Prosecutors to File 16 Counts in MCA Tower Shooting : Crime: Suspected gunman John Brian Jarvis faces more than 20 years in prison if convicted on all charges.

Moving quickly to file a slew of charges carrying heavy prison terms, Los Angeles County prosecutors will file 16 felony assault counts today against John Brian Jarvis, arrested after a shooting spree at MCA World Headquarters in Universal City that left seven women wounded.

The 16 counts will include nine of shooting at an occupied building and seven of assault with a deadly weapon, prosecutors said Wednesday. Jarvis, 58, of Pleasanton is expected to be arraigned on the complaint today in Los Angeles Municipal Court.

Wielding a high-powered rifle, a gunman alternately pumped bullets Tuesday into the 15-story “Black Tower” and swigged from a bottle of liquor before surrendering to police. Los Angeles police identified the gunman as Jarvis, a former MCA employee, and said he was dejected over his inability to find work.

If convicted on all 16 counts, Jarvis faces a sentence of more than 20 years, said Deputy Dist. Atty. David P. Conn, who will prosecute the case. Various legal enhancements--for using a firearm, for injuries to the seven women and for damage to two buildings--could yield the equivalent of a life sentence.

“The man’s 58 years old,” Conn said. “He’s basically looking forward to spending the rest of his life in prison.”

Jarvis remained Wednesday night in the jail at Parker Center on $500,000 bail. Conn said prosecutors would ask a judge today to increase bail to $1 million.

Conn said Wednesday that police reported 36 bullets were fired in Tuesday’s barrage. Shots peppered the MCA building and the Bank of America building next door.

Jarvis was fired by MCA in 1986, had hardly worked since and had “channeled all of his anger” at the company, said Police Lt. Daniel Lang. Lang also said Jarvis told detectives he owed an undisclosed amount of money to Bank of America.

Two women were shot Tuesday and five were cut by flying glass.

The most seriously wounded, Dixie Tung, 41, of North Hollywood, an executive secretary at MCA, was reported in fair condition Wednesday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Tung was shot twice in the upper right arm as she neared a window on the 14th floor of the office tower. The shots shattered her upper right arm bone, and she underwent four hours of surgery late Tuesday, hospital spokesman Ron Wise said. “She seems to be making good progress,” he added.

Anna Kim, 25, of Hacienda Heights was shot once in the upper right arm. She was treated and released Tuesday from Cedars-Sinai.

The five women cut by glass were also treated and released from hospitals.

Prosecutors probably won’t file attempted murder charges against Jarvis because a conviction on that charge requires the government to prove that he intended to kill someone, Conn said. Upon initial review, that proof appears to be lacking, Conn said.

“The facts will show he took aim at the buildings,” Conn said. “They will show that he knew that doing so meant there was danger to human life and that he acted in reckless disregard of that danger.” But under the law, he said, “That does not amount to an intent to kill.”

The case against Jarvis will include allegations that damage to the MCA building totaled more than $150,000. It will also allege that damage to the Bank of America ran more than $50,000, Conn said.