The investigation was started after a tip was received by the Los Angeles County sheriff’s Palmdale Station about a local man who is a convicted felon being in possession of a large arsenal of firearms, according to a news release by the Sheriff’s Information Bureau.
About 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 14, Palmdale Station detectives along with investigators from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the California Department of Justice served a search warrant in the 34700 block Caprock Road in the unincorporated Agua Dulce area and arrested Manuel Fernandez.
“At the residence, 432 firearms were seized during the service of the warrant,” the news release states.
At a second location linked to Fernandez, this one in the 34900 block of Sweetwater Drive, investigators seized another 30 illegal firearms possessed by a female associate of the suspect, according to the sheriff’s department.
“The female suspect was not home at the time of the warrant service and has not returned to the location,” sheriff’s officials said in the news release. “Detectives are preparing charges for the (Los Angeles County) District Attorney for filing consideration.
Another warrant served Friday, June 15, at Fernandez’s Agua Dulce home “led to the seizure of an additional 91 firearms that were hidden within the home,” according to the news release. Also seized were computers, cellphones and hard drives from the residence believed to be involved in the illicit purchase of firearms by the suspect.
Agents are working to trace where the weapons came from, according to the sheriff’s department, which reported that Fernandez was booked on suspicion of being a felon in possession of firearms, possession of an assault rifle, being a felon in possession of ammunition and possession of large capacity magazines.
The investigation was led by the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station’s Detective Bureau. It included the station’s Summer Crime Enforcement Team, Palmdale Partners Against Crime (Special Problems Unit), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the California Department of Justice.
Fernandez was released from custody on Friday, June 15, after posting bond, according to the sheriff’s department.
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Salt Dog says
So far, almost everyone that has commented on this story does not know the following: Anything about guns, the cartels, guns, guns, or guns….
I cannot definitively discern if there are black powder firearms in these photos; however, even if there were, black powder rifles can kills just as easily has any other gun; reloading is just slower. Regardless, I see a bunch of AK pattern rifles and AR pattern rifles on that back gun rack; not just the uppers in the last photo.
I also see a few M1A rifles (.308), Henry repeaters (could be anything from .22 to 44 mag) and others…..Also, Mosin Nagants are incredibly deadly; I have personally seen them used against my brothers and myself in Fallujah (04) and again in Al Ramadi (06). I have also seen them used in Helmand province, more specifically the Washir district. So you can all make light of this cache all you want, but its evident this man was storing these firearms for transportation across the border, OR WORSE, domestically. Great job on the raid, LASD. Not sure why the judge allowed him to post bail, or set a bail that was attainable.
PS. How much was his bail? How did he pay it?
MGySgt Armstrong, (USMC, Retired)
Dugless D says
One might easily picture an intense cartel shoot-out..and they are all bunkered down packing and priming black powder charge shells in they’re mafia muskets…
David Davis says
He was holding those weapons for the Mexican drug cartels. One man can’t afford to buy all that. The guns were going to be smuggled into Mexico with the help of the Hernandez gang. They were going to be used in a drug war against rivials and law enforcement in Mexico.
Dayario T says
You obviously are the snitch who tipped this off ..and this is your theoretic conclusion as to why you did . .you’re a true American hero …snitch.
D.dubes says
You can picture the cartel members ,in a big shoot-out ..loading black powder charges. Or …cartel members spend they’re free time producing highly detailed civil war reenactments. Hatfield’s and McCoys …cabron
Bill says
Some of the guns pictured were as cheap as three for $150 sometimes (the M44 Mosin Nagants).
Jack Gabriel says
You are a fool who know nothing about collectables. You are the source for FAKE news……and are sadly misinformed.
RF says
Lot of old antiques in that pile.
Anthony says
A lot of parts of incomplete guns too, mostly AR uppers.
Nikolas says
Yeah…. gang-bangers and Mexican Cartel enforcers aren’t using Mosins and Lee-Enfield rifles….
The VAST majority of these guns could be classified as “collectables”, some worth considerable $$$$.
David Davis says
The Cartel purchase various types of machine guns, shotguns and bolt-action rifles. They like buying old, bolt rifes for lower rancking cartel fighter in case the Mexican police ceases the weapons. They have thousands of fighters and it’s cheaper to arm them lower grade weapons. I did my homework.