ATF Arrests 'Straw Purchasers' Who Supplied 37 Guns to California Felons

September 4, 2009

Acting Special Agent In Charge Michael P. Gleysteen, of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Lawrence G. Brown, United States Attorney of the Eastern District of California, and Kenton Rainey, Police Chief, Fairfield Police Department, today announced the culmination of an six-month investigation that resulted in the arrest of two "straw purchasers," individuals who falsified information and purchased at least 37 firearms that were subsequently delivered to felons in Colorado Springs and Northern California. To date, 12 of the 37 firearms have been recovered in criminal investigations throughout the San Francisco Bay area.

Special agents from the ATF San Francisco Field Division and Denver Field Division, detectives from the Fairfield Police Department, local officers from the Colorado Springs area, and the United States Attorney's Offices in Sacramento and Denver worked in unison to identify JERRY JONES and SANAE QUIROZ-JONES, of Colorado Springs, Colo., and subsequently, TRAVIS PRICE, a former resident of Fairfield, Calif., and WENDY GARDINER, a former resident of Colorado Springs, Colo., in an illegal interstate firearms trafficking scheme.

JERRY DEAN JONES, 48, and SANAE QUIROZ-JONES, 53, both residents of Colorado Springs, Colo., were arrested on Sept. 2, 2009, at 1 p.m. without incident at the United States Federal Courthouse, 1929 Stout Street, Denver, Colo. In their court appearance in federal court in Denver that same date, both defendants waived their identity hearings and were released on bail pending their initial appearance in the Eastern District of California, Sacramento, Calif., scheduled for Sept. 11, 2009.

TRAVIS PRICE, 33, is currently in state prison in Taft, Calif., pursuant to state felony violations. Federal charges will be pursued based upon the complaint and warrant issued.

WENDY GARDINER, 32, is wanted and currently a fugitive from justice.

PRICE, GARDINER, JONES and QUIROZ-JONES are alleged to have conspired to engage and willfully engage in the business of dealing firearms without a license, and conspired to make and knowingly make false statements to a licensed firearms dealer during the acquisition of firearms. PRICE and GARDINER were also charged with knowingly possessing firearms shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce after having been convicted of an offense punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year.

"Straw purchasers are responsible for illegal diversion of guns. Many of these firearms ended up in the hands of criminals and used in violent crimes," said ATF's Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Gleysteen. "We must stop the flow of guns from legal commerce to the criminals."

Gleysteen praised his law enforcement partners and thanked the United States Attorney's Offices for their support throughout the investigation.

"No matter where one might fall in the debate over gun control, there is little dispute that firearms must not end up in the hands of convicted felons," said United States Attorney Lawrence Brown.

"Since becoming chief in April 2007, my officers have confiscated 496 firearms which have or could have been used in other crimes. These efforts along with this current joint investigation with ATF will go a long way in making our communities safer," said Chief Kenton Rainey.

The investigation is ongoing and arrests will continue. The public is reminded that these charges are allegations and not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until they have been convicted.

The government's case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd D. Leras.

More information on ATF and its programs is available at http://www.atf.gov

SOURCE Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives