8 of 11 Plead Guilty in Firearms Trafficking Bust

Eight of 11 federal defendants arrested this past summer in connection with a year-long investigation targeting firearm traffickers who made deals on a sail boat in Marina del Rey and at various locations in the San Fernando Valley have pleaded guilty, a federal prosecutor said Wednesday.

The majority have pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and likely will spend time in a federal prison, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff P. Mitchell. The length of their sentence will be based on a pre-sentencing report that takes into account past offenses and the number of weapons in their possession.

Another defendant, Claire P. Haviland, 49, of Chatsworth, has been charged by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office on state firearms and narcotics violations. Haviland is being held without bail and her next court date is Oct. 19.

A sail boat in Marina del Rey was seized and nine people arrested June 29 as part of Operation Woodchuck, an investigation conducted by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Undercover agents worked on the year-long case and bought 53 firearms (including machine guns), thousands of rounds of ammunition, grenades and silencers. The ring operated by having some members break into homes to steal weapons and ammunition, which were then resold, while others built the machine guns for sale, according to court documents.

"It was a well prepared case that spanned a year of undercover work and included recorded telephone conversations and meetings," Mitchell said of the ATF's undercover operation.

Here's a status report on the following federal defendants:

• Anthony Craig Zito, 52, of Los Angeles. Zito was arrested and charged as David Abbott. Zito never liked his name and changed it to Zito years ago, Mitchell said. He pleaded guilty July 29 to a charge of transferring a machine gun to another person and is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 7. He is free on bond.

• Arthur Chorny, 41, of Studio City. Chorny had a sail boat registered under his name in Marina del Rey where an undercover agent and informant on July 29, 2010 were allegedly sold a U.S. military model M-1 carbine; a .30 caliber rifle; a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun; an Intratec Tec-22 pistol; several .22 caliber pistols, other guns and 327 rounds of ammunition for $7,000, according to court documents. Chorny pleaded guilty Sept. 19 to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 30, 2012.

• Drew D. Darchuck, 42, of Northridge. Darchuck allegedly received a Sten 9 mm caliber machine gun with no serial number aboard Chorny's boat on July 15, 2010, and allegedly sold it to an undercover agent the same day aboard the boat for $1,500, according to court documents. Darchuck pleaded guilty Sept. 19 to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 30, 2012.

• Anthony R. Campos, 37, of Canoga Park. Campos was only tangentially related to the ring and was charged separately. He pleaded guilty on Aug. 12 to being a felon in possession of a firearm. No information was immediately available on his sentencing date.

• Mitchell D. Knox, 22, of Studio City. Knox was a fugitive for a day until his arrest June 30 at a remote hideout in the Tehachapi foothills near Edwards Air Force Base. Knox pleaded guilty Sept. 22 to being in possession of two silencers.

• Elijah Brown, 38, of Los Angeles. Brown also was a fugitive, but he was apprehended and has pleaded guilty to a federal weapons charge.

• Mehran Zamany, 46, of Woodland Hills. Zamany has agreed to a plea deal and is scheduled to plead guilty on Oct. 31.

• Guy F. Smith, 49, of Los Angeles. A plea agreement has been reached, but no date has been set yet for Smith to change his plea to guilty.

• Guillermo R. Navarette, 35, of Northridge. Navarette, known as "Westside Mike," was charged with distributing 82 grams of methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a Sterling 9mm pistol, an AMT .380 caliber pistol, a Ruger P345 .45 caliber pistol and other guns, according to court documents. Navarette remains in state custody and federal officials are attempting to have him remitted to federal custody.

• Manuel Santos, 41, of Canoga Park. Santos pleaded not guilty June 29 to federal weapons charges. He is scheduled for a Nov. 22 jury trial. A telephone call to his attorney Wednesday was not immediately returned.

• Hector Valles, 46, of Northridge. Valles remains a fugitive.

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