DENVER — A 20-year-old man has pleaded guilty to charges related to the theft of firearms, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Jonathan Estrada was part of a violent “smash and grab” organization that stole vehicles and burglarized federal firearms licensees (FFLs).
He pleaded guilty at hearing Wednesday to multiple thefts of firearms from federal firearms licensees and a carjacking and was remanded into custody.
According to the plea agreement, on September 19, 2017, Estrada and another person burglarized the Reloader’s Corner in Arvada. He broke into the store by throwing rocks through the glass and then stole 17 firearms, the U.S. Attorney's office said. His DNA was found on the gun case counter.
Estrada and another person committed an armed carjacking on Dec. 26, 2017 in which they stole a 2008 white BMW. Ten days later, on Jan. 5, 2018, a concerned citizen told the Denver Police Department (DPD) that his neighbors had discussed gun store burglaries and that one of them had been driving a white BMW.
During a search of that BMW, officers found three of the firearms that had been stolen from Reloader’s.
Estrada and five others burglarized Murdoch’s Ranch and Home Supply in Littleton on Jan. 18, 2018. They entered the store by breaking the glass.
They stole thirteen AR-15 style firearms and left in a stolen Nissan. That evening, ATF agents executed a search warrant at Estrada's apartment.
Agents found evidence related to the September and January burglaries.
The recovered evidence included:
- Shotgun stolen during the Reloader’s burglary
- Five firearms stolen during the Murdoch’s burglary.
- The Ruger 40 caliber pistol that had been fired during the armed carjacking
- Other firearms and ammunition
- Murdoch’s gun sale tags
- Gloves and a ski mask
- Handwritten ledger on the Estrada's rent notice listing Murdochs and other locations to be burglarized
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