U.S. Department of Justice

United States Attorney
Southern District of California

Southern District of California

www.justice.gov/usao/cas

For Immediate Release

October 10, 2012

SAN DIEGO COUNTY RESIDENT CHARGED WITH CONSPIRING TO TRANSPORT TWENTY-ONE ILLEGALLY PURCHASED FIREARMS INTO CALIFORNIA

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – October 10, 2012

United States Laura E. Duffy announced the arraignment and unsealing of a criminal indictment today charging Sean Palmese with conspiring to transport illegally purchased firearms from Arizona to California. Palmese was arraigned today in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Karen S. Crawford.

According to the indictment, Sean Palmese entered into an agreement with another individual to travel to Arizona to purchase firearms from Federal Firearms Licensees, using a fraudulently obtained Arizona driver's license. The license contained the address of an Arizona Starbucks, not Palmese's residential address in San Diego. With the driver's license, Palmese was able to purchase twenty-one (21) firearms, including 9 mm pistols, SKS 7.62 caliber rifles, .45 caliber pistols, and .38 caliber pistols. Also alleged in the indictment, Palmese transported one 9 mm pistol that was purchased in Arizona to San Diego County, where it was later recovered in Fallbrook.

The defendant is next scheduled to appear before United States District Judge Roger T. Benitez on November 26, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. for a motion hearing/trial setting.

DEFENDANT

Case Number: 12CR3972-BEN

Sean Palmese Age: 27

San Diego, California

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

• Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371, 922(a)(3) - Conspiracy to Transport Firearms Interstate
• Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(a)(3) - Unlicensed Interstate Transportation of a Firearm

Both charges carry a maximum penalty of 5 years' imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

INVESTIGATING AGENCY

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

An indictment itself is not evidence that the defendant committed the crime charged. The defendant is presumed innocent until the Government meets its burden in court of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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