Child sex trafficker pleads guilty to firearms offense over midnight gun fight that left woman paralyzed

January 7, 2025

A child sex trafficker who exchanged fire with two criminal rivals at a gas station in Oakland’s red-light district, leaving a female companion whom he had just met paralyzed after being struck by a bullet, pleaded guilty today to a firearms offense at the city’s federal courthouse.

Chase McMillon pulled his rental car into the Kwik Serve on East 12^th Street just before midnight on July 7 2023. A stolen Infiniti sedan arrived after which its two occupants got out and pointed guns at him. He in turn drew his firearm and, according to prosecutors, opened fire first on his opponents.

The court was earlier told that the location is notorious for violence – including the murder of a young woman, suspected of involvement in prostitution, who was shot to death in 2024.

McMillon, 41, was on probation at the time of the incident following a federal conviction for pimping an underage girl into prostitution in San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland and stealing her $17,500 earnings.

Appearing today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White, he pleaded guilty to ‘being a felon in possession of ammunition’ and admitted to a host of probation violations, including failure to notify his probation officer of police contact and failure to keep his sex offender registration up to date.

McMillon is taken away while paramedics continue to attend a woman in the car

McMillon was accompanied by two passengers when he arrived at the gas station: a woman described in court documents as “a friend” and another woman with whom he had only recently become acquainted.

A white Infiniti Q60 arrived and circled around McMillon’s car before parking next to an opposite pump. Security camera footage shows two occupants leave the vehicle, draw guns and point them at McMillon.

In the ensuing gunfight the woman McMillon had just met was struck in the back and, as a result, was paralyzed below the chest.

In the aftermath of the shooting, as bystanders gathered to help, she can be heard screaming from the back seat of the car: “I’m going to die. I’m going to die. Somebody help me. I’m bleeding.”

McMillon himself was hit in the pelvis. 21 spent .40 caliber casings fired from his weapon alone littered the area around the gas pump from where he opened fire.

McMillon told officers from Oakland Police Department that he was in the process of registering the gun he used – describing it as “a unregistered registered gun”. Prosecutors observed that courts have repeatedly told the felon that he may not possess firearms at all.

The court had heard that the Kwik Serve is located at the western edge of the “Oakland Blade” – known for its street prostitution – and is a hot spot for violence and mayhem.

McMillon has five felony and two misdemeanor convictions including human trafficking (2011), sex trafficking of a minor (2023) and conspiracy to distribute cocaine (2015). Five months after the Oakland shooting, prosecutors say, he repeatedly hit his domestic partner, who told police that he had two firearms including a Glock 23 that he carried in his vehicle.

Today in courtroom five of Oakland federal courthouse McMillon pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition and admitted to four probation violations.

Judge White set sentencing for March 25.

This story has been updated.