Oakland grand jury charges 8 in interstate gun trafficking scheme

Eight people have been charged by an Oakland grand jury for their roles in an interstate gun trafficking scheme.

According to a news release by the U.S. attorney’s office for the Northern District of California, the 64-count indictment includes charges related to a firearms trafficking scheme in which the eight defendants conspired to buy guns in Nevada and then transport and sell them in California.

The grand jury also charged two defendants with conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce, and the use of firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence. One defendant was additionally charged with drug trafficking.

The indictment names the defendants as Oakland residents Andre Martel Winn, 31, and Edgar De La Cruz, 19; Reno, Nevada residents Richard Straight, 27, Jenna Jeanne Allec, 26, Jonathan Salevao, 28, and Kaleka Mile Kam, 23; Elko, Nevada resident Kenneth Lee Kemp, 32; and Sparks, Nevada resident Daniel Taylor Taufi, 24.

Defendants Allec, Kemp, Kam, and Taufi allegedly purchased the guns from licensed dealers in Nevada, while Salevao and Straight acted as middlemen to sell the firearms to Winn and De La Cruz.

The indictment alleges Winn and De La Cruz, convicted criminals prohibited from possessing or receiving firearms, traveled to Reno to purchase the guns and then sold the firearms in the San Francisco Bay Area for cash and drugs. De La Cruz and Winn were also charged with drug dealing offenses, conspiracy to commit robbery and brandishing firearms while committing robbery.

Several illegal transactions are listed in the indictment that occurred from March 2015 to October 2016. Law enforcement officers have recovered a number of the firearms in Oakland and other places around the Bay Area.

“The indictment unveiled today is the result of hard work and coordination by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and local law enforcement agencies across California and Nevada,” said U.S Attorney Brian J. Stretch. “We appreciate the efforts of the many law enforcement officials whose selfless dedication has brought an end to this gun running scheme. The removal from our neighborhoods of illegal firearms will remain a priority of this office.”

Six of the eight defendants are currently in the custody of law enforcement and the remaining defendants have been scheduled to be arraigned in Reno this week.

The ATF Crime Gun Intelligence Center, San Francisco Field Division, conducted the investigation.

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