Two men alleged to be members of the Tongan Crip Gang have been charged with firearm offenses in connection with a shooting at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building in Salt Lake City. The indictment, unsealed today, names Ryan Daniel Toutai, also known as “Lost One,” 32, of Salt Lake City, and Fineeva Pomona Maka, also known as “Finloc,” 26, of Millcreek, Utah.
According to court documents, both individuals had previously been seen with one of the firearms used in the January 7, 2026 incident. On that date, police responded to multiple reports of gunfire at an LDS church and found several victims with gunshot wounds. Officers recovered .40 caliber and 9mm casings at the scene along with a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol. Toutai was present when police arrived and was detained after not complying with officers’ instructions to move away from emergency responders assisting a victim.
A search warrant allowed investigators to seize Toutai’s phone, which contained photos and videos showing him possessing the Ruger 9mm pistol recovered from the scene. Identification was confirmed through a distinctive tattoo on his left hand.
Further evidence from Toutai’s phone documented events prior to the shooting. Images depicted both Toutai and Maka together; screenshots showed Maka holding what appeared to be a Ruger LC9 pistol. As someone previously convicted of multiple felonies, Maka is legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. At the time of the shooting, Maka was on parole for an earlier conviction and required to wear a GPS ankle monitor. Data from this device supported evidence that he possessed the Ruger firearm on January 7.
The indictment charges Toutai with unlawful disposition of a firearm and Maka with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Their initial court appearance is scheduled for March 3, 2026 at 1:00 p.m., before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah announced the charges.
The Salt Lake City Police Department is leading the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
The prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, which focuses federal resources on combating illegal immigration and dismantling criminal organizations nationwide.
“An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”
