Former Torrance and Pasadena Police Officer to Plead Guilty to Illegal Gun Dealing, DOJ Says

A man who worked as a police officer in Torrance and Pasadena agreed to plead guilty to federal charges related to using his position to obtain, then illegally sell, at least 50 guns, prosecutors announced Tuesday.

Lindley Alan Hupp, 32, of Long Beach, has agreed to plead guilty to a two-count indictment filed Friday in federal court, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The indictment contains two charges: Engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license and making a false statement in a federal firearm licensee’s records during the purchase of a firearm.

He’s accused of “being an unlicensed firearms dealer who sold dozens of guns, as well as certifying he was the actual purchaser of a handgun, when, in fact, he was buying the gun for another person,” DOJ spokesman Thom Mrozek said in a written statement.

“According to the court documents, Hupp sold at least 48 firearms during an 8½-year period while employed by the [Torrance Police Department],” he said. “Hupp sold another two guns in 2011 while serving as an auxiliary police officer with the Pasadena Police Department.”

Hupp abused his position as a police officer to obtain so-called “off-roster” weapons, which are available to police officers but not available to the general public, in order to resell them and turn a profit, prosecutors said.

“Hupp made a business of dealing firearms, in part, by abusing exemptions made available to him under California law as a sworn peace officer,” according to the plea agreement. “Of the 48 firearms [the] defendant sold while employed at the TPD, 36 firearms were ‘off roster’ firearms; that is, firearms that Hupp’s non-law enforcement customers could not have purchased directly from a licensed firearms dealer.”

While the law allows for police officers to sell their “off-roster” handguns on the secondary market when no longer needed, Hupp admitted to repeatedly “repeatedly exploiting the privilege” by purchasing guns and selling them almost immediately afterward.

“Hupp resold nearly half of the 36 off roster guns within 30 days of having initially purchased them,” according to Mrozek.

Hupp has agreed to surrender 42 guns in his possession, officials said. Prosecutors have recommended a prison term of no longer than 18 months, although the recommendation is not binding, Mrozek said. The judge will have discretion to sentence him to up to 15 years in federal prison, once Hupp has formally pleaded guilty.

Hupp was scheduled to appear in federal court in Los Angeles on Dec. 3.

It was not clear Friday exactly when and how Hupp became separated from the Torrance Police Department.

The alleged crimes took place during the same period of time when another Pasadena police officer, former Lt. Vasekn Gourdikian, was running a similar but larger scheme, according to prosecutors.

Gourdikian, of Sierra Madre, acted as an unlicensed gun dealer between March of 2014 and February of 2017, officials said at the time. He used his position as a police officer to obtain and sell more than 100 guns, including many “off-roster” ones.

He pleaded guilty to illegal gun dealing and making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm in September of 2018 and received a sentence of one year and one day in prison, along with a $10,000 fine.