Pubdate: Tue, Jun 8,1999 Source: Orange County Register (CA) Section: Front Page Copyright: 1999 The Orange County Register Contact: http://www.ocregister.com/ Author: John McDonald and Stuart Pfeifer-OCR 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." - --- MAP posted-by: Patrick Henry