by Ryan Naquin
In April, more than 30 people police say are connected to the Hells Angels motorcycle group were charged in a joint police
investigation, and still none of them have a trial date set.
The police bust, named Operation Red Harvest, brought more than a hundred charges against dozens of people.
All of those charges are still pending, according to Horry County Public Index records.
Those charges include Criminal Conspiracy, Manufacturing Marijuana, Assault by Mob and Accessory to Kidnapping.
Horry County Assistant Solicitor Jimmy Richardson is the lead prosecutor for the case.
Police have returned more than 85 percent of what was seized from the investigation, according to Richardson.
Much of the seized materials had no evidentiary value, said Richardson.
Some of the materials seized and returned include cash registers, iPads, computers, speedometers and Hells Angles leather jackets.
Evidence still in police custody includes records and duplications of records, said Richardson.
Other items still in police custody include drugs, weapons and computers, according to Horry County Sergeant Robert Kegler.
Charges will continue to be pending until a trial date is set, said Kegler.
The investigation is ongoing and police are still briefing witnesses at this time, said Richardson.
When charges were filed, then-interim Horry County Police Chief Saundra Rhodes named Ellis Howard Schindler as the president of the local Hells Angel chapter.
Police charged Schindler with Criminal Conspiracy, Manufacturing Marijuana, Assault by Mob, Accessory to Kidnapping and Accessory to Assault and Battery first degree.
Georgetown attorney John Hilliard is representing Schindler and all other Hells Angels members.
Hilliard would not comment on the ongoing process.
But he did say, "I've known Ellis Schindler for more than ten years and found almost nothing of any consequence and nothing illegal connected to the club." He went on to say, "As I've gone through this process, I've found all those charged polite, hardworking, cooperative members of the community with jobs, families and work and that they are all responsible citizens."
The police bust, named Operation Red Harvest, brought more than a hundred charges against dozens of people.
All of those charges are still pending, according to Horry County Public Index records.
Those charges include Criminal Conspiracy, Manufacturing Marijuana, Assault by Mob and Accessory to Kidnapping.
Horry County Assistant Solicitor Jimmy Richardson is the lead prosecutor for the case.
Police have returned more than 85 percent of what was seized from the investigation, according to Richardson.
Much of the seized materials had no evidentiary value, said Richardson.
Some of the materials seized and returned include cash registers, iPads, computers, speedometers and Hells Angles leather jackets.
Evidence still in police custody includes records and duplications of records, said Richardson.
Other items still in police custody include drugs, weapons and computers, according to Horry County Sergeant Robert Kegler.
Charges will continue to be pending until a trial date is set, said Kegler.
The investigation is ongoing and police are still briefing witnesses at this time, said Richardson.
When charges were filed, then-interim Horry County Police Chief Saundra Rhodes named Ellis Howard Schindler as the president of the local Hells Angel chapter.
Police charged Schindler with Criminal Conspiracy, Manufacturing Marijuana, Assault by Mob, Accessory to Kidnapping and Accessory to Assault and Battery first degree.
Georgetown attorney John Hilliard is representing Schindler and all other Hells Angels members.
Hilliard would not comment on the ongoing process.
But he did say, "I've known Ellis Schindler for more than ten years and found almost nothing of any consequence and nothing illegal connected to the club." He went on to say, "As I've gone through this process, I've found all those charged polite, hardworking, cooperative members of the community with jobs, families and work and that they are all responsible citizens."
