Attorney General Lockyer Announces Arrest in Inland Empire of Supsect in Louisiana Bank Robbery

Local-State Task Force Also Seize Cache of Weapons in Unrelated Case

Thursday, July 24, 2003
Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

(SAN BERNARDINO) – Attorney General Bill Lockyer today announced a local-state task force charged with seizing guns from individuals prohibited from possessing them arrested a suspect in a Louisiana bank robbery, and, in another case, seized two pipe bombs and more than a dozen firearms, including assault weapons and a sub-machine gun, from a man prohibited from owning them because of a domestic-violence related conviction.

Members of the California Armed and Prohibited Program's Inland Empire Task Force (CAPP IETF), on Wednesday arrested Roger Parker Jr., 30. The Louisiana State Police on July 14 enlisted the help of the CAPP IETF in tracking down Parker, a suspect in a Louisiana bank robbery who was believed to be in the San Bernardino area. Members of the CAPP IETF and the Inland Empire Parolee at Large Team developed information that led them to a motel on Mojave Road in Victorville. The San Bernardino Sheriff's Office assisted in the arrest.

Parker was taken into custody without incident and booked into the San Bernardino City Jail on a $1 million arrest warrant. He faces charges out of Louisiana for the bank robbery, as well as charges in San Bernardino County for felony theft and violating parole. The police hunt for Parker had been scheduled to be highlighted on "America's Most Wanted" this week.

In another significant case, the CAPP IETF on Monday seized a cache of weapons from James McGrath, 59, of Corona. McGrath was convicted of a domestic violence-related offense that, under state law, prohibits him from possessing firearms. Agents conducting a probation search at his residence on West 11th Street in Corona seized a sub-machine gun, two assault weapons, six rifles, one shotgun, four handguns, two pipe bombs and a .50-caliber tracer round. The Riverside County Sheriff's Hazardous Device Team assisted in the investigation. A criminal complaint will be filed with the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.

Authorized by legislation carried by Senate Republican Leader Jim Brulte of Rancho Cucamonga, the CAPP program was established by Lockyer in July 2002 to remove firearms from individuals who may have legally purchased them, but failed to relinquish them after they were prohibited from possessing firearms, due to a felony conviction, domestic violence restraining order or a specified mental condition. To date, more than 885 firearms, including 227 assault weapons, have been seized under the program. CAPP IETF is composed of the Attorney General's firearms agents and members of the San Bernardino Police Department and the Riverside County Probation Department.

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