5 Suspects Face Federal Weapons Smuggling And Gang Charges in Spokane

The Spokane County Sheriff's Office announced five men, all 21 or younger, are facing federal charges for a weapons smuggling and gang violence operation.

    Suspects Tied to a Fatal Shooting Last April

Over the last year, The Spokane RAVEN (Regional Anti-Violence Enforcement and Narcotics) Team has been investigating a series of gang-related shootings and criminal activity in Spokane and surrounding areas of the county.

Officials announced this week five suspects have been indicted on weapons smuggling and other charges.

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Since last March, multiiple interviews, evidence gathering and investigations have resulted in the charges.  The cases included a fatal shooting last April at the Maverik Convenience Store at 28 East Montgomery.  Now, the case has been made public.

  The Suspects Worked with A Native American Gang in Montana

Shell casings and other weapons investigations revealed the gang members were obtaining firearms from an outside source, from Kalispell, Montana. The suspects worked with the Indian Pride Organization (IPO) Blood criminal street gang, who trafficked the guns from Montana into the hands of the gang members, who then brought them into WA.

According to the SCSO:

"This investigation revealed that the gang members would use a network to traffic legitimate firearms, obtained through legal gun transfers in Montana, across state lines to be used in criminal activity in an attempt to be untraceable."

The suspects who have been indicted were identified: