Arturo Napoles Indicted in Stockton Gun Trafficking Ring

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Arturo Napoles, 29, of Stockton, is at the center of a federal firearms trafficking indictment tying him to the sale of nearly 50 weapons — including machineguns, stolen firearms, and ghost guns — while allegedly distributing meth and cocaine. Napoles, along with fellow Stockton residents Raymond Morin, 31, and Raul Diaz, 23, was indicted by a federal grand jury today on charges of unlawful dealing in firearms, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.

Napoles faces 19 counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, five counts of possession of a machinegun, two counts of methamphetamine distribution, and one count of cocaine distribution. At the time of his arrest, he was found with one handgun, eight machineguns, and five machine gun-conversion devices. Court documents reveal he operated without a license and sold weapons with obliterated serial numbers and manufactured from unfinished lower receivers — so-called ghost guns — between April 27, 2017, and February 1, 2018.

Diaz, 23, allegedly manufactured and sold approximately 15 assault rifles from unfinished lower receivers in his garage between April 27, 2017, and November 29, 2017. Morin, 31, sold eight firearms — five of them unserialized assault rifles — between June 1, 2017, and January 4, 2018. Neither Morin nor Diaz is licensed to manufacture or deal in firearms. All three are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

“The illegal manufacture and trafficking of firearms poses a serious threat to our communities,” said U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott. “Because of this threat, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has prioritized the prosecution of these crimes, and through our partnership with the ATF and local law enforcement, we have managed to seize large amounts of contraband weapons and to bring those who inject them into the community to justice.”

“At ATF we are committed to making all our communities a safe place,” said Special Agent in Charge Jill Snyder, San Francisco Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “Firearms trafficking is a dangerous activity. It results in guns ending up in the hands of criminals and gang members who engage in criminal activity regardless of whether that endangers lives. It only takes one round from one gun to end a life.” From 2016 to 2018, ATF seized 1,890 firearms in the Stockton, Fresno, and Sacramento areas.

If convicted, Napoles faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Morin and Diaz each face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron L. Desmond is prosecuting the case. The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Stockton Police Department. Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones called the takedown a win: “Getting gang members, violent criminals, weapons, and narcotics off our streets is an on-going process to make Stockton the best it can be.”