PROSECUTOR CHARGED WITH DRUG TRAFFICKING

Courts: U.S. Investigators Say His Partners In Crime Included The County's
Highest Ranking Hells Angel.

An Orange County deputy prosecutor was charged in federal court Monday
with serving in a drug-trafficking ring that included the county's top
Hells Angel motorcycle-gang member and nine others.

Bryan Ray Kazarian, 35, of Aliso Viejo, one of more than 200 deputy
prosecutors in the Orange County District Attorney's Office, could
face a sentence of up to 20 years if convicted.

The $1 million-a-week ring included Hells Angels chapter President
Howard Coones, 44, of Garden Grove, and was led by Joh David Ward, 28,
of Orange, federal authorities said.

"This guy can do everything. He's our own in-house counsel." Ward was
heard to say about Kazarian during a wiretapped conversation, federal
officials said.

The ring is accused of bringing materials into Orange County be
chartered jet to make a street form of methamphetamine known as "ice,"
which was shipped in Harley-Davidson motorcycle parts to Hawaii.

"Mr Kazarian has done more to make this community safe than anybody in
this room," defense lawyer Malcolm Guleserian argued in an
unsuccessful attempt to get Kazarian released on bail pending trial.
Kazarian did not enter a plea at the hearing and is scheduled to
appear in court again June 21.

Kazarian also is accused of providing confidential information to the
ring. Investigators planted a bogus search warrant so that Kazarian
would find it. Kazarian then allegedly tipped Ward to the existence of
a confidential informant.

"He was not demonstrating prosecutorial due diligence" as a district
attorney, said Assistant U.S. Attorney James W. Spertus. "He was
gathering intelligence."

U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur Nakazato said: "This is a real tragedy.
Looking at these allegations makes me sick."