Hells Angels Leader Seeks Neighbors’ Help

Indicted Hells Angels leader George Christie Jr. is trying to bail out of Ventura County Jail with a little help from his neighbors.

Christie, 53, proprietor of the Ink House tattoo and body-piercing parlor, is asking other Main Street merchants to vouch for his character Friday when he seeks a cut in his $1-million bail.

“His attorney, Anthony Brooklier, will be going to court . . . to request that bail be set at a reasonable amount,” says a flier distributed by Christie supporters. “And we believe a letter from you about Mr. Christie’s character would be helpful.”

Christie was indicted Feb. 23 on charges of running a criminal gang that stole drugs from a Los Angeles Air Force Base clinic and peddled them to high school students. He is also charged with tax evasion, grand theft and fraud.

But as a longtime businessman in downtown Ventura, he hopes his neighbors will vouch for him in a letter to the judge.

Merchants are wrestling with a dilemma. Although the soft-spoken Christie is generally well-liked, some shopkeepers said they are leery of formally weighing in on his behalf--or against him.

They don’t want to be seen as endorsing drug sales to children, even if those charges have not been proved. Nor do they want to anger Christie. Several said they’ve known and liked Christie, his wife and his two adult children for years. All are now indicted in the broad drug and racketeering case that includes 28 suspects.

“Although some of the merchants say good riddance, most people are pretty much of the same ilk: George hasn’t harassed us, he’s a customer, and I’ve never had problems with his guys,” said Denise Sindelar, 38, co-owner of Natalie’s Fine Threads. “But just because he’s never done anything to me, if the charges are well-founded, the truth will come out. I haven’t judged him yet.”

She is undecided about writing a letter on his behalf, despite a solicitation last Friday.

Lawyer Brooklier said Christie was selective in deciding whom he would ask.

“This wasn’t just tacked up on a bulletin board,” Brooklier said. “They were given to certain people, those who really know him and deal with him every day. He was born here, and lived here his whole life.”

“I would agree that [Christie] seems polite, gentle and reserved,” said Doug Halter, past president of the Downtown Ventura Community Council. “But that doesn’t tell me whether or not he did the crimes he’s being accused of. . . . If they did occur . . . we’d be very disappointed.”