SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies today announced the results of a months-long operation aimed at disrupting the flow of illegal weapons and narcotics in San Joaquin County. The investigation focused on criminal activity that contributed to rising violence in both Stockton and Lodi. Today’s takedown resulted in four federal arrests and several state arrests of gang members for trafficking firearms and drugs.
“Illegal firearms trafficking fuels violence in our communities, and so dismantling these trafficking networks remains one of our highest priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant. “Through the coordinated efforts of federal and local law enforcement partners, we have disrupted a pipeline of weapons and narcotics being brought into the Central Valley. We will continue to hold accountable those who endanger the public through their criminal activities.”
“This investigation is a result of a collaborative effort that was formed to address violent crime in the San Joaquin County area,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alex Buenaventura, San Francisco Field Division, ATF. “During this investigation, investigators learned that the members of the Varrio Mojado Surenos, or VMS, had been engaging in illegal firearms sales, drug sales, shootings, and robberies around San Joaquin County, Sacramento County, and the Bay Area. As law enforcement, we make a pledge to the communities we serve. Today’s arrests are a result of honoring that pledge. ATF is proud to be a part of this effort to prevent and reduce violent crime. We will continue to stay focused on our mission and work alongside our partners to not only ensure that our neighborhoods remain safe, but also that offenders are brought to justice.”
“Law enforcement dismantled this network. It is now the duty of prosecutors to see that every defendant faces the consequences the law demands. My office intends to do exactly that,” said San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas.
Operation Sparkplug began in February 2026 as a joint effort among federal, state, and local agencies to investigate firearms and narcotic trafficking by the members of the Varrio Mojado Sureño (VMS), a violent criminal gang in the Central Valley. Agencies collaborated through undercover purchases, traffic stops, and search warrants, recovering illegal weapons and narcotics and identifying individuals responsible for distributing them. Participating agencies include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives partnered with Stockton Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, the Lodi and Ripon Police Departments, and the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office.
Cases prosecuted by the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office:
Several cases uncovered during the operation are being prosecuted by the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office and remain ongoing. These include incidents involving attempted carjacking, possession of illegal firearms, high-speed pursuits, and other conduct posing serious risks to public safety.
Federal prosecution:
Sacramento federal grand jury indicted four VMS gang members on conspiracy to traffic firearms in San Joaquin County. The four federally indicted gang members are Lodi residents Angelo Contreras, 24; Felix Saenz, 19; Luke Phillips, 25; and Victor Ramos-Ayala, 19. The federal defendants were each arrested this morning and will make their initial appearances in Sacramento federal court tomorrow.
The federal indictment, unsealed today after their arrests, also charges Contreras with unlawful dealing in firearms, four counts of being felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a machine gun. Saenz is charged with unlawful dealing in firearms, possession of a machine gun, and distribution of methamphetamine. Phillips is charged with unlawful dealing in firearms, four counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and two counts of distribution of cocaine.
According to court documents, Contreras, Saenz, Phillips, and Ramos‑Ayala conspired to sell more than 37 firearms through 14 controlled purchases. After Contreras sold the first eight firearms, Ramos‑Ayala arranged five additional sales.
Over the course of this part of Operation Sparkplug, law enforcement seized 37 firearms, two privately manufactured firearms known as ghost guns, three machine gun conversion devices, one suppressor, 2 ounces of cocaine, and 1 pound of methamphetamine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole M. Vanek is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of conspiring to unlawfully deal firearms, the federal defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum statutory penalty for being a felon in possession of firearms is 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum statutory penalty for distribution of methamphetamine is life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Operation Sparkplug is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office — Eastern District of California — U.S. Department of Justice press release.