SAN FRANCISCO—On February 27, it was announced by the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office that Kabari Tukes (30), of San Francisco, was convicted after a trial by jury of one count of felon in possession of a firearm (PC 29800(a)(1)).
According to testimony and other evidence presented at trial, on November 4, 2021, the defendant confronted workers at McDonald’s on 3rd Street and Wallace Avenue in the Bayview District of San Francisco. Tukes berated McDonald’s staff over a dispute about his order by using foul language and threatening the workers. McDonald’s workers were forced to call the police to intervene in the escalating situation. Before the police arrived, he fled the scene, parked his car one block away, and returned to the McDonald’s to continue to harass the workers, where he was later arrested.
Officers located Tuke’s red Mitsubishi Galant parked one block away from McDonald’s. After conducting a search of the vehicle, officers found a black semi-automatic handgun in a backpack filled with his belongings. The handgun was loaded with one round in the chamber. Tukes’s DNA was also found on the gun. He was prohibited from possessing any firearms due to prior felony convictions.
The case against the defendant was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Matt Donahue, with assistance from District Attorney Investigator Perla Ortiz, paralegals Jen Java and Sara Wong, victim advocate Kevin Lee and IT support from Ada Yu and Noaeh Pinaire. Prosecutors were able to develop a strong case against the defendant based on the investigation by the San Francisco Police Department’s Bayview Station and Criminalistics Laboratory’s forensic analysis.
“Guns do not belong in the hands of those whose prior conduct has demonstrated that they are a danger to our community,” said Assistant District Attorney Matt Donahue. “I look forward to continuing to work to remove those guns from San Francisco streets and hold those who illegally possess them accountable.”
Tukes is currently out of custody. He faces up to three years in custody. Sentencing is scheduled for March 25, 2024.
