A months-long investigation into illegal firearm trafficking in Berks County has resulted in multiple arrests and charges, with authorities alleging a network of “straw purchasing” that supplied guns to individuals prohibited from possessing them.
The investigation, led by the Berks County District Attorney’s Office as part of its Gun Violence Reduction Task Force, identified six individuals connected to the operation. Those charged include Wilson Rivera, 24; Jateek Santiago, 31; Joanna Vazquez, 41; Javon Richardson, 18; Elvis Hernandez-Gonzalez, 18; and Jonathan Vazquez, 16, who is being charged as an adult.
Authorities said Santiago remains a fugitive and his whereabouts are unknown.
According to investigators, the case began in April 2025 when Reading police recovered a .40 caliber Glock handgun during the arrest of Hernandez-Gonzalez in the 600 block of Locust Street. Hernandez-Gonzalez was previously charged with attempted homicide in that incident. Detectives traced the firearm back to Rivera, who is accused of acting as a primary “straw purchaser,” buying firearms legally and then transferring them to individuals who could not legally obtain them.
Police allege Rivera purchased the firearm recovered in that case and later falsely reported it stolen to conceal his involvement.
The investigation further revealed that Rivera allegedly conspired with Joanna Vazquez, a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms, to purchase a handgun for her 16-year-old son. Authorities said Rivera falsified background check forms at a licensed firearms dealer in Berks County before transferring the weapon to Vazquez and the juvenile.
Officials also linked the firearms trafficking operation to a violent home invasion on Dec. 4, 2025, in the 700 block of Franklin Street in Reading. According to investigators, Santiago—who is legally prohibited from possessing firearms—held a gun to a victim’s head and fired a round into a wall during the robbery before fleeing. Detectives said digital evidence indicates Joanna Vazquez helped plan the robbery and provided her vehicle for the getaway, and that her son was one of the masked accomplices.
In a separate incident on Feb. 16, 2026, Reading police arrested Richardson following a foot pursuit. Authorities said he was found carrying a Glock handgun allegedly purchased and trafficked by Rivera. The firearm had been modified with an illegal auto-sear device, commonly referred to as a “switch,” which converts a semi-automatic handgun into a fully automatic weapon. Police said the gun was loaded with a 29-round extended magazine.
Investigators noted that such conversion devices significantly increase the danger posed by firearms, making them more lethal and harder for law enforcement to safely recover.
On April 23, 2026, Berks County detectives arrested Joanna Vazquez and her son, Jonathan Vazquez, in Reading without incident. Both are being held pending arraignment.
Charges filed in the case include firearm violations, robbery, burglary, assault, corruption of minors, drug-related offenses, and other related crimes.
In a statement, Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams said the case highlights how illegal gun trafficking contributes to violence in the community.
“Straw purchasing is a significant driver of gun violence in our communities,” Adams said. “These arrests show how the Berks County Gun Violence Reduction Task Force is aggressively targeting the illegal supply chain.”
The task force includes investigators from the district attorney’s office working in partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Pennsylvania State Police, the Reading Police Department, and Berks County Probation & Parole, among other agencies.
Authorities said the investigation falls under Pennsylvania’s “Brad Fox Law,” which can carry mandatory minimum prison sentences for repeat straw purchasing offenses.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Berks County Detectives at 610-478-7171 or Crime Alert Berks County at 877-373-9913.
As in all criminal cases, the charges are accusations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.