DOZEN INDICTED IN PROBE OF ALLEGED NARCOTICS RING

A federal grand jury has indicted 12 members of an alleged drug ring that
includes an Orange County deputy prosecutor and the president of the
county's Hells Angels chapter.

The indictment charges the defendants with conspiracy to manufacture
methamphetamine, distribute cocaine and Vicodin, and launder the proceeds.

Among those indicted are alleged ringleader John Ward, 28, of Orange, Deputy
District Attorney Bryan Kazarian and Hells Angels chapter president Howard
Coones. All are in custody.

A federal magistrate judge has set $2 million bail for Coones, which
supporters have agreed to post. The judge ordered Coones held while the U.S.
Attorney's Office considers an appeal.

The 22-page indictment accuses Ward of being the mastermind of the ring. His
parents and girlfriend are charged with helping him launder the money
obtained from drug sales.

The indictment said Kazarian "would gather information regarding law
enforcement's knowledge of and efforts to investigate defendant Ward and his
associates, and would provide that information to Ward."

Kazarian, 35, of Aliso Viejo is specifically accused in the indictment of
providing information to Ward about a ring member's case that had been
assigned to him for state prosecution.

A task force that included several police departments from Orange County and
Downey, along with federal agents, conducted extensive surveillance and
telephone wiretaps to build the case.

Defense lawyers had anticipated the indictment, which is routine in federal
cases and avoids prosecutors from having to put on evidence at a hearing
that is scheduled Monday in federal court in Los Angeles.

All of the defendants are to appear at a hearing June 28.