Beverly Hills : Gallery Owner Convicted

The owner of a Beverly Hills art gallery and two associates have been convicted of possessing cocaine and conspiring to possess with intent to distribute more than 10 pounds of the drug, federal authorities said this week.

Abram (George) Meliksetian, 59, the owner of the St. Petersburg Art Gallery on Brighton Way, was convicted May 10, according to Assistant U.S. Atty. Karin J. Immergut. Also convicted of the same federal charges were Andranik (Andy) Sagoyan, 28, and Manouk (Mike) Mkhsian, 32, Immergut said. All three face a minimum of five years in federal prison, and will be sentenced July 8, she said.

All three men had pleaded not guilty to the charges and are free on bond pending their sentencing. Authorities had seized the contents of the gallery, saying the shop was used in a drug transaction.