CRIME RACKET ALLEGED POLICE SEEK SIXTH MAN IN KILLING PLOT.Byline: Nicholas Grudin Staff Writer GLENDALE - New details were released Thursday in the arrest of five men who, as part of a suspected organized crime ring, are accused of operating a murder-for-hire ring out of a Glendale business, police said. The crime organization - involved in check, credit card and insurance fraud - attempted to contract for as many as eight killings to ``eliminate'' members of rival crime organizations, officials said. ``They negotiated the method and price for killings ... The apparent motive was to eliminate a member of a rival criminal organization,'' said Glendale Police Chief Randy Adams. Five suspects - two from Glendale, two from Burbank and one from Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. - were arrested March 20 on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder and suspicion of conspiracy to commit a crime, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. complaints filed with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. Police are seeking the public's help in finding a sixth man - Edgar Hatamian, 21, of Glendale - who is wanted on a $2 million warrant on a charge of conspiracy to commit murder, Adams said. Authorities do not believe any slayings were successfully carried out, said Lt. Gary Montecuollo. ``In an effort to thwart the murders, we arrested these suspects,'' Adams said Thursday, pointing to a bulletin board of six mug shots. Suspects Edvard Gyulnazaryan, 40, of Burbank and Gagik Galoyan, 53, of Glendale operated the crime ring out of a business called Atlas Atlas, in Greek mythology Atlas (ăt`ləs), in Greek mythology, a Titan; son of Iapetus and Clymene and the brother of Prometheus. Pick Co., 6226 San Fernando Road San Fernando Road is a major street in the city and county of Los Angeles. It starts off in Castaic as The Old Road, passing through Santa Clarita and the Newhall Pass, where upon its intersection with Sierra Highway near the junction of the Golden State (I-5) and the , which has since changed ownership, Montecuollo said. Among other crimes, some of the suspects are accused of going to the Los Angeles County Men's Central Jail to solicit murders of inmates, Montecuollo said. Montecuollo would not release further details about the operations because the investigation is ongoing, he said. Bail for the suspects ranges from $1 million to $9.5 million. Investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigations Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), division of the U.S. Dept. of Justice charged with investigating all violations of federal laws except those assigned to some other federal agency. , the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department This article is about the Los Angeles County Sherriff's Department, not to be confused with the smaller Los Angeles County Police The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) is a local law enforcement agency that serves Los Angeles County, California. and the National Insurance Crime Bureau "NICB" redirects here. NICB may also refer to the National Industrial Conference Board; see The Conference Board. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) is a North American non-profit membership organization located in Des Plaines, Illinois. cooperated in the investigation, which began in March 2001. Anyone with information about the whereabouts where·a·bouts adv. About where; in, at, or near what location: Whereabouts do you live? n. (used with a sing. or pl. of Hatamian is asked to call the Glendale Police Department at (818) 548-4818. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Glendale police Chief Randy Adam shows photos of Edgar Hatamian, sought on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder. Police are asking for the public's help in finding him. David Sprague/Staff Photographer |
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