My view is that he was a part of the LSD distribution strategy of the MKUltra folks. He shows up in LA and in Topanga, both of which had military presence in the LSD game(s).

EDIT: Sorry sorry. I wrote "LA and Topanga" here. And if you consider those separate, that's technically accurate. But what I meant was "SF and Topanga". SF had an LSD distribution "storefront" and Charlie was there all the time. Equally, the Air Force Base up in Topanga is all-sorts-of-weird and involved in LSD stuff (including Jim Morrison, etc.) and again, Charlie was there all the time (in Topanga).

Smells fishy.