In February the FBI raided the home and storefront of prominent San Diego jeweler Leo Hamel in relation to a gun trafficking racket

Investigators found San Diego Sheriff’s Department Captain Marco Garmo was leading the illegal gun racket

SDSO Commander Dave Myers claims that his superiors knew of Garmo’s criminal activity but looked the other way

Nine months ago the FBI raided the storefront and home of prominent San Diego jeweler Leo Hamel. The search inside of Hamel’s $1.6 million home along Presilla Drive in Rancho Jamul Estates—a gated community east of Jamul Casino in San Diego’s East County—and Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers led to the discovery of a six-year illegal gun trafficking racket led by former San Diego Sheriff’s Department Captain Marco Garmo.

Former SDSO Captain Marco Garmo Indicted

Garmo, 52, is a 27-year veteran of the force who retired in September. On Friday Gramo was indicted for gun trafficking, airing marijuana distribution and lying to federal agents. Hamel, 62, was named as a co-defendant, along with SDSO Lieutenant Fred Magana, 42, known firearms dealer Giovanni Tilotta, 38, and El Cajon resident Waiel Anton, 35. Both Hamel and Magana pleaded guilty in federal court on Friday morning. The two men are set to be sentenced on February 21, 2020.

Both men confessed to helping Garmo with his gun trafficking ring by “engineering and engaging in straw purchases of firearms, creating false records to conceal those purchases, and offering to promote Garmo’s weapons,” according to federal officials. U.S. Magistrate Judge Bernard G. Skomal granted Hamel a $250,000 bond secured with a lien on a property. FBI agents found over 200 guns in Hamel’s possession during ther February search. As part of Hamil’s guilty plea, he agreed to forfeit all the weapons and ammunition seized by law enforcement. Eleven of the firearms seized from Hamel were registered to Garmo according to Peter Mazza, first assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of California.

Off Roster Handguns

Hamel admitted to buying multiple “off roster” handguns from Garmo. An off roster handgun may be legally purchased by law enforcement but not members of the public. Law enforcement officers are not prohibited from selling off roster guns in some cases, but federal officials say excessive resale of these weapons for profit could violate federal law. Garmo had already received an “explicit warning” that excessive reselling of these off roster guns for profit could violate federal law.

The indictment claims Garmo purchased roughly 146 firearms between March 2013 and February 2019. Garmo resold or transferred 104 of those guns. Hamel admitted to receiving at least 18 off roster handguns from Garmo. Garmo also participated in “straw purchases” where he would claim to be acquiring the firearms for himself but, in reality, he was purchasing them for Hamel. Mazza says during these purchases “Mr. Hamel was always the intended recipient of those firearms.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office also said “Hamel further admitted that he acquired several firearms from Garmo without proper documentation through bogus, long-term firearm ‘loans’ in exchange for money—which were sales in all but name.” Hamel conducted straw purchases with Garmo and Magana for off roster weapons and planned to construct a false paper trail to make the straw purchases look legitimate with Garmo and Tilotta.

Some of the business exchanges were found in emails from Hamel to Garmo. In one email Hamel told Garmo “I’ll stop by Saturday and drop off the money and pick up the guns. If you want to hand write a letter stating I’m borrowing them, that would be good,” According to Mazza. Hamel went on to write, “The letter should include a serial number for the guns but no date.” In the indictment against Garmo alleges he “abused his position of public trust as a Sheriff’s department Captain in charge of the Rancho San Diego division. According to Mazza, law enforcement has recovered 64 guns registered to Garmo but 27 other guns registered under his name are unaccounted for. Below is a list of the missing weapons.

Captain Marco Garmo Missing Gun List by discuss on Scribd

Tipping Off An Illegal Marijuana Dispensary

Along with the illegal gun trafficking racket, Garmo also violated drug laws by alerting the owners of an illegal marijuana dispensary after law enforcement officers planned to search the unlicensed storefront. The illegal dispensary, “Campo Greens,” was co-owned by Garmo’s cousin according to prosecutors. After receiving a tip from Garmo, Garmo’s cousin directed the removal of all marijuana, related paraphernalia, and money from the dispensary. According to Mazza, the dispensary “was shut down in a matter of hours.” Phone records showed that Garmo reached back out to his cousin once the operation was called off and the dispensary was “back up and running in a matter of hours,” Mazza added.

According to the indictment, Garmo is facing a total of 19 charges that include conducting firearm sales, providing false statements, and aiding and abetting the possession of marijuana. Garmo’s bail was set at $100,000 and the prosecutor requested he surrender his passport and guns. Garmo is expected back in court on January 10.

SDSO Superiors Knew Of Garmo’s Criminal Activities

In 2017, the SDSO learned of misconduct allegations regarding Garmo. The department followed by launching an Internal Affairs investigation then notified the California Department of Justice (CAL DOJ). After being found in violation of department policy, Garmo was given a written reprimand. The CAL DOJ investigated and submitted a criminal case to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office in early 2017. The DA decided to not file charges against Garmo and instead sent him a letter warning him of his legal limits regarding his firearm sales. In June 2018, the SDSO began investigating the claims that Garmo was tipping off illegal marijuana dispensaries before raids. During the investigation, it was discovered that Garmo was still orchestrating firearm sales. The SGSO decided the investigation needed to be conducted by a federal agency. At that point, the FBI and Bureau of Firearms were contacted.

According to former SDSO Commander Dave Myers, the department’s administration was aware of Garmo’s illegal actions. Myers ran for Sheriff in the last election but lost. According to Myers, emails between him and his superior—now Undersheriff Mike Barnett—show proof that Garmo was involved in more than 150 firearms transactions dating back as early as August 2016. SDSO Spokesperson Lieutenant Justin White told NBC7 it would not have been appropriate for Myers to investigate Garmo since they were both running for sheriff. Garmo was never a candidate. Instead, the election for sheriff was between Myers and William Gore. Myers says he warned the department and Gore about the criminal activity but Garmo’s criminal activities were allowed to continue.