A Desert Hot Springs couple accused of manufacturing explosives and illegal weapons must stand trial on felony and misdemeanor charges, a judge ruled Friday.
Kevin Boykin and Naomi Medina, both 21, were arrested on June 26, 2019, during a search warrant execution in the 67700 block of Hatchet Cactus Drive.
The search warrant turned up “evidence indicative of manufacturing handguns and rifles” and “materials to build explosive devices,” according to a Desert Hot Springs police statement.
The investigation stemmed from a gun recovered during a carjacking that tied back to the alleged weapons manufacturing operation at the home, according to prosecutors.
Superior Court Judge Jessica P. Silvers found prosecutors presented sufficient evidence to warrant a trial for both defendants in the case during a preliminary hearing on Friday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.
Both defendants, who were dating when they were arrested, were charged with one count each of possession of a destructive device or explosive without a permit, a felony, and failure to apply a serial number to a manufactured weapon, a misdemeanor.
Boykin also is charged with manufacturing weapons without a permit, a misdemeanor.
Medina is additionally charged with possessing ammunition within five years of being released from a mental health facility, a felony, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.
Neither defendant has any documented felony convictions in Riverside County.
Both defendants are out of custody. Boykin is out on $25,000 bond, while Medina was previously released on her own recognizance.
A post-preliminary hearing arraignment is scheduled on Aug. 28.