Oakland — In a case that began with an investigation on the side of Oakland, a city resident has been charged with illegally selling and manufacturing firearms, and prosecutors say a lot of evidence came from the defendant’s Instagram account Huh.
Roy Montoya, 26, of Oakland, was charged in late April with unlicensed firearm handling — a charge that carries up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine — but prosecutors said in a June court date that He expects he will be convicted this week. In May, US Magistrate Judge Donna Ryu released him on a $50,000 unsecured bond over objections from the US Attorney’s office, which called him a “serious flight risk”.
The criminal complaint against Montoya states that prosecutors had opened an investigation into an Instagram account, “COUPESGOINGCRAZY” for involvement in the Oakland sideshow, but the investigation did not reveal a link between that account and the one tied to Montoya. Disclosed in the discussion. According to the complaint, Montoya’s Instagram handle was “HAZELPEWPEW” and he was involved in discussions with several people about the sale of machine guns, pistols and AR-15-style weapons.
Prosecutors allege that Montoya talked about “Glock handguns, AR-15-style firearms, Draco pistols,” and fully automatic AK-47s, along with increased demand for firearms in Mexico. According to the complaint, they also took screenshots of photographs on Montoya’s phone of an assault rifle equipped with a grenade launcher.
In a conversation, Montoya talked about carrying a shotgun and ammunition to Mexico, saying, “Ima vacuum seals everything up and hides it in a gas tank,” according to prosecutors.
In mid-April, officers searched Montoya’s home on Seminary Avenue in Oakland and found two unsorted guns — a pistol and a suspected machine gun rifle — as well as several gun parts and ammunition. Montoya reportedly told officers that he made his first gun when he was 15 and built “a couple” at the residence.
After the raid, Montoya booked a one-way trip to Mexico but was arrested before he could leave, prosecutors alleged in court filings.
