Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Eureka Man Sentenced to 33 Months for Role in Trafficking 55 Stolen Handguns
Law Enforcement Recovered One of the Stolen Guns at a Homicide in Arcata in 2017
Jesse James Marquez was sentenced on Friday to 33 months in prison for his role in the theft and subsequent sale of 55 firearms from a sporting goods store in Eureka, California, in August 2015. The sentence was imposed by the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, U.S. Senior District Judge.
In a plea agreement, Marquez admitted he cut the power lines to disable the alarm at Pacific Outfitters, located at 1600 Fifth Street, Eureka, California 95501, in the early morning hours of August 8, 2015. He then climbed on the roof and broke through a skylight to gain access to the firearms. He broke into a cabinet containing firearms and then carried 55 handguns out of the store in a backpack, forcing open a roll up door to exit the store. After he stole the guns, Marquez stored them until he was able to sell them.
A number of the stolen firearms have been recovered by police officers in California, Oregon, Georgia and elsewhere, including at the scene of a homicide in Arcata, California in September 2017.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Breyer sentenced Marquez to a 3-year term of supervised release and ordered Marquez to pay restitution to Pacific Outfitters in the amount of $56,600. He has been remanded into custody since entering his guilty plea and will begin serving his sentence immediately.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan U. Lee prosecuted this case with the assistance of Kimberley Richardson and Hector Lopez. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Eureka Police Department.
Further Information:
Case #: 18-CR-00197 CRB
A copy of this press release will be placed on the U.S. Attorney's Office's website at www.usdoj.gov/usao/can.
Electronic court filings and further procedural and docket information are available at https://ecf.cand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
Judges' calendars with schedules for upcoming court hearings can be viewed on the court's website at www.cand.uscourts.gov.
All press inquiries to the U.S. Attorney's Office should be directed to Abraham Simmons at (415) 436-7264 or by e-mail at Abraham.Simmons@usdoj.gov.
###