Jan 23, 2008 6:29 pm US/Pacific
South Bay Copper Sting Nets Alleged Bomb Maker
SAN JOSE (BCN) ―
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South Bay officers collected stolen copper as part of a year-long sting operation.
CBS
South Bay authorities Wednesday revealed details of a year-long undercover operation targeting copper theft that yielded more than 150 arrests including an alleged Fremont bomb maker who prosecutors say is the first person in the country charged with making a cell phone detonated improvised explosive device.
Steven Gilbuena, 45, was arrested in October after allegedly attempting to sell a bomb to undercover officers from the San Jose and Santa Clara police departments. The two departments collaborated on the undercover sting, known as "Operation Meltdown," and opened a fake recycling center in Santa Clara last March called the Jose Clara Co-Op to attract thieves looking to fence stolen copper. They ended up being offered much more than stolen copper.
"By the end of March we were open as a business. In June we bought our first gun," Santa Clara police Lt. Chris Mackie said. "We were offered a bomb in August."
Undercover officers posing as the owners of the Jose Clara Co-Op ended up buying 74 firearms, including AK-47 assault rifles and MAC-10 submachine guns, 40 stolen vehicles and seven improvised explosive devices, several of which were designed to be detonated by a cell phone.
"Gilbuena is the first person in the country to be charged with making a cell phone detonated device, an IED," Deputy District Attorney Ray Mendoza said at a morning news conference.
Gilbuena is facing a maximum possible sentence of 18 years, 10 months in prison. However, additional charges against him are possible, according to Mendoza.
The sting operation also purchased 14 tons of copper during the sting, basically all of it from alleged thieves.
"There were only two legitimate customers that came into our business," Santa Clara police Chief Stephen Lodge said at the news conference.
Lodge and San Jose police Chief Rob Davis met early last March and agreed to collaborate on the operation because of the growing copper theft problem both cities were facing.
"We've really hammered here in San Jose and in Santa Clara with the theft of copper from our high tech businesses and construction sites," Davis said.
Davis said he was not surprised the copper thieves quickly started offering to sell weapons, drugs and vehicles to undercover officers. "Thieves do not just engage in the theft of property," Davis said.
A total 85 people were arrested Tuesday in connection with the operation. Prior to Tuesday's sweep, 68 suspects had been arrested as a result of the investigation, according to Davis.
Davis said the operation shows what can be accomplished by law enforcement agencies working together even in tough budgetary times.
"We are being proactive, not reactive. We are going to take it back
to the criminals," Davis said.
(© CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Bay City News contributed to this report.)
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