FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
May 19, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ALABAMA AND NEW YORK GUN MEN INDICTED FOR BRINGING ILLEGAL GUNS TO MARYLAND
Unlicensed Gun Dealers Brought Five AK-47s, 23 Handguns and Ammunition from Alabama to Maryland
Greenbelt, Maryland - A grand jury indicted Moises Castillo, Jr., age 25, of Tarrant, Alabama and Otis Gomez-Zapata, age 28, of the Bronx, New York, today for conspiring to sell and selling firearms without a license, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. The defendants were arrested last Friday pursuant to a criminal complaint and affidavit detailing their alleged crimes.
“Guns that are brought to Maryland illegally often are used by criminals who can’t buy guns from licensed dealers and who want guns that cannot be traced back to them by law enforcement authorities,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “This indictment is the result of a proactive investigation by ATF seeking to identify unlicensed gun dealers who bring guns to Maryland.”
According to the two count indictment, between Castillo and Gomez-Zapata located buyers for firearms, then arranged to purchase firearms from pawn brokers and individuals. They then met with firearms buyers and sold them firearms in exchange for cash, charging a fee that varied with the type of firearm purchased. The indictment charges crimes that occurred between October 2007 and January 2008.
Specifically, the indictment alleges that on October 16, 2007, Castillo offered to sell ten firearms for $2,600 and to deliver the firearms personally to Maryland from Alabama for an additional $1,000. Castillo also instructed the prospective buyers to obliterate and remove the firearms’ serial numbers after their purchase.
On October 19, 2007, Castillo met the firearms buyers at Birmingham International Airport in Alabama, then drove the buyers to a federally licensed firearms dealer in Alabaster, Alabama, where he purchased five handguns and ammunition which he sold to the buyers for $2,600 in cash. Castillo then drove the buyers, with their purchases, from Alabama to Linthicum Heights, Maryland. According to the indictment, the following firearms were transferred:
Number Manufacturer Caliber Gauge, Type and Model Serial number
1 Ruger 9mm pistol, Model P89 315-85544
2 Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, Model SW9VE RAU1814
3 Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, Model SW9VE RAU2024
4 Taurus .38 revolver, Model 85 (stainless steel) XD77074
5 Taurus .357 revolver, Model 805 (blue) ZC34582
6 Winchester Fifty rounds, 9mm, 115 grain, Full Metal Jacket ammunition ––
7 Independence Fifty rounds, .38, 130 grain, Full Metal Jacket ammunition ––
8 Independence Fifty rounds, .357, 158 grain, Jacketed Soft Point ammunition ––
According to the indictment, on December 6, 2007, and again on January 17, 2008 Castillo met the buyers at his home and took them to several licensed firearms dealers where he purchased handguns, ammunition and AK-47 semiautomatic assault rifles, which he sold to the buyers for a total of $10,390. The buyers purchased a total of 17 handguns and 5 AK-47 rifles during the two trips.
The indictment alleges that the following firearms were transferred:
Number Manufacturer Caliber Gauge, Type and Model Serial number
9 Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, Model SW9VE RAZ9299
10 Ruger .40 pistol, Model P94 341-48770
11 Taurus 9mm pistol, Millennium Model PT911 TZL68011
12 Taurus .40 pistol, Millennium Model PT140 SZL70012
13 Taurus .357 revolver, Model 605 (blue) Z178391
14 Hi-Point .38 pistol, Model CF380 P877713
15 Hi-Point .45 pistol, Model JHP X482020
16 Hi-Point .40 pistol, Model JCP X764603
17 Independence Fifty rounds, .40 S&W, 180 grain, Full Metal Jacket ammunition ––
18 Wolf Fifty rounds, .45 Auto, 230 grain, Full Metal Jacket ammunition ––
19 Wolf Fifty rounds, .40 S&W, 180 grain, Full Metal Jacket ammunition ––
20 Wolf Fifty rounds, .40 S&W, 180 grain, Full Metal Jacket ammunition ––
21 CN-Romarm SA-Cugir 7.62 x 39mm rifle, Model WASR-10, equipped with one 30-round magazine 1-81859-07
22 CN-Romarm SA-Cugir 7.62 x 39mm rifle, Model WASR-10, equipped with one 30-round magazine 1-81952-07
23 Hi-Point .38 pistol, Model CF380 P877083
24 Hi-Point .40 pistol, Model JCP X763472
25 Hi-Point .40 pistol, Model JCP X765797
26 Hi-Point .40 pistol, Model JCP X763962
27 Hi-Point .45 pistol, Model JHP X486161
28 IZHMASH 7.62 x 39mm rifle, Model SAIGA, equipped with one 30-round magazine H06600924
29 IZHMASH 7.62 x 39mm rifle, Model SAIGA, equipped with one 30-round magazine H06600802
30 IZHMASH 7.62 x 39mm rifle, Model SAIGA, equipped with one 30-round magazine H06601156
31 Ruger 9mm pistol, Model P95 316-40406
32 Ruger .40 pistol, Model P94 341-55982
33 Ruger .45 pistol, Model P90 663-85300
Castillo and Gomez-Zapata face a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Their initial appearances in federal district court are not yet scheduled.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New York Police Department for their investigative work. This investigation was initiated following a tip from the New York Police Department’s Field Intelligence Unit. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant United States Attorney Robert K. Hur, who is prosecuting the case.