Federal-State Law Enforcement Partnership Results in Multiple Arrests in South Bay Counties
SAN FRANCISCO – Officials from over a dozen law enforcement agencies arrested and charged more than two dozen defendants with a variety of state and federal crimes pursuant to a joint federal-state effort to combat crime in South Bay counties, announced U.S. Attorney David L. Anderson and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) San Francisco Field Division Special Agent in Charge Rayfield Roundtree.
The investigation was spearheaded by the ATF. The agency coordinated operations with the U.S. Marshal Service; the Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office; the San Joaquin County Sherriff’s Office; the California Department of Corrections; the California Highway Patrol; and the police departments of Redwood City, San Mateo, San Francisco, and Daly City to arrest and charge the defendants. In addition to the arrests, law enforcement officials seized more than 130 firearms, 39 pounds of methamphetamine, and about 20 pounds of marijuana over the course of the operation.
“Guns and drugs are a dangerous combination,” said U.S. Attorney Anderson. “Public safety demands the kind of law enforcement cooperation we see in this enforcement action.”
“Combating violent crime is at the core of ATF’s mission and we stand at the frontline of eradicating violent crime from our streets,” said Special Agent in Charge Ray Roundtree, San Francisco Field Division, ATF. “It is our duty to make this community a safer place for you and your families. This operation was years in the making. Years ago, ATF and the San Mateo County Gang Intelligence Unit began laying the foundation for the culmination you see here today. We believe that one firearm in the hand of a criminal or prohibited person is one firearm too many. The work you see here today is about making neighborhoods safer because to us the most important thing is that you and your loved ones make it home safely every day. Today ATF and our partners stand united in honoring that promise to you. Through everyone’s hard work and dedication, this large-scale operation has been a true success. These are also our neighborhoods and today they are a safer place.”
The defendants have been charged with a variety of state and federal crimes. The defendants charged with federal crimes include the following:
| Name | Age/Residence | Charges | Maximum Statutory Sentence |
| Francisco Garibay | 21, South San Francisco | Distribution of fifty grams and more of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(viii) (two counts)
| 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine, per count |
| Jonathan Flores | 20, San Mateo | Distribution of fifty grams and more of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(viii) (two counts)
| 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine |
| Vladimir Magallan- Gallegos | 26, Modesto | Possession with intent to distribute fifty grams and more of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(l)(B)(viii)
| 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine |
| Jonathan Robert Figueroa | 25, Redwood City | Conspiracy to deal firearms without a license, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371;
Dealing firearms without a license and aiding and abetting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(a)(1)(A) and 2 | 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, per count |
| Erizondo Mora-Tapia | 25, East Palo Alto | Conspiracy to deal firearms without a license, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371;
Dealing firearms without a license and aiding and abetting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(a)(1)(A) and 2 | 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, per count |
| Jesus Antonio Tapia | 19, Sunnyvale | Conspiracy to deal firearms without a license, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371;
Dealing firearms without a license and aiding and abetting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(a)(1)(A) and 2;
Possession of an unregistered firearm, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 5861(d) | 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine
5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine
10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine |
| Hernan Padilla- Landa | 25, Tracy | Conspiracy to deal firearms without a license, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371;
Dealing firearms without a license and aiding and abetting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(a)(1)(A) and 2;
Possession of a firearm with a removed serial number, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(k) | 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine
5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine
10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine |
| William Alexis-Villa | 22, Menlo Park | Conspiracy to deal firearms without a license, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371;
Dealing firearms without a license and aiding and abetting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(a)(1)(A) and 2;
Possession of a machine gun and aiding and abetting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(o) and 2;
Possession of an unregistered firearm, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 5861(d) (two counts)
| 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine
5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine
10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine
10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine, per count |
Francisco Nunez-Nepita
| 21, East Palo Alto | Conspiracy to deal firearms without a license, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371;
Dealing in firearms without a license and aiding and abetting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(a)(1)(A) and 2;
Possession of a machine gun and aiding and abetting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(o), and 2 | 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine
5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine
10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine |
Erik Acevedo-Cruz
| 19, Fremont | Conspiracy to deal firearms without a license, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371;
Dealing firearms without a license and aiding and abetting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(a)(1)(A) and 2;
Possession of an unregistered firearm, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 5861(d) | 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine
5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine
10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine |
Noe Robledo-Lopez, Jr.,
| 19, Redwood City | Possession of an unregistered firearm, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 5861(d) | 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine |
| Jose Buenrostro | 30, Redwood City | Conspiring to deal firearms without a license and dealing firearms without a license, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 371 and 922(a)(1)(A);
Felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1);
Conspiring to distribute or possess with intent to distribute, and distributing or possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a), (b)(1)(B)(viii), and 846 | 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, per count
10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine
40 years in prison and a $5 million fine |
| Cristian Rafael Morales | 23, San Mateo | Distribution of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C) | 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine |
| Mario Carlos | 24, Cottonwood | Felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) | 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine
|
| Daniel Zaragoza | 32, Oakland | Felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) | 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine
|
The indictments merely allege that crimes have been committed, and each defendant must be presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. These prosecutions are the result of investigations by the ATF in coordination with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Additional assistance was provided by the U.S. Marshal Service; the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office; San Joaquin County Sherriff’s Office; the California Department of Corrections; the California Highway Patrol; and the police departments of Redwood City, San Mateo, San Francisco, and Daly City.
Further Information:
A copy of this press release will be placed on the U.S. Attorney's Office's website at www.usdoj.gov/usao/can.
Electronic court filings and further procedural and docket information are available at https://ecf.cand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
Judges' calendars with schedules for upcoming court hearings can be viewed on the court's website at www.cand.uscourts.gov.
Press inquiries to the U.S. Attorney's Office should be directed to Abraham Simmons at (415) 436-7264 or by e-mail at Abraham.Simmons@usdoj.gov. Press inquiries to the ATF should be directed to Alexandria Corneiro at (925)557-2882 or by e-mail at alexandria.corneiro@atf.gov.
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