In Porterville, a gang member has received nearly six years behind bars for his role in creating explosives and owning an unregistered silencer. Joseph Marcus Silva, 28, a Norteño gang associate, was handed a sentence of five years and 11 months in prison, stemming from charges including the manufacture of destructive devices and possession of an unregistered silencer, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The court documents reveal that Silva, involved with the Varrio Central Poros subset, and being a convicted felon, crafted three destructive devices; two of which were 3D-printed. Impressively yet alarming, one resembled a military claymore mine with the menacing instruction "FRONT TOWARDS ENEMY", and another emulated an M67 grenade. Alongside these, Silva admitted to having a homemade explosive comprising a glass tube filled with flash powder, and BBs complete with a fuse.
The convicted gang member's arsenal didn't stop at homemade explosives. Silva was found with a silencer that had seen prior use, and additionally, he was in possession of nine firearms; six consisted of 3D-printed frames, which under legal definitions are classified as firearms. These discoveries were part of a coordinated effort involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with local California law enforcement.
Justice's wheels did not grind alone in Silva's case as the U.S. Attorney's Office states that this case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). This broader initiative is described as a collaborative effort between various levels of law enforcement, and the communities they serve, aiming to curb violent crime and gun violence to ensure safer neighborhoods for all citizens.
