Bikers busted in raid

Authorities countywide were working with Newport Beach police Thursday to find men who avoided arrest during Wednesday morning raids in three cities as SWAT teams tried to round up bikers involved in a Newport bar melee last month.

At 5 a.m. Wednesday, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Anaheim and Orange County Sheriff’s Department SWAT teams raided several homes in three cities and arrested 10 men for allegedly taking part in a brawl at Blackie’s By The Sea, a Newport Beach bar, on July 27. Two biker groups were involved: the Hells Angels and the Set Free Soldiers, a Christian biker group, police said.

Newport Beach’s investigation led to raids in four Anaheim homes, two Costa Mesa homes and one home in Rancho Santa Margarita, Newport Beach Sgt. Evan Sailor said. Police said they found weapons inside the Anaheim homes and drugs at the Costa Mesa locations.

Newport-Mesa SWAT teams raided homes in the 2000 block of State Avenue and in the 2500 block of Westminster Avenue and arrested three Hells Angels, Sailor said. All three surrendered without incident, police said.

Almost everyone arrested Wednesday was from the Set Free Soldiers, with police arresting only the three Hells Angels, one of whom was John Phillip Loyd, 41, of Costa Mesa. Loyd was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly hitting a Set Free Soldier in the head with a billiard ball during the July 27 fight, police said. The man suffered a cut to his head but declined medical attention, Sailor said.

The other two men were arrested on drug charges and posted bail later Wednesday, Sailor said. Loyd was in custody in lieu of $1 million bail, Sailor said.

Altogether, seven Set Free Soldiers members were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder and face $1 million bail each for participating in the fight in which two Hells Angels members were stabbed, Sailor said. The men were seriously injured but declined medical attention, officials said. The arrest warrants were served by SWAT teams because these groups have “a propensity for violence,” Sailor said.

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at joseph.serna@latimes.com.