LOS ANGELES– A Ventura County man who illegally sold five firearms in less than a month and agreed to sell three more during an undercover operation last year has been sentenced to nearly five years in federal prison.

Joshua Pineda, 24, of Thousand Oaks, was sentenced on Monday to 57 months in prison after admitting that he illegally sold five rifles during transactions in October and November of 2015 that took place in parking lots in Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks. After selling the rifles for thousands of dollars, Pineda agreed to sell three more to an undercover law enforcement officer.

Most of the eight firearms in this case were AR-15-type assault rifles, several of which did not have serial numbers. According to court documents, Pineda also sold more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition to the undercover agent.

“Parking lot sales of untraceable assault rifles by a convicted felon pose a serious danger to the community,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “Transactions like these supply an illegal market for firearms that endangers law-abiding citizens when the deadly weapons make their way into the hands of criminals.”

Pineda pleaded guilty in February to federal offenses of selling firearms without a license and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Pineda previously pleaded guilty in Los Angeles Superior Court in February 2015 to a felony offense involve an assault rifle.

Pineda was sentenced this week by United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer.

“Illegal acquisition and disposition of untraceable firearms presents a significant challenge and a major concern to our community” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Eric D. Harden. “These offenses circumvent regulations in place intended to thwart firearm possession by prohibited individuals.”

The case against Pineda was investigated by the Bureau of Tobacco, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which received substantial assistance from the Ventura County Sheriff's Department.

This case was prosecuted by Gregory S. Scally of the Santa Ana Branch Office

USAO – California, Central Updated October 6, 2016

Central District of California DOJ / 16-239 / October 5, 2016