California Man Sentenced To 52 Months In Prison For Firearms-Related Crimes

SAN FRANCISCO – Trajordon Svarda was sentenced to 52 months in prison for crimes related to his firearms sales—including the sale of a machinegun—to a confidential informant (CI), announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. William H. Alsup, Senior United States District Judge.

Svarda, 36, of San Francisco, pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), and one count of Illegal Possession of a Machinegun, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(o), on July 12, 2023. He was charged by Information on January 11, 2023.

According to his plea agreement, Svarda sold drugs and firearms to a CI throughout early 2021. The sales began in February 2021, when Svarda sold the CI ecstasy on two occasions. In March, Svarda added firearms to his list of goods for sale, selling the CI ecstasy and a pistol, which ATF later determined was stolen. Later in March, Svarda sold the CI ecstasy, a Smith and Wesson revolver, and a privately made, AR style, .223 caliber pistol. The AR style pistol was a “ghost gun,” meaning it was privately made and did not bear a serial number.

As court documents show, the sales continued throughout April and July. On July 22, 2023, Svarda sold the CI methamphetamine and another privately manufactured AR-style pistol. The privately manufactured AR-style pistol was capable of automatically shooting more than one shot without manual reloading, via a single function of the trigger. At the time of the sale, Svarda showed the CI how to turn the AR-style pistol into a fully automatic weapon using this function.

In total, Svarda admitted to selling to the CI over 150 grams of ecstasy, 157 grams of methamphetamine, and six firearms. In addition, Svarda admitted that he knew at the time that previously he had been convicted of at least one felony.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Alsup ordered Svarda to serve three years of supervised release to begin after his prison term is completed.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sophia Cooper prosecuted the case, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Tina Rosenbaum. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by ATF.