Nine Year Prison Sentence For Illegal Gun Runner

PHILADELPHIA – Luis Ramos, 35, of Philadelphia, was sentenced yesterday to 108 months in prison for his role in an illegal gun trafficking operation.  Ramos was charged with six other defendants who were using Ramos’ house, in the 2000 block of East Atlantic Street in Philadelphia, as a center for illegal gun sales.  Between February 2011 and August 2012, on multiple occasions, one or more of the co-conspirators agreed to sell a buyer a gun and, when the buyer pulled up in front of Ramos’ house, or other locations, delivered the gun to the buyer’s car window.  In addition to Ramos’ house, the defendants were using a storage facility, in the 3500 block of North B Street, and a clothing store, in the 3900 block of Kensington Avenue, for purposes of conducting their illegal gun sales.  The operation was brought to a halt by an undercover investigation involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Ramos pleaded guilty to conspiracy, gun trafficking, unlawfully making a weapon from a shotgun, two counts of unlawfully transferring a firearm, unlawful possession of a short-barreled shotgun, and 21 counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Ramos’ co-defendants Ruben Ramos, Dalvi Rodriguez, and Jim Cruz are awaiting sentencing; Co-defendants Daniel Ruiz, Hector Ortiz, Eddy Delacruz, and Miguel Massa are awaiting trial.  In all, their operation sold 43 guns illegally, plus ammunition.
Ramos and his co-defendants were arrested with several other defendants charged in separate indictments as a result of the ATF investigation which also resulted in the seizure of more than five dozen guns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Labar.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525