Documented Shelltown Gang Member Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Stolen Firearm

SAN DIEGO -David Gilbert Gomez, a documented San Diego gang member also known as "Choker," was sentenced in federal court today to 87 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm on March 12, 2024. Gomez previously pleaded guilty in federal court to that charge.

According to court records, officers with the City of Imperial Police Department were conducting a routine traffic stop when they observed two men standing near an unoccupied vehicle. Upon seeing police presence, both men ran into a nearby residence. Inside the unoccupied vehicle, police observed a semiautomatic firearm with an extended magazine located on the front passenger's seat. Police recovered the firearm, which was determined to be a 9mm Glock loaded with approximately 17 rounds of ammunition. A records search of the firearm's serial number revealed it to be reported stolen out of Maricopa County, Arizona.

A further search of the unoccupied vehicle revealed a black bag with a lighter bearing the words "Choker" and "Shelltown." At the time of the firearm seizure, there was an active "Be on the Lookout" (BOLO) for an individual named David Gomez a/k/a "Choker" with a documented affiliation to the San Diego-based "Shelltown" gang. Police positively identified Gomez from the BOLO as one of the individuals who fled into the residence.

The investigation was then taken over by federal investigators, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). A federal search warrant for Gomez's DNA was obtained and while executing the warrant, Gomez admitted to stealing the firearm from another person.

Twelve prior felony convictions prohibit Gomez from possessing a firearm. He was therefore charged with unlawful firearm possession, following investigation by ATF. In fact, Gomez had previously been federally convicted for unlawful firearm possession, among other crimes such as escape and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

While discussing Gomez's criminal history at sentencing, Chief U.S. District Judge Cynthia Ann Bashant noted her sentence reflected a "worry about protection of the public" given Gomez's continued criminal conduct.

DEFENDANT Case Number 24CR1962

David Gilbert Gomez Age: 43 Imperial, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Felon in Possession of a Firearm - 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(1)

Maximum Penalty: Fifteen years in prison and $250,000 fine

INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Federal Bureau of Investigation

City of Imperial Police Department

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.