Three Charged in Van Nuys Dynamite Case

December 22, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Joe Scott, Director of Communications
Sandi Gibbons, Public Information Officer
Jane Robison, News Secretary
(213) 974-3525

VAN NUYS – Felony explosive charges were filed today against three men in connection with the discovery of a cache of unstable dynamite in a Van Nuys industrial building, the District Attorney’s office announced.

The defendants were scheduled to appear for arraignment this afternoon in Division 100 of Van Nuys Superior Court.

They were charged in case No. LA051028 with possession of a destructive device near a public area and possession of an explosive. Bail was recommended at $535,000 for Guy Fostersmith, 43 (dob 4-6-1962), of Los Angeles, and $500,000 each for Arthur Chorny, 35 (dob 3-28-1970), of Marina del Rey, and James Wurth, 31 (dob 1-12-1974). The complaint alleged two previous drug-related convictions for Fostersmith.

Los Angeles firefighters set fire to the 60 to 70 sticks of dynamite yesterday after determining it was too old and unstable to move from the building at 7955 Haskell Ave. Because of the potential danger, authorities closed the San Diego Freeway between Roscoe Boulevard and Sherman Way for about an hour starting at 6 a.m. The Metrolink Ventura Line shut down for two hours, some 50 people were evacuated form the area and other precautionary measures were taken prior to destruction of the dynamite.

The dynamite was found as the result of a Los Angeles police investigation that began on Tuesday with the discovery of a stick of dynamite at an apartment in Van Nuys where Wurth once lived, authorities said. Wurth was arrested on Tuesday and the other defendants, who operated an antique store at the Haskell Avenue building, were arrested later the same day.

sg

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