Two more law enforcement officers found guilty of flipping off-roster guns

[????? ????]

Gardena Police this time. It looks like the officer actually had a FFL, but he still earns a federal conviction for selling firearms without a license.

Newspaper article at https://www.dailybreeze.com/2021/10/...irearms-sales/:

Arao then transferred the guns to himself individually from the inventory of Ronin Tactical and re-sold 41 of them to non-law enforcement officers.

I'm curious how flagrant he was about it, and if he was like San Diego Sheriff's Captain Garmo, and just selling the guns for cash at the station, without paperwork. Considering that some people were guilty for purchasing, I'm guessing the transfers themselves were done in an illegal manner. Newspaper article says:

Previously in the case, six other defendants who illegally purchased firearms from Arao and Fernandez pleaded guilty and were sentenced, with two of those defendants being ordered to serve time in federal prison.

EDITED to add:

US DOJ's press release at https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr...earms-business

Indictment available at https://storage.courtlistener.com/re...703654.1.0.pdf

Looks like there was a lot of straw purchases going on,

[Gun Kraft]

Read the article and the ones linked to it and you get a better picture of Arao and his partner Fernandez.

From May 2016 to December 2017, Fernandez sold 10 firearms to a known convicted felon who could not legally buy the weapons, officials said.

The other article doesn't give a timeframe, but states Arao transferred the guns to himself individually from the inventory of Ronin Tactical and re-sold 41 of them. Presumably in the same timeframe.

Put all that together and it sounds like a relatively small number were sold without paperwork but most were done via PPT DROS. However the high number within a year (40+ each) definitely put them on DOJ's radar for exceeding the 5/year law.

[sfe187]

Risking generous full retirement pay plan, genius!

[JTROKS]

WTH was he thinking?

[benjamin101677]

Greed is a bad thing; causes people to do stupid stupid things. Most people I have know in life they got greedy and looked for ways around things etc never won in the end. Lost a career; right to possess guns forever over some quick money

[cz74]

This is exactly what the roster was designed to do, tempting greed in a frenzy off-roster marketplace.

[Puss]

Not very profitable either. Say he made an astonishing $500 per gun. That's $20K for the year, chump change for the risk. And he probably made half that.

[Like2fly]

If he was willing to break the law in this case(s) for relatively small amounts of profit you have to wonder if he has been a “dirty cop” in his actual police work. Another cop earning the hate and tarnishing all cops for the actions of a few.

[JTROKS]

Not very profitable either. Say he made an astonishing $500 per gun. That's $20K for the year, chump change for the risk. And he probably made half that.

[Angrysnarf]

Lol

[hermosabeach]

is it me... or are these the cartel favorite caliber?

all Colt .38 Super-caliber

[????? ????]

.38 Super is not a cartridge in military usage and many countries have restrictions on cartridges in military usage. So .38 Super and 9x21 are popular in those countries.

[DrewN]

.38 Super is my fave 1911 cartridge, hands down. Not that I don't love .45, but I'm a Long Colt man.

[OCEquestrian]

is it me... or are these the cartel favorite caliber?

all Colt .38 Super-caliber

.38 super is a non military caliber and therefore can be owned in Mexico and yes, popular with the wealthy and the cartels.

[deadcoyote]

People are super flagrant an dumb and are aware of what they’re doing so I don’t feel bad. An officer I used to work with would buy 5 Glock 43’s at a time like every 8 weeks for 3 years. Play stupid games win stupid prizes.