The Case of the Missing Hells Angels Drug Case

Here’s a little update on Ventura’s men in black, um, leather.

A year after the cops made a big to-do about breaking up a major drug ring targeting kids, none of the eight suspected Hells Angels who were arrested has been charged in the case.

It was time to revisit this one in the wake of news that three bikers from the same club were recently busted for allegedly stabbing an Oak View man.

In April 1999, Ventura County sheriff’s officials held a news conference, where they displayed confiscated drugs and guns, and claimed victory over the Harley-riding clan.

Officials said undercover cops had bought drugs--mostly Valium and methamphetamine -- two dozen times from club members during a 15-month investigation. Some sales had occurred near schools, they said.

“There were a number of cases that were submitted by the Sheriff’s Department that are under review,” Gregory D. Totten, the chief assistant district attorney, said last week.

The prosecutor won’t comment on why charges haven’t been filed but said the drug case and several others against club members are part of a larger, comprehensive investigation.

Of the eight originally popped for drugs, six are free. One is in custody in the stabbing case and the other is being held on an alleged probation violation.

Stay tuned.

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Shopping can be dangerous and not just for the credit-happy.

An outing to a local grocery store was pretty hairy for a Ventura woman who was confronted recently by two men who asked her for money or jewelry, police said.

The victim, who was loading bags of food into her trunk while her 5-year-old daughter sat inside the car, feared the men would take off with her kid and her car if she didn’t give them something of value.

Well, the woman didn’t have any cash or valuables, so she drove the men to her home, where they stuffed their pockets with her jewelry before she gave them a ride back to the same market.

Ventura Police Sgt. Bob Anderson said this was a new one on him.

“We’ve heard of the lottery scams and the ones where people say they need help cashing a check, but to come up to her like this. I mean, you just shouldn’t let criminals get in the car with you.”

Anderson said victims should honk their car horns or do something to bring attention to themselves in order to scare the perpetrators.

The thieves in this case are described as Latino men, one about 27 or 28, 5 feet 6 and 160 pounds. The other is about 40, 5 feet 3 and 230 pounds.

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Here’s one about a brave man with a poor sense of direction, literally.

The California Highway Patrol doesn’t often pat the back of a heroic citizen, because frankly the job is mostly officers dealing one-on-one with bad drivers.

So it was a big day when the force lined up recently at its Ventura office to honor a man who saved a woman from drowning when her car flipped into a culvert off Highway 1 in Oxnard.

Last November, Jorge Marroquin Chavez, 44, of Oxnard scaled a block wall and rushed to the aid of 66-year-old Jeannette Pelletier, who was dangling upside-down with her face submerged in water and mud.

Chavez waded in, sliced off Pelletier’s seat belt with his Swiss army knife and carried her on his back to safety.

But Chavez got lost on his way to the CHP ceremony being held in his honor.

“We’ll have to reschedule that one,” said CHP Sgt. Michael Cooper.

Last weekend Chavez was honored at the 27th Annual Medal of Valor dinner hosted by the Ventura County Peace Officers Assn. He was one of 21 citizens and cops recognized for acts of bravery.

Chavez couldn’t make that celebration either, so he sent his son, who accepted the award on his father’s behalf.

Now that’s a modest hero.

Holly J. Wolcott can be reached at 653-7581 or at holly.wolcott@latimes.com