Illegal Gun Sales on Social Media: Defendants from Nevada and California Indicted for Selling Ghost Guns and Glock Switches
A man from Nevada was arraigned today on a federal grand jury indictment. He, along with three other defendants, two of whom are from Los Angeles County, are accused of using Instagram as a platform to sell over 60 firearms.
These firearms include ones without serial numbers, commonly referred to as “ghost guns,” as well as machine gun conversion devices known as “Glock switches.”
A 22-year-old man named Mark Perez from Henderson, Nevada, entered a plea of not guilty during his arraignment at the United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. A trial date has been set for August 6 in this case. Perez has been released on a $10,000 bond.
Four individuals, including Perez, Quintos, Lopez, and Dry, are facing charges of conspiracy and engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. Perez faces multiple charges related to firearms and ammunition, including being a prohibited person in possession of them. Additionally, he is charged with possessing a firearm with a removed or altered serial number, as well as possession of a machine gun.
A federal grand jury returned an 11-count indictment on June 13, revealing that from July 2023 to May 2024, Perez and several other defendants utilized Instagram as a means to coordinate and sell over five dozen firearms.
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Several individuals utilized Instagram to facilitate the sale of various firearms, including “ghost guns,” “Glock switches,” as well as firearms with removed serial numbers and stolen firearms. They employed both direct messages and public posts on the platform. An indictment alleges that the illegal firearm sales took place in North Hollywood, Las Vegas, and other locations.
The indictment states that Perez, Quintos, Lopez, and Dry do not possess federal firearms licenses and are therefore not authorized to sell firearms. The indictment claims that Perez is not allowed to have firearms because of a recent misdemeanor conviction for domestic violence in Nevada. It also states that Dry is prohibited from possessing firearms due to previous felony convictions for assault and battery in Nevada.
Perez, Quintos, Dry, and Lopez face a range of charges related to firearms. Quintos is accused of firearms trafficking and possession of a machine gun, while Dry is charged with possessing a firearm as a felon. Quintos is also facing charges for possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and Lopez is accused of possessing a firearm within a school zone.
Quintos and Dry have entered a plea of not guilty to the charges and are currently awaiting their trial, which is scheduled for August 6. Lopez is set to appear for arraignment on July 9.
If found guilty, Perez could potentially be sentenced to up to 100 years in federal prison. 8NewsNow reported that Quintos may face a maximum sentence of 35 years in federal prison, while Lopez could potentially be sentenced to up to 15 years. Dry, if convicted, faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in federal prison.
