Gang Member Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm Violations and Drug Trafficking

LOS ANGELES – The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced today that on Oct 29th a Los Angeles area gang member who was arrested in 2011 as part of a joint probe involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and ATF into firearms trafficking and narcotic distribution in the Los Angeles area, was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison for selling firearms and methamphetamine to an ATF undercover agent.

Felipe Gonzalez, 34, also received 48 months of supervised release by United States District Judge Gary Klausner, after pleading guilty to the charges. Gonzalez was a member of the Project Boyz criminal street gang that is located in the Pacoima area.

"We are very pleased with the sentence this gang member received for engaging in acts that promote violence in the communities. This is a classic example of how being in a gang and conducting criminal acts is a losing situation," said Steven J. Bogdalek, Special Agent in Charge of ATF‘s Los Angeles Field Division. "I commend the U.S. Attorney‘s Office and the Special Agents that investigate these gang members to ensure they see the prison time they deserve."

ATF recognizes the role that firearms play in violent crimes and pursues an integrated regulatory and enforcement strategy. Investigative priorities focus on armed violent offenders and career criminals, narcotics traffickers, narco-terrorists, violent gangs, and domestic and international arms dealers.