Homeless Advocate Arrested Near Venice Bridge Home Shelter on Suspicion of Dealing Drugs

65-year-old Garry Featherstone accused of selling meth, PCP

By Sam Catanzaro

A self-described homeless outreach advocate was recently arrested near the Venice Bridge Home shelter on suspicion of dealing PCP and meth to the local homeless population.

According to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD), Narcotics Bureau investigators served a two-location search warrant in Venice last Thursday after receiving information of a potential narcotics dealer disguising himself as a homeless outreach advocate. In a press release, the LASD said the investigation identified that narcotics dealer, 65-year-old Garry Featherstone, had been using a tent to sell drugs to Venice’s homeless population. According to the LASD, the tent was in close proximity to the “Venice Bridge Home” homeless shelter. 

“Investigators conducted countless hours of surveillance of Featherstone and saw him complete several hand-to-hand narcotics transactions. Featherstone masquerades as a homeless outreach advocate while supplying homeless individuals with narcotics,” reads a statement from the LASD. 

On Thursday afternoon, investigators conducted the search warrant operation on a tent near 3rd Avenue and Rose Street, as well as a Venice residence, and arrested Featherstone for possession of phencyclidine (PCP) for sale and possession of methamphetamine for sale. Over 15,000 dollars in U.S. currency was also recovered. 

“Featherstone, a self-proclaimed homeless advocate, operates ‘Homeless Enterprise’ from a tent on 3rd Avenue, where he sells sodas, candy, and other snacks and beverages to the local homeless population, ”reads the LASD statement. 

According to the LASD, “Homeless Enterprise” is registered with the city of Los Angeles Finance Department.

“This is another clear example of how several people are using the veil of outreach to run criminal enterprises and exploit the already marginalized population of county residents who are experiencing homelessness,” said Sheriff Alex Villanueva in a statement following the arrest. “It’s time for common sense, compassionate regulation of public space. It’s time for politicians to stop using the homeless population as a platform and for them to either help law enforcement keep the community safe or get out of the way.”