LAWYER PLEADS GUILTY IN FIREARM PURCHASE
Admitted to aiding in falsifying paperwork in 2016 transaction
A San Diego criminal defense lawyer and local legal commentator whose home was searched by federal agents in October pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to a charge of falsifying paperwork on firearms purchases.
Vikas Bajaj admitted to aiding in falsifying paperwork for four firearms purchases he made in 2016, according to federal court records. He was placed on probation for one year, and will have to give up four guns and some ammunition that were purchased.
The transaction occurred on Oct. 28, 2016, in the offices of former San Diego Sheriff Capt. Marco Garmo at the Rancho San Diego substation. He purchased the guns from Garmo and Giovanni Tilotta, a licensed federal firearms dealer.
Garmo and Tilotta were both indicted in 2019, and Garmo is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to illegally dealing firearms. In the transaction that Bajaj was involved in and pleaded guilty to, records of the purchase were backdated 10 days, according to the indictment, an effort to get around the 10-day waiting period to purchase firearms.
Bajaj agreed to give up the weapons — an AR-15 style rif le, a Glock handgun and a Smith & Wesson handgun — identified in the indictment as purchased that day, as well as a fourth handgun. He also agreed to surrender 10 rounds of ammunition that were also part of the transaction.
A frequent commentator on legal issues on local TV, Bajaj said Thursday the plea “closes the chapter” for him.
“I’m looking forward to continuing to represent the clients that have put their trust in me and need me,” he said.
On Oct. 14, federal agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted a search at Bajaj’s Bay Park home. Neighbors said they left with bags and boxes of materials after about a four-hour search.
Garmo pleaded guilty on Sept. 15 to a charge of selling firearms without a federal license. He was one of five people, including local jeweler Leo Hamel, charged in the case. Garmo was supposed to be sentenced this week but it was postponed to January because of the renewed tighter restrictions on court operations due to COVID-19.