A San Diego man was indicted on Friday in federal court by a grand jury for the sale of firearms without a license, possession of a homemade machine gun, and the distribution of Fentanyl.
San Diego Police Department Detectives came across Gavin Michael Adcock, 20, on OfferUp, a popular mobile marketplace, as he offered to sell unfinished handgun lowers. According to police, handgun lowers are commonly referred to as 80 percent lowers.
A detective who posed as a customer inquired about the sale of handgun lowers, according to the affidavit. Adcock told the detective he had completed firearms for sale, which initiated a conversation of firearms for sale between the detective and Adcock.
The San Diego Police Department partnered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to further investigate Adcock’s alleged firearms trafficking activities. Through four undercover purchases between November 2021 and January 2022, ATF purchased eight firearms, ammunition, and 61 fentanyl pills from Adcock, the affidavit said.
Of the eight firearms, seven were determined to be “privately manufactured firearms,” also known as PMFs or ghost guns. One of the PMFs was determined to be a machine gun, and another was an AR-15-style firearm, both of which Adcock claimed he manufactured himself.
Agents seized additional firearms and suspected fentanyl polls during Adcock's Feb.17 arrest.
“This case is a good example of the commitment by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement agency partners to combat the scourge of fentanyl and illegal firearm trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman.
According to ATF Los Angeles Field Division Special Agent in Charge Monique Villegas, over the past few years, Southern California has seen an increase in individuals making firearms and selling them without a license.
“These firearms are oftentimes being sold to individuals that are prohibited from possessing guns. This illegal activity will not be tolerated. ATF will aggressively continue to partner with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to target these traffickers,” Villegas said.
The next court date is scheduled for Feb. 24.
