I returned to Saint John, where Natalie and I made one last effort to work things out. To no avail. When I left again after a few weeks, I knew it was for good. This time I just kept driving west, past Ottawa, eager to change my environment and, in so doing, my headspace.
Making money was suddenly a priority again. I’d left the house, our savings and pretty much whatever else there was to Natalie; all I’d taken was the Nissan pickup, my clothes and a few other personal things. Eventually I washed up in Calgary, where J.P. Lévesque had lined me up a three-month job involving a trio of dirty cops. If I’d had my wits about me and hadn’t been as good as broke, I never would have accepted the assignment. Jobs like that are lose-lose situations—everyone wants to see you fail. But I was not only hard up for money, I was also confused and despondent. My second marriage was over, my son had just moved across the big water and my last two infiltration gigs had ended disastrously.
Never two without three, they say. The Calgary job wasn’t the fiasco San Diego or Ottawa had been, but it wasn’t a great success either. I amassed what I deemed to be the necessary proof and handed it in and that was that. As far as I know, it was handled internally from then on. Or just put in a drawer somewhere. It didn’t end up in the headlines or in court. Not knowing what happened was almost as discouraging as a case ending in catastrophe.
That was it for me. After Calgary I couldn’t muster any more enthusiasm for infiltration work. I drifted around. I ended up back in my second home, Vancouver, for a few months. While there, I got word from George Cousens and the Rabbi that all my work in San Diego had finally resulted in something. Seems that the boys from Operation Five Star had used the evidence I compiled to obtain warrants for dozens of wiretaps. After listening in on their conversations for the better part of a year, the cops hit the Dago Hells Angels hard, raiding the clubhouse and homes, seizing weapons and drugs, and charging most of the gang with meth dealing and conspiracy to murder Mongols, as well as RICO organized-crime offenses.
The Boss (Guy Castiglione), Mark Toycen, Ramona Pete, Zach Carpenter, Hatchet Dave and several other members all got nailed and eventually pleaded guilty. So did some twenty associates, including JoAnn. Bobby Perez also would have been arrested, I imagine, had someone not murdered him first.
The cops also finally picked up people such as Taz, the Indian, his nephew Bobby, Smokey and his homeboys, and a few other people. They’d had the goods on these guys for more than a year and could easily have arrested them without compromising the investigation into the Dago Angels. But the cops had wanted big numbers and big headlines, so they’d let these guys operate with impunity for a year while compiling a case against the Angels.
The wait may have been worth it for them in the end. Operation Five Star received an award at an international conference of biker cops and investigators not long after the bust. In his acceptance speech, Pat Ryan took pains to insist that it had all been the work of cops with badges. Sure, they’d tried to insert a contracted agent early in the game, but that had ended in failure, he stressed.
The ill will from Ryan didn’t surprise me. His hostility toward me seemed clear since the belongings of mine that he was responsible for having shipped up from San Diego to Saint John a year earlier arrived severely damaged. An antique Russian table Henry had given me had been sawed in half. A couch I’d also got from Henry had its upholstery slashed. An expensive watch had been smashed, all its pieces put back in its case. Even my bike had been vandalized. On top of that, a bunch of very heavy crap had been thrown in—old steel desks and the like—just to make the load heavier. I, after all, had agreed to pay half the shipping costs.
That gesture helped to convince me that getting out of the game, one I’d been playing on and off for a quarter century, was the right idea. Infiltration is hard enough when you know who your friends are; when you don’t know if the cops will stand behind you or what their real agenda is, well, there are better ways to make a living.
Adjusting to retirement isn’t easy for many people. Even if there is a gold watch, a big send-off dinner, a Caribbean cruise—gifts and gestures that I, of course, never received—accepting that your services are no longer required is rarely easy.
For me, learning to say no to the infiltration assignments that came my way was hard enough, as was the fact that slowly the calls stopped coming as the Rabbi and other police I had worked with retired too. But there was a different challenge, particular to my job, that in many ways dwarfed all others: figuring out who I really am.
For a time, I imagined the real me would turn out to be distinct from all the characters I’ve pretended to be—something new, something different, hidden deep inside. I’d just have to dig and scrape and sweep away all the junk that had accumulated over the last twenty-five years or so.
But that’s not how it works, I’ve learned. My mind is really a graveyard for all the people I’ve been. I’m not one or another of them; I’m a little of each. All the years of being someone else means, in a sense, that I can never be me. So I’ve quit wondering who I “really” am; it doesn’t seem that important anymore. What “me” was there ever?
The few people who know of my career think of it as exciting. It certainly was at times. Mostly, however, it was just lonely. Always wearing a mask meant I could never make real friends, except perhaps with my handlers. Sure, there were bad guys whom I connected with; had the circumstances been different, there were a few I would have done most anything for. In the end, however, I put most of them in jail and then had to close the book on them as if they’d been killed. The end of a case is, in fact, the end of a life. And a man who lives many lives must endure many deaths.
My own death could arrive at any moment—that’s something I’ve always had to accept, whether as a young hood in Hull, a soldier in Vietnam or a professional infiltrator. Just because I’ve retired doesn’t mean that the men I was hired to befriend and then betray will have forgiven me. The risk hasn’t disappeared with the paycheck. There are still contracts on my life and there is always the risk of that coincidence, that chance encounter, that unexpected meeting, which could throw my life into turmoil or end it altogether. Given that I’ve worked all over Canada and much of the United States, the odds aren’t actually as slim as I wish they were. Maybe someday they will get me. But not today.
And today, like all the other days, I just have to take satisfaction from what I can. The good relations I have with my kids—and exes—despite my prolonged absences. (Liz is now a respected senior member of the clergy, my daughter is a teacher, and my son and his wife are planning a family. Natalie has remarried and has custody of her first daughter as well as the daughter we had together.) The bad guys I helped put in prison, many of whom the police had been after for a long time and who deserved nothing more than to be locked up in a small room for a very long time. The fact that for all the questionable and downright bad things I did—in Nam especially—I compensated by doing a little good as well.
INDEX
______
Aces and Eights, 119–121, 122
Alana, 197–199
Alfred, Uncle, 7, 8
Alliance, 186
American Motorcycle Association, 105
Andrew, 180–184
Andy K., 20–21
Annihilators, 215
April, 177
ATF. See Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Bandidos
and the Banshees, 114–115, 124
in Canada, 192
DEA assignment, 70–72
and drugs, 85–88, 92, 92–94, 122, 147
infiltrating the, 73–79, 78–79, 80–85
nomad chapters, 108
party at Bremerton, 107–112
recruitment and membership, 83, 84–85, 88–91, 98, 99–100, 101–102
and the Resurrection, 94–98, 155
and Rex Endicott, 125–127
secretary-treasurer of the, 131–132
set-up in Seattle, 1
55–159
Steve from Texas, 148, 150
at Sturgis and after, 87–88, 130, 137–144, 144–147
surveillance, 102, 112, 159
suspicions about Caine, 78–79, 93, 129
takedown, 162–165
trip to Lubbock, 112–123
undercover agents and, 261
Vietnam connection, 84
violence and, 104–105, 132–133
Banshees, 113, 114–115, 124–125, 145, 147
Barbie, 188, 276
Barger, Sonny, 139, 142–143, 144
Barney (Craig Pulfrey), 203, 206–207, 213, 179
Bashir, 170, 177, 180–184, 279
Bedborough, Jason (Hollywood), 201–202, 210, 214–215
Bellingham Bandidos
chapter meetings, 74, 90–91
criminal activities of certain members, 87, 101, 106, 147, 151, 157
and the Hells Angels, 106, 137
infiltration goal, 70–71
and Mongo, 89, 97–98
at Sturgis, 87, 141
takedown, 162–165
Bikers for Christ, 87
Billy. See Guinn, Billy
Black Pistons, 147
Blainedidos, 279
Blue Knights, 87
Bobby (the hood), 243–244, 245, 282
Booze Fighters, 145, 271
Boring, William. See Sly Willie
Boutin, Arnold, 31–32
Bouy, 231
Brant, Larry
and the Bandidos infiltration, 125
concerns about the infiltrator, 149–150, 152–154, 154
as DEA handler, 70, 77, 84, 92, 106–107
Braybrook, Paul “Sunny”
in jail, 195, 197, 198
in Niagara Falls, 205
in Toronto, 207, 210, 215
Breed, 207
Bremerton Bandidos
annual party, 107–112
Bobby Lund, 86, 90, 135
demise of the Resurrection, 94–98
end of investigation, 147, 165
and the Hells Angels, 138
Sturgis, 87, 138
Brenda, 198–199
Brett. See Toms, Brett
Brian (son), 87
and cousin Danny, 281–282
growing up, 175, 182, 183, 190, 192, 217, 279
married, 284
Brown, Sergeant Tom, 67
Bruce, 67
Bubba, 261–262
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
agent Jaybird, 259, 261
biker war, 71
and Brooks Jacobson, 226–227, 240, 253, 268, 270
case naming system, 104
Dago case, 252, 253, 258, 260, 262
KKK infiltration job, 166–168
Operation Five Star, 3, 5, 236
and Rex Endicott, 126–127
and the Russians, 227–229
Caine, Alex
Bandidos meltdown, 150–152
childhood, 7–14, 18–22
incarceration, 32–36
martial arts, 24, 37, 39, 54, 66, 81, 98, 180, 183, 194
name change, 64
other jobs, 19–22, 64, 176–177, 178
as a photographer, 220–221, 238–239, 246–248
post-assignment life, 63–64, 65–67, 160–162, 165–166, 160–171, 174–177, 187, 190–191, 217, 179, 280–281, 282–284
the runaway, 12–16
at university, 37–39
Vietnam, 22–31
youth, 18–22
See also Brian; Charlotte; Liz;
Natalie
Campisano, Freddie, 206, 207, 213, 215
Carcajou, 186–187, 188–190, 191
Carlos, 172–174
Carpenter, Zach, 249, 253, 273, 282
Castiglione, Guy, 223, 238–239, 282
Cécile, Aunt, 8, 9, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 179–180
Central Intelligence Agency, 26, 29
Chambers, Don, 139
Charlotte (daughter), 67, 68, 183, 190, 217, 284
Chillie Willie (James T. Chilton), 116
Chilton, James T. (Chillie Willie), 116
Ching-a-lings, 145
Chiu, Rocky, 45–47, 47–48, 55–60, 60–62, 63
Chosen Few, 145
Christie, George, 139
Chuck (biker shop owner), 74–75, 76, 78–79, 82
Chuck (New Mexico Bandido). See Gillies, Charles David
CIA, 26, 29
Cisco, 247
Cochrane, Corky
and the Texas investment, 149–150, 154, 156–157
FBI handler, 70, 76–77, 79, 84, 88, 92, 98, 106–107, 126
and Rex Endicott, 126
trip to Sturgis, 88
Coffin Cheaters, 145, 146
Columbia cartels, 165–166
Cool Aid, 21
Coon-Ass (Henry Lejeune), 111
Cousens, Detective Constable George
Operation Five Star, 282
OPP handler, 195, 211, 224, 279
PDR investigation, 198, 200, 203, 207
Cowboy, 263, 266–267, 267–268, 269
Craig, 87, 86, 159
Criminal Intelligence Service Canada, 191
Dago Hells Angels
Bobby’s gun, 1–2, 3–4, 272–273, 275–276, 277–278
drugs and, 218, 245–49, 249, 254, 255–256, 269
I-95 ambush, 2, 263–267, 268
infiltration of, 1–2, 220–224, 235, 237
mission, 218–219, 219–220, 243–244
and the Mongols, 251–252
and photos, 238–239, 242, 246–248
River Run, 257, 258–259, 260–267, 270–272, 272–274
Danny, 280–281
Daryl, 260
Davis, Hunter, 219, 259
Dean, 109
DEA. See Drug Enforcement Administration
Devon, Chris
member of Dago Hells Angels, 222–223
photos of girlfriend, 239–243
and the Russians, 228, 236
Dirtbag, 201
Dirty Dozen, 145
Dobyns, Jay (Jaybird), 259, 260–262, 270, 272
Doc, 234
Dog, 1, 260, 262, 263, 264, 267
Dr. Jack
arrest, 163, 164
Bandido recruitment, 83, 90, 91
chapter road captain, 108
drug deal, 93, 101
friendship with, 107, 143, 151, 164, 165
Lubbock, 135, 137
post-Sturgis biker world, 145
violence and, 134–135
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
Bandidos assignment, 70–72, 73–79, 79, 80, 92, 103–4, 112, 150–152, 159, 162
Bandidos prospect, 92, 103
and Dog, 260
and drugs, 82
goals of the, 250–251
and the Gypsy Jokers, 113–114
Harley FXRT, 103–4, 176
Operation Five Star, 3, 236, 251
Pat Ryan, 240–241, 248–249
process, 79, 104
and Rex Endicott, 126–127
and the Russians, 225–229
and the San Diego Hells Angels, 218–224, 223, 236, 239
surveillance, 112, 159
Texas investment, 150–154
working for the, 5, 73, 74, 84, 85, 161, 162, 165, 175, 178
Dubois mob, 59
Easyriders magazine, 247
Eaton, Frank, 165
El Cajon Police Department, 3, 236
Émilienne, Aunt, 8
Endicott, Rex, 125–127, 164
Escouade Carcajou. See Carcajou
Eunice, Ramona Pete. See Ramona Pete
Father (Alex’s)
and the Indian head, 11
and the orphanage, 10
personal history, 7–8, 12
and the runaway, 14, 15
and smoking, 17
Federal Bureau of Investigation
and the biker wars, 71, 81, 126–127, 152
case namin
g system, 104
deprogrammer, 149, 153
employed by the, 5
Hells Angels, 250–251
KKK infiltration job, 166–168
Operation Five Star, 3, 251
and Rex Endicott, 126–127
Texas investment, 152
Thai pilots case, 64–65
See also Corky Cochrane
Fong, Tommy, 43, 50, 52
Francis, John Jerome. See Jersey Jerry
Frank, 38
helping Alex, 73–74, 87, 177
Liz living with, 63, 74, 151, 160, 162, 169
renovation business, 42, 43, 64
Fred. See Alfred, Uncle
Frio (William Jerry Pruett), 117–118, 121–122, 122–123
Gabrielle, 230, 232
Gerry, Thomas Lloyd (Hammer), 108, 110, 112
Ghost Riders, 95–96, 137, 138–139, 145, 165
Gillies, Charles David (Ha Ha), 115–117
grandmother (Alex’s), 9
Guinn, Billy, 224, 246, 248, 275, 279
Gunk
arrest, 159, 164
Bandido violence, 90, 108–110, 132–133
and criminal activities, 133–134
and the Firebird, 94
on Mongo, 89, 90
role as secretary-treasurer, 131
as sponsor, 81–83, 98, 105–106, 111
Gypsy Jokers, 145, 146
Ha-Ha (Charles David Gillies), 115–117
Hammer, 108, 110, 112
The hand, 230
Hatchet Dave, 242, 282
Hells Angels
in Canada, 175, 186, 192, 215–216
DEA mission, 71, 218
drugs and, 218
George Weger and, 106
I-95 ambush, 2, 266–267
nomad chapters, 108
and the Para-Dice Riders, 192–194, 202, 205, 215–216
Quebec Hells Angels, 186, 187, 188–190, 192, 201, 211, 281
Sturgis negotiations, 137–144
Sturgis truce, 144–147
tension between Bandidos and, 112–113
Vietnam connection, 84
See also Dago Hells Angels
Henchmen, 145
Henry, 225–226, 227–233, 236, 283
Heritage Front, 280
Hessians, 145
Hickok, Bill, 119
Highway Mike, 252–254, 255, 260, 264, 274
Hobo
and Al Lim, 49, 49–52, 55
friendship with, 39–42, 148
Hong Kong drug deal, 43–44, 48–49, 50, 55, 57, 63