Brothers Suspected of Arms Trafficking Arrested After Raid

Two alleged gang members were arrested and an illegal “Street Sweeper” shotgun was seized Thursday in an early morning raid by agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and anti-gang officers from the LAPD.

A two-month undercover investigation into suspected arms trafficking by the Project Boys gang culminated in the arrests of Ricardo Reyes, 26, and Ben Reyes, 28.

Ricardo Reyes is accused of illegally selling at least seven firearms to undercover operatives since October. Ben Reyes was arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen firearms.

Authorities also served three search warrants on homes linked to the Reyes brothers, resulting in the seizure of two more illegal weapons and $50,000 cash.

Both brothers are suspected members of the Project Boys gang and are expected to be arraigned today in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

The Street Sweeper, a semiautomatic shotgun with a high-capacity clip, is classified as a destructive device under federal law.

“It’s a pretty nasty weapon,” said John Torres, assistant special agent in charge of the ATF’s office in Los Angeles. “It’s very difficult to unload. Once you load it, you pretty much have to pull the trigger.”

The arrests come about a month after authorities announced a stepped-up effort to trace the origin of guns used in crimes in the northeast San Fernando Valley.

The cooperative effort of the ATF and LAPD will focus on guns recovered in the LAPD’s Foothill and Van Nuys divisions, Torres said.

“Firearms violations are our top priority in gang investigations,” Torres said. “The Street Sweeper has no legitimate sporting or recreational purpose. Put in the hands of a gang member, you have a potential recipe for disaster.”