Detectives investigating the sexual abuse of a teenage girl seized over 80 firearms and more than 50,000 rounds of ammunition after serving a search warrant at the home of the suspect, who was arrested, authorities said.
Deputies arrested Michael Abbott, 55, of Pebble Beach, on Sunday after finding the cache of weapons, which included several rifles, at his home last week in California’s central coast, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Tuesday.
Abbott was booked into Monterey County Jail where he was being held on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person. He was also charged with unlawful sex with a minor and other charges related to the sexual assault investigation, records show. His bail has been set at $1.5 million.
It was not immediately known if Abbott has an attorney who can speak on his behalf. No one answered Wednesday at a telephone number listed for him.
Detectives began investigating Abbott after the teenager, whom he met through social media and allegedly coerced into a sexual relationship, reported the abuse to authorities in November, the sheriff’s office said.
The guns were seized because of a restraining order issued against him in the sexual abuse case and because of “Abbott’s addiction to prescription narcotics,” the office said.
“Both make Abbott prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition,” it added.