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ORANGE (CNS) - The Attorney General's Office today informed a gun manufacturer in Orange it must stop selling a series of rifles that the agency has deemed are illegal assault weapons.
Luis Lopez, director of the agency's bureau of firearms, sent a ``cease and desist'' letter dated Friday to Juggernaut Tactical regarding its ``Featureless Series'' rifles. At issue are pistol grips on the weapons.
``Juggernaut's website acknowledges that Juggernaut is trying to effectively rewrite the applicable regulatory definition to make its ``Featureless Series'' rifles fall outside the definition of an assault weapon,'' Lopez wrote. ``Juggernaut's website makes clear that the justification for the legality of its `Featureless Series' rifles is based on a regulatory definition that Juggernaut wishes existed, as opposed to the one that currently exists in law.''
Lopez said the company's F-9, F-10 and F-15 rifles failed to meet the definition of a ``semiautomatic firearm'' such as a rifle, pistol or shotgun.
He said the company was intentionally attempting to ``do an end-run around'' the law.
Juggernaut did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
``Our assault weapons ban is a landmark piece of legislation that has saved the lives of countless Californians -- firearms manufacturers can't ignore the law simply because it suits their bottom line,'' Attorney General Rob Bonta said. ``Rather than abide by the law, Juggernaut chose to disregard it by manufacturing and selling a series of illegal assault weapons. Today's cease-and-desist letter is a warning that we hope is heeded so that no further action becomes necessary.''