San Francisco

Federal Officials Identify Suspect in FBI Stolen Gun Case

A San Francisco man arrested for stealing an FBI agent's gun, badge and credentials over Memorial Day weekend has been identified.

Michael Delfon Gregory Jr. has been charged and faces up to 30 years behind bars, the Mercury News reported. The theft of U.S. property comes with a maximum sentence of 10 years, but Gregory was also found to be in possession of 5.4 grams of cocaine and $1,400 in cash, which could add 20 additional years to his sentence.

The gun was stolen from an agent's car in San Francisco's Alamo Square over the holiday weekend and was recovered from the city's Bayview District on Tuesday, FBI officials said.

An FBI SWAT team served a federal search warrant at a house near the intersection of Keith and Thomas streets in San Francisco around 10:30 a.m. based on information obtained from surveillance footage near where the weapon, a .40-caliber Glock 27, was originally stolen from on Sunday afternoon.

Gregory was taken into federal custody at the house at 1832 Keith Street in connection to the stolen weapon.

San Francisco police Officer Carlos Manfredi said the FBI agent reported his vehicle was broken into on Hayes and Pierce streets between 12:30 and 12:40 p.m. Sunday.

Neighbors who live near the popular Painted Ladies know all too well that any car parked in the area is a target for thieves.

"Ours was broken into so many times the man at the glass repair place starting giving me a discount," said resident Sue Valentine.

An NBC Bay Area investigation earlier this year revealed that more than 500 weapons have gone missing from local and state agencies since 2010, either stolen or misplaced.

That had other Alamo Square residents wondering why a federal agent would leave his gun and badge in his car in an area known for theft.

It is unknown whether the agent in question will face discipline for leaving his weapon in his car.

A bill by Senator Jerry Hill would require all law enforcement officers to safely stow any handgun left in a car by placing it in a locked box or trunk, out of sight of passersby. Hill introduced SB 869 in January after firearms stolen from the vehicles of law enforcement officers were used in two murders.

In October, three homeless drifters stole a gun from a civilian's car in San Francisco and used it to kill a backpacker and a yoga instructor.

In July, a gun was stolen from the vehicle of a federal agent with the Bureau of Land Management and used to kill 32-year-old Kate Steinle in San Francisco's Embarcadero.

Nine handguns, including the most recent theft over the weekend, have been stolen from law enforcement officers’ vehicles in the Bay Area in the past year.

Passed by the Senate in April, SB 869 is currently before the Assembly Public Safety Committee.

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