PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Twin brothers from Gresham are facing federal charges after illegally buying dozens of firearms, many of which have been linked to shootings across the Portland area, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Oregon said.
In May, federal investigators began their probe into multiple shootings reported by the Gresham Police Department and the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office. Local authorities said the shootings involved Edward Charles Green and Thomas Edward Green III — 23-year-old twin brothers living in Gresham. The brothers claim to be members of the Unthank Park Hustlers, which is a Portland sub-set of the Bloods, according to court documents. Around the same time, federal agents learned about multiple illegal gun purchases allegedly made by the Green brothers.
The first shooting incident involving the Greens happened on April 5, 2020, court documents allege. Portland police were called about a gun being fired from one apartment into another on SE Alder Street. Officers seized a .357 caliber revolver.
Less than two weeks later on April 23, Portland police responded to the home of the Greens’ father on NE Sumner Street after a bullet went through a front window. Officers found that the bullet had been fired from inside the home. The father first told officers he had thrown a rock through his own window, but later changed his story, saying a gun accidentally went off when he was showing his son how to clean it, according to court documents. Officers found and seized three handguns and an AK-47 from the home; three of the guns had reportedly been bought illegally by Edward Green.
Within a five-day span in late August of 2020, Portland officers recovered four more guns purchased illegally by Edward Green, court documents allege. One of the guns was seized when officers responded to a shooting outside the brothers’ apartment in Southeast Portland. The other three were found when officers were called to a Portland hospital about a walk-in gunshot victim. Police said a vehicle parked outside the hospital had obvious signs of gunshot damage. The guns were found inside the car and its occupants were arrested.
Two more illegal pistols bought illegally by Edward Green were found after a crash caused by gunfire in Fairview on Nov. 11, court documents claim. Multnomah County deputies reportedly found the pistols and two pounds of packaged marijuana during a search of a backpack found in Edward Green’s car.
Another gun allegedly purchased by Edward Green was seized during a traffic stop on Jan. 23, 2021, in Multnomah County.
On May 12, someone fired several rounds into a house on SW Lillyben Avenue. Both Green brothers listed the house on their Oregon driver’s licenses at the time, investigators said. Nine days later, the house was the target of a drive-by shooting in which it was struck by 14 bullets. Someone inside the house then fired 30 rounds in response, according to court documents.
While carrying out a search warrant at the house on June 3, the Metro Safe Streets Task Force reportedly found nine empty semi-automatic gun cases, several dozen spent bullets and cartridge casings, 27 firearm and rifle magazines, a range bag with more than 400 spent cartridges and five receipts for recent gun purchases made by the Green brothers. Forensic analysis of the spent cartridges linked them to at least 10 different shootings in the Portland area between April 2020 and July 2021, according to court documents.
Two different traffic stops later in the summer netted two more guns allegedly linked to the Green brothers. A .40 caliber pistol purchased by Thomas Green III just days earlier was found after Beaverton police pulled over a car with no plates on July 23, according to court documents.
Another .40 caliber gun allegedly bought by Edward Green was found after Portland officers pulled over a vehicle with four people inside, including one known member of the Hoover Criminal Gang.
In all, local authorities recovered 12 guns between April 2020 and August 2021 bought illegally by the Green brothers, court documents state. State records and information obtained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives show the brothers bought 82 firearms from gun shops in the Portland area over an 18-month span starting in April of 2020.
Thomas Green III was arrested on Sept. 29 at an apartment where authorities said they found two semi-automatic guns, 16 empty gun boxes and ammunition. He appeared in federal court later that day and was released to home confinement.
Edward Green was arrested on Oct. 6 at his father’s home in Northeast Portland. He appeared in federal court the same day and remained in custody.
Both brothers have been charged by criminal complaint with falsifying information in connection with the acquisition of a firearm and making false statements in a federal firearms licensee record.