Christie’s Daughter Cries Foul

The attorney daughter of Hells Angels leader George Christie Jr. is asking a judge to dismiss felony charges against her, alleging in court papers that the district attorney’s office is prosecuting her for no good reason.

Moriya Christie, 30, and her husband, Layne Bell, 29, contend they have been unfairly swept up in a massive case targeting Christie’s father, who is accused of running a criminal street gang that stole drugs from an Air Force clinic and sold them to high school students in Ojai and Ventura.

But prosecutors say Moriya Christie and Bell broke the law and should face the consequences.

Seven months ago, 16 defendants, including George Christie Jr., his son, ex-wife and several motorcycle gang members, were indicted on drug and racketeering charges.

The indictment was one of eight handed down by a grand jury after a four-year investigation into alleged drug sales by Hells Angels members and their associates.

Moriya Christie, who has represented Hells Angels members, and her spouse were not charged with selling drugs. They were indicted on criminal conspiracy and grand theft charges for allegedly making a false statement on a loan document when purchasing a home in downtown Ventura four years ago.

Prosecutors allege the couple never intended to live in the Mission Plaza house and lied on financial documents to get a lower interest rate, indicating the property would be their primary residence. Moriya Christie’s grandmother lives there.

“This case is a result of what investigators uncovered during the course of their investigation, and we can prove it,” said Chief Deputy Dist. Atty. Jeff Bennett, the lead prosecutor in the case.

“It is a crime,” Bennett said. “They got a loan from a loan company that they would not have received had they not lied.”

But attorney James DiFrank, who represents Moriya Christie, filed court papers in July alleging that the indictment is vague.

“It is apparent that the indictment against this defendant is nothing more than selective prosecution undertaken against this defendant for the sole reason that her father is George Christie Jr.,” DiFrank wrote.

Bennett noted that other defendants in the Hells Angels case have filed similar requests, which the court rejected.

Moriya Christie and Bell have not yet entered pleas.

An arraignment was scheduled for today, but was postponed until Oct. 3. Lawyers said the couple’s request will be heard by Judge Art Gutierrez at that time.