'Operation Sonic Boom:' Federal, Local Law Enforcement Gets Felons, Illegal Drugs & Guns Off OKC Streets

A large-scale undercover operation sent dozens of felons and accused drug dealers to jail, and additionally took guns off Oklahoma City streets. Those arrested during "Operation Sonic Boom" now face federal and state charges.

Operation Sonic Boom was a two-month, multi-agency crackdown on violent crimes in Oklahoma City. Federal agents went undercover to infiltrate local criminal networks.

A stack of court documents detailed the charges that came from "Operation Sonic Boom."

“Forty-two of these defendants have been charged in federal court here in Oklahoma City and eight of the defendants have been in state court in Oklahoma County,” said Bob J. Troester, U.S. Attorney Western District of Oklahoma.

Federal agents along with state and local law enforcement targeted felons with firearms and those possessing machinegun conversion devices, also called MCDs or switches. “When machinegun conversion devices are used, gun crimes become exponentially more violent and deadly,” said Troester. “Deadly to the public and deadly to the brave members of law enforcement.”

 Law agents put their lives at risk during the summer months to bust those running guns and drug rings. “Old school undercover law enforcement work,” said Jeffrey Boshek, ATF Special Agent. “How did we get to where we were? We used data, we went to where the shootings were, we went to the violent areas of the city.”

Their work recovered 193 firearms, 83 machine gun conversion devices, two 3-D printers to make MCDs, and 63 kilos of meth, fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana. “We can’t quantify the lives that were saved by this operation,” said Chief Ron Bacy, Oklahoma City Police Department. “The family that doesn’t have to bury a child. The friends and networks that don’t have to live with the trauma and impact of violent crime.”

The ATF said they have more agents on metro streets to continue to crack down on the machinegun conversion devices. Those devices are not illegal by state law but are banned by the federal government.

The funding for the operation came from the Texoma High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area which focuses efforts in North Texas and Oklahoma.