PHOENIX — A Phoenix man has been sentenced to prison after he purchased two guns used in a California hate crime, according to authorities.
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On Friday the United States Attorney's Office announced that Eric Celaya, 30, was sentenced to eight months in prison with 36 months supervised release after an earlier guilty plea in May to one count of material false statement during the purchase of a firearm.
Celaya purchased the guns in Tempe on Jan. 19, 2023, federal prosecutors said in a news release.
"Celaya completed the Firearms Transaction Record, known as ATF Form 4473, and stated that he was the actual purchaser," prosecutors said. "Celaya knew he was purchasing the firearms on behalf of Jamie Tran."
Tran then used the guns to shoot two members of the Jewish community in California on Feb.15, 2023, and Feb.16, 2023, as they were leaving a Los Angeles area synagogue. Tran was charged with hate crimes in connection to the shooting, prosecutors said.
In September Tran was sentenced to 35 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to two counts of hate crimes with intent to kill and two counts of using, carrying, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
"Tran obsessed over his antisemitic hatred for years leading up to the attack. In 2018, Tran left graduate school after making antisemitic comments about other students. From August 2022 to December 2022, Tran’s antisemitic statements escalated and included increasingly violent language,” federal prosecutors in Los Angeles said in a news release announcing Tran's sentencing.
The release said Tran sent messages to former classmates that said “I want you dead, Jew,” and maintained social media accounts with the handle “k1llalljews.”
In 2023, Trans was subject to mental health holds that prohibited him from purchasing guns.
Tran then went to Celaya to buy the weapons.
"Tran asked a third party to buy two firearms for him. Tran selected the firearms he wanted and paid approximately $1,500 in cash to the third party, who then purchased them," California prosecutors said.
Phoenix prosecutors said Celaya did not have a prior criminal history before he purchased the guns for Tran. They also said there was no indication that Celaya "was aware of Tran’s intentions or beliefs."
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