Media Contact: Sgt. Hauptmann
Office: 818-937-8888
Cell: 818-299-1565
Email: GPDPIO@Glendaleca.gov 

Male Arrested for Illegal Drug Sales and Fraud

On July 7, 2021, at approximately 6:30 p.m., officers with the Glendale Police Departments Special Enforcement Detail were driving through the parking lot of a motel on the 300 block of E Colorado St.  As they did so, they observed a male, identified as 29-year-old Artak Avakian of Glendale, place a bag into the trunk of a parked vehicle and then walk away from it.

Officers immediately recognized Avakian from prior contacts and knew that he currently had a local outstanding felony arrest warrant for illegal drug sales and that he was on probation with search and seizure conditions.  Based on this information, the officers detained Avakian.  While speaking with Avakian, officers observed fentanyl and heroin in plain view inside the vehicle Avakian had walked away from.  They were also able to identify a motel room associated with Avakian.

Officers responded to this motel room to conduct a probation compliance check and made contact with two individuals inside the room, later identified as 27-year-old Mackenzie Draughn of Ohio and 32-year-old Joshua Ward of Lancaster.  Upon conducting a probation search of the room, officers located multiple plastic baggies of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, a notebook containing other people’s personal identifying information, a driver’s license that did not belong to any of the subjects at the location and a taser.  Ward was arrested for illegal drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.  Draughn was arrested for identity theft, being a convicted felon in possession of a stun gun and illegal drug possession. 

During a search of Avakian’s vehicle, officers located multiple plastic baggies containing methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, suboxone strips, ecstasy, xanax and tramadol along with a black replica firearm, a digital scale, notepads containing other people’s personal identifying information, drug paraphernalia and a bank card belonging to someone else.

Avakian was subsequently arrested and booked for illegal drug sales, identity theft and for two separate outstanding felony drug sales warrants.