Hells Angels Leader, Wife Face Drug Charges

National Hells Angels leader George Christie Jr. and his estranged wife have been arrested on suspicion of narcotics possession after investigators raided their separate Ventura homes, finding a small amount of cocaine in Christie’s night stand and large amounts of drugs and cash in his wife’s hillside condo.

Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury on Wednesday announced the arrests of Christie, the Ventura Hells Angels chapter president, on suspicion of drug possession and Cheryl Lynn Christie on suspicion of possession of drugs for sale. The arrests followed searches Tuesday of their two homes, Christie’s Ink House tattoo parlor and the couple’s rental unit in Oak View.

In a brief press release, Bradbury announced only that business records, drugs and large sums of cash had been seized at several locations, and that his office would not comment further because its investigation is continuing.

Christie’s lawyer, Robert Sheahen, said that drugs were not the focus of the inquiry. And Christie said he was apparently being investigated for possibly not paying employee taxes at his tattoo parlor.

Sheahen called Tuesday’s searches a very unusual tactic for such a minor case and said they would not have taken place if Christie, who drew publicity when he ran a leg of the Olympic Torch relay in 1984, was not an articulate spokesman for the Hells Angels.

“There’s a problem because he’s George Christie, and because he just had how many hundreds of Hells Angels descending on Ventura,” said Sheahen, referring to the motorcycle gang’s annual party held in Ventura in March. “When are these people going to get a grip and realize that George is what he appears to be--a law-abiding citizen who does a lot for the community?”

The 51-year-old Christie, who was released on $5,000 bail, denied any wrongdoing. His wife, 51, also was released from County Jail after posting bail. She could not be reached for comment.