OK, I have been researching for over a month now, and while I cannot share all I have with you, I can tell one new part to the story that was unknown prior to my investigation. Les did not come to California from Florida after selling his T-shirt business, he came from Indiana, where he was facing a three year prison sentence for violation of probation on a suspended sentence. So the entire time that he was in California from the end of 2001 until May of 2005, Les was on the lamb from the law.
In May of 2005 Les made his way back to Indiana, where he either turned himself in, or was picked up on something else and was held on his warrant. Les hired one of Muncie's most infamous lawyers at the time for the ability to just make things go away, Mick Alexander, who was also one of the areas most expensive lawyers. Les posted 15K cash bond and was out in a week, only to head back to California where not long after he was raided by the Mendocino County Sheriff's. If Les had not cleared up the warrant from Indiana just days prior to him being raided, he'd have been held and extradited to Indiana, most likely taking weeks to ever be able to be bonded out.
Mick Alexander had a PI who worked for him named Jeff Hinds, who was convicted of paying bribes to witnesses in cases where Alexander was the attorney of record. The FBI arrested both Hinds and Alexander in the sting, but a witness for the government in Alexander's case changed their testimony, and the jury acquitted him on all charges.
Since Les's crime was a violation of probation, his probation officer would have to come testify about the said violation in order to prosecute Les on the violation. The probation officer was subpoenaed at least three times, but for some reason, she never complied with the subpoena, forcing the state to finally drop their case against Les in the beginning of October 2005. I was close friends with Les at that time, and I worked for him as well, but he never told me about the case back in Indiana. I knew he'd fly back home from time to time, but he never even hinted at the warrant or case from Indiana.
To think that the entire time that he was building a small empire, and helping dozens of people like myself, that he also was on the run from the law, only adds to my respect for him. When people look back at the Green Rush like the old Western Movies looked back on the Gold Rush, the name Les Crane will be in the same likes as of Doc Holiday and Billy the Kid, a true outlaw with a heart the size of the moon. A new age Robin Hood of sorts, who was taken too young.