Missing California woman's husband contests gun violence restraining order, claims he was detained 'illegally'

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Maya Millete disappearance prompts new search

Missing California mom’s sister Maricris Drouaillet and family attorney Billy Little Jr. share insights on 'Fox & Friends First.'

The husband of missing California woman Maya Millete is contesting a gun violence restraining order (GVRO) that was filed against him last month, claiming that 17 of his guns were seized illegally by police. 

Larry Millete also wrote that he was "detained illegally" by Chula Vista police officers during a May 7 search of his home, according to an 80-page response to the GVRO that was filed Monday and obtained by CBS8. 

"Chula Vista police pulled me over on the 5 freeway in San Diego jurisdiction," Millete wrote in the court filing. "The Chula Vista police held me for six hours while my home was being searched and they threatened me with being arrested or detained even longer if I insist on going home to my children, my parents and my house."

During that May 7 search, which was the second search warrant served at the home since Maya Millete disappeared on Jan. 7, dozens of police officers could be seen walking in and out of the house with Border Patrol K-9s and carrying boxes into a white lab van. 

Maya Millete disappeared from the home she shares with her husband, Larry Millete, on Jan. 7.  (Maricris Drouaillet)

San Diego Police Detective Justin Garlow wrote in the gun violence restraining order last month, which was obtained by CBS8, that Larry Millete is in possession of "illegal assault weapons and unregistered firearms," posing an "extreme danger to the public in both the cities of Chula Vista and San Diego."

Larry Millete said officers seized 17 guns from his collection, but claims all his "guns are registered" and that he has "gone through the required background checks." 

"I am not responsible for her disappearance and I have fully cooperated with the police investigation," he wrote in the filing. "My wife approved of my gun collections and we have thoroughly protected and defended our family from harm."

IN MISSING WOMAN MAYA MILLETE CASE, POLICE SERVE 11 MORE SEARCH WARRANTS

Larry Millete also wrote that he has received "threatening and malicious" messages, saying that he has "received recorded statements from a man who states that he will get me and that I could not hide."

A Chula Vista police spokesperson told Fox News on Wednesday that the department is "unable to comment on any specifics that may interfere with [Maya's] case."

"We are aware of the information that has been reported… and CVPD with assistance from the multi-agency working group will continue to investigate any and all leads with the primary goal of finding the reason behind Maya’s disappearance or bringing justice to her family regarding Maya’s disappearance."

Larry Millete did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday. 

Maya Millete has three children, aged 4, 9, and 11.  (Richard Drouaillet)

Chula Vista police said in an update Wednesday that they have written 44 search warrants for "residences, vehicles, cellular and electronic devices, call detail records, financial records, social media and cloud data;" interviewed 64 individuals; reviewed more than 93 tips and searched an abandoned golf course that is about 1 mile from the Millete home. 

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Maricris Drouaillet, Maya's sister, has been searching every week since Maya first went missing, but said police just started collaborating with the family in the investigation last week. 

"It does feel frustrating to the family that they are just now starting to do that after five or six months of her missing," Maricris told KSWB, the Fox-affiliated TV station in San Diego. "They could have done that at the beginning. Now they want to go search these areas that we told them to go search back in January, that those are important areas to search."