Two men charged in home burglary of Rep. Karen Bass
Two men were charged on September 16 for allegedly stealing guns from the home of U.S. Rep. Karen Bass. Bass is seen here on September 9 in Beverly Hills
By Taylor Romine, CNN
Two men were charged on Friday for allegedly stealing guns from the home of U.S. Rep. Karen Bass, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office announced in a statement.
Patricio Munoz, 42, and Juan Espinoza, 24, were each charged with one felony count of first-degree residential burglary and two counts of grand theft of a firearm, the statement said. They are expected to be arraigned Friday afternoon.
CNN is trying to identify attorneys for the men.
The two defendants allegedly broke into Los Angeles home of Bass, who’s running for city mayor, on September 9 and stole two handguns, officials said. There were several valuables, electronics and money in view that were not taken, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a previous release.
“It’s unnerving and, unfortunately, it’s something that far too many Angelenos have faced,” Bass said in a statement following the robbery.
Police identified the suspects’ vehicle and license plate on the day of the crime, which was found on Tuesday evening, the LAPD said in a release. Officers were able to arrest the occupants without incident, they said.
“Everyone deserves to be safe in their home,” District Attorney George Gascón said in the statement. “Gun thefts have increased since the pandemic began. Many of these stolen guns are then used to commit violent crimes.”
Bass is currently campaigning as a Los Angeles mayoral candidate against real estate developer Rick Caruso in a runoff to replace term-limited Mayor Eric Garcetti. If elected in November, Bass would become the first woman and the first Black woman to lead America’s second-largest city.
CNN has reached out to Bass’s office for comment.
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