A known member of a white supremacist prison gang, the Nazi Low Riders, has been charged in California with conspiring to kill a California Highway Patrol officer while in prison.

Michael David Cottler, 29, was arrested on August 7, 2006, for conspiring with fellow Ironwood State Prison inmate Michael McGee, 30, to kill a CHP officer scheduled to testify against McGee in a criminal case.   

The arrest warrant for Cottler was jointly carried out by San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies, members of the Kings County Gang Task Force, and California state prison investigators after a nearly three-month investigation.    

McGee was charged with eleven felony counts on August 1, 2006, stemming from alleged crimes committed in 2004.   The charges included possession of a loaded firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, and making death threats, along with engaging in gang activity.

Cottler is being held without bail while awaiting extradition to face the charge of conspiracy to commit murder against a peace officer while participating in a street gang. 

The Nazi Low Riders are a large white supremacist gang active in California prisons and on the streets.  The group has a high association with criminal activity ranging from violent hate crimes to illegal drug trafficking.