Editors Note: The following press release is directly from ATF. Regular readers of AmmoLand News know our stance on the unaccountable Federal Agency: No comment. We invite our readers to leave their hard-hitting insights in the comments below.
PHILADELPHIA – -(AmmoLand.com)-United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Terrance Darby, 41, of Philadelphia, PA, and Ontavious Plumer, 32, of Due West, South Carolina, were charged by Superseding Indictment with gun trafficking offenses in connection with their scheme to straw purchase and transport across state lines almost 60 firearms.
Specifically, the defendants were charged with unlicensed dealing and transport of firearms, and conspiracy to engage in unlicensed dealing of firearms and to make false statements to a federally licensed firearms dealer. Darby was also charged with drug trafficking and gun possession stemming from his possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and unlawful possession of two firearms in his home in November 2021.
According to the Superseding Indictment, between November 2020 and February 2021, the defendants conspired with at least four other individuals to illegally straw-purchase almost 60 firearms from federally licensed gun shops in South Carolina, then transport these firearms via car into Philadelphia. Darby would allegedly place orders for firearms with Plumer, who would then direct co-conspirators to straw purchase firearms and transport them to Darby and his co-conspirator in Philadelphia.
This Superseding Indictment is the third set of charges brought by this Office in the last two months targeting the illegal trafficking of firearms from southern states into Philadelphia, a large northeastern city, a fact pattern which is known as the ‘iron pipeline.’ In April 2022, multiple defendants were Indicted in two federal cases involving the unlawful trafficking of approximately 400 firearms up the ‘iron pipeline’ into the city.
“Earlier this year, the Justice Department announced strategies to fight violent crime, including cracking down on firearms trafficking and the ‘iron pipeline,’ and our Office announced the indictment of fourteen people engaged in that that black-market business. With today’s charges, we have shut off yet another valve to stem the flow of guns into Philadelphia,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “Our Office is working with urgency and determination to get guns off the streets of our city.”
“At a time when our communities have seen a spike in violent gun crime, it is more important now than ever that we hold those accountable for criminal actions,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “The diligence of our local, state, and federal partners prevented more guns from circulation into the community, as the indictment alleges.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Jeanette Kang.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Philadelphia Field Division
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
ATF is the federal law enforcement agency responsible for investigating violations of the federal firearms and explosives laws and regulations. More information about ATF and its programs can be found at www.atf.gov.
I won’t be driving anywhere near Philadelphia anymore, because I have a license plate from a southern state, which means I fit their profile. I’ve been held on the side of the road for hours because I fit the profile and refuse to allow my vehicle to be searched. “Why refuse if you have nothing to hide?” Because I have rights and you don’t have any authority.
There’s a hidden narrative here, that we can end gun crime by banning guns everywhere uniformly. You can’t get them in Philly, but you can’t in Due West, either.
Consideration should be given to air-dropping arms in regions oppressing our citizens, like was done for resistance forces during WWII. For private citizens to keep our life and liberty the infringement of rights can not much longer be tolerated.
Ten years is a JOKE. Case in point, felon in upstate NY had his girlfriend by the AR rifle, he set his house on fire and murdered two volunteer firefighters that day. She got two years for buying the rifle. That is the LOOPHOLE.
I’m sorry that “Ontavious” was not known when I was naming my sons. 8>)
Just think, if you’d had more imagination back then, you could have named your sons (like: this is Daryl and his brother, Daryl) and also copyrighted it.
Larry, Darryl & Darryl? The Bob Newhart Show.
And what are you doing about Kensington St ? Just monitoring I suppose. lol
ATF needs to stick to ENFORCING existing laws. They have no right to WRITE laws. If Mr. Darby and Mr. Plumer were knowingly distributing firearms to people who shouldn’t have them, then they should be stopped.
“ATF needs to stick to ENFORCING existing laws.”
That’s not what they need to do.
Local law enforcement needs to enforce laws against murder, rape, armed robbery, arson, burglary, illegal entry into residences, etc.
The ATF needs to go away.
The existing arms laws, and the ATF, are unconstitutional. The only thing they should do is be abolished.
Good job! I wish the ATF did a lot more of this instead of trying to make law.
What stealing someone property ? Shall not infringe ! If they are walking among society. Then they have a right to 2A.
Big supporter of infringement, huh?
They interpret incomplete laws passed by Congress (Constitutional or not), then they write regulations supposedly based on the law. That way, they can change the regulations without changing the law when the political parties change. Although, with the liberal career employees in the various government departments, they usually just go in one direction these days.