THE SHOOTER

Saturday 3 September 2011

Former Hells Angels leader George Christie Jr. was granted bail Friday,

Former Hells Angels leader George Christie is shown at his Ventura residence in this file photo.

PHOTO BY JOSEPH A. GARCIA // BUY THIS PHOTO

Former Hells Angels leader George Christie is shown at his Ventura residence in this file photo.

Former Hells Angels leader George Christie Jr. was granted bail Friday, three weeks after his arrest in connection with an alleged extortion plot and the firebombing of two Ventura tattoo shops.

In granting the $200,000 bail, U.S. District Court Judge Jacqueline Nguyen in Los Angeles ordered he be detained at home and wear an electronic monitoring device if he is released. It was unclear late Friday whether and when Christie had posted bail.

"The only exceptions to home detention are for attorney visits and medical visits," stated an order issued by the court Friday.

Christie, 64, of Ventura was arrested Aug. 12 along with Kyle Douglas Gilbertson, 33, of Ventura; Richard Reeves Russell III, 29, of Ventura; and Benito Hurtado, 34, of Oak View.

Christie was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy, extortion and arson. Gilbertson, Russell and Hurtado were arrested on suspicion of extortion.

A six-count federal indictment alleges Christie, while he was president of the Ventura Hells Angels chapter and owner of The Ink House tattoo shop in Ventura in 2007, conspired to "damage or completely destroy" two rival tattoo shops after they remained open despite threats designed to shut them down.

It also alleges Christie conspired to confront the owners of the shops in an effort to shut them down.

Both shops were damaged on July 6, 2007, in attacks involving Molotov cocktails, authorities said. The fires were reported about 10 minutes apart about 4 a.m.

Christie could face up to 120 years in prison if convicted of all charges, officials said.

Christie spent a year in federal prison in 1986 on charges of conspiracy to commit murder and murder for hire. He eventually was acquitted.

He also spent a year in jail in 2001 after a raid involving local Hells Angels and alleged illegal prescription drug sales.

He eventually pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy to possess a prescription drug for sale.

Christie now runs Felony Prison Consultants, which advises people headed to prison on how to survive there.


 

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