A former member of the Hells Angels in Montreal has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to drug trafficking and gangsterism.

That brings the number of bikers set to stand trial to nine, from an original list of 17. Six others have pleaded guilty, and were handed sentences ranging from four to nearly 14 years. Another was excused because he is dying.

Danny St-Pierre was the latest Hells Angel to throw in the towel. He started as an associate with the Rockers in March 1997. He became a full member two years later after moving up through the ranks. He had apparently retired from the gang months before he was arrested in a police sweep in March 2001.

He pleaded guilty to four counts of drug trafficking, conspiracy to commit murder, and gangsterism. The defence and the Crown plea-bargained a 10-year sentence on top of the 22 months already served.

St-Pierre was among the 42 Hells Angels arrested during the huge raid against the organization in the spring of 2001.

"He recognizes his guilt to a number of crimes that were reproached to him, and it's a personal decision that involves him and only him," his lawyer Gilles Frigon says.

The trial began last spring, but was aborted during the summer when Justice Jean-Guy Boilard suddenly quit. Justice Pierre Beliveau started the trial from scratch. The number of accused has shrunk from 17 to just nine. More could choose guilty pleas, but the Crown won't discuss the mater.

As the mega-trial becomes smaller, an army of lawyer is attending to a second trial just two doors down. Thirteen other Hells Angels are in a separate trial for murder. And so far, none of them has hinted at a plea-bargain.