HELLS ANGELS' MEMBER HANDED THREE-YEAR SENTENCE FOR METH LAB

SURREY - A Hells Angels' member has been sentenced to three years in
prison for possessing six kilograms of methamphetamine after police
discovered a large crystal meth lab in Surrey three years ago.

Kerry Ryan Renaud, 26, who was sentenced this week by B.C. Supreme
Court in New Westminster, also received a six-month sentence for
obstruction of justice for trying to flee the drug lab. The court also
imposed a 10-year firearms prohibition.

The clandestine lab was discovered on May 19, 2003 after a complaint
to the fire department from a resident living nearby. It was housed in
an eighth-floor apartment.

The apartment building had to be evacuated because of the dangerous
chemicals involved in "cooking" the highly addictive drug, said RCMP
Sgt. Gary Shinkaruk, who works in major case management at the RCMP's
Vancouver headquarters.

"Meth is something we take very seriously," he said.

Renaud is facing trial on other drug charges that resulted from a
police crackdown last summer on the East End chapter of the Hells
Angels, which led to the arrest of 18 people, including six Hells Angels.

In the most recent charges, Renaud is accused of two counts of
conspiracy to produce and traffic methamphetamine, one count of
trafficking methamphetamine and two counts of committing an offence in
association with a criminal organization, allegedly the Hells Angels.

B.C. members of the Hells Angels have repeatedly said they are not a
criminal organization, but a club of motorcycle enthusiasts.