WHITTIER : 3 Plead Not Guilty to Running Gun Ring
A woman and two men accused of running a black market ring that distributed about 1,700 guns, many of which ended up in the hands of gangbangers, pleaded not guilty Monday to federal charges.
James Larry Simmons, 55, Lynnette Groves, 62, both of Whittier, and Sambeth So, 28, denied the charges contained in a 21-count indictment.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Elgin Edwards in Santa Ana set trial for June 6. The defendants remain free on bail.
Assistant U.S. Atty. Wayne Gross said Simmons used his federal gun-dealing license to buy at least 1,700 guns between October, 1990, and April, 1994, then illegally sold them through contacts at swap meets.
Simmons sold the weapons without filling out the required paperwork to determine if a person is ineligible to possess a firearm, or requiring the buyer to meet the required 15-day waiting period, Gross said.
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