Officer Ryan Fedo with a ghost gun at the Providence Police Department's firing range. C1063 00 14 18 21 Still012
San Diego, California – A 20-year-old Chula Vista man was sentenced Thursday to more than 11 years in federal prison after robbing an undercover federal agent at gunpoint during an illegal firearm sale involving a modified machine gun.
Jonathan Manuel Flores received a 135-month sentence in federal court for multiple offenses, including assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, and dealing firearms without a license.
The sentencing stems from a February 17, 2023, undercover operation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), which was investigating the trafficking of “ghost guns” — unserialized, privately made firearms — and weapons modified with illegal “Glock switches” that convert them into fully automatic machine guns.
That day, Flores arranged to sell a Glock pistol with a full-auto conversion device to an undercover ATF agent for $2,400. The meeting occurred in a Walmart’s parking lot on Murphy Canyon Road in San Diego. Flores insisted that the deal happen in the backseat of his vehicle. The agent complied and entered the car, where two other individuals were already seated in the front.
Once inside, Flores showed the agent the weapon, which had an extended magazine and an illegal conversion device installed. But when the agent attempted to inspect the firearm, Flores demanded the cash first. As the agent finished counting $2,000, Flores racked the slide of the loaded weapon, pressed it into the agent’s ribcage, and said, “Get the f— out of the car, dog, before I smoke you.” He then took the money and fled with the two accomplices.
The agent escaped unharmed, and the San Diego Police Department assisted in the apprehension of Flores at a later time.
U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon called the case a sobering reminder of the danger law enforcement officers face. “This robbery is a stark reminder of the extreme danger our agents face every day in their efforts to keep illegal firearms off our streets,” Gordon said in a statement.
ATF Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Kenny Cooper praised the collaborative effort among local, state, and federal agencies. “It is an honor to work with our partners to successfully carry out our public safety mission,” Cooper said.
According to court documents, Flores had previously sold firearms to undercover ATF agents on at least five other occasions before the robbery. He pleaded guilty in 2023 to the charges.
