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Hells Angels president arrested for firebombing business rivals

August 13, 2011

George Christie Jr.

Federal investigators arrested the former president of the Ventura County Chapter of the “Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle gang” on Friday for firebombing two competing tattoo shops, according to a press release.

George Christie Jr., 64, of Ventura, was one of four defendants arrested on federal conspiracy, extortion and arson charges contained in a six-count indictment stemming from an extortion plot and the firebombing of two Ventura tattoo shops in 2007.

The indictment alleges that Christie, while the president of the Ventura County Chapter of the Hells Angels and owner of The Ink House, conspired to threaten the owners of rival tattoo parlors in an effort to force them to close down their businesses.

When the owners of the Scratch the Surface and the Twisted Ink refused to shut down, Christie allegedly conspired to firebomb the tattoo shops.

On July 6, 2007, Christie allegedly threw Molotov cocktails into the competing businesses.

At the time of the firebombings, Twisted Ink was located directly across the street from Ventura High School, while Scratch the Surface – housed in the same building as an occupied residence – was operating next to a pre-school.

Christie is charged with three Hobbs Act extortion conspiracies, one count of conspiracy to use fire or explosive to damage property, and two counts of use of fire or explosive to damage property.

Kyle Douglas Gilbertson, 33, of Ventura; Benito Hurtado, 34, of Oak View; and Richard Reeves Russell III, 29, of Ventura are named along with Christie in the first Hobbs Act extortion counts.

The three counts in the indictment that charge the Hobbs Act extortions each carry a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The counts in the indictment that allege arson each carry a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, and a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison.

If convicted of all six counts in the indictment, Christie would face a statutory maximum penalty of 120 years in federal prison.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department; and the Ventura Police Department.


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What a bunch of lames. Some of you have no idea what you’re talking about. Shit happens in real life and you idiots…bragging about who you know and how smart you are-are just proving how little you know about that culture. Biker, tattoo, or otherwise….


Tattoo shops don’t get into turf wars over tattoos….private citizens do-and it’s usually over $$….just like ole George here. These alleged bombings have and had NOTHING to do with HAMC….and the indictment reads GEORGE CHRISTIE, not HAMC. Fact is, he’s out.


Maybe some of you can rememebr back to the firebombings and grenade attacks in the San Diego “Berto’s Wars”…yeah the Burrito stores like Alberto’s, Roberto’s Adalberto’s and Tio Berto’s were trying to shut each other down over who made the most $$$ over carne asada burrito’s!


Dont belive all the shit you see on Gangland dumbasses…its called hype—they use it for ratings!


I agree with the coment above about the LEA’s being the largest CRIMINAL ORGANZATION IN THE WORLD…..absolutely true!


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What’s your point? Trying to defend firebombing?


As far as George Christie’s connection to the Hells Angels, YOU don’t know what you are talking about, if you’re trying to imply that he’s no longer a member. Of course there are a lot of legal reasons why he might claim he is no longer chapter president.


The VC chapter doesn’t pay for its headquarters with money from tattoos, nor is that how Mr. Christie paid for his nice home near Ojai. Oh, yeah, he used to run a “martial arts” studio when those were popping up everywhere. Now its tattoos.


Truth is there are only a small few official members of the VC chapter. Most who you’ll see hanging out are “prospects” who are given “tasks” to show their “loyalty” before they would ever be made official members. Few ever make it all the way.


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It kills me, that the Rolling Stones asked the Angels to run security at Altamont in ’69. That’s like asking the Fox to run security at the hen house and now here we are forty plus years later. Anything change??


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If anyone here thinks these firebombing charges stem only from heavy competition for tattoo customers they are as foolish or naive as the reporter who wrote this up.


Interesting thing about tattoos is how people go about valuing them. Ten thousand bucks in your pocket during a frisk down, or paid down on a mortgage on a fancy home? “No problem, sirs. That just represents a payment from one of my cash customers who finished up a massive piece on his back. You’d like to see it? Well, how can I do that? I don’t know where the dude is. But trust me. It was some good ink on that boy, quality work, that those in the know don’t mind paying a premium for. Yessir, a LOT of cash flows through this tattoo business. Surprising, ain’t it? “


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http://www.hellsangelsventura.com/history.php


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Somebody torched a tattoo shop in Atascadero, at the site where Camozzi’s is. I say let these tattoo-shop tough guys go at it until all such businesses are extinct.


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The Hells Angels ( no apostrophe) is referred to by the media as an outlaw motorcycle gang… when it is actually incorporated with trademarks and such. Some refer to it as a criminal organization, while other refer to it — possibly more accurately — as an organization of mostly former ( who knows?) criminals.


I guess in the continuum of what charges might be brought on a person , ‘attempted’ this or that may not have all that play. Murderers get off in seven years after all.


Funny, I never thought the ink business turf was so tough … I always thought it involved other things. There is a part of me that wants to run down and get a tattoo before the bad boys get busy.


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Say what you will but the facts are government’s are responsible for more deaths,stealing and destruction of peoples lives in this world than all the 1% er’s combined. The only difference is the government makes laws to justify what it does.


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So, Rallyraid, let me get this straight: If someone kills one of your loved ones, or firebombs your business, you’re cool with that, as long as the culprits are not government employees? Or we let all the non-government criminals go free until the government is free of crooks?


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Roger, once again it is clear that you don’t know what you are talking about, in your lame effort to defend the honor of leaders of an organization that has, for years and years, continually bragged in books, videos, films and magazine articles of the crimes it has committed.


Even more absurd is your idea that if a business is “incorporated with trademarks and such” it somehow should be absolved of any criminal guilt.


Any member of the Hells Angels who read your statement above would consider you a naive fool, a perfect sucker.


I know about the Ventura Hells Angels in ways you never will. And because of that I can righteously say you are acting like a total idiot.


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Unless your 1%’er you don’t know a damn thing, if your a cop say no more as your considered by many to belong to the worlds biggest outlaw club yourself. So which is it bigmouth? Tell us about how you know the HA so well and in ways we never will.


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Rallryaid, no offense, but what part of “ways you’ll never know” do you not understand?


And get real with this cliche “1 percenter” krapola. I’ve seen that B-movie also. That’s WAY more “percentage” than reality.


Speaking of cliches, I think your statement about “cops” demonstrates your bigotry, as well as your tendency to exaggerate.


Finally, in case you haven’t figured it out, Harley’s suck. Even Sonny will tell you that. The club should have dropped that affiliation long ago and hopped on some quality iron. But they have an image to uphold, even if it is hopelessly outdated. But as long as wannabes lap up the myth, the royalties will trickle in, and China will be churning out Hells Angels trinkets for years to come, as long as there are more suckers to lap it up.


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He related to Sara Christie ?


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Didn’t Kat Von D’s home burn down under suspicious circumstances not that long ago? What’s with these tattoo wars?


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64 years old and still a punk criminal. How pathetic is that?


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Oh noooo. He and the HAMC aren’t criminals. They are a motorcycle enthusiast club. They do Toys for Tots. That totally legitimizes them…That video in Laughlin? FAKE///Imposters….NOT//////


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