Press Release
☷San Fernando Valley Man Indicted on Federal Charges Alleging He Sold Pound Quantities of Meth and Dozens of Ghost Guns
Federal Bureau of Investigation ( By Press Release office)
Apr 28,2022
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San Fernando Valley Man Indicted on Federal Charges Alleging He Sold Pound Quantities of Meth and Dozens of ‘Ghost Guns’ LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury today charged a San Fernando Valley man with selling a total of nearly 16 pounds of methamphetamine and 89 firearms , including dozens of “ghost guns , ” or firearms that lack serial numbers . Julio Ernesto Lopez - Menendez , 26 , a . k . a . “Iroe , ” of Reseda , was charged in a 13 - count indictment with four counts of distribution of methamphetamine , one count of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license , four counts of possession of unregistered firearms , and four counts of possession of firearms not identified by serial numbers . Lopez - Menendez’s arraignment is scheduled for May 5 in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles . He has been in federal custody since his April 14 arrest on a criminal complaint in this case . The indictment returned today details a series of alleged transactions involving Lopez - Menendez from January 6 to April 7 , 2022 . These transactions typically involved large numbers of firearms and , sometimes , pound quantities of methamphetamine . Some firearms sold were so - called “ghost guns , ” named because of their lack of a serial number . Ghost guns are often assembled from parts purchased separately or in a kit . Because the separate parts do not bear serial numbers , the assembled ghost guns do not bear serial numbers , and they cannot be registered or traced . In one deal on January 20 , Lopez - Menendez allegedly sold the buyer – who was an undercover operative – a dozen firearms , including 10 semi - automatic “ghost gun” pistols . In a February 10 transaction , Lopez - Menendez allegedly sold the buyer nearly one pound of methamphetamine and 14 firearms , including nine semi - automatic ghost gun pistols , for $15 , 000 . During the final two drug deals alleged in the indictment , Lopez - Menendez sold the buyer approximately 4 . 2 kilograms ( 9 . 2 pounds ) and 2 . 2 kilograms ( 4 . 8 pounds ) of methamphetamine on March 8 and March 23 , respectively . In total , Lopez - Menendez sold approximately 7 . 25 kilograms ( 15 . 98 pounds ) of methamphetamine and 89 firearms – including 53 ghost guns , the indictment alleges . Lopez - Menendez does not have a federal firearms license and does not have any firearms registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record , the central registry for all items regulated under the National Firearms Act , according to court documents . An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime . Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt . If convicted , Lopez - Menendez would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment for the for each distribution of methamphetamine charge . He would face statutory maximum sentences of five years in federal prison for the unlicensed firearms business charge , 10 years in federal prison for each possession of an unregistered firearm count , and 10 years in federal prison for each count of possession of a firearm without a serial number . The FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Los Angeles Police Department investigated this matter . Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chou of the Violent and Organized Crimes Section is prosecuted this case .
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