– By F. Scott Faulkner
CAMARILLO, CA — June 19, 2025 – A routine investigation into illegal gun sales spiraled into a full-blown weapons seizure.
The incident ended with the arrest of an illegal arms dealer and the discovery of one of the largest stockpiles of
illegal weapons and ammunition in recent county history.
Timothy Padilla, 45, of Fillmore, was arrested on the morning of June 13 after detectives from
the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office executed a court-authorized search warrant at his residence.
According to Ventura County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Sr. Deputy Frank W. Corona, the
issuance of the warrant followed “a weeks-long investigation by the Camarillo Special
Enforcement Unit (SEU) into illegal arms trafficking.”
When deputies and detectives from multiple sheriff’s divisions arrived at Padilla’s home just
after 7 a.m. on June 13, they found him inside and took him into custody without incident.
A search of the property led to the discovery of “137 firearms, hundreds of magazines, and an
estimated 100,000 rounds of ammunition.”
Among the weapons seized were military-style assault rifles, including a “Fabrique Nationale
Herstal” 7.62x51mm NATO rifle, a Mac-10 style pistol with a vertical foregrip, and a Beretta
9mm with a threaded barrel designed for a suppressor.
Most notably, detectives recovered an M1919 belt-fed machine gun chambered in 7.62 NATO and .50-caliber linked ammunition.
Padilla was arrested for multiple felony offenses, including possession of assault weapons and
unlawful transfer of firearms.
Additional charges were filed by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office on June 17, including “10 counts of unlawful firearm transfers, five counts of
felony transportation of assault weapons, and two counts of possession of assault weapons.”
Padilla remains in custody at the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility, with his bail set at
$500,000.
