CALIFORNIA - Former Hells Angels leader still in jail

OFF THE WIRE
BY: Shane Cohn
Source: vcreporter.com
Former Hells Angels leader still in jail
George Christie, the former Hells Angels leader, still remains in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Downtown Los Angeles following his arrest on federal charges stemming from an extortion plot and the firebombing of two Ventura tattoo shops in 2007, as stated in an FBI news release.
Christie, 64, who has since been moved from security housing to general population, pleaded not guilty at his Aug. 12 arraignment. Bail was originally set at $200,000, but the prosecution appealed the bail amount, effectively keeping Christie behind bars.
“The government is entitled to keep him detained during the course of the appeal of the bail setting,” said Christie’s lawyer, Robert Sheahen. “It was supposed to be heard last Friday (Aug. 26). It wasn’t heard. Although the judge was there and the U.S. Attorney was there, they didn’t have time for George’s bail hearing. So he stays in until they actually get to it.”
The hearing is now scheduled for Sept. 19. The detention hearing will be before Judge Jacqueline Nguyen, a President Obama appointee and the nation’s first-ever Vietnamese American to serve as an Article III judge. In the meantime, Nguyen, according to Sheahen, has been receiving scores of letters in support of Christie. Writers, he said, have ranged from Christie’s 8-years-old son to ex-police officers to Academy Award-winner Mickey Rourke. Rourke’s letter, Sheahen said, mentioned that Christie has been like a brother to him during the past 25 years.
According to the FBI press release, the indictment alleges that Christie, while the president of the Ventura County Chapter of the Hells Angels, conspired to threaten the owners of rival tattoo parlors — Twisted Ink and Scratch the Surface, both in Ventura — in  an effort to force them to close down their businesses. When the owners remained in business, Christie, who was the owner of the Ink House parlor in Ventura, allegedly conspired to firebomb the businesses. The bombings, which happened 10 minutes apart around 4 a.m., caused $12,000 in damage at Twisted Ink and $2,000 in damage to Scratch the Surface. No one was injured.
Christie has since stepped down from his role with the Hells Angels and runs a prison consulting business.
“Our analysis is, George retired from the Hells Angels months ago; and now, this is payback because he doesn’t have that clout behind him,” said Sheahen.
Christie faces up to 120 years in federal prison if convicted.
— Shane Cohn