Eight Men Indicted for Manufacturing and Dealing AR-15 Type Rifles and Silencers Without a License

Scores of Unmarked Assault Rifles and Silencers Seized SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury has returned a 70-count indictment against eight men, charging them with various firearms offenses involving manufacturing and dealing firearms without a license. Joseph Latu, 29, of Elk Grove, is charged with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license, dealing firearms without a license, conspiracy to manufacture and deal firearms without a license, possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle, possession of an unregistered silencer, possession of an unserialized firearm. Algernon Tamasoa, 27, of Sacramento, is charged with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license, dealing firearms without a license, possession of an unserialized firearm, and distribution of MDMA. John Ortiz, 43, of Vallejo, and Keith White, 40, of Vallejo, are charged with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license, dealing firearms without a license, and possession of an unserialized firearm. Charles Tucker, 29, of Stockton, and Ionel Pascan, 28, of Riverbank, are charged with dealing firearms without a license, conspiracy to manufacture and deal firearms without a license, possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle, possession of an unregistered silencer, and possession of an unserialized firearm. Daniel Bennett, 39, of Stockton, and David Bennett, 27, of Stockton, are charged with conspiracy to manufacture and deal firearms without a license. According to court documents, between February 6 and September 28, 2015, on 24 occasions, the defendants, either individually or together, met with an undercover ATF agent and sold him a variety of firearms, including rifles, AR-15 type rifles, AR-15 type short-barreled rifles, revolvers, pistols, and silencers. In all, the sales involved 67 firearms and 38 silencers. Additionally, 71 firearms and 62 silencers were recovered during the arrest of certain defendants and ensuing execution of search warrants. In total, 238 firearms and silencers were recovered. Many of the firearms did not have a serial number or other identification markings and were manufactured from unfinished lower receivers, commonly known as “80 percent” lower receivers or “ghost guns.” None of the silencers had a serial number or other identification marking, as is required for firearms under the law. Further, many of the firearms were short-barreled rifles, which must be registered on the National Firearms Registration and Record. None of the short-barreled rifles sold to the undercover agent were registered to any of the defendants. According to court documents, the firearms sold to the undercover agent were supplied by Latu, Tamasoa, White, Ortiz, Tucker, Pascan, Daniel Bennett, and David Bennett. Many of those firearms were manufactured from firearm parts by Tucker, Pascan, Daniel Bennett, and David Bennett. At the time he was manufacturing firearms, David Bennett worked as a San Joaquin County Sheriff correctional officer. “ATF's primary mission is to reduce violent crime and protect the public. With the seizure of 238 firearms and silencers, we have accomplished both,” said Special Agent in Charge Jill A. Snyder. “ATF will continue to pursue the individuals who chose to break the law and unlawfully traffic in firearms.” According to complaints filed in the case, on several occasions in August and September, the undercover agent met with Latu, Tucker, and Pascan to discuss a large-scale purchase of AR-15 type rifles and silencers. Latu, Tucker, and Pascan agreed to manufacture 50 short-barreled AR-15 type rifles and 50 silencers, which would be sold to the undercover agent in early October. On October 6, 2015, the undercover agent met with Latu, Tucker, and Pascan at the Yolo County Airport in Davis. Latu, Tucker, and Pascan brought 50 unmarked, unserialized short-barreled AR-15 type rifles and 50 unmarked, unserialized silencers, which they intended to sell to the undercover agent. After Latu, Tucker, and Pascan showed the undercover agent the firearms and silencers, a team of law enforcement officials arrested the three defendants. At the time of his arrest, Pascan had a handgun concealed in his waistband and a second handgun was under the front passenger seat of the vehicle. Later that day, law enforcement authorities arrested Tamasoa, White, and Ortiz. On October 14, 2015, authorities arrested Daniel Bennett and David Bennett. In addition to the firearms charges, Tamasoa was also charged with selling MDMA to the undercover agent in a transaction on April 3, 2015. Tamasoa and Ortiz were separately indicted in an unrelated narcotics case on June 18, 2015. Both defendants were released on bond in that case.