PD: 10 men arrested in Visalia for illegal firearms sales
VISALIA, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Ten men were arrested following a multi-agency operation in Visalia for the manufacturing and selling of illegal firearms, one of them being from Woodlake, the Visalia Police Department announced on Friday.
Officers say after a three-month-long investigation into the manufacturing and selling of illegal firearms, the Visalia Police Department Narcotics, The Special Enforcement Unit (SEU), SWAT, Property Crimes, Youth Services, HOPE, Violent Crimes, UAS, and Commercial Policing Units, along with the Porterville SWAT Team, served seven search warrants on Thursday in Visalia and Woodlake.
According to police, the units worked together to execute the search warrants where evidence of the crime was located, including a 3D printer, 3D printing material, machine gun parts, prohibited weapons, polymer 80 jigs used to manufacture privately made firearms or “Ghost Guns”.
Police say the following people were arrested during this operation, including a male juvenile:
18-year-old Eric Carrazco of Visalia was arrested on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, felon in possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of a high-capacity magazine, as well as a Ramey arrest warrant on suspicion of conspiracy to illegally manufacture and sell firearms.
22-year-old Moises Garcia of Visalia was arrested on suspicion of resisting or delaying an officer.
42-year-old David Enriquez of Visalia was arrested on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, possession of a prohibited weapon, and criminal storage of a firearm.
A 15-year-old male was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to illegally manufacture and sales of firearms, minor in possession of a handgun, carrying a loaded firearm in a public space, possession of a concealed firearm, possession of a high-capacity magazine as well as Ramey arrest warrant on suspicion of minor possessing a handgun and conspiracy to illegally manufacture and sell firearms.
43-year-old Justin Hernandez of Visalia was arrested on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, possession of a stolen firearm, and criminal storage of a firearm.
19-year-old Nathan Hogan of Visalia was arrested for a Ramey warrant on suspicion of conspiracy and firearm manufacturing.
18-year-old Mason Strawn of Visalia was arrested on suspicion of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, Ramey warrant on suspicion for conspiracy to illegally manufacture and sell firearms and child endangerment.
19-year-old Andrew Leyba of Visalia was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession of a controlled substance while armed, possession of a sawed-off shotgun as well as a Ramey arrest warrant on suspicion of conspiracy, possession of a high-capacity magazine, possession of a machine gun, possession of an assault weapon, possession of an unregistered firearm, illegal manufacture, and sales of firearms.
The Visalia Police Department says agents with the Tulare Area Regional Gun Violence Enforcement Team (TARGET), The Tulare County Sherrif’s Office SWAT, Tulare County DA’s Office Investigators, and Agents with the California Department of Justice served three search warrants at two homes in Visalia and one in Woodlake.
Officers say 19-year-old Isaac Sotelo Jr of Visalia was arrested on a Ramey warrant on suspicion of conspiracy to illegally manufacture and sales of firearms and unlawful transfer of firearms, and 18-year-old Christian Martinez of Woodlake was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and a Ramey warrant on suspicion of possession of a machine gun, manufacturing a machine gun.
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