Peryoun Newman, Firearm Trafficking, NV 2017

Las Vegas cops and federal agents moved fast after a series of Snapchat videos surfaced showing three men, including two convicted felons, openly firing high-powered weapons — one of them stolen — at an indoor range. Peryoun Newman, 25, Shavonte Hill, 29, and Jevontae Caldwell, 24, all of Las Vegas, were arrested Jan. 27, 2017, and charged with federal firearms violations after the posts caught the eye of investigators already tracking a criminal street gang and human trafficking network.

Newman and Hill were charged with felon in possession of firearms. Hill’s criminal history is a loaded dossier: attempted murder with a deadly weapon, discharging a firearm into an occupied structure, and prior convictions in both federal and state court for being a felon in possession. Newman, too, has a violent past — convicted in 2013 of conspiracy to commit robbery and pandering. Both are legally barred from handling guns. Caldwell was charged specifically with possession of a stolen firearm — a .45 caliber handgun traced to a theft in Mesa, Arizona.

The arrests unfolded after law enforcement spotted a live Snapchat video showing Newman — who identified himself as a member of the ‘Wood’ street gang — firing a semi-automatic Draco pistol alongside Hill and Caldwell. In the video, the men bragged about their arsenal and shot rounds at targets. Officers from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department responded to the shooting range, watched the group load a cardboard box into a vehicle, then followed them to an apartment complex where they moved to intercept.

During the takedown, Caldwell tried to flee. He ditched a bag containing the stolen .45 caliber handgun. A second firearm — a 9mm EEA SAR Arms semi-automatic — was found in his pants pocket. A search warrant executed on their vehicle and apartment uncovered a cache of weapons: a .40 caliber Glock 23, the Draco 7.62X39mm pistol seen in the video, a Master Piece Arm 9mm with a 3-inch barrel, and a .40 caliber Glock 27, along with extra magazines and live rounds.

U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden didn’t mince words: “The three defendants were arrested and charged with gun crimes. Criminals should take heed of these arrests. Law enforcement will utilize all resources at their disposal to protect citizens and to ensure safe Nevada communities for all to live in.” The case, he said, sent a clear message — social media bravado doesn’t go unnoticed.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse emphasized the broader crackdown: “These arrests reflect the FBI’s strong, collaborative partnership with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and our common goal of making our city safer. Those who seek to live the gang lifestyle or exploit others through human trafficking should take note of the unified effort of the law enforcement community to stop their despicable pursuits.” The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cristina D. Silva.