Authorities announced Tuesday that they discovered nearly 900 firearms hidden in secret panels, under floors and behind walls in an upscale home in the foothills of Upland.
A team of federal, state and local police raided the house Friday as part of an investigation into a man accused of wounding his wife and a Glendora police officer during shooting incidents in February and last month.
Inside the home, authorities found assault weapons, submachine guns, automatic rifles, explosive devices and other weapons, said Shirley Lesslak, a Department of Justice special agent supervisor.
A wine cellar had been converted into a makeshift weapons storage area and shooting range, Lesslak said.
Authorities arrested the homeowner, Robert Ferro, 61, a retired Army Special Forces officer, accusing him of running a huge black-market gun business out of the home at the end of cul-de-sac.
The San Bernardino County district attorney filed eight felony counts against Ferro on Monday, including possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a destructive device, possession of a silencer and possession of a deadly weapon.
In the early 1990s, Ferro made headlines after he was accused of running a paramilitary camp on a Pomona chicken ranch that was dedicated to the overthrow of Cuban leader Fidel Castro. At the ranch, authorities found 5 pounds of C-4, a putty-like explosive. He was convicted of possession of illegal explosives in 1992 and sentenced to two years in prison.
Detectives said they were stunned when they entered Ferro's house and came across the wide array of guns.
"We went there looking for two guns," said Det. Joe Rodriguez of the Glendora Police Department. "We didn't expect to find more than 800. It was quite out of anyone's grasp. We are still trying to comprehend it."
Rodriguez said he and his colleagues uncovered weapons wherever they looked -- behind framed paintings, thermometers and mirrors, inside hollowed-out walls of closets and under the staircase.
Detectives gave two taps to a bookcase and it opened up to reveal more weapons, Rodriguez said.
They said they found some of the most powerful firearms -- Uzis and AK-47s -- in the master bathroom and bedroom, behind clothing and plywood.
"The majority of the guns had fully loaded magazines," Rodriguez said, adding that the makeshift shooting range in the basement appeared to have been used recently.
