Grand Jury Uses New U.S. Law to Indict 4 in Drug Sales at Park

A federal grand jury employed a new law for the first time in Los Angeles County to indict four men Friday on charges of selling drugs at or near public playgrounds or parks.

The new law, passed by Congress in November, 1988, outlines penalties for the sale of drugs in or near parks, U.S. Attorney Robert C. Bonner said. It is similar to another federal law that outlines penalties for sale of drugs in or near schoolyards. Penalties for first-time offenders under both laws range from one to 40 years in federal prison, without the possibility of probation or parole, Bonner said.

The four men, all Mexican citizens, will not be sent to prison if convicted, said Susan Bryant-Deason, assistant U.S. attorney. They will be deported to Mexico, she said.

“Too many of our parks have become open-air drug bazaars,” Bonner said. “The message of the new law is: Public parks belong to the public, not to dope dealers.”

Named in the indictment were Fernando Cedillo, 21; Gabriel Serna, 20; Oscar Rizo, 19, and Sergio Esquivel, 19, authorities said.

The four were arrested on Jan. 25 and charged with selling cocaine to Los Angeles undercover officers in the playground area of Lanark Park in Canoga Park, said David Dotson, assistant Los Angeles police chief.

Seventy-five people were arrested at the park for narcotics violations in 1988, Dotson said. So far this year, 22 narcotics arrests have been made in or near the park, he said.

Dotson and Bonner spoke at a news conference at the park. They were joined by Councilwoman Joy Picus, whose district includes the Canoga Park area.

Picus said she asked police to step up efforts to rid the park of drug dealers after receiving numerous complaints from area residents, one of whom described the park as a “drive-through drug bar.”

“This has been a hot spot in my district for a while,” Picus said.

Wayne McCormick, who lives with his family in an apartment complex next to the park, said he wrote to Picus complaining about drug sales in the area. McCormick, who attended the news conference with his wife, Marty, and 2-year-old daughter, Bethany, said he has been approached on many occasions by drug dealers outside his complex.

Picus said she will ask the City Council on Tuesday to request the Legislature to consider legislation similar to the federal law.

Three of those named in the indictment Friday are being held without bail at the Metropolitan Detention Center downtown, said Bryant-Deason, who will prosecute the case. Bail was set for one of the suspects, who was not identified, at $10,000, Bryant-Deason said.

The four are scheduled to be arraigned in U.S. District Court Feb. 13.