DOJ Seal

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney's Office
District of Idaho

For Immediate Release

Thursday, August 9, 2018
Bart M. Davis
, United States Attorney
Contact: Cassie Fulghum

Unlawful Firearms Dealer Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison

BOISE - Fabian Gonzalez, 27, of Caldwell, was sentenced today to 40 months in prison for unlawful dealing in firearms, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced.  Gonzalez was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge at the federal courthouse in Boise.

According to court records, during the summer of 2017, Gonzalez sold a government informant eight firearms for a total of $6650.  The firearms sold included tactical rifles, a tactical shotgun, pistols, and an unregistered sawed-off shotgun.  During the sales, which occurred in various parking lots throughout the Treasure Valley, the informant told Gonzalez that he was prohibited from possessing firearms and that he was buying the guns to give to others.  The informant first contacted Gonzalez through a social media website on which Gonzalez was advertising guns for sale.

In December 2017, a federal grand jury indicted Gonzalez for unlawful dealing in firearms.  That offense makes it illegal for anyone who is not a licensed firearms dealer to sell firearms as a trade or business with the intent of making a profit through the repeated purchase and sale of firearms.  The offense does not apply to persons who sell firearms as a hobby or to enhance a collection.  Gonzalez was not a licensed firearms dealer.  During the sales to the informant, Gonzalez offered to continue selling guns to the informant so they could make a profit and encouraged the informant to find out what types of guns the informant’s “homies” wanted so he could arrange future gun sales.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”).  After every firearms sale with Gonzalez, ATF agents recovered the firearms from the informant.  As part of Gonzalez’s prosecution, those firearms were forfeited by the government.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority.  In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.

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