An Anchorage man was sentenced Wednesday to 10 years in federal prison for stealing 22 firearms from an Anchorage gun store in 2019.
According to court documents, Gian Carlo Clemente Pangilinan aka “G,” 26, pleaded guilty in September 2022 to stealing 22 firearms from Granny’s Guns, a federally licensed firearms dealer located in Anchorage, on June 6, 2019, along with three co-conspirators.
Pangilinan and the three others drove a stolen Chevy Trailblazer to Wrightway Auto Carriers in Anchorage where they broke into the building and stole license plates, filing cabinets and a GMC Sierra pickup. Pangilinan and a co-conspirator then got into another stolen vehicle, a Chevy Suburban, and drove it through the front window of Granny’s Guns. The two other co-conspirators drove the stolen pickup alongside the broken window and loaded 22 firearms into the back of the truck and drove away. They later transferred the stolen firearms from the truck into a black GMC Denali and lit the stolen GMC Sierra pickup on fire in an effort to destroy evidence.
Later the same day, officers with the Anchorage Police Department tried to stop the GMC Denali and an associated gold pickup when multiple shots were fired from the gold pickup, occupied by Pangilinan and a co-conspirator. On June 18, 2019, Pangilinan and two co-conspirators attempted to recover an impounded vehicle which contained one of the stolen firearms from the Granny’s Guns burglary. All four co-conspirators were indicted in October 2020 and subsequently arrested on the charges. Pangilinan is also facing charges in state court.
“Stolen firearms are a threat to the safety of all Alaskans,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “The blatant disregard for public safety and law enforcement both during and after this series of violent crimes by Pangilinan and his co-conspirators show just how dangerous they are to our community. We will continue to work closely with local, state and federal law enforcement to fight violent crime and keep our communities safe from people who endanger our neighborhoods.”
“All of the involved defendants demonstrated a complete indifference to the safety of others through their actions in their violent crime spree,” stated Police Chief Michael Kerle. “From the theft of multiple vehicles, to firing shots in public, driving erratically on our streets, and stealing multiple firearms; it is imperative they are held accountable for their behavior. Pangilinan’s sentencing is a big part of that. We are grateful for the efforts of all our law enforcement partners who were involved in seeing this case through.”
Co-conspirators in this case include:
- Muna Junior Rode, 23, pleaded guilty to stealing firearms and is awaiting sentencing.
- Kao Chiang Saelee, aka “Robbie,” 40, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal firearms from a licensed dealer and was sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment.
- Hans Mikaele Wells, aka “Mika,” 26, pleaded guilty to stealing firearms and was sentenced to 9 years’ imprisonment.
The Anchorage Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Ivers prosecuted the case.
Why would these criminals steal guns, when they could just go to any local gun show and get all they wanted without any background check?
Because they had the infantile mentality of a radical leftist, maybe?
Good question ?
Dawg, maybe for the same reason that these nitwits stole the vehicle’s? Because they are criminals?
Last I checked Anchorage has something like 4 Car Dealerships for every Gun store, and yet these criminals stole vehicles despite their availability and the complete lack of an FBI background check for buying a vehicle.
The good news is that Granny’s is still in business and YOU have the right to purchase a firearm to protect and defend yourself from CRIMINALS.
Maybe because if you steal it, you don’t need money? Ya’ think? Did the clue whoosh by when they mentioned all the stolen vehicles involved?
That’s not entirely true. MANY gun show sellers are FFL dealers, so an FBI background check would be required in order to buy a weapon.
Yeah just a radicalist view on guns and gun shows. I purchased guns at gun shows and always had to do a background check. More than likely they stole the guns because they’re thieves. Thieves don’t buy anything do they?
For one, they would have to pay from them.
Because the socialist left has led them to believe everything should be free.
Smash & grab, Antifa style. Screw the man.
Ha Ha Ha Ha. Have you ever been to a gun show and bought a firearm? I sold a friend of mine a hand gun and he downloaded a form that I filled out including copies of my ID and receipt from 3 Bears where I bought gun. And we have worked together and been friends for years. He was with me when I bought the gun new. THAT AND THE NO MONEY IS WHY THEY STEAL INSTEAD OF BUY. Why steal a car when you can just buy one? I hope your comment was tongue in cheek. In that case it is funny.
Are you REALLY that obtuse, Whidbey?
I only ask because that level of stupidity is breathtaking.
Ten years? Just the theft of one vehicle should have netted each of them 10 years at hard labor. Shooting at police should be a hanging offense. There are nearly 8 billion souls on this beleaguered planet and over half of them want to be in the U.S.. Why are we keeping garbage like that alive? Just to release them to repeat their crimes over and over again?
Hang them, cremate them, and deliver their ashes to their next of kin in a cheap plastic urn.
The Alaskan court system is pretty lame you have to admit. There should have been one count on each of the firearms, attempted murder of a police officer if they fired on them, Grand theft of the vehicles and it could run concurrently but usually they don’t. If I ever committed a violent crime I would do it in Alaska solely for the slap on the wrist sentence from the courts.
The most surprising aspect is that this was federal court. Some time ago the U.S. Attorney proclaimed that they wanted the armed felons for federal prosecution because the state courts were so careless. I would have thought that the feds would slam the door on these guys.
Sadly, our court system focuses on closing cases and getting “wins” at the expense of the victims and of justice. Prosecutors will make any deal to get a conviction rather than actually have to try the cases. Governor Steve Cowper tried to stop their plea dealing back in the 80s, but had to give in after the prosecutors backlogged the system with excessive minor charges.
It’s law enforcement that hands out the charges. The legislature makes laws and sentencing expectations. Courts then determine if those accused by law enforcement are guilty or not.
Your beef is with Congress. Tell them you want judges to act on their own when sentencing. (At least federally)
Isn’t the theft of firearms a felony?
Just TEN!? The sum of these horrible crimes, which include shots fired at pursuing police officers, indicate a deeply depraved mind. Each of the offenders should have been sentenced to twenty years without parole.
Meanwhile, if a gun collector should not have the prescribed federal paperwork on a Class 3 firearm that has rested quietly in his closet since WWII, well, then it’s a ten year sentence in a federal dungeon for that poor fella.
Why do we put up with this insanity? One answer is that we let crazy people and criminals vote – a drugged-up gun-buyer named Hunter Biden, for example. The outcome is that we get his father to spend his dotage in the Oval Office.
Wow, not just gun violence but vehicle violence as well. No matter, they’ll all be out in a few years. BTW, are they US citizens?
It doesn’t matter. They are likely Democrats so deserve a pass.
Almost four years later they are sentenced? And unbelievably minimal sentencing for such crimes. If they have been in prison awaiting sentencing then that time will apply and the remainder is even shorter. We’re are the consequences? Restitution? Beyond unacceptable.
That’s about right of a time frame for goin easierg through all the available jurisprudence. If they hadn’t been able to bail out, then yes that time served would have applied. They could have been under house arrest, any number of scenarios. Probably the system was hoping they’d get in trouble again while out on bail. That would have made their life easier. More than likely when they do get out they will be on parole, and if they screw up on parole they will be right back in the pen.
Sentences are TOO light. WTF.
Talk to Congress.
Steal a gun, get life, no parole. Felon with a gun, get life, no parole. Use a gun to rob, get life, no parole. Why is that such a difficult concept for so many people?
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