Two Arrested with Loaded Ghost Gun, One for Illegal Drug Sales

On Jan. 31 just before 3:30 a.m., officers on patrol observed a vehicle parked to the front of a motel on the 1700 block of Victory Boulevard with one male in the driver seat and another male leaning into the car through the open passenger side door reaching for something.

The male who had been seen leaning into the vehicle went into a motel room at the location while officers contacted the male in the driver seat, identified as 28-year-old Alexander Radev of Burbank. While speaking with Radev, officers discovered he was currently on probation for a narcotics violation. A search of Radev’s vehicle produced a loaded handgun or “ghost gun” with no serial number on the front passenger floorboard and a false Pringles container with a hidden compartment containing multiple bags of heroin.

After finding the loaded firearm on the floorboard directly in the area of where the other subject had been leaning into, officers went to the motel room he had entered and contacted the male, identified as 26-year-old Justin Garcia of Burbank. After further investigation, Garcia was arrested and booked for possession of a loaded firearm in public. Radev was arrested and booked for multiple charges including being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance for sale. 

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Male Arrested for Illegal Drug Sales

On Jan. 30 at approximately 11 a.m., officers responded to a hotel on the 100 block of West Glenoaks Boulevard regarding a report of a disturbance coming from a room at the location.

Officers went to the room in question and contacted the sole occupant, 40-year-old Vegen Hartoonian of Glendale. While speaking with Hartoonian, officers learned that he was currently on parole for burglary. Officers conducted a search of the hotel room and located multiple plastic bags containing methamphetamine, counterfeit $100 bills and what resembled an arrow key, which is used by postal workers to open community mailboxes.

Hartoonian was arrested and booked for possession of a controlled substance for sale and for violating the terms of his parole.

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Traffic Stop Leads to Arrest of Felon with a Firearm

On Jan. 28 at approximately 4:30 p.m., officers assigned to the Glendale Police Dept. Special Enforcement Detail (SED) conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle with a false registration tab on its license plate in the area of Central Avenue and Windsor Road. 

The officers contacted the driver, 40-year-old Lino Garcia of Los Angeles, regarding the violation. While speaking with Garcia, officers learned that he was currently on Post Community Release Supervision (PRCS) for carjacking.

Officers searched Garcia and located in his pockets a hypodermic needle along with methamphetamine. A search of the vehicle produced a loaded firearm under the driver’s seat and a methamphetamine pipe. Garcia was subsequently arrested and booked for being a convicted felon with a firearm, possessing a controlled substance while possessing a firearm, possessing ammunition while prohibited and for violating the terms of his PRCS. 

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Four Arrested for Catalytic Converter Theft

On Jan. 22 at approximately 2 a.m., officers responded to the 3100 block of Kirkham Drive regarding males tampering with a parked vehicle using a loud tool. While officers were responding to the location, the males entered their vehicle and left the location.

Upon arrival, an officer located the victim’s vehicle and confirmed that its catalytic converter had been removed. Another responding officer located a vehicle matching the description of the suspect’s vehicle driving in the immediate area. A traffic stop was initiated and officers contacted the driver, 36-year-old Eric Chavez of Los Angeles, along with three passengers, 27-year-old Manuel Rodriguez, 31-year-old Saul Tamayo and 25-year-old Eduardo Barrios, all from Los Angeles.

While contacting the males, officers observed a hydraulic car jack, two cordless reciprocating saws and a cut-off catalytic converter inside of the vehicle. A search of the vehicle produced two cut-off catalytic converters, a methamphetamine pipe, cocaine, wire cutters and other tools.

All four males were arrested and booked for grand theft. Chavez, Tamayo, and Barrios were also arrested for possessing illegal drugs and illegal drug paraphernalia. If you hear the loud cutting of metal coming from near a vehicle and suspect that a catalytic converter theft could be in progress; please call the Glendale Police Dept. at (818) 548-4911 and officers will quickly be dispatched to the area to investigate.

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Two Arrested for Illegal Drug Sales – Third Arrested with Outstanding Felony Warrant

On Wednesday, Jan. 20, at approximately 8:30 p.m., officers assigned to the Glendale Police Dept.’s Special Enforcement Detail (SED) contacted three subjects near a vehicle parked in a business parking lot near the intersection of Broadway and Eagledale Avenue.

During the initial contact, one of the subjects, identified as 61-year-old Raymond Birr of Glendale, was discovered to have two warrants out for his arrest and another subject in the group, identified as 50-year-old Michelle Karasick of Los Angeles, was found to be on probation for drug sales.

While speaking with Karasick, officers observed Birr discard an item in the parking lot. The item was retrieved and discovered to be a satchel containing just over 35 individually packaged balloons containing heroin along with a bindle of heroin.

A search of the involved vehicle produced multiple methamphetamine pipes, several hundred dollars in cash and a digital scale. Officers requested a female officer to search Karasick for further contraband and, while waiting for the officer’s arrival, observed Karasick discard a plastic bag in the parking lot. Officers retrieved the bag and noticed it contained just under two ounces of methamphetamine.

Birr was arrested and booked for possessing narcotics for sale and his outstanding warrants. Karasick was arrested and booked for possessing narcotics for sale and for violating the terms of her probation. The third subject involved, 45-year-old Eric Estrada of Los Angeles, was arrested and booked for an outstanding felony warrant.