A 35-year-old man who sold a “ghost” gun that was later used to kill a Gardena man in Long Beach was sentenced last week to 21 years to life in state prison, authorities said.

Stephen Thoeun Duong was convicted of second-degree murder  in Long Beach Superior Court in July for the fatal shooting of 22-year-old Austin Thai in May 2020; he was also convicted of possession for sale of narcotics.

On Friday, Nov. 21, Duong was sentenced.

He sold the gun to a 16-year-old boy who grew up in the same Long Beach neighborhood as he did, then later drove the boy and his then-15-year-old girlfriend to 17th Street and Gaviota Avenue for a planned robbery, Deputy District Attorney Tracy Sims said during the trial.

The boy shot Thai, sitting in his car, more than 10 times before he and his girlfriend ran back to Duong’s car, which was parked two blocks away, according to evidence presented during trial.

The alleged shooter, who defense attorney Damon Hobdy identified as Elvis Baide, has since died, the lawyer said. The girl was sentenced to seven months in qualified housing for her involvement.

During the evening on May 15, 2020, Baide walked up to Duong and asked if he had a gun for sale, Sims said.

Duong sold the teen the gun for $1,000 before Baide confided in him that he thought his girlfriend was cheating on him with Thai, the attorneys said. Duong then drove Baide to pick up his girlfriend and, while in the backseat, the two teens hatched a plan to have her text Thai and set up a meeting so they could rob him of his jewelry.

Before they got out of the car, Duong told Baide to grab Thai’s chain necklace for him, Sims said.

Duong then drove two blocks south, stopping his car in the street outside a liquor store, according to evidence presented during trial. When the two teens returned, Duong drove them away.

Police were called just after midnight. Thai was found dead in the driver’s seat with shell casings both inside and outside his car, Sims said.

Hobdy argued that other valuables, including Thai’s phone, wallet and a ring, weren’t stolen. He said the dozen-plus shots fired shows that Baide intended to kill Thai, not rob him.

Hobdy said there was no evidence to show Duong knew of any plan to kill the victim.

Duong was nearly double the age of the teenagers at the time and Sims argued that at any point during the evening, he could have decided not to participate.