Cops Raid Club, Arrest Hells Angels Meth Found Hidden Throughout Spokane Home

Washington state troopers looking for a stolen rental truck raided the Spokane Hells Angels’ clubhouse Friday and found what authorities long suspected:

The clubhouse at 1818 E. Third apparently is the hub for a major methamphetamine distribution ring.

“We’ve found significant quantities of meth and small amounts of marijuana,” said Washington State Patrol spokesman Chris Powell as the daylong search wound down.

Six people in the clubhouse were arrested on drug possession charges, including two Hells Angels from the outlaw motorcycle gang’s headquarters in Oakland, Calif.

Three of the suspects are women, who ducked TV cameras as they were led separately to police cars.

“The only thing I’ve got to say is, ‘not guilty,”’ said the Spokane chapter president, who wasn’t present during the raid and wasn’t charged.

The club president, contacted by telephone after the raid, refused to say anything else and insisted he be identified only as “Smilin’ Rick.”

Police found the methamphetamine hidden throughout the clubhouse, still decorated with Christmas cards from other Hells Angels chapters throughout the world.

“There are more Christmas cards in there than I’ve received in my entire life,” said one detective.

A police dog sniffed out the drugs, then WSP detectives conducted a room-by-room search. One stash of methamphetamine was found in a false-bottomed container.

The five-bedroom, two-story house faces Interstate 90. Its living room is converted to a stand-up bar, decorated with Hells Angels plaques and photos.

The Hells Angels opened the Spokane Chapter in 1994 at the clubhouse by recruiting members from another biker club called the Northmen. A 1993 police raid at the house, which was being used by the Northmen, didn’t lead to any arrests.

The exact amount of drugs seized Friday wasn’t immediately available, said WSP Detective Sgt. Jeff Sale, who supervised the raid.

“These aren’t ‘personal-use’ amounts, and we intend to seek (more serious) charges of possession with intent to distribute,” Powell said.

The case likely will be referred to the Justice Department for federal prosecution, possibly as early as next week when a grand jury is scheduled to convene.

Federal drug and firearms convictions carry stiffer sentences than similar state charges.

Two agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms assisted with the search and examined two shotguns and two handguns found in the clubhouse.

Investigators found an open safe in the clubhouse, but found only club paperwork, which wasn’t seized, Sale said.

WSP detectives obtained a search warrant after they spotted a Ryder rental van parked behind the Spokane clubhouse.

The warrant authorized them to search both the truck and the house.

The vehicle was reported stolen from Sturgis, S.D., shortly after last summer’s annual biker rally there, Sale said.

The truck was impounded and will be searched later by patrol detectives, Powell said.

An eight-member Spokane Police SWAT team and a dozen state troopers, armed with their search warrant, showed up at the house at 9 a.m.

A sign below the Christmas wreath on the door says: “No warrant, no entry, no exceptions.”

The six occupants offered no resistance.

The suspects each were charged with felony possession of methamphetamine.

They were placed under arrest, one at a time, and separately led to waiting Spokane police cars for the ride to jail.

Arrested were: Marvin W. Gilbert, 53, and Michael L. Cultis, 48, both from the Oakland area, and Forrest P. Heaton, 26, of 908 E. Ninth.

Also arrested were: Jeannette A. Mari, 25, of 1615 E. Ostrander; Joan E. Johnston, 30, and Peggy L. DeLapp-McDonald, both of whom listed the Angels clubhouse as their address.

Gilbert also was charged with being a felon in possession of firearms, jail records showed.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 Photos (1 color) Map of site of raided Hells Angels’ clubhouse