When investigators searched Clay Rojas' home, they discovered a sign that said "Support your Local Hells Angels."
That's precisely what investigators say the Santa Clara police officer was doing.
Rojas, a 36-year-old former Marine sergeant who served in Iraq and former San Jose police officer, faces three years in prison if convicted. He is accused of feeding a biker with "three strikes" confidential information, including DMV and criminal records.
William "Billy" Bettencourt, a member of the motorcycle gang with convictions for witness intimidation and other violent crimes, is facing life.
The potentially criminal relationship between the cop and the outlaw biker, outlined in court documents unsealed this week, is a tale told largely in BlackBerry texts. And it continues to be investigated to carefully plumb how much information the cop may have leaked -- and exactly how the biker and his gang may have used the information.
In one text message exchange, court records show, Bettencourt asks Rojas to obtain information on someone.
"Want me to check her record?" the cop texted back. "Yes," the biker texted. "Just lookn 4 dirt I guess."
A week later, court records show, the biker is asking for money. "And jeez...$$$$$?????? LOL."
When officers brought in Rojas on Oct. 14, he admitted he had done favors for Bettencourt since Nov. 9, 2009, because he owed the biker money, court records say. He knew Bettencourt was a Hells Angel, but he didn't think he had done anything wrong. He said he had borrowed money other times in the past "a thousand here, a hundred there." Bettencourt never charged him interest.