Police lieutenant to plead to illegal sale of 100-plus guns

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Prosecutors say a former Southern California police lieutenant who also acted as a department spokesman has agreed to plead guilty to illegally selling more than 100 guns.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Friday that former Pasadena Police Lt. Vasken Gourdikian has signed an agreement with prosecutors to plead guilty on Sept. 20 to dealing in firearms without a license and lying during a gun purchase.

Prosecutors say Gourdikian used his job to get around California’s strict gun laws to resell at least 108 guns between 2014 and 2017.

As an officer, they say Gourdikian was able to buy so-called “off-roster” handguns, which aren’t available to the public and aren’t listed in a catalog of certified handguns maintained by the state.

Gourdikian resigned in March after a 22-year career.

His attorney didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment Friday but has previously said the charges were “misguided and truly an abuse of the supposed discretion of the government.”