A Phoenix man was sentenced this week for his role in the shootings of two members of the Jewish community in West Los Angeles last year, The Arizona Republic reported, citing the US Attorney’s Office.
The sentence was handed to Eric Celaya this past Monday. He has been sent to eight months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release.
A news release detailed that Celaya purchased two firearms in Tempe on January 19, 2023, and illegally transferred them to Jamie Tran, who later allegedly shot two Jewish men in a largely Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Los Angeles.
According to reports, Celaya intended to acquire the guns for Tran but falsified documents to state he was the "actual purchaser."
Though both of Tran’s victims survived, his intent was to kill them, as stated in the release. The shootings were prosecuted as hate crimes, and Tran was sentenced to 35 years in prison in September, after pleading not guilty to the charges against him.
The release indicated that no evidence suggested Celaya was aware of Tran’s beliefs or intentions. Allegations surfaced that Tran was legally prohibited from owning firearms due to mental health issues.
In May 2024, Celaya pleaded guilty to "making a material false statement during the purchase of a firearm," according to the release.