Allies Offer Property for Angel’s Bail

Two supporters of Hells Angels leader George Christie Jr. have offered to put up five properties in Northern and Southern California to help bail him out of jail pending trial on drug and racketeering charges.

Defense lawyers declined to identify the two supporters or explain their connection to Christie, 54, who has been jailed in lieu of $1-million bail for seven months.

Attorney Mark Heaney said the individuals are legally entitled to confidentiality. He described their role as part of an aggressive ongoing effort to get Christie out of jail so he can assist in his defense.

“To begin to defend yourself, I think you have to be out of custody,” said Heaney, an associate of Los Angeles attorney Barry Tarlow, who gained Christie’s acquittal in a murder-for-hire trial in 1987.

Tarlow’s firm is now assisting Christie on the issue of bail pending trial in Ventura County Superior Court.

Christie, a national Hells Angels leader, is accused of running a narcotics ring that peddled prescription drugs to high school students in Ventura and Ojai.

He, his ex-wife and their two adult children are among 28 defendants charged in eight grand jury indictments.

Christie is charged with theft, fraud, tax evasion, firearms possession, drug sales to minors and the use of a street gang in a criminal conspiracy.

Earlier this year, defense lawyers fought unsuccessfully to lower his $1-million bail.

Now, Heaney said, the attention will shift to the question of whether the money being offered is legitimate.

Last week, Heaney filed a document showing that one Christie supporter has offered a property in Daly City, and the other has offered four properties in El Cajon, Lakeside and Ramona.

A bail hearing on the source of money behind those properties was set for Wednesday afternoon but was postponed until next week at the request of prosecutors.

Chief Deputy Dist. Atty. Jeff Bennett said he wants time to identify the property owners and their ties to the Hells Angels leader.

Although the men’s combined properties are valued at nearly $1 million, Heaney said, it would not be enough to secure Christie’s release.

He said a defendant must put up twice the bail amount if he is securing the bond with property rather than cash. In Christie’s case, that means he would need $2 million in property to be put up.

While Christie has been fighting for his release, several of his associates indicted in the drug sales case have recently pleaded guilty to conspiracy and other charges.

Hells Angels associate George Owens was sentenced to probation this week after pleading guilty to selling drugs.

Co-defendants Mary Carlisle, Derek Mashburn and Joshua Adams, all charged in the same indictment, have also pleaded guilty to related charges and are awaiting sentencing.