Indiana Man Arrested in Santa Monica Arraigned on Multiple Weapons Charges

SANTA MONICA, CA -- The 20-year-old Indiana man who was arrested in Santa Monica with several weapons and explosives was arraigned on multiple criminal charges Tuesday.

James Wesley Howell was charged at the Los Angeles Superior Court, Airport Branch with one felony count each of unlawful possession of an assault weapon, possession of a destructive device on a public street and manufacturing or importing large magazine, according to the Los Angeles District's Attorney's office. He was also charged with one misdemeanor count of carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle.

Howell was arrested in Santa Monica early Sunday morning after a resident called police to report a possible prowler. Police found Howell sitting in his car, and a subsequent search found three rifles -- an AM-15 .223 caliber rifle with two 30-round magazines, a .30-06 caliber bolt-action rifle and a .22 caliber Ruger semi-automatic rifle, according to court records. 

Prosecutors believe the weapons were bought by Howell's father. Police also found 25 pounds of Shoc-Shot, a target explosives to let shooters know when they've hit a target, in his car, court records show.

Howell told police he was in town for the 46th annual Los Angeles Gay Pride Festival and Parade. The arrest came hours after a gunman killed 49 people and injured 53 others at a gay Orlando nightclub. 

Howell's court-appointed attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

Howell does have a history of gun violence. He was charged with felony intimidation and felony pointing a firearm last year in Indiana. Howell pointed a gun at a neighbor during an argument, according to Indiana court records. He agreed to plead guilty in April this year to a misdemeanor intimidation charge, and prosecutors agreed to drop the weapon charge. 

Howell was sentenced to one year in state prison. That sentence was suspended and Howell was placed on probation. As a condition of his probation, Howell agreed to surrender all weapons to authorities. 

On Monday, Indiana prosecutors filed a petition to revoke his probation, court records show.

The judge granted prosecutors request to raise his bail from $500,000 to $2 million, citing his Indiana conviction and the fact that he drove from Indiana to Santa Monica, where he had no known connection. They considered him a flight risk.

On Monday night the FBI searched Howell's residence in Indiana, Laura Eimiller of the Los Angeles Bureau said. The FBI was helping with the investigation.

"Mr. Howell has not been charged federally at this time; however, the investigation is continuing," she said.

If convicted, Howell faces up to nine years, eight months in local custody.

-- Photo courtesy of the SMPD