identified "Pagan Outlaw" gang member. Sheriff Rick Ramsay framed the arrest as part of a broader effort to curb gang-related crime, saying, "The Sheriff’s Office will continue to make gang-related crime a priority, and I will not allow such groups to interfere in the lives of peaceful and law-abiding citizens."

For residents and visitors in the Keys, the episode underscores several local concerns. Blocking a roadway and an adjacent bicycle path directly affects community safety for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians on U.S. 1 and side streets like Kyle Avenue. The incident also illustrates routine cooperation that Monroe County deputies must maintain with other Florida jurisdictions when warrants cross county lines, a practical necessity in a region where seasonal tourism and weekend traffic can complicate enforcement.

Local leaders and law-enforcement officials say preventing interference with public spaces is a priority in the island chain. While the outstanding warrants originate in Palm Beach County, the arrest in Monroe County shows how mobile suspects can prompt multi-jurisdictional responses. The arrest produced no public report of injuries or additional charges tied specifically to the roadway obstruction; only one other rider was cited at the initial stop for a suspended license.

What comes next is procedural: confirmation of extradition and any court filings or additional Monroe County charges. Residents concerned about safety on U.S. 1, bike paths and neighborhood streets should watch for updates from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and expect intermittent enforcement activity aimed at keeping roadways and public ways clear.