Weapons Seizures Los Angeles

A Los Angeles police officer arrested two weeks ago while allegedly trying to buy stolen jewelry pleaded guilty Wednesday in U. S. District Court to separate charges that he illegally possessed a machine gun, machine-pistol and silencer. Michael Alexander Edelstein, an eight-year officer assigned to the West Valley Division, was arrested July 16 after the weapons were found in his Canoga Park home during a search by agents of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, authorities said.

Police seized nearly 200 firearms at a Porter Ranch home and arrested the owner, the culmination of a three-month investigation, police said. Harry Noroian, of Falcon Crest Lane, was arrested after he allegedly bought guns from undercover detectives in the parking lot of a vacant business in the LAPD's Devonshire Division area, said Det. Steve Mulldorfer, supervisor of LAPD's Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Detail.

Some residents of neighborhoods targeted in a police crackdown on gangs last week are seething over Police Chief Willie L. Williams' comparison of their neighborhoods to Beirut and said officers were heavy-handed in their execution of search warrants. "This is an attempt to criminalize our people and suggests to others it's OK to do the same," Cal Burton, who is challenging Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, said Tuesday of Williams' comment. "He owes the people of South-Central an apology.

Two alleged gang members were arrested and an illegal "Street Sweeper" shotgun was seized Thursday in an early morning raid by agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and anti-gang officers from the LAPD. A two-month undercover investigation into suspected arms trafficking by the Project Boys gang culminated in the arrests of Ricardo Reyes, 26, and Ben Reyes, 28. Ricardo Reyes is accused of illegally selling at least seven firearms to undercover operatives since October.

Two men suspected of robbing nine banks in the San Fernando Valley were survivalists who maintained a gun vault in their West Hills house containing 119 firearms and 25,000 rounds of ammunition, authorities said Saturday. One of the robberies they are suspected of committing was the largest in Los Angeles history, Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl F. Gates said.

Two men operating out of a van in Lincoln Park are believed to have sold more than 1,000 handguns to street gang members and others over an eight-month period last year and authorities have linked dozens of the weapons to crimes ranging from homicide to robbery in Los Angeles and Orange counties. The guns, most of them small, easily concealable weapons such as .22-caliber "Saturday night specials," were sold individually and by the case.

Federal agents Friday seized four assault weapons and three World War II-era machine guns belonging to Bayan Lewis, onetime interim chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. Lewis, now head of the county's security force, said all the weapons are legally owned and he invited agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to inspect them after they became involved in a quarrel between him and his estranged wife.

Two Crescenta Valley men who allegedly tried to sell weapons to undercover federal agents and police officers were indicted Tuesday on charges of illegally selling guns and banned weapons such as machine guns. Officials say they seized more than 400 guns from the home of one of the defendants in January. Most of the weapons turned out to be legal, U.S. attorney's office spokesman Thom Mrozek said.

Police recovered a small arsenal of firearms--including seven assault rifles--as part of an investigation into the gang rape of a 13-year-old girl and the fatal shooting of an 82-year-old Watts woman July 26, officials said Thursday. The officers will determine if one of the firearms is the murder weapon.

Two alleged gang members were arrested and an illegal "Street Sweeper" shotgun was seized Thursday in an early morning raid by agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and anti-gang officers from the LAPD. A two-month undercover investigation into suspected arms trafficking by the Project Boys gang culminated in the arrests of Ricardo Reyes, 26, and Ben Reyes, 28. Ricardo Reyes is accused of illegally selling at least seven firearms to undercover operatives since October.

Federal agents Friday seized four assault weapons and three World War II-era machine guns belonging to Bayan Lewis, onetime interim chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. Lewis, now head of the county's security force, said all the weapons are legally owned and he invited agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to inspect them after they became involved in a quarrel between him and his estranged wife.

Two Crescenta Valley men who allegedly tried to sell weapons to undercover federal agents and police officers were indicted Tuesday on charges of illegally selling guns and banned weapons such as machine guns. Officials say they seized more than 400 guns from the home of one of the defendants in January. Most of the weapons turned out to be legal, U.S. attorney's office spokesman Thom Mrozek said.

Two Crescenta Valley-area men were indicted Tuesday on suspicion of illegally possessing 400 guns for sale, including a banned machine gun, authorities said. Arthur S. Kabadaian, 40, of La Crescenta and Larry Lenenberg, 46, of Tujunga were named in a 12-count indictment charging them with conspiracy to deal in firearms without a license, dealing in firearms without a license and transferring a machine gun, said Jerome Friedberg, the assistant U.S. attorney handling the case.

Police recovered a small arsenal of firearms--including seven assault rifles--as part of an investigation into the gang rape of a 13-year-old girl and the fatal shooting of an 82-year-old Watts woman July 26, officials said Thursday. The officers will determine if one of the firearms is the murder weapon.

A man was arrested early Thursday after the seizure in Los Angeles of 16 high-powered machine guns allegedly headed to a narcotics group in Colombia. Arrested was Teofilo Carrillo, 33, on federal charges of possession of weapons with obliterated serial numbers, said John D'Angelo, special agent for the federal Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms agency.

Some residents of neighborhoods targeted in a police crackdown on gangs last week are seething over Police Chief Willie L. Williams' comparison of their neighborhoods to Beirut and said officers were heavy-handed in their execution of search warrants. "This is an attempt to criminalize our people and suggests to others it's OK to do the same," Cal Burton, who is challenging Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, said Tuesday of Williams' comment. "He owes the people of South-Central an apology.

One man was arrested and guns and drugs were seized in a raid in Pacoima on Wednesday, as a crackdown on San Fernando Valley street gangs continued, a Los Angeles Police Department official said. Joe Ray Everett, 21, was arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs for sale after authorities served a search warrant at a house in the 11300 block of Defoe Street, said Cmdr. Rick Dinse, assistant commanding officer of the Los Angeles Police Department's Valley Bureau.

One man was arrested and guns and drugs were seized in a raid in Pacoima on Wednesday, as a crackdown on San Fernando Valley street gangs continued, a Los Angeles Police Department official said. Joe Ray Everett, 21, was arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs for sale after authorities served a search warrant at a house in the 11300 block of Defoe Street, said Cmdr. Rick Dinse, assistant commanding officer of the Los Angeles Police Department's Valley Bureau.

Two men suspected of robbing nine banks in the San Fernando Valley were survivalists who maintained a gun vault in their West Hills house containing 119 firearms and 25,000 rounds of ammunition, authorities said Saturday. One of the robberies they are suspected of committing was the largest in Los Angeles history, Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl F. Gates said.