In a highly secret operation, federal agents in Sacramento executed search warrants Thursday as part of an investigation of illegal gun sales that targets law enforcement officials, The Bee has learned.

The applications for the search warrants are sealed in U.S. District Court in Sacramento, and federal officials did not respond to requests for comment Thursday afternoon.

There are at least four targets of the investigation, including some Sacramento sheriff's deputies, sources said.

Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones said he could not comment on the matter, citing confidentiality of personnel matters. In addition, he said, agents of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had asked him not to discuss it.

"I have been aware of this investigation for some time and have been fully briefed by the ATF," Jones said. "This is nothing that I just found out about today."

Deputy Jason Ramos, Sacramento County Sheriff's Department spokesman, confirmed that his agency assisted the U.S. attorney's office Thursday in conducting several searches, but he declined to provide any details.

No charges have been filed, and the identities of the deputies and other officers under investigation have not been released.

Authorities are investigating whether the law enforcement officials unlawfully purchased or sold weapons, but information on the extent of the probe was not available. One source said federal charges are expected to be filed in the case.

An ATF spokeswoman in San Francisco confirmed Thursday night that search warrants had been executed, but said she could not provide details because they are part of a continuing investigation.

"There were a number of search warrants that were served today and they are under seal," Helen Dunkel said. "Any indictments that may come from them will be down the road."

Police officers can obtain some weapons that are not available to the public, experts say, and typically must provide a gun dealer with proper paperwork, such as a letter from their chief or sheriff.

Former Sacramento Sheriff John McGinness, who was not aware of the raids Thursday, said he recalled approving some of his deputies purchasing such weapons for use in their jobs.

"If they met the prerequisite training and periodic training required afterward, we would sign off on it," McGinness said. "It wasn't common, but it wasn't rare, either."

Dave Workman, senior editor for Gun Week magazine, said he has seen cases in which officers illegally purchased weapons that the public cannot buy – such as fully automatic machine guns – and later resold them.

"If that's what these guys were doing, then they're not trailbreakers," Workman said. "It's been done by other police."

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