Feds bust Southern California man, 43, with machine guns, child pornography

A 43-year-old Orange County man is facing the possibility of 70 years in federal prison after reportedly being found in possession of machine guns and nearly 1,000 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), officials announced Wednesday.  

In a news release, prosecutors with the United States Attorney’s Office said Santa Ana resident Arhit Tanjapatkul caught the attention of investigators in March 2023 when he sold a government regulated, military-grade laser, which had initially been stolen by a military officer, to a buyer.  

Months later, in Oct. 2023, during a search of the 43-year-old's home, law enforcement located and seized dozens of firearms along with four machine guns.  

“During the same search, agents recovered a cellphone that contained text messages where Tanjapatkul discussed automatic weapons,” the release noted. “Law enforcement also found a hard drive that contained CSAM.”  

In July 2024, investigators searched a storage unit in Santa Ana rented by the 43-year-old.  

There, authorities recovered additional evidence that he was in possession of machine guns as well as 10 disks containing 79 videos and 831 images of child pornography.  

“The drives and disks contained, among other things, videos and images involving minors under 12 years of age. In the home and storage unit, agents also found dozens of firearms and hundreds of items of military equipment that were initially stolen by the same military officer,” prosecutors said.  

The unidentified military officer, according to the release, was charged and convicted in a federal court in North Carolina.  

Tanjapatkul, who is free on $250,000 bond, has been charged with one count of possession of machine guns and three counts of possession of child pornography.  

He is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana on Nov. 18.  

Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation continue to investigate this matter.