Indictment — United States v. Abelyan (Dkt. 12, C.D. Cal.)

Summary

An indictment returned by the January 2023 Grand Jury in United States of America v. Artur Abelyan, CR No. 2:23-cr-00585-MCS, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, filed 11/30/2023. It charges Abelyan with engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license under 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(1)(A), possession of unregistered firearms under 26 U.S.C. § 5861(d), and distribution of methamphetamine under 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B)(viii), with criminal forfeiture allegations. Count One charges that from no later than about July 1, 2021 to about August 17, 2021 in Los Angeles County the defendant willfully engaged in the business of dealing in firearms, and lists the sales by date. The indictment lists the U.S. Attorney's Office attorneys who filed it.

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Record facts

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Case 2:23-cr-00585-MCS Document 12 Filed 11/30/23 Page 1 of 9 Page ID #:52



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                                                                   11/30/2023
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 8                          UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

 9                    FOR THE CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

10                             January 2023 Grand Jury

11   UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,               CR No.
                                                     2:23-cr-00585-MCS
12             Plaintiff,                    I N D I C T M E N T

13             v.                            [18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(1)(A):
                                             Engaging in the Business of
14   ARTUR ABELYAN,                          Dealing in Firearms Without a
                                             License; 26 U.S.C. § 5861(d):
15             Defendant.                    Possession of Unregistered
                                             Firearms; 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1),
16                                           (b)(1)(B)(viii): Distribution of
                                             Methamphetamine; 18 U.S.C.
17                                           § 924(d)(1), 28 U.S.C. § 2461(c),
                                             and 21 U.S.C. § 853: Criminal
18                                           Forfeiture]
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21        The Grand Jury charges:
22                                     COUNT ONE
23                           [18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(1)(A)]
24        Beginning on an unknown date, but no later than on or about
25   July 1, 2021, and continuing to on or about August 17, 2021, in Los
26   Angeles County, within the Central District of California, defendant
27   ARTUR ABELYAN, not being a licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer
28   of firearms, willfully engaged in the business of dealing in

     Case 2:23-cr-00585-MCS Document 12 Filed 11/30/23 Page 2 of 9 Page ID #:53



 1   firearms, specifically, the sales of the following firearms, on or

 2   about the following dates:

 3     DATE                FIREARM(S)
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       July 1, 2021        (1) a privately manufactured AR-15-style, 9mm
 5                         caliber, semi-automatic handgun, bearing no
                           serial number (commonly referred to as a “ghost
 6                         gun”); and
                           (2) a privately manufactured Glock-style, 9mm
 7                         caliber, semi-automatic ghost gun handgun,
                           bearing no serial number
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       July 7, 2021        A Ruger Mini 14, .223 caliber, rifle, bearing
 9                         Serial Number 183-21766
10     July 21, 2021       A privately manufactured AR-15-style, .350
                           Legend caliber, semi-automatic ghost gun rifle,
11                         bearing no serial number
12     July 27, 2021       (1) a privately manufactured AR-15-style, .223
                           caliber, semi-automatic ghost gun rifle with a
13                         barrel length of approximately 9 inches,
                           bearing no serial number;
14                         (2) a privately manufactured AR-15-style, .556
                           caliber, semi-automatic ghost gun rifle with a
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                           barrel length of approximately 7.5 inches,
16                         bearing no serial number; and
                           (3) a privately manufactured Glock-style, 9mm
17                         caliber, semi-automatic ghost gun handgun,
                           bearing no serial number
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       August 4, 2021      (1) a Norinco SKS, 762 caliber, semi-automatic
19                         rifle, bearing serial number 43914;
                           (2) a privately manufactured AR-15-style, .223
20                         caliber, ghost gun rifle with a barrel length
                           of approximately 9.25 inches, bearing no serial
21                         number; and
22                         (3) a privately manufactured, Glock-style, 9mm
                           caliber, ghost gun handgun, bearing no serial
23                         number
       August 17, 2021     (1) a privately manufactured, 9mm caliber,
24                         semi-automatic ghost gun handgun, bearing no
                           serial number; and
25                         (2) a privately manufactured, 9mm caliber,
26                         semi-automatic ghost gun handgun, bearing no
                           serial number
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     Case 2:23-cr-00585-MCS Document 12 Filed 11/30/23 Page 3 of 9 Page ID #:54



 1                                     COUNT TWO

 2                              [26 U.S.C. § 5861(d)]

 3        On or about July 27, 2021, in Los Angeles County, within the

 4   Central District of California, defendant ARTUR ABELYAN knowingly

 5   possessed a firearm, namely, a privately manufactured AR-15-style,

 6   .223 caliber, semi-automatic ghost gun rifle with a barrel length of

 7   approximately 9 inches, bearing no serial number, which defendant

 8   ABELYAN knew to be a firearm and short-barrel rifle, as defined in

 9   Title 26, United States Code, Section 5845(a)(3), and which had not

10   been registered to defendant ABELYAN in the National Firearms

11   Registration and Transfer Record, as required by Title 26, United

12   States Code, Chapter 53.

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     Case 2:23-cr-00585-MCS Document 12 Filed 11/30/23 Page 4 of 9 Page ID #:55



 1                                    COUNT THREE

 2                              [26 U.S.C. § 5861(d)]

 3        On or about July 27, 2021, in Los Angeles County, within the

 4   Central District of California, defendant ARTUR ABELYAN knowingly

 5   possessed a firearm, namely, a privately manufactured AR-15-style,

 6   .556 caliber, semi-automatic ghost gun rifle with a barrel length of

 7   approximately 7.5 inches, bearing no serial number, which defendant

 8   ABELYAN knew to be a firearm and short-barrel rifle, as defined in

 9   Title 26, United States Code, Section 5845(a)(3), and which had not

10   been registered to defendant ABELYAN in the National Firearms

11   Registration and Transfer Record, as required by Title 26, United

12   States Code, Chapter 53.

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     Case 2:23-cr-00585-MCS Document 12 Filed 11/30/23 Page 5 of 9 Page ID #:56



 1                                    COUNT FOUR

 2                              [26 U.S.C. § 5861(d)]

 3        On or about August 4, 2021, in Los Angeles County, within the

 4   Central District of California, defendant ARTUR ABELYAN knowingly

 5   possessed a firearm, namely, a privately manufactured AR-15-style,

 6   .223 caliber, ghost gun rifle with a barrel length of approximately

 7   9.25 inches, bearing no serial number, which defendant ABELYAN knew

 8   to be a firearm and short-barrel rifle, as defined in Title 26,

 9   United States Code, Section 5845(a)(3), and which had not been

10   registered to defendant ABELYAN in the National Firearms Registration

11   and Transfer Record, as required by Title 26, United States Code,

12   Chapter 53.

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     Case 2:23-cr-00585-MCS Document 12 Filed 11/30/23 Page 6 of 9 Page ID #:57



 1                                    COUNT FIVE

 2                  [21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B)(viii)]

 3        On or about August 17, 2021, in Los Angeles County, within the

 4   Central District of California, defendant ARTUR ABELYAN knowingly and

 5   intentionally distributed at least five grams, that is, approximately

 6   26 grams, of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.

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     Case 2:23-cr-00585-MCS Document 12 Filed 11/30/23 Page 7 of 9 Page ID #:58



 1                            FORFEITURE ALLEGATION ONE

 2                 [18 U.S.C. § 924(d)(1) and 28 U.S.C. § 2461(c)]

 3        1.   Pursuant to Rule 32.2 of the Federal Rules of Criminal

 4   Procedure, notice is hereby given that the United States of America

 5   will seek forfeiture as part of any sentence, pursuant to Title 18,

 6   United States Code, Section 924(d)(1) and Title 28, United States

 7   Code, Section 2461(c), in the event of defendant’s conviction of the

 8   offenses set forth in any of Counts One through Four of this

 9   Indictment.

10        2.   The defendant, if so convicted, shall forfeit to the United

11   States of America the following:

12             (a)    All right, title, and interest in any firearm involved

13   in or used in any such offense.

14             (b)    To the extent such property is not available for

15   forfeiture, a sum of money equal to the total value of the property

16   described in subparagraph (a).

17        3.   Pursuant to Title 21, United States Code, Section 853(p),

18   as incorporated by Title 28, United States Code, Section 2461(c), the

19   defendant, if so convicted, shall forfeit substitute property, up to

20   the value of the property described in the preceding paragraph if, as

21   the result of any act or omission of the defendant, the property

22   described in the preceding paragraph or any portion thereof

23   (a) cannot be located upon the exercise of due diligence; (b) has

24   been transferred, sold to, or deposited with a third party; (c) has

25   been placed beyond the jurisdiction of the court; (d) has been

26   substantially diminished in value; or (e) has been commingled with

27   other property that cannot be divided without difficulty.

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     Case 2:23-cr-00585-MCS Document 12 Filed 11/30/23 Page 8 of 9 Page ID #:59



 1                            FORFEITURE ALLEGATION TWO

 2                                [21 U.S.C. § 853]

 3        1.   Pursuant to Rule 32.2(a) of the Federal Rules of Criminal

 4   Procedure, notice is hereby given that the United States of America

 5   will seek forfeiture as part of any sentence, pursuant to Title 21,

 6   United States Code, Section 853, in the event of the defendant’s

 7   conviction of the offense set forth in Count Five of this Indictment.

 8        2.   The defendant, if so convicted, shall forfeit to the United

 9   States of America the following:

10             (a)   All right, title and interest in any and all property,

11   real or personal, constituting or derived from, any proceeds which

12   the defendant obtained, directly or indirectly, from such offense;

13             (b)   All right, title and interest in any and all property,

14   real or personal, used, or intended to be used, in any manner or

15   part, to commit, or to facilitate the commission of such offense;

16             (c)   All right, title, and interest in any firearm or

17   ammunition involved in or used in such offense; and

18             (d)   To the extent such property is not available for

19   forfeiture, a sum of money equal to the total value of the property

20   described in subparagraphs (a), (b), and (c).

21        3.   Pursuant to Title 21, United States Code, Section 853(p),

22   and as incorporated by Title 28, United States Code, Section 2461(c),

23   the defendant, if so convicted, shall forfeit substitute property if,

24   by any act or omission of the defendant, the property described in

25   the preceding paragraph, or any portion thereof: (a) cannot be

26   located upon the exercise of due diligence; (b) has been transferred,

27   sold to, or deposited with a third party; (c) has been placed beyond

28   the jurisdiction of the court; (d) has been substantially diminished

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     Case 2:23-cr-00585-MCS Document 12 Filed 11/30/23 Page 9 of 9 Page ID #:60



 1   in value; or (e) has been commingled with other property that cannot

 2   be divided without difficulty.

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 4                                              A TRUE BILL
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 6                                                 /s/
                                                Foreperson
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 8   E. MARTIN ESTRADA
     United States Attorney
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     MACK E. JENKINS
10   Assistant United States Attorney
     Chief, Criminal Division
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13   SCOTT M. GARRINGER
     Assistant United States Attorney
14   Deputy Chief, Criminal Division
15   IAN V. YANNIELLO
     Assistant United States Attorney
16   Deputy Chief, General Crimes
     Section
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     MORGAN J. COHEN
18   Assistant United States Attorney
     Major Frauds Section
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