Suspected LA counterfeiter pleads not guilty to weapons charges

A suspected counterfeiter pleaded not guilty today to felony weapons charges, the day after his six weeks on the lam ended with his arrest at a room rented by his girlfriend.

Brian Alexik, 34, is charged with one count each of possession of assault weapon, possession of a short-barreled shotgun and possession of firearms by a felon.

During the court hearing, Alexik indicated he wanted to act as his own attorney, then asked a series of questions of Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Alan Rubin, who eventually became exasperated.

"That is enough,'' Rubin sternly told Alexik, who insisted he did not want to enter a plea during the hearing.

The Public Defender's Office was eventually appointed to represent him, and a deputy public defender entered a not-guilty plea on behalf of Alexik.

Alexik was ordered to return to court June 17 for a preliminary hearing. He remains jailed in lieu of $1 million bail.

Alexik was arrested shortly before 2 p.m. Thursday at his girlfriend's rented room at the American Hotel at 303 S. Hewitt St.

Detectives went to the hotel around 8:30 a.m. to conduct a follow-up investigation, thinking Alexik might be there with her, Los Angeles police Major Crimes Division officials said.

When detectives arrived, they heard a man and woman talking inside the room, police said. After announcing their presence, the detectives asked the couple to come out of the room for questioning.

The couple initially refused, but eventually Alexik's girlfriend came out and was detained for questioning.

Numerous attempts were made to persuade Alexik to come out, and after he didn't reply, LAPD SWAT and other department resources were requested, but Alexik eventually surrendered.

On April 19, Alexik evaded police by going down the fire escape of his loft apartment building in the 400 block of West Olympic Boulevard, where counterfeiting equipment and freshly printed $100 bills were found in his penthouse apartment, which overlooked the U.S. Federal Reserve building on Grand Avenue.

The floor of that $3,400-a-month penthouse was adorned with a giant replica of the Central Intelligence Agency seal.

In 1996 at age 20, Alexik was convicted of selling heroin and cocaine in Middlesex County, N.J., the Los Angeles Downtown News reported.

At one time he wanted to join the Central Intelligence Agency, which may explain why there was an elaborate tile mosaic of the CIA's emblem on the floor of his loft on West Olympic.

"I think he fancies himself as a super sleuth, as a spy,'' Major Crimes Division Lt. David Dolan told the Downtown News. "Someone he went to high school with told us he wanted to work for the CIA. But I think that that's what this guy is -- he likes to chase the game.''

Alexik was also able to finance a lifestyle that included celebrity ties, the Downtown News reported. Police showed the newspaper photos of Alexik hanging out with U2 front man-vocalist Bono and supermodel turned reality television star Janice Dickinson.