ATF: MARINE SOLD ILLEGAL WEAPONS

Camp Pendleton-based man charged with selling ghost guns to agents

Undercover federal agents had already bought 12 homemade AR-15-style rifles from a Camp Pendleton Marine when they told him last month what the ghost guns were being used for, according to a criminal complaint.

The undercover agents claimed the un-serialized rifles, 10 of which had short barrels, were being deployed to protect illegal cannabis grows in Northern California, according to the complaint. And they said an associate wanted 10 similar weapons to take to Mexico.

“Alright, perfect,” came the reply, according to the complaint.

Christian Ferrari was charged Wednesday in U.S. District Court in San Diego with three counts of dealing firearms without a license, for the alleged selling of the 12 ghost guns — firearms without serial numbers that are typically privately manufactured or assembled from prepackaged kits — and two counts of possession of unregistered firearms in connection with the 10 short-barreled rifles.

His court-appointed attorney declined to comment Friday.

According to the complaint, Ferrari came to the attention of law enforcement during an investigation by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office. A confidential informant told sheriff ’s investigators that Ferrari was a Marine based at Camp Pendleton involved in making and selling un-serialized firearms, according to the court document.

The Union-Tribune could not confirm Friday if Ferrari was a Marine. An officer from the 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton said officials were preparing a statement Friday but did not provide details about Ferrari’s duty status.

Sheriff’s investigators passed along the tip to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in January, telling the agency that Ferrari would be expecting a call from a prospective buyer, ac

forcement of those ordinances appears to be on hold until the Berkeley case is decided.

The California Restaurant Association challenged the Berkeley ordinance, saying federal law allows gas appliances, and last month a federal appeals court upheld the challenge. The city has until May 31 to request a new ruling by a different panel of judges, which could mean months before a final decision.

Water heaters, kitchen stoves, clothes dryers, space heaters and other appliances in new buildings must be electric instead of natural

gas under all-electric ordinances.

The requirement is an effort to reduce the greenhouse gases that scientists say are a leading contributor to climate change. Also, gas leaks can be toxic, and gas stoves in homes have been linked to health problems such as childhood asthma.

Carlsbad Assistant Senior Attorney Ron Kemp said Tuesday that in light of the Berkeley case, a safer route may be to strengthen emissions standards through a reach code instead of banning natural gas appliances. That way the city can encourage electrification without requiring it.

Several speakers spoke for and against going all electric.

“All-electric buildings are safer,” said resident Paige DeCino. “We need to act as if this is a climate emergency.”

However, resident Tamara Dixon said electric vehicles and appliances also have high environmental costs and asked what people will do “when the grid goes down.” Another speaker said “the climate emergency does not exist,” a premise challenged by most scientists.

A representative of the San Diego County Building Industry Association expressed concerns last year that the move to all-electric construction would increase costs, and that those costs would have to be passed along to homebuyers.