Pasadena Police Lieutenant Vasken Kenneth Gourdikian, 48, of Sierra Madre, is behind bars on federal charges tied to the illegal sale of approximately 100 firearms, including restricted ‘off-roster’ weapons, prosecutors announced today. Gourdikian, currently on administrative leave, self-surrendered to federal authorities this morning following a four-count indictment handed down by a federal grand jury.
The indictment accuses Gourdikian of operating as an unlicensed firearms dealer from March 2014 through February 2017, using his badge to exploit loopholes that allowed him to buy guns off-limits to civilians. As a sworn officer, he bypassed California’s 10-day waiting period and purchased multiple handguns within 30-day windows—privileges he allegedly weaponized to stockpile and resell firearms for profit through third-party transfers.
Gourdikian also faces charges for falsifying federal ATF forms on two separate occasions, certifying he was the actual buyer of firearms when he had already agreed to sell them to others. Authorities say he used his status to acquire weapons unavailable to the public, then flipped them—breaking both state and federal laws meant to control the flow of deadly weapons.
In 2017, ATF agents raided Gourdikian’s Sierra Madre residence, seizing about 62 firearms, including an unregistered short-barreled rifle—a weapon classified as a dangerous device under the National Firearms Act. He is now charged with illegal possession of that weapon, along with trafficking and paperwork fraud counts.
“In these days of escalating gun violence, it is important to enforce our firearms laws vigorously,” said U.S. Attorney Nicola T. Hanna. “Those who sell guns illegally need to be held accountable, especially those who abuse a position of public trust.” Bill McMullan, ATF’s Los Angeles Field Division SAC, called the case a product of routine gun trace analysis—and a betrayal by someone sworn to uphold the law.
Gourdikian is set for arraignment this afternoon in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles. The charges carry a potential 35-year federal prison sentence if he’s convicted on all counts: five years for dealing without a license, ten years for each false statement, and ten years for possessing an unregistered firearm. This case is being handled by ATF and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Chou and Elisa Fernandez. An indictment is not a conviction—every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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