LOS ANGELES, CA – Ellourth Eladio Simon, 33, of Los Angeles, is headed to federal prison for nearly three years after being sentenced for a brazen, long-running illegal firearms operation. U.S. District Judge George H. Wu handed down a 33-month sentence after Simon pleaded guilty to engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license and possessing a machine gun.
The feds say Simon repeatedly peddled firearms from September 2021 through January 2023, including dangerous “ghost guns” – untraceable firearms lacking serial numbers – and machine gun conversion devices known as “switches.” He admitted to eight illegal gun transactions, one of which involved a $8,400 sale to an ATF undercover agent in November 2021. That deal included four handguns and an AR-type rifle built without a serial number.
But Simon wasn’t working alone. William Nirion Peña, 41, of Los Angeles’ Koreatown, served as Simon’s primary firearms source. Peña is already serving a 40-month sentence after being convicted of conspiracy to engage in the same unlicensed gun dealing. Court documents reveal Peña flooded Simon with photos and pricing information, supplying around 16 firearms and a “substantial amount” of ammunition that Simon then flipped to the undercover agent.
The pair operated with chilling efficiency, coordinating sales via phone and conducting transactions in the dead of night in supermarket parking lots. Evidence suggests Peña was sourcing guns from out-of-state, primarily Arizona, bypassing legitimate channels and feeding the black market. Among the weapons provided were two silencers lacking serial numbers and a Glock switch – a device that can turn a semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic machine gun.
Prosecutors argued Simon’s actions were “dangerous, long-standing and serious.” They highlighted the sheer volume of powerful weapons and ammunition he illegally sold, along with the inclusion of silencers, underscoring the obvious illegality and potential for harm. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led the investigation as part of the Los Angeles Firearms Trafficking Strike Force, a collaborative effort with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
This case is the latest example of the ATF’s crackdown on illegal gun trafficking in the region. The Violent and Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office handled the prosecution. While Simon and Peña are behind bars, the flow of illegal firearms remains a constant threat, and the ATF continues to pursue those who profit from putting these weapons on the streets.
Related Federal Cases
- Scott Everett Coyl, Unlicensed Firearms Sales, California 2024 · California
- Keymal Rucker, Illegal Firearms Purchase, Arizona 2023 · California
- Juan Hernandez, Methamphetamine Trafficking, Los Angeles CA, 2023 · California
- Alberto Gutierrez-Reyes Convicted of Abuse, Los Angeles CA, 2024 · California
- Alberto Gutierrez-Reyes Dies in ICE Custody, Los Angeles CA, 2023 · California
Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
WeaponsWeaponsWeaponsWeapons