Lawyer faces firearms and meth charges

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Southern California attorney was arrested Monday on a grand jury indictment alleging she conspired to sell firearms without a license and distributed methamphetamine, federal prosecutors said.

Melinda Romines, 41, of Anaheim was expected to make an initial appearance later in the day in Los Angeles federal court, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement.

The indictment alleges Romines found firearms available for purchase from black market dealers and then acted as a broker, ultimately buying the firearms and reselling them to customers, sometimes in Los Angeles parking lots.

One sale involved a .40-caliber pistol and a .45-caliber rifle, neither with serial numbers, as well as a silencer, a high-capacity magazine and 20 rounds of ammunition that netted her $2,600, prosecutors said.

In addition to the conspiracy charge, she was accused of one count of possessing an unregistered firearm.

Two meth distribution charges involve alleged sales totaling nearly a quarter pound in 2018.

The indictment also charges a co-defendant, who remained at large, with distributing methamphetamine.

A voicemail seeking comment was left at her Orange County law firm.

Its website describes a boutique law firm with areas of practice including criminal defense, child custody, child support, divorce, civil litigation and business and entertainment law.