Trial date set for accused arms trader

Mark R. Madler

A federal judge has set a late August trial date for Glendale

resident Scott Schaffer on charges that he traded handguns with a

gang member in exchange for cocaine.

Attorneys for Schaffer and prosecutors appeared Monday morning

before U.S. District Judge John F. Walter who set the Aug. 30 date

although that may be delayed as the case continues.

“I’m shocked the judge gave that date,” said defense attorney

Roger Rosen. “I don’t know what he has in mind.”

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

at his Glendale home. Efforts are still being made to raise the $1

million bond set to free Schaffer pending trial, Rosen said.

“I’m hoping that will be done by next week,” Rosen added.

If Schaffer does make bond, he was ordered to go to a treatment

facility for his cocaine habit.

A federal grand jury handed down a four-count indictment against

Schaffer on July 28 charging him with selling two handguns to a known

felon, possessing a handgun while selling cocaine, possession with

intent to deliver cocaine, and owning 10 firearms at a time when he

was regularly using cocaine.

Schaffer’s case had originally been assigned to another judge but

was transferred to Walter because he is the judge hearing the case of

the Vineland Boyz street gang members indicted in June on charges of

racketeering, possession with intent to deliver cocaine and

methamphetamine, murder and attempted murder.

Having Schaffer’s case before Walter was done for better case

management and expediency, said U.S. Attorney spokesman Thom Mrozek.

“The notion has been that if a judge is facing one case and there

is a second, similar case, it should go to him so a second judge

doesn’t have to get up to speed,” Mrozek said.

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 filed by David Torres, a Los Angeles Police officer

assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Southern California

Drug Task Force in order 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 Schaffer’s companion, 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 -- registered to Schaffer -- and 900 rounds of

ammunition in the garage of her Lima Street home, police said.

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

Superior Court on Aug. 25.

* MARK MADLER covers City Hall and the courts in Burbank. He may

be reached at (818) 637-3242 or by e-mail at mark.madlerlatimes.com.