Marco Garmo, Gun Trafficking, California 2019

San Diego – Former San Diego County Sheriff’s Captain Marco Garmo was arrested this morning based on a federal grand jury indictment that charges him with operating an illegal firearms trafficking business. Garmo, who served as the captain in charge of the Rancho San Diego Station until his arrest, is accused of engaging in the unlawful acquisition, transfer, and sale of firearms during his entire tenure as captain.

The indictment alleges that Garmo was involved in the unlawful purchase and resale of ‘off roster’ handguns, which are guns that may be purchased by members of law enforcement but not members of the general public. Garmo acquired roughly 146 firearms between March 2013 and February 2019, and he sold or otherwise transferred 104 of them to others.

Garmo is also accused of tipping off his cousin, who was a partner in an illegal marijuana dispensary, based on information Garmo had received of an impending warrant search of the cousin’s dispensary by Sheriff’s Deputies.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas Pilchak (619) 546-9709 and Andrew Haden (619) 546-6961 said that Garmo’s business of firearms dealing was undertaken for both financial profit and to cultivate future donors for his anticipated campaign for Sheriff of San Diego County.

Additionally, the indictment charges Sheriff’s Department Lieutenant Fred Magana, prominent San Diego jeweler Leo Hamel, firearms dealer Giovanni Tilotta, and El Cajon resident Waiel Anton with aiding and abetting Garmo’s illegal firearms business.

Magana and Hamel entered guilty pleas before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bernard G. Skomal, admitting that they aided Garmo’s business by engineering and engaging in straw purchases of firearms, creating false records to conceal those purchases, and offering to promote Garmo’s weapons. Magana was granted a $25,000 bond; Hamel a $250,000 bond secured by a lien on a piece of property.

The indictment describes Garmo’s business of firearms dealing as undertaken for both financial profit and to cultivate future donors for his anticipated campaign for Sheriff of San Diego County. Most of Garmo’s firearms transactions involved the purchase and resale of ‘off roster’ handguns.

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