Fire captain under fire for allegedly manufacturing assault weapons

By CNN Newsource

Published June 29, 2021 5:30 PM

By Steve Large

SACRAMENTO (KOVR) — A Sacramento Metro Fire captain is trying to save his own career after being arrested for manufacturing and possessing a cache of assault weapons in his home.

Sacramento Metro Fire Captain Derik Oakes is under fire by the El Dorado County District Attorney’s office. He is facing felony charges of manufacturing and possessing a long list of assault weapons, including AK-47s, AR-15s, and an Uzi.

The guns were all seized from his El Dorado County home during the execution of a search warrant by federal agents back in 2019. That search warrant is now unsealed. It shows ATF agents located the guns because Captain Oakes had purchased machine gun conversion kits from a seller in Oregon.

Attorney Candice Fields says what makes the case unusual to her, is that Captain Oakes and law enforcement agents have not found any common ground.

“It’s obviously disturbing to the El Dorado County district attorneys office, disturbing enough that they filed felony charges,” Fields said. “I think that things have gotten out of hand in this case.

“From what I could tell, there were opportunities to turn over firearms, there were opportunities to have conversations.”

Captain Oakes is a gun enthusiast and competitor. His attorney blamed California laws for the criminal charges. In court testimony attorney Adam Richards wrote:

“Anyone who changes, reconfigures, or builds a rifle is in great peril of unwittingly violating the law due to the complexity.”

Now Captain Oakes is seeking to have the felony charges dismissed or reduced, arguing if they aren’t, his fire department could fire him.

Sacramento Metro Fire Department issued a statement reading they have no plans of any disciplinary action against Oakes because no part of this case is work related.

The next court date is set for July 29.

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