Authorities make arrests in illegal gun and drug sales

SANTA ANA, Calif. (FOX 11/ CNS) - Seven people have been charged and an eighth suspect was arrested in Santa Ana as the result of a nine-month investigation into drug and gun sales in Orange County, federal authorities said.

Anaheim police teamed up with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the FBI in the gun and drug trafficking investigation, and Santa Ana police on Thursday assisted in the execution of arrest warrants and raids on two Santa Ana homes and other locations.

Authorities recovered 13 handguns, 13 rifles, eight shotguns, a hand grenade and about 4.43 pounds of methamphetamine in covert sales to a confidential informant, according to Anaheim Officer Bryan Devor's affidavit in the charges against the defendants.

One of the suspects offered to sell the informant a gun with a 100 round drum for $700, Devor reported. The informant was also offered a one-gram sample of methamphetamine, Devor said.

Seven of the suspects were identified in court papers as Juanita Hernandez, Maricela Hernandez, Jose Castro, Emilio Moure, Maria Baltazar, Kathia Granados and Victor Vasquez. The eighth suspect's name has not been released.