LA Gun Dealer Sentenced For Illegal Weapons Sales: DOJ

LOS ANGELES, CA — A Los Angeles man was sentenced Thursday to 40 months in federal prison for his part in an illegal gun-selling scheme, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

William Nirion Peña, 40, of Koreatown, was found guilty in July of of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, federal prosecutors said.

Peña provided around 10 firearms and a large amount of ammunition that were sold by a co-conspirator to an undercover agent. The guns included two silencers without serial numbers and a “Glock switch” that converts a semiautomatic firearm to a machine man, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Another defendant, Ellourth Eladio Simon, 32, of Mid-City, pleaded guilty last year to one count of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license and one count of possessing a machine gun, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Simon admitted to eight illegal gun transactions, including a 2021 sale in which Simon sold an undercover ATF agent four handguns and a ghost gun AR-style rifle for $8,400, according to prosecutors.

"Peña and Simon frequently coordinated efforts to sell (guns to the undercover agent) by communication over the phone about the price and availability of firearms and firearms components, and arranging the logistics of specific sales to customers during evening transaction in supermarket parking lots and similar locations," according to court documents.

Evidence presented at trial indicated that Peña was obtaining firearms from sources in other states, primarily Arizona.

Simon is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 1. As a result of his guilty pleas, he faces up to 15 years behind bars, prosecutors noted.

City News Service contributed to this report.