Police Deny Conspiring to Hush News of Armed Felon at Disneyland Esplanade

Anaheim police today denied conspiring with Disney to keep a lid on a report about the arrest of a 44-year-old man with a loaded gun near Disneyland last month, although the arrest only became public this week.

Percivial Aguilar Agoncillo Jr., 44, was charged July 13 with being a felon carrying a loaded firearm in public, possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person, according to court records. He was arrested July 9, in the Esplanade, which is between Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, according to Anaheim police Lt. Eric Trapp.

Agoncillo was convicted of drug possession in January 2013 in San Mateo County, according to court records.

Disney security called police about 9 p.m. July 9 asking for assistance in arresting a man armed with a handgun in the Esplanade, Trapp said.

Agoncillo did not have a permit for the gun, and he had a prior record for possession of a loaded firearm, so he was arrested, Trapp said. He was booked into the Anaheim jail and released on $20,000 bail.

Agoncillo went back north to his home, where he was arrested a short time later in south San Francisco, Trapp said. Trapp did not have specifics on that arrest and south San Francisco police did not respond to a call today.

The defendant is scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 27.

Although the arrest at Disney wasn’t made public until Tuesday, Trapp said there was no concerted effort to cover it up. He said the arrest was simply considered the successful result of cooperation between police, Disney security and the public for being alert to suspicious activity.

A blog called Disneyleaks claims to have information from security officers and witnesses who allege Agoncillo told police he saw “ghosts of his dead father and grandfather” on a theme park ride and “heard voices in his head to start shooting his gun.”

Disneyland officials would not comment on the report or the arrest. Patch could not confirm the claims made by the blog nor find any evidence that Agoncillo actually entered the themepark.

Trapp said it would be “inappropriate” to comment on those allegations because, “I don’t want to jeopardize the prosecution.”

Roxi Fyad, a spokeswoman for the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, said she was legally prohibited from discussing whatever the defendant told police.

City News Service; Photo: Wikimedia Commons