Former county Republican Party chairman Tony Krvaric looked on as his 24-year-old son pleaded not guilty Thursday to a felony count of possessing an assault weapon.
Victor Erik Krvaric said little at a 2-minute arraignment in downtown Superior Court.
“I do, your honor,” he said in response to Judge John G. Pro’s question on whether he waived his right to a speedy hearing.
(A readiness conference was set for 8:15 a.m. Nov. 12 in Department 1101 and a preliminary hearing at 8:30 a.m. Nov. 19 in Department 102.)
Krvaric also pronounced his name Ker-VAHR-ik for the judge, a former deputy district attorney who called him Ker-VATCH-ick and asked for help.
Attorney Sydney Rusch entered the plea on behalf of Krvaric. His main attorney is Rusch’s colleague Gary Gibson at downtown’s David Silldorf Law. Gibson is a former veteran public defender who went into private practice.
Krvaric was arrested at the Scripps Ranch home of his father last week on suspicion of the illegal weapons possession, according to San Diego County sheriff’s officials and media reports.
According to Deputy District Attorney Carlos Campbell, the prosecutor in the case, the alleged illegal weapon was recovered at the Scripps Ranch home.
(He earlier told reporters that the weapon was found at Victor’s “business,” which could also mean Krvaric Capital & Risk Management, with a Rancho Bernardo address. “I misspoke,” he told Times of San Diego via email Thursday night.)
Campbell told reporters outside court that the search warrant has been sealed. But a redacted search-warrant request obtained by Times of San Diego shows that authorities wanted to search both Tony Krvaric’s home on Ann Arbor Lane and his office at 16935 W. Bernardo Drive, Suite 112.
Also targeted was a gold 2006 Toyota 4Runner bearing California license plate #PLOTTNG registered to either Tony or Victor Krvaric.
But prosecutor Campbell called the weapon a legal rifle “modified in an illegal way” — with a “modified upper receiver” too short under law, as well as a pistol grip but no “bullet button.”
Campbell couldn’t say whether it was an AR-15-style rifle — but stressed that Krvaric no longer had possession of it when asked if he was a threat to the public. But he told reporters that the Sheriff’s Department was part of an FBI joint terrorism task force.
Krvaric remains out of custody on $25,000 bail and faces up to three years in state prison if convicted of the single assault weapon possession charge. The judge also OK’d a fourth-amendment waiver — allowing searches of Krvaric or his electronic devices without probable cause.
The District Attorney’s Office also confirmed that Krvaric is subject to a gun violence restraining order — meaning he can’t have, own or buy any gun, firearm parts, ammunition or magazines.
Shortly after his arrest, Tony Krvaric issued a statement that read, “Our family is going through a difficult time and ask that our privacy be respected. As a father, I wish that the children of former public figures could experience life privately, like everyone else.”
Tony served as the San Diego County Republican Party chair for 14 years.
Victor Krvaric made headlines two years ago when he was accused of trying to join a white supremacist hate group while he was serving as a Marine Corps reservist, leading to an investigation by military officials.
The investigation found that he had engaged in unspecified misconduct unrelated to the hate group allegations, KPBS reported, and he was administratively separated from the Marine Corps.
Victor Krvaric declined to comment after Thursday’s hearing, but his father repeated his wish for privacy — asking for “grace” for the children of public figures.
City News Service contributed to this report.
Updated at 10:18 p.m. Sept. 26, 2024
