Olympic starting pistols converted into guns by Tottenham gangster

 

TOTTENHAM man who specialised in converting Olympic starting pistols into deadly firearms has been jailed for seven years. James Jones, 27, ran a gun conversion business out of a suitcase which was uncovered when officers raided his home last year and arrested him. The Collingwood Road resident is one of 37 people caught in the Boombox music store sting by Enfield Police, to catch gangsters trading guns, ammunition, weapons, and drugs. Detective Chief Inspector Paul Harwood, who ran the major undercover operation – codenamed Peyzac – said: “It is believed that James Jones had converted many more firearms than actually recovered. “He specialised in Olympic 38 starting pistols, which he converted to live firing firearms. This particular make of starting pistol is now illegal to possess in the UK.” Boombox, in Fore Street, was wired with hidden cameras and listening devices, and operated for more than a year with a functioning shop at the front and a backroom for criminals to trade in. Loaded guns, thousands of pounds of drugs, and ammunition were all brought into the shop, and sold to police. Among those jailed at Wood Green Crown Court in the Boombox case, Damien McGowan, 33, of Collingwood Road, Tottenham, received a ten-year prison term for conspiracy to supply nine firearms and ammunition. Kasheef Hardy, 25, of Mount View Court, Green Lanes, was also jailed for ten years for leading a group who sold a gun and ammunition to police in January last year. And Junior Homer, 21, of Bath Road, Edmonton, was jailed for ten-and-a-half-years for conspiracy to supply firearms, conspiracy to supply drugs, receiving stolen goods, and passing counterfeit currency. Judge Fraser Morrison, who oversaw all 37 cases, said on Friday at the sentencing of the final two defendants: “I need to say for the record, being involved in the movement of guns is very serious indeed. “The reason why it is viewed so seriously is the items can dispatch lethal force. There is a lot of violence in this country with guns when people suffer very severe consequences.”

Assault weapon used in Palmetto nightclub shooting

 

Investigators are scouring arrest reports and other records regarding victims in a shooting spree this past weekend at a Palmetto nightclub to determine any possible suspects and motives in the unsolved case. Facts AK-47 BASICS Palmetto police say an AK-47 assault rifle was used in the mass shooting that killed two and injured 22 others at a nightclub early Saturday. Here is a primer on the weapon and why it is so infamous: • When fully automatic, it can fire 600 rounds per minute. Semi-automatic models can fire 45 to 60 rounds per minute. • Accuracy is low, but firepower is strong; bullets tend to flip in flight, increasing damage to human tissue and organs. • Possession is legal in Florida and in many states, though state laws can vary widely. • The name AK-47 is from a combination of the name of designer Mikhail Kalashnikov, a Soviet tank crew member. It went into production in 1947. • It is among the earliest designs of assault rifles, and one of the most widely used in the world. • More AK-type rifles have been produced than any other assault rifle. SOURCES: answers.com, thefirearmsforum.com, webanswers.com “We're looking through everything we have,” Manatee County Sheriff's Office spokesman Dave Bristow said this morning. “Palmetto Police are looking back at everything they have.” Witnesses believe gunmen may have targeted Trayon Goff, 25, who was outside Club Elite, 704 10th St. W., when the shooting began at about 12:30 a.m. Saturday. Two were killed and 22 injured in the shooting. Investigators are unsure whether Goff's criminal past factors into the case. The felony cases filed against Trayon Goff occurred in 2005 and 2006. Undercover sheriff's detectives claimed that Goff repeatedly sold them rock cocaine outside the R&R Market at 7205 Bayshore Road in Rubonia. The transactions were reportedly recorded on video. One detective reported that Goff sold him cocaine there on Sept. 6, 2005, and again on Sept. 13, 2005. For his conviction on those two counts, Goff served two months in the county jail. Goff was later identified as participating in a previous rock cocaine transaction at the store on Aug. 25, 2005. In that case, he served 60 days in the county jail. He was accused of selling rock cocaine to a different undercover detective outside the same store on May 23, 2006. In that case, he was sentenced to a year in the county jail. No further felony arrests for Goff have been recorded in Manatee County since, though there is an ongoing domestic relations case in which the records are confidential and a recent case of driving with a suspended license in which Goff was fined.

Final farewell for shooting victim

 

Mourners have turned out to bid a final farewell to the police shooting victim whose death in north London sparked the first night of devastating riots across England. Amid lingering tensions between family members and detectives, the ornate cortege carrying the body of Mark Duggan made its way to his private funeral after passing through the Broadwater Farm estate. His coffin, in a white carriage pulled by four white horses with plumes on their heads, was adorned with flowers. Emblazoned on it were the words "grandson", "son" and "dad". Led by Mr Duggan's brothers Marlon Duggan and Shaun Hall, it was followed by a long procession of cars. Outside the New Testament Church of God in Wood Green the beat of a drum was heard as his funeral got under way. The father of four's death in Tottenham on August 4 triggered four nights of violence and looting which spread across the country. Mr Duggan's partner Semone Wilson paid tribute to her "first real love" in a message read out during the service by her sister Michelle Palmer-Scott. She said: "Mark, my love, my friend and father of my children, my first real love - we laughed together, we cried together, we faced trials and tribulations together. "We had our ups and we had our downs but through it all, I loved him." Mr Duggan was a passenger in a minicab which was apparently stopped by officers near Tottenham Hale Tube station before he was fatally shot.

Cops make big arms find in Las Cuevas

 

Police yesterday made a major discovery of 15 high-powered firearms and more than 10,000 rounds of assorted ammunition—the largest since the state of emergency was declared two weeks ago. Officers, in search of marijuana, discovered a cache of arms buried two miles in the Rincon Forest, Las Cuevas. The guns, wrapped in plastic and newspapers, were greased. Detectives said the firearms belonged to a notorious gang leader. Officers of the North Eastern Division said they received a tip-off and headed to the forested area around 4 am. The exercise was headed by Supt John Daniel and included Sgts Stephen Dorridge, Daryl LaPierre, Cpls Dale Emmanuel, Andrew Stannisclaus and PC Goyton Ramcharan. Detectives said the firearms belonged to a “notorious” gang leader. They claimed that since the state of emergency was declared, several gang members had fled to the north coast. Investigators said the firearms would be sent for ballistic testing. No one was detained, but investigators said an arrest was imminent. They said officers of the Crime Investigations Unit would continue inquiries and also conduct forensic analysis on the seized firearms. At yesterday’s post-Cabinet news conference, National Security Minister John Sandy commended the lawmen on the seizure. Meanwhile, Customs and Excise Division seized five disassembled rifles at the TTPost facility in Piarco. A release said a package from the United States arrived for trans-shipment to Thailand on Tuesday. Upon X-ray, the package contained what appeared to be firearm components. The package was declared as “used motorcycle parts.” It was handed over to the Preventive Branch of Customs and Excise where an examination was done in the presence of army and police personnel. “Investigations are ongoing in conjunction with officers of the Organised Crime, Narcotics and Firearms Bureau in Thailand and the United States,” the release said.  Meanwhile, a 50-year-old retired soldier was up to late yesterday under interrogation after a recently-issued radical design army kit was found at his home in Lopinot Village. Police said the suspect left the army in 1985. That exercise was led by Northern Division officers and included Supt Samuel Bullen, Insp Ramnarie Seecharan and acting Sgt Ganga Singhons. The guns, ammunition and other items found yesterday were:  Two self-loading rifles;  four pump-action shotguns; one 1.25 rifle, three 303 rifles; one mini Uzi; one Uzi; one Tec 9; one flare gun; a nine-millimetre submachine gun; 10,000 rounds of assorted ammunition; two bulletproof vests; a gun telescope; one kilogramme of marijuana; and One ski mask.

Cops make big arms find in Las Cuevas

 

Police yesterday made a major discovery of 15 high-powered firearms and more than 10,000 rounds of assorted ammunition—the largest since the state of emergency was declared two weeks ago. Officers, in search of marijuana, discovered a cache of arms buried two miles in the Rincon Forest, Las Cuevas. The guns, wrapped in plastic and newspapers, were greased. Detectives said the firearms belonged to a notorious gang leader. Officers of the North Eastern Division said they received a tip-off and headed to the forested area around 4 am. The exercise was headed by Supt John Daniel and included Sgts Stephen Dorridge, Daryl LaPierre, Cpls Dale Emmanuel, Andrew Stannisclaus and PC Goyton Ramcharan. Detectives said the firearms belonged to a “notorious” gang leader. They claimed that since the state of emergency was declared, several gang members had fled to the north coast. Investigators said the firearms would be sent for ballistic testing. No one was detained, but investigators said an arrest was imminent. They said officers of the Crime Investigations Unit would continue inquiries and also conduct forensic analysis on the seized firearms. At yesterday’s post-Cabinet news conference, National Security Minister John Sandy commended the lawmen on the seizure. Meanwhile, Customs and Excise Division seized five disassembled rifles at the TTPost facility in Piarco. A release said a package from the United States arrived for trans-shipment to Thailand on Tuesday. Upon X-ray, the package contained what appeared to be firearm components. The package was declared as “used motorcycle parts.” It was handed over to the Preventive Branch of Customs and Excise where an examination was done in the presence of army and police personnel. “Investigations are ongoing in conjunction with officers of the Organised Crime, Narcotics and Firearms Bureau in Thailand and the United States,” the release said.  Meanwhile, a 50-year-old retired soldier was up to late yesterday under interrogation after a recently-issued radical design army kit was found at his home in Lopinot Village. Police said the suspect left the army in 1985. That exercise was led by Northern Division officers and included Supt Samuel Bullen, Insp Ramnarie Seecharan and acting Sgt Ganga Singhons. The guns, ammunition and other items found yesterday were:  Two self-loading rifles;  four pump-action shotguns; one 1.25 rifle, three 303 rifles; one mini Uzi; one Uzi; one Tec 9; one flare gun; a nine-millimetre submachine gun; 10,000 rounds of assorted ammunition; two bulletproof vests; a gun telescope; one kilogramme of marijuana; and One ski mask.

Authorities Confirm Gun Found In Arizona Is Third At U.S. Crime Scene Tied To ATF's 'Fast And Furious'

 

Authorities confirm a weapon from the failed ATF program 'Operation Fast and Furious' was found at a violent crime scene in Maricopa, Ariz. in 2010. This is the latest in a series of cases where Fast and Furious guns have been linked to violent crimes across the U.S. and Mexico. The two guns found at the scene were an AK-47 and a Beretta pistol, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The AK-47 is linked to Fast and Furious, according to ATF. The weapons were found inside a stolen truck in March 2010 after the driver slammed into two DPS vehicles while trying to evade members of the Arizona Vehicle Theft Task Force, ABC 15 reports. The driver, Angel Hernandez Diaz, was reportedly arrested and charged with multiple crimes, including flight from a pursuing law enforcement vehicle, aggravated assault on an officer with a dangerous instrument or deadly weapon, theft of means of transportation and misconduct involving a weapon, according to court documents. Fast and Furious was an operation launched in late 2009 by the Phoenix office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to follow gun purchasers in hopes that suspects would lead investigators to the heads of Mexican cartels. But hundreds of high-powered rifles and other guns ended up in Mexico, and many now accuse the ATF and the Justice Department of letting the guns "walk" even after safety concerns were raised. Assistant Attorney General Ronald Weich said last week that three weapons linked to Operation Fast and Furious had been used in violent crimes in the U.S.  Weapons linked to the program were used in a December attack along the Southwest border that killed U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. Months later, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif, launched his committee's investigation, as the Justice Department's inspector general also opened an inquiry, at Attorney General Eric Holder's direction. On Wednesday, Holder said for the first time that not only he but also other higher-ups at the Justice Department were not aware of the operation as it was being carried out. Holder also suggested politics could be a driving force behind Republican lawmakers' forceful inquiries into the matter. Recently, the man who headed ATF in the midst of it, Ken Melson, was reassigned, and U.S. attorney Dennis Burke, who oversaw the prosecution of cases coming out of the operation, abruptly resigned. At least three men have been charged in connection with the murder of agent Terry, though only one is in U.S. custody. The Justice Department recently informed lawmakers that cases coming out of Operation Fast and Furious will now be led by prosecutors from outside Arizona.

Alleged street-gang member gets 13 years for gun crimes

 

An alleged Gators street gang member who insisted he sold crack, not guns, to evade tough justice received a precedent-setting 13-year prison sentence Thursday. Justice Jane Kelly delivered the high-water-mark sentence of nine years for gun possession convictions against Lyvon Lambert, 20, plus four years for other offences, including 1.5 years for violating a previous firearm prohibition. The nine-year sentence for gun possession is only one year below the maximum. Lambert had nine weapons, crack cocaine, two pit bull dogs and a four-foot alligator – police say it is the club mascot – in his tiny two-bedroom Eglinton Ave. W. apartment when Toronto Police searched it in January 2009. Kelly convicted Lambert of 40 charges, including possession of three fully-loaded handguns, two sawed-off shotguns, two other long rifles, ammunition packaged for sale and 27 grams of crack for the purpose of trafficking. “The seizure of seven illegal guns in one place is unusual and represents a significant seizure,” said Kelly. In compiling what the judge called an “unenviable record,” Lambert had previously robbed an undercover cop of $700 (posing as a crack customer), whom he suspected he was a police officer. Lambert thought “the courts will not punish him severely for trafficking (cocaine) and that it is therefore ‘worth it’ on a cost-benefit analysis,” stated Kelly. “His belief was that ... it was well worth the risk to enage in selling crack as a career,” said the judge. “Mr. Lambert needs to be disabused of this notion. Only a stiff and exemplary deterrent sentence will do so.” Kelly said Lambert implored another man to sell crack “as an easy source of money. “He purportedly went on a crack-selling fund-raising tour to pay for canteen sundries and his lawyer’s retainer,” said Kelly. Lambert denied being a member of the Gators gang, which in early 2009 was involved in a deadly turf war with the rival Five Point Generalz gang in the west end. Lambert was active in both the ammunition and drug selling business in 2009, a year after Parliament tripled the mandatory minimum sentence for possession of prohibited firearms from one to three years and subsequent offences from one to five years. “Parliament could not be clearer: Do not possess loaded prohibited firearms. Indeed, according to Mr. Lambert’s testimony, he received this message,” said Kelly. “He just did not heed it.”

Gang violence A rivalry between two gangs — Fresh Off the Boat (FOB) and the FOB Killers (FK)

 

Two suspected gang members went on trial Tuesday accused of shooting three people to death, including an innocent bystander, on New Year's Day in 2009. Three masked gunmen entered the Bolsa Vietnamese Restaurant in a southeast Calgary strip mall and opened fire, killing Sanjeev Mann, 22, described by police as a known gang member, and Aaron Bendle, 21, who also had gang ties. The third victim, construction worker Keni Su'a, 43, was eating in the restaurant and tried to escape, but was gunned down in the parking lot. Nathan Zuccherato, 24, Michael Roberto, 27, and Real Honorio, 27, are each charged with three counts of first-degree murder. Honorio's trial did not begin on Tuesday because his lawyer was unavailable. A publication ban was put in effect for the pre-trial arguments, which are expected to last two weeks. Gang violence A rivalry between two gangs — Fresh Off the Boat (FOB) and the FOB Killers (FK) — is believed to be connected to more than 20 homicides in Calgary dating back to 2002. In the days following the 2009 murders, police vowed to step up their work against gangs in Calgary. Officials have since credited that renewed focus with reducing the murder rate by almost 50 per cent the following year. The trial in Court of Queen’s Bench is scheduled to last for more than a month.

Gangs Squad investigates shootings

 

Gang-squad detectives are investigating the drive-by shooting of a family home in Blacktown four weeks ago. Investigators refused to comment on the case but have said all lines of inquiry are open. That includes whether the drive-by shooting was related to other shootings at homes linked to gang-members around western Sydney in the past few weeks. Police believe the shooting at Indigo Way at Blacktown on the night of August 9 was a case of mistaken identity. The Department of Housing property was formerly occupied by a family linked to the gang Notorious but had a family of six Afghan refugees living in it at the time of the shooting. No one was harmed despite three bullets penetrating the interior walls of house.

Fourth arrest in Half Moon Bay shooting

fourth suspect in a recent Half Moon Bay shooting was arrested Thursday night along with his father who sheriff’s deputies say tried to stop them from taking his son into custody.
Mason Paul Wessel, 19, of Half Moon Bay was booked into the Maguire Correctional Facility on suspicion of attempted murder and the allegation he was acting on behalf of a criminal street gang.
His father, David Paul Wessel, 54, also of Half Moon Bay, was arrested for obstructing a peace officer but later cited and released at the scene.
Sheriff’s detectives apprehended the young Wessel at 6:50 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1 after spotting him leaving a car on the 200 block of Hyde street where his father has an apartment.
The older Wessel was actually driving the vehicle carrying his son and allegedly tried to block the detectives from arresting the teen.
Wessel’s arrest comes on the heels of three others suspected in the Aug. 14 shooting that authorities believe to be gang related.
On that day, deputies responding to reports of five or six gunshots found Half Moon Bay resident Jose Monroy, 29, bleeding from a gunshot wound to his foot on the 200 block of Grove Street.
A few days later, another gunshot victim showed up at Seton Medical Center.
On Thursday morning, deputies with the Sheriff’s Office conducted a search warrant on the 400 block of Metzgar Street in Half Moon Bay and arrested Christian Serrano DeLeon, 21, who is believed to be the primary suspect in the case.
Marco Antonio Barajas, 18, was located at a residence on the 400 Block of Willow Street in Half Moon Bay and a 17-year-old Hispanic boy out of Moss Beach was also taken into custody on the 100 block of Corona Street.
All three were booked on suspicion of attempted murder and belonging to a criminal street gang. The juvenile, who is not being named, is housed at the Youth Services Center.
Investigators believe the shooting was gang-related and may have stemmed from a dispute between the Norteño and Sureño street gangs.
Prosecutors should receive the case on Tuesday morning and if they decide to charge the suspects they will be arraigned that afternoon. A decision will also be made whether to charge the juvenile as an adult, said Chief Deputy District Attorney Karen Guidotti.