SAN FRANCISCO – An East Bay man who tried to hide a loaded handgun in his 6-year-old nephew’s pants was convicted last week of being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to prosecutors.
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Darneko Yates, 30, of Richmond, was found guilty following a bench trial Friday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release.
The incident happened on Aug. 27, 2023, when San Pablo police officers tried to stop Yates for a traffic infraction. Yates, who had his nephew and niece in the backseat of his car, drove several blocks before pulling up partially onto the sidewalk in front of a relative’s home.
At the time, Yates was on parole for carjacking, solicitation to commit murder and possessing a loaded firearm.
Officers did not find anything on Yates, but they noticed an object tucked into the front of his nephew’s pants. Prosecutors said that object turned out to be a Glock handgun loaded with 11 rounds and modified with a device to make it fully automatic.
During the incident, Yates sent text messages telling another person to come get the child before officers searched the car and admitting that the child had his gun, prosecutors said.
“Defendant’s actions inexcusably endangered a young child,” U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey said. “Thanks to the careful work of the officers on the scene, this did not turn into a tragedy.”
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which prosecutors described as “a program bringing all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.”
Yates’ sentencing is scheduled for April 28.
