Chula Vista Gun Trafficker Sentenced for Armed Robbery of Undercover ATF Agent

A 20-year-old man from Chula Vista was caught trafficking guns and robbed a federal agent undercover with a gun. He was given more than 11 years in federal jail on Thursday.

The undercover agent met with Jonathan Manuel Flores to buy a gun. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Flores then stole the cash the agent brought for the supposed gun sale.

Prosecutors say the gun buy was related to an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives into the trade of “ghost guns” and other weapons that had been illegally modified.

The gun sale happened on February 17, 2023, in the parking lot of the Walmart on Murphy Canyon Road. It was set up by ATF agents as part of that probe.

Police say the agent met Flores in a car. While they were talking, Flores allegedly put a gun to the agent’s ribs, told him, “Get the f—— out of the car dog before I smoke you,” and took the money.

There was an agent getting out of the car, and Flores ran away. He was later caught by cops in San Diego.

Last year, Flores admitted to three crimes: assaulting a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon, showing a firearm to further a violent crime, and selling guns without a license. In his plea deal, he admitted that he and another person sold guns to undercover ATF officers at least five other times.

Flores was given a prison sentence of 135 months on Thursday.