A Burbank man is facing federal charges after allegedly illegally selling firearms — including “ghost guns” — out of his downtown Los Angeles hookah lounge, officials said Friday.
Hovik Dagesian, 39, was arrested Friday and has been charged with one count of possession of an unregistered firearm, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California said in a news release.
According to a criminal complaint, on four occasions between Oct. 30, 2020 and Jan. 8, Dagesian illegally sold 10 firearms, including an AR-15-style short-barreled rifle that did not have a serial number.
He does not have a federal firearms license, nor does he have any firearms registered to him, officials said.
Dagesian also allegedly sold other AR-15-style ghost guns which are made from component parts and do not have serial numbers, as well as a semiautomatic shotgun, a Tec-DC9 pistol and a vintage “Tommy Gun.”
All of the illegal gun sales allegedly took place at his business, DTLA Hookah Lounge, officials said.
Authorities seized more than a dozen firearms from the businesses during a search Friday.
Dagesian is expected to make his initial appearance on Monday in United States District Court. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison if convicted as charged.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Los Angeles Police Department.