Marquez Jeter, Unlawful Firearms Trafficking, California 2019

Marquez Jeter, 42, of Stockton, is staring down federal time after being hit with six counts tied to a high-volume illegal gun operation—charged with unlawful trafficking in firearms, three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and illegal possession of a machine gun. On March 13, 2019, Jeter sold a Glock pistol to a confidential informant for $1,200. Less than a month later, he upped the ante—offering access to fresh inventory and ultimately unloading 15 guns for $16,500 on April 11, 2019. The deal was done, but not before federal agents locked in on his every move.

Jeter isn’t just a gun dealer—he’s a prohibited person, barred from owning any firearm due to prior felony convictions. Yet he not only possessed multiple weapons, including a machine gun, but actively expanded his arsenal for resale. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) ran the investigation, closing in after a string of controlled buys exposed Jeter’s underground supply chain. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael W. Redding is prosecuting the case, signaling the feds are treating this as more than a one-off sale—it’s a trafficking scheme.

Elsewhere in Northern California, the crackdown spilled into Solano County. Jake Edward Howland, 22, of Vallejo, was caught red-handed on a levee near Dixon on February 24, 2019, where witnesses reported fully automatic gunfire. Solano County Sheriff’s deputies found an empty .40-caliber high-capacity magazine on Howland and a nearby .40-caliber pistol altered to fire like a machine gun. The weapon had been blazing just moments before. The Solano County Sheriff’s Office, FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force, and the District Attorney’s Office teamed up on the case.

Kenny Xyrus Losito, 30, of Vacaville, was busted during a routine traffic stop on March 14, 2019—only for officers to find a loaded Ruger 9 mm pistol stashed under his leg. A sweep of his vehicle turned up over a pound of marijuana, dozens of Alprazolam (Xanax) pills, and more than $5,000 in cash. Losito, a convicted felon, is legally barred from possessing any firearm or ammo. The investigation was led by the Vacaville Police Department with support from the FBI and Solano County DA’s Office.

Up in Butte County, Christopher Ballez, 34, of Oroville, didn’t even make it to the confrontation. On a stretch of road, Ballez tried to ditch a Sig Sauer handgun while being tailed by a deputy. The throwaway failed—deputies recovered the weapon, sealing his fate. A prior felony conviction makes Ballez ineligible to possess any firearm. The Butte County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI built the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Conolly is handling prosecution.

If convicted, Howland, Losito, and Ballez each face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Jeter’s exposure is heavier: five years for unlawful dealing in firearms, 10 years for machine gun possession, and 10 years plus a $250,000 fine for each of the three felon-in-possession counts. Sentences could stack. These cases were brought under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the DOJ’s violent crime reduction initiative targeting illegal gun use. All defendants remain presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Related Federal Cases