Photo(s) courtesy of VCSO
By F. Scott Faulkner
Ventura County, CA
A multi-agency law enforcement operation dismantled a sophisticated illegal firearms
manufacturing operation in Eastern Ventura County, unraveling a complex network of
juvenile and adult suspects engaged in producing untraceable weapons.
According to Ventura County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Sgt. Adam Garnier, the
investigation originated in May 2024 when Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
intercepted “international shipping packages addressed to a juvenile male” residing in
the City of Camarillo. These packages contained “critical firearm components” designed
to transform semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic machine guns, which happens
to be a direct violation of federal firearms regulations.
Once those packages had been intercepted, the ensuing law enforcement operation
involved collaboration among multiple specialized units, including the Ventura County
Sheriff’s Gun Violence Reduction Program, SWAT teams from Oxnard, Ventura, and
Thousand Oaks Police Departments, Tactical Negotiations Unit, Unmanned Aerial
Systems, and “multiple specialized enforcement units.”
Dawn had not yet broken on the morning of November 27 when the service of a search
warrant on the Camarillo residence of 45-year-old Juan Mendoza led to the discovery of
an arsenal that included 16 illegal firearms, three unlawfully possessed weapons,
numerous firearm components, and approximately 1,000 rounds of ammunition. Among
the seized weapons was a collection of “ghost guns” and a short-barreled AR-15 style
rifle converted to fully automatic operation.
Investigators learned that a pair of juvenile suspects living with Mendoza had been
systematically acquiring and manufacturing counterfeit firearm parts “designed to
circumvent tracking mechanisms.”
Mendoza was taken into custody and transported to Ventura County Jail, where he was
booked on charges of unlawful possession of unregistered firearms, conspiracy, and
unlawful transfer of firearms. The two male juveniles were transported to the Ventura
County Juvenile Justice Facility where they were booked on multiple felony and
misdemeanor charges involving the manufacture, transport, and sale of illegal firearms.
