DES MOINES, Iowa – Armani Eugene Gates, 20, a member of the OMB gang, will spend the next 23 years in federal prison after being sentenced to 276 months for a sprawling operation that flooded Des Moines streets with both illegal firearms and deadly fentanyl. The sentence, handed down Friday, marks a significant victory for federal investigators battling the rising tide of gun violence and opioid addiction in Central Iowa.
Gates orchestrated the illegal purchase of firearms through multiple straw purchasers, funneling the weapons to fellow OMB members and associates. One of the recovered firearms had been illegally modified into a fully automatic machinegun, and two others were equipped with high-capacity magazines – clear indicators of intent to escalate violence. Disturbingly, investigators linked those firearms to actual gang-related shootings, cementing the danger Gates posed to the community. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa presented evidence detailing Gates’ central role in the conspiracy.
Beyond the guns, Gates was a key figure in the distribution of over 3.5 kilograms of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. He didn’t work alone; the operation involved multiple co-conspirators, including at least one minor, highlighting the predatory nature of the gang’s activities. Gates also brazenly used residences as storage facilities for the fentanyl, further demonstrating his disregard for the law and the well-being of others. He also possessed a firearm during his drug trafficking activities.
A July 2023 raid, triggered by the investigation, yielded a substantial haul: approximately 13,000 fentanyl pills, seven firearms (including the converted machinegun), the conversion device itself, and a staggering $23,000 in cash. Gates was arrested at the time, and the evidence quickly painted a picture of a sophisticated and dangerous criminal enterprise. The investigation was a joint effort, relying heavily on resources from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
“Since the inception of ‘Project Safe Neighborhoods’, there have been numerous investigations and prosecutions that have had a significant impact on violent crime in Central Iowa,” said Des Moines Police Chief Dana D. Wingert. “This is simply another example of what success looks like….” ATF Kansas City Field Division Special Agent in Charge Bernard Hansen added that the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act has provided crucial tools to target straw purchasers like those employed by Gates, and that the agency’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) was invaluable in linking firearms to crimes.
Following his 276-month prison sentence, Gates will face five years of supervised release. The federal system does not offer parole. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa, along with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin M. Herrera and Mallory E. Weiser, spearheaded the prosecution. The case serves as a stark reminder that those who profit from the misery of others – whether through guns or drugs – will face the full force of the law.
Related Federal Cases
- Dominic Lacava, Firearms Possession, Des Moines IA, 2024 · Kansas
- Jacob Davis, Fentanyl Trafficking, MO 2024 · Kansas
- Pablo Leyva, Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Trafficking, Nebraska 2020 · Illinois
- Drake Bulldogs Coach Charged with Embezzlement, Des Moines IA, 1913 · Missouri
- Dontavius Sharkey, Gang Shooting, Des Moines IA, 2024 · Kansas
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News