Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

STUDIO CITY—On Wednesday, June 29, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives declared that seven defendants were arrested for the trafficking of weapons and narcotics. The defendants were discerned as a result of Operation Woodchuck, a yearlong investigation that was a joint venture of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation-Special Service Unit and the Los Angeles Police Department.

A Studio City native was determined a participant in the illegal activity along with several other defendants who were prosecuted and listed on an indictment returned by a Los Angeles federal grand jury. An indictment encloses contentions that crime(s) have been committed by the defendant(s). Crimes committed consist of conspiracy, transfer of an unregistered machine gun, possession of an unregistered machine gun and distribution of methamphetamine.  

The purchase of stolen weaponry by an ATF undercover agent assisted in exposing the defendants as well as the illegal distribution that was taking place throughout the San Fernando Valley. According to the ATF webpage, Senior Special Agent of CDCR-SSU, Daniel Evanilla, stated, “CDCR, ATF and LAPD worked collaboratively on this case to recover weapons from criminals who obtained them and distributed them illegally.” As a result, the ATF appointed their agents to remove the weaponry from Los Angeles’ streets.

If convicted, these suspects would face anything from five years to life.

-