A Tracy woman has been handed down a five-year prison sentence for her involvement in a cross-state illegal firearms trafficking scheme. Alejandra Susana Castillo, 34, was sentenced after being found to have trafficked firearms from Nevada to be sold on the black market in California, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced last Friday.
Over a year, beginning on August 22, 2023, Castillo and a co-conspirator worked together to illegally obtain and then sell firearms. Due to the co-conspirator's status as a convicted felon, he was unable to legally purchase the weapons himself and thus enlisted Castillo to execute the purchases. In a meticulously planned operation, the pair traveled to Nevada gun stores, with the co-conspirator first entering alone to select weapons and subsequently signaling Castillo through texts or other communications to complete the purchases.
The scheme began to unravel when Castillo's associate led law enforcement on a dangerous high-speed chase on July 27, 2024, which had to be aborted for public safety concerns. Then, on July 29, an officer spotted the car at a gas station and detained Castillo, who was using it. During a search, the officer located a semi-automatic rifle and three extended magazines in the trunk of the vehicle. This discovery led to the implication of Castillo in the trafficking operation.
Through the course of the investigation, more than 30 firearms were traced back to this illegal trafficking conspiracy. At least four of these weapons have since been recovered, tied to firearm-related crimes, suggesting the severe implications of the operation. "One such firearm, for example, was recovered by the California Highway Patrol in the possession of a felon in Vallejo on July 25, 2024, only three days after Castillo purchased the firearm in Nevada," detailed the U.S. Attorney's Office announcement.
The case was a collaborative effort, investigated by several agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Reno and Tracy Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella took the lead in prosecuting the case. Castillo is expected to report to prison on November 1, while her co-conspirator remains in federal custody on related charges.
