2 Arrested Over Pointing Guns at Drag-Racers

By CARLOS V. LOZANO

April 14, 1989 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

An off-duty U.S. Immigration and Naturalization officer and another man were arrested early Thursday after allegedly posing as police officers and holding guns on a group of youths who had gathered in Chatsworth for a drag-race, police said.

Aaron Wilson, 26, an INS special agent, and Anthony Sabino, 26, a real estate agent, both of Chatsworth, were arrested about 2:30 a.m. in the parking lot of a Carl’s Jr. at Lassen Street and De Soto Avenue, said Los Angeles Police Lt. L. A. Durrer. Both men, who officers said appeared to be intoxicated, were arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and later released on $12,000 bail, Durrer said.

A large group of people had gathered at Canoga Avenue and Lassen Street for a drag-race when the two suspects pulled up in a car, Durrer said. “They both pointed weapons at the persons who were apparently involved in drag-racing,” Durrer said. “The two suspects identified themselves as police officers but did not show any identification.”

Search at Gunpoint

After searching several members of the group at gunpoint, the two men got back in their car and followed some of them to the parking lot at Lassen and De Soto, Durrer said.

There, the pair again drew their guns and began conducting another search when police officers on routine patrol arrested them, Durrer said.

“We have 13 people who say they had weapons pointed at them” and who were physically searched by the men, Durrer said.

Durrer said it had not yet been determined whether the men were legally drunk at the time.

John Brechtel, an assistant district director with the Immigration and Naturalization Service, said INS officers are allowed to carry guns. Brechtel said the internal affairs division of the INS was looking into the matter but would not comment any further.

Police said several victims were driving high-performance cars and were getting ready to race when the incident took place.

“Apparently drag-racing occurs periodically” where the victims were accosted, Durrer said.