PHOENIX, AZ – Chris Oliver, 24, of Gilbert, Arizona, will spend the next 33 months in federal prison after being sentenced for illegally dealing firearms, the Department of Justice announced Wednesday. Oliver, the ringleader of a sophisticated gun trafficking operation, pleaded guilty to Dealing in Firearms Without a License, a charge stemming from a scheme that flooded the streets with weapons, some of which ended up at crime scenes – including one where a police officer was killed.
The ATF investigation revealed Oliver and his crew – Dion Delpino, 24, of Gilbert; Michael Troy Kelly, Jr., 24, of Tempe; and Eric Roy Rathbun, II, 24, of Chandler – conspired to purchase at least 123 firearms from Arizona gun stores between July 2019 and November 2020. They used false statements to acquire the weapons with the sole purpose of reselling them for profit. All co-conspirators have pleaded guilty to making false statements and await sentencing.
Thirty of the illegally obtained handguns were eventually recovered by law enforcement. A shocking 28 turned up in and around Oakland, California, while two were found locally in the Phoenix metro area. But the most damning revelation? Six of those weapons were linked to six separate homicide investigations. Most disturbingly, one of those firearms was used in the murder of Stockton (California) Police Officer Jimmy Arty Inn, who was killed while responding to a domestic violence call. Oliver wasn’t just a participant in this operation; he directed his co-conspirators to make purchases on his behalf, effectively managing the entire criminal enterprise.
The initial indictment against Oliver, Kelly, and Delpino came down in August 2021. In May 2022, additional charges were added against Oliver and Rathbun, broadening the scope of the case and solidifying the evidence against them. The scale of the operation – 76 instances of making false statements during firearm purchases – underscores the brazenness of the group’s actions and their disregard for the law.
Federal prosecutors highlighted that this case was pursued under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program designed to combat violent crime through targeted enforcement and community partnerships. The program aims to focus on the most dangerous offenders and provide resources for prevention and rehabilitation. The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and multiple local law enforcement agencies including the Phoenix, Mesa, Gilbert, and Scottsdale Police Departments, as well as Homeland Security Investigations and the Phoenix Police Department’s Commercial Narcotics Interdiction Unit.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Coleen Schoch of the District of Arizona, Phoenix, led the prosecution. The case number is CR-21-00600-DLR-PHX. While Oliver’s sentence offers a measure of justice, it serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of illegal gun trafficking and the ripple effect of violence it creates. The flow of illegal weapons continues to fuel crime, and law enforcement agencies remain vigilant in their efforts to stem the tide.
Related Federal Cases
- Billy Glyn Sims Jr, Unlawful Firearms Dealing, California 2024 · Alabama
- Scott Everett Coyl, Dealing Firearms Without a License, California 2026 · California
- Marquez Jeter, Unlawful Firearms Trafficking, California 2019 · Ohio
- Shawn Saesee, Firearms Trafficking, California 2023 · Alabama
- Scott Everett Coyl, Unlicensed Firearms Sales, California 2024 · California
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