Federal Operation Seizes 97 Firearms in Portland Metro Area: 17 Arrested in Firearms and Narcotics Trafficking Sweep
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon announced on October 27 that a coordinated federal law enforcement operation targeting firearms and narcotics trafficking in the Portland metro area has been completed. The five-week operation seized 97 firearms and a significant quantity of illicit drugs, including methamphetamine, cocaine, crack cocaine and fentanyl, and 17 individuals have been arrested to date.
According to the office, the operation ran from August to September 2026, led by the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), working with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and federal and local partners. Using data to identify high-risk locations, agents seized 97 firearms and a significant quantity of illicit drugs. The 17 arrested are Steven Hatcher, Aaron Stauffera, Manuel Bernal, Jay Williams Gimbal Reynolds, Oscar Yanez, Anthony Connelly, Jeanni Crane, Francisco Claudillo-Dimas, Kenneth Hamilton, Makayla Williams, Gus Wayne, Ryan Grant, Carlos Ruiz-Perez, Melanee Bybee, Michael Hoeft, Kristy Roberts and Thomas Dingus.
"Every gun seized is a life saved. Every gram seized is a life saved. This operation sends a clear message: if you traffic illegal guns or deadly narcotics in our communities, you will be held accountable," said Scott Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Jonathan Blais, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Seattle Field Division, said removing trafficked firearms and dangerous drugs from Portland's streets made a meaningful difference for the community's residents, students and visitors. Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Seattle Field Division, said the DEA will continue working through Fentanyl Free America alongside federal, state and local partners to disrupt the fentanyl supply chain.
Other participating agencies included the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Marshals Service, the HIDTA Program, the Gresham and Portland police departments, the Port of Portland Police Department, the Salem Police Department, and the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office and Sheriff's Office.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：俄勒冈州 Portland 市区与远处的 Mount Hood（资料图）。照片：Steven Pavlov，CC BY-SA 4.0（经 Wikimedia Commons） / Portland, Oregon and Mount Hood from Pittock Mansion (file photo). Photo: Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
