Leonel Castillo, a 34-year-old resident of Denver, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for unlawfully dealing firearms through social media. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced that Castillo pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in a business of dealing firearms without a federal firearms license.
Between September 2022 and May 2023, Castillo used Facebook to operate his business, which involved raffling items including firearms. He acquired these firearms from federal firearms licensees or private sellers and conducted interactive raffles on Facebook. Participants paid for the chance to win the firearms, which were then transferred by federal firearms licenses to the winners, sometimes using straw transfers. During this period, Castillo was prohibited from possessing firearms due to his status as a felon.
"Criminals who deal firearms illegally can’t escape consequences by using social media as their marketplace," stated United States Attorney Matt Kirsch. "I am grateful that our partners at the ATF were able to investigate this unusual scheme and that our office was able to bring this person to justice."
The sentencing was overseen by United States District Court Judge Nina Y Wang. The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, while Assistant United States Attorney Albert Buchman managed the prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by fostering collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The Department launched a strategy on May 26, 2021, focusing on building trust within communities, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes.