Fresno ‘Ghost Gun’ Dealer Catches 6 Years in Prison

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A Fresno, California, man’s game was up when undercover officers swooped in on a smoke shop after spotting a gun in his waistband on a city bus. Felipe Macias, 28, was busted with a loaded ‘ghost gun’ – a privately made, unserialized firearm – in August 2024. His felony status didn’t help.

As it turned out, Macias was on post-release community supervision, a.k.a. probation, at the time of his arrest. That made his possession of the firearm ammunition a serious crime. He pleaded guilty to the charges on September 29, 2025.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with local law enforcement, handled the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes led the prosecution.