LOS ANGELES, CA – Arthur Muradyan, 33, of North Hollywood, is headed to federal prison for a decade after admitting to running an illegal gun and drug operation out of the San Fernando Valley. Muradyan was sentenced Thursday to 120 months for acting as an unlicensed firearms dealer and distributing nearly a pound of methamphetamine.
Federal investigators say Muradyan peddled 16 rifles and handguns, many stripped of serial numbers—the so-called “ghost guns” increasingly turning up at crime scenes—along with accessories, over a mere seven weeks in August and September of 2021. He wasn’t just selling legal firearms; the ATF uncovered sales of machine guns, semi-automatic weapons with high-capacity magazines, and unregistered, unserialized short-barreled rifles.
The scope of Muradyan’s criminal activity extended beyond firearms. On September 8, 2021, he sold 423.7 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant. The same day, he also unloaded a semi-automatic 9mm handgun and a “Glock switch,” a device that converts a pistol into a fully automatic weapon. It was a one-stop shop for illegal firepower and narcotics.
The final straw came on September 29, 2021. Muradyan attempted to sell an unserialized, short-barreled AR-15-type rifle with a 3D-printed machinegun conversion device, another AR-15 with an obliterated serial number, and two 9mm pistols – one with no serial number at all. A subsequent search of his North Hollywood residence revealed a cache of another 23 firearms, magazines, ammunition, and component parts. The bust also revealed that Muradyan was illegally possessing these weapons due to prior felony burglary convictions.
The investigation was spearheaded by the Los Angeles Firearms Trafficking Strike Force, a joint effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. The Los Angeles Police Department provided crucial support. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg E. Marmaro of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section handled the prosecution.
This case is another example of the ATF’s ongoing efforts to stem the flow of illegal firearms—especially untraceable “ghost guns”—onto the streets of Los Angeles and beyond. The ten-year sentence sends a clear message: dealing in illegal weapons and narcotics carries significant consequences.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Weapons|Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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