Local police cracking down on illegal fireworks possession and sales

[aesop_image imgwidth=”500px” img=”https://signal-tribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-30-at-11.38.48-AM-1.png” credit=”Courtesy LBPD” align=”center” lightbox=”on” caption=”Officers from the North Division Directed Enforcement Team responded to a residence in the 1800 block of East 57th Street on June 26 concerning a report of fireworks being sold from the location. Officers obtained and served a search warrant, then confiscated over 5,000 pounds of illegal fireworks worth an approximate street value of $30,000, according to police.” captionposition=”center” revealfx=”off”] By: Cory Bilicko
Managing Editor
Locals planning to venture over to Lakewood to purchase fireworks to bring back to Long Beach or Signal Hill for the upcoming patriotic holiday may want to reconsider.
The Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) is seriously cracking down on the possession, sale and use of fireworks— even those marketed as “safe and sane,” which are legal in Lakewood.
The LBPD and the Signal Hill Police Department in recent weeks have issued numerous press releases warning that fireworks are illegal in both cities and that violators may be cited and/or arrested, as well as face a $1,000 fine and be sentenced to jail for six months, or both. The fines and penalties may increase depending on the classification of the fireworks.
The City of Long Beach has even launched an education and prevention campaign to raise awareness about the issue.
“In response to community concerns, firework enforcement has become a top priority for the City, city council and the police and fire departments,” reads a statement this week from the City of Long Beach, which also hosted a press conference Tuesday to promote the anti-fireworks message.
“Illegal fireworks enforcement is very challenging for law enforcement, as violations cannot be enforced if they are not witnessed by an officer,” reads the statement. “To address the community concerns, new enforcement strategies were implemented, and the LBPD changed its tactics, shifting its focus from not only the users, but to the suppliers.”
This shift has been evident in recent numerous arrests the department has made.
The most recent was Monday night, June 26, when officers from the North Division Directed Enforcement Team responded to a residence in the 1800 block of East 57th Street concerning a report of fireworks being sold from the location. Officers obtained and served a search warrant, then confiscated over 5,000 pounds of illegal fireworks worth an approximate street value of $30,000, according to police.
The items were being sold from a makeshift storefront set up in the garage.
Police said they also confiscated currency and PCP during the investigation.
Officers also found four minors— ages 5, 8, 10 and 17— in the home and turned them over to the Department of Children & Family Services.
Because of the large quantity of high-powered fireworks at the scene, the Long Beach Fire Department (LBFD) responded as well.
Police took three individuals into custody, and, at press time, all were being held at the Long Beach City Jail. Darius Bo, a 24-year-old Long Beach man, was charged with possession of dangerous fireworks. His bail was set at $20,000. Sreypeur Say, a 29-year-old Long Beach woman, was arrested on the same charges, and her bail was also set at $20,000. Armand Moore, a 36-year-old Los Angeles man, was charged with possession and sale of PCP, with a bail amount of $30,000.
According to the LBPD, through their investigations, police have learned that suspects arrested for fireworks violations are oftentimes gang members, and both male suspects arrested in the incident this week were documented gang members.
“The community needs to understand that when they purchase fireworks from unauthorized sources such as this, they are essentially putting money in to the pockets of street gangs and supporting their illicit activities,” said LBPD Chief Robert Luna.
As previously reported in the Signal Tribune, LBPD South Division directed-enforcement officers, with the assistance of West Division patrol officers, conducted an investigation on June 12 into the sale and possession of illegal fireworks, resulting in the confiscation of approximately $2,500 worth of high-powered fireworks and the arrest of three male adults.
Officers had found an online ad regarding illegal fireworks that were available for sale. Through the course of their investigation, officers responded to the 4400 hundred block of Myrtle Avenue, where they made contact with individuals selling fireworks. The fireworks were confiscated, and three adult males were taken into custody. The suspects are identified as: Marco Delgado, 18, of Carson; Christian Chacon, 25, of Long Beach; and Sandro Perez, 33, of Carson.
On June 20, at approximately 2:35pm, officers from the LBPD’s West Division Directed Enforcement Team cited 25-year-old Suzanna Bermudez of Long Beach in the 1100 block of Orange Avenue for possession and sale of fireworks. Police confiscated several packages of fireworks from her.
On June 17, at approximately 8pm, officers arrested 35-year-old Sorvath Ke of Long Beach in the 2600 block of Long Beach Boulevard for ex-felon in possession of a firearm, possession of fireworks and a variety of narcotic-related charges. Officers subsequently responded to Ke’s residence and confiscated a large quantity of additional fireworks, several thousand dollars of cash and a significant quantity of narcotics, police said. They also recovered a stolen handgun and ammunition.
Also on June 17, around 6pm, in the area of Willow Street and Cedar Avenue, officers cited 18-year-old Bryan Vasquez of Long Beach for possession and sale of fireworks.
Police confiscated eight large boxes of fireworks from his vehicle and residence.
On June 16, around 7:35pm, in the area of South Street and Cherry Avenue, officers cited 35-year-old Kevin Jackson of Lakewood for possession and sale of fireworks.
The LBPD said officers confiscated several packages of fireworks from Jackson, and he was ultimately arrested for an outstanding warrant for domestic violence. He was held at the Long Beach City Jail on $50,000 bail but has since posted bond and been released.
On the morning of June 16, in the area of Market Street and Orange Avenue, officers confiscated several packages of fireworks and located a handgun in a vehicle belonging to 33-year-old Rodrigo Velardo of Long Beach. He was arrested and booked into the Long Beach City Jail for carrying a concealed weapon and possession and sale of illegal fireworks.
City officials are not only warning residents about the illegality of buying, selling or using fireworks, they’re also reminding them of its dangers.
This week, the LBFD issued a press release reiterating that, on the 4th of July last year, a 17-year-old lost part of his hand after an incident involving the use of illegal fireworks.
Fire department officials say the multi-faceted approach involving all city departments to address the fireworks-related issues will continue in hopes of preventing more tragic incidents.
“We’ll continue to do our part as public-safety agencies,” said Fire Deputy Chief Richard Brandt, “and it’s not just police and fire, it’s public works, libraries— it’s all our city departments working together to make this a safe city.”