ICE, agency partner investigation results in charges against 25 persons
Federal indictments allege illegal narcotics and firearms sales
LOS ANGELES – Special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), along with agency task force partners, arrested 18 individuals named in a series of federal indictments that allege narcotics trafficking and firearms offenses, including the illegal sale of five AR-15-style “ghost guns.”
Operation “Black Phoenix” resulted in seven indictments that were issued earlier this year by a federal grand jury. The indictments charge a total of 25 defendants, 18 of whom were arrested this morning, and four of whom were already in custody. Authorities continue their attempts to arrest the remaining three defendants.
During the course of the investigation, authorities seized approximately 28 pounds of methamphetamine, about a quarter-pound of cocaine and crack cocaine, and 16 firearms. Six of the indictments allege at least one transaction involving pound-quantities of methamphetamine. One of the indictments alleges a series of methamphetamine sales that include two one-pound deals and four two-pound transactions.
Two indictments allege illegal gun sales. Defendants Dau Quay Duong, 53, of Ontario, and Christopher Nguyen, 47, also of Ontario, are charged with illegal firearm sales for allegedly selling a total of five ghost guns, specifically five AR-15-type rifles with no make, model or serial number. In another indictment, defendant Jonathan Domingo Go, 47, of Torrance, is charged will illegally selling three firearms – two .40-caliber pistols and 5.56-caliber assault pistol that is described as a ghost gun with no manufacturing mark and no serial number.
The indictments carry a variety of charges, including conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute narcotics and substantive narcotics trafficking offenses such as distribution of methamphetamine. If they are convicted, most of the defendants will face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years in federal prison, and some will face decades in federal prison because of their extensive criminal histories.
The cases announced today are the result of an investigation conducted by HSI Los Angeles, FBI, Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Monterey Park Police Department, and DEA.
These cases are being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California’s Violent and Organized Crime Section.
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