Schaffer to be indicted today

Mark R. Madler

A federal indictment is expected to be handed down today against

Glendale resident Scott Schaffer on weapons charges stemming from an

investigation into a San Fernando Valley street gang.

Schaffer, 51, has been in federal custody since his July 13 arrest

at his home.

He is expected to be arraigned in U.S. District Court in Los

Angeles on Monday.

Schaffer is alleged to have traded handguns for cocaine with

members of the Vineland Boyz street gang.

Shaffer hired noted defense attorney Roger Rosen this week to

represent him.

He has spoken with both Schaffer and government prosecutors to get

himself familiar with the case, Rosen said, but is not ready to

discuss the case.

“Having just been retained I don’t feel I am in a position to

comment on the case at this time,” Rosen said.

Rosen is currently representing music producer Phil Spector on a

charge of murder for the shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson at

Spector’s Alhambra mansion.

Local police and federal investigators were led to Schaffer after

a search in June of the Granada Hills home of a Vineland Boyz member

turned up a gun registered to Schaffer that had not been reported

stolen.

An affidavit from David Torres, a Los Angeles Police officer

assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Southern California

Drug Task Force, filed to obtain a search warrant for Schaffer’s

Glendale home spelled out evidence prosecutors obtained from an

informant who was a Vineland Boyz street gang member.

Schaffer met with gang members in a North Hollywood bar where

weapons and drugs were exchanged, Torres said in the affidavit.

At least one Vineland Boyz member was allowed to use Schaffer’s

personal vehicle or the cabs of one of Schaffer’s companies, Valley

Cab Co., to transport drugs or collect drug-related debts, Torres

said.

Also arrested July 13 was Burbank City Councilwoman Stacey Murphy

on suspicion of cocaine possession and child endangerment.

Murphy, 47, is alleged to have had the cocaine in a bedroom and

three handguns and 900 rounds of ammunition in the garage of her Lima

Street home, police said.

Murphy is free on $100,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in

Burbank Superior Court on Aug. 25.

Burbank Police have increased patrols on Murphy’s street since her

arrest although it was not at her request, department spokesman Sgt.

Jay Jette said.

“Anytime you have a controversial issue you can end up with

someone expressing their opinion in an inappropriate fashion,” Jette

said as the reason for the extra patrols.