Felon’s home yields 500-plus firearms

LOS ANGELES — A search of a felon’s home in Agua Dulce led Los Angeles County sheriff’s investigators to a stash of more than 500 firearms, marking one of the largest seizures from a person forbidden by law from possessing guns.

Investigators raided the home of Manuel Fernandez after getting a tip that he had an arsenal of firearms. After entering the property early Thursday, they found a hundreds of weapons, including rifles, shotguns and handguns, some decades old.

Fernandez, 60, was arrested after the raid, during which investigators found 432 guns. A search the next day uncovered 91 firearms concealed in the house. Investigators also seized electronics used to purchase the weapons.

The investigation led detectives to a woman linked to the firearms purchases. While she was not home, detectives recovered 30 guns from her property, officials said.

“The case is a testament to the community’s involvement in reducing crime and taking guns out of the hands of criminals,” Sheriff Jim McDonnell said, citing it as a positive example of the department’s “see something, say something” campaign.

Fernandez was arrested on suspicion of being a felon in possession of firearms, a felon in possession of ammunition and possession of large-capacity magazines.

His bail was set at $35,000, and he posted the bond on Friday.