Seattle police arrested four people at a Beacon Hill apartment building late last month following an undercover investigation into illegal gun sales.
Last month, police records say a “concerned citizen” contacted the South Preinct with information about “suspects were trying to sell several shotguns [and] long guns” out of an apartment on 12th Ave S and S Judkins St.
On February 26th, a member of SPD’s South Precinct Anti-Crime Team called a phone number provided by the informant and spoke with a 39-year-old woman, who told an undercover officer she could broker a deal between officers and her 24-year-old nephew, who was selling two shotguns for $150 a piece.
Police traded phone calls with the woman over the next 24 hours and eventually set up a meeting time at the Beacon Hill apartment building.
As officers were on their way to meet up with the seller on February 27th, an officer spoke with the 39-year-old woman on the phone, and she allegedly told him the price of the guns had gone up to $350 a piece. She also asked the undercover officers to supply her with $50 worth of crack cocaine for setting up the deal.
Two undercover officers met the 39-year-old woman and her 24-year-old nephew at the woman’s apartment, where police purchased a Remington 870 shotgun, and a Stoeger 20 gauge shotgun, according to SPD records.
When officers walked outside of the apartment with the 39-year-old woman and her nephew, an arrest team moved in.
Officers had to chase the 24-year-old man, who took off running. When police caught up with him and took him in to custody, officers discovered the man had a sawed-off shotgun stuffed into his jacket.
Police found several other people in the woman’s apartment—apparently friend of her nephew’s—and took them into custody, and transported them to to the South Precinct. Police found a small amount—less than a gram—of black tar heroin on one of the men during his arrest.
At the apartment, officers spoke with a woman who said she had driven from Montana to Seattle with the 24-year-old man and two other men, so the 24-year-old man could sell the guns in Seattle.
At the precinct, the 24-year-old man told police he had purchased the shotguns from a felon in Montana for $400. He then contacted his aunt in Seattle, and told her he had some guns he wanted to sell.
Police records say at least one of the shotguns was reported stolen in Billings, Montana.
Police booked the 39-year-old woman, her nephew, and the two other men into the King County Jail for investigation of possession of stolen property.
According to SPD documents, the 39-year-old woman has two prior drug convictions, while her nephew has a prior domestic violence conviction. Neither are eligible to possess a firearm.
Prosecutors have not yet filed charges in the case, and sources indicate the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms may have taken an interest in the investigation.
