1st Jail Term Given Under New Gun Law

An alleged street gang member has been sent to jail in the first prosecution under a new Los Angeles ordinance banning the sale or possession of assault rifles, City Atty. James K. Hahn announced.

Carlton (Scoobie) Diggs, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, was sentenced to three months in jail after he pleaded no contest to a charge of having a military-style M-1 carbine.

Diggs, who was arrested last Wednesday and entered his plea on Friday, was ordered by Los Angeles Municipal Court Commissioner David Stephens to begin serving his jail term immediately.

The assault rifle ordinance was enacted by the City Coucil earlier this year. The section prohibiting sales went into effect Feb. 8, and the portion banning possession on March 1.

Deputy City Atty. Peter Shutan said police found the M-1 and three loaded 30-round clips in the bed of Diggs’ pickup truck after he was arrested as a suspect in a Fairfax District street robbery.