'Operation Seize-Fire' Nets Arrests, Illegal Firearms

An undercover firearms sting unveiled today by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has netted 84 guns -- 69 of which were purchased from convicted felons. Sellers included members from various gangs, as well as a 14-year-old boy on house arrest.

Handguns, rifles, an AK-47 and sawed-off shotguns have been swept off county streets thanks to "Operation Seize-Fire," which began in October. The sweep required the involvement of more than 20 officers, the State Attorney's Office, the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Despite the success of the sting, Sheriff David Gee said on Friday that he thinks his agency has more work to do.

"This is just a drop in the bucket," said Gee, who is calling for stiffer penalties for convicted felons caught with illegal weapons. Gee said he wants state legislators to upgrade the charge from a second-degree felony to a first-degree felony.

So far, 25 arrests have been made and warrants are out for several others.

Drugs were also seized as a by-product of the sting, including nearly 740 grams of crack cocaine, 634 grams of marijuana and 343 pills of the prescription drug Oxycodone.

Law enforcement officers have been aggressively targeting felons with guns during the past few years. More than 900 felons were arrested in Hillsborough County between 2006 and 2011 for possession of a firearm, according to the sheriff’s office. Throughout Florida, 15 officers were killed from gunfire at the hands of a convicted felon during the same time period, officials said.

"These are not guns that are lawfully held by (upstanding) citizens," Gee said. "These are criminals who are selling and trading these things. Obviously, they have other guns for their own protection."

Six of the seven officers killed in Florida this year were shot to death by convicted felons, Gee said. Felons are not permitted to possess firearms under state law. Gee said he has heard academics say it could be an arbitrary spike, but he doubts that.

"When you’re seeing multiple police officers killed at one time, when you’re seeing it more than once, I think that’s a good indication that society is changing to a degree," he said. "This is an issue we need to get our arms around quickly."

Guns purchased in the sting were easy to obtain, with some handed over in convenience store parking lots. Prices were anywhere from $120 to $450.

"You can buy guns like you could buy crack cocaine a couple of years ago," Gee said.

Members of gangs such as the Latin Kings, Latin Life and the Bloods were arrested during the undercover operation. The 14-year-old arrested was identified as Trey Borders, whose rap sheet includes multiple burglaries, battery on a school employee, grand theft and drug charges, officials said.

Some of the firearms recovered have been circulating for years. Authorities said one handgun turned up in the sting after having been reported stolen 29 years ago in Plantation.

Law enforcement officials will comb through the information retrieved in the investigation, including the origin of the firearms and who the major players are in illegal firearms sales.

"We can take a snapshot of what’s going on in Florida right now," Gee said.

The guns will eventually be destroyed, authorities said.