NORRISTOWN, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — State, local, and federal officials say they have broken up a gun-trafficking ring that illegally bought and sold 94 firearms across Southeastern Pennsylvania. Eight suspects face felony firearms charges in connection to the ring, and police are still trying to arrest two of the suspects.
Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele says Larry Williams, 40 from Jasper Street in Kensington, was the leader.
“He was prohibited from buying, owning or possessing, so he recruited other defendants who lived in Philadelphia to buy firearms,” said Steele.
“They walked out of the gun store and handed these guns over to Larry Williams, who immediately sold them to people that under the law, can't buy a firearm.”
Authorities said that Williams also trafficked illegal drugs.
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Prosecutors said that seven others from Philadelphia face charges of buying guns for Williams, dating back to 2018:
- Robert Cooper III, 23, accused of buying 41 firearms and trying to buy another eight firearms.
- Zakayla S. Deshields, 22, accused of purchasing three firearms.
- Daynell Jones, 40, who allegedly purchased three firearms.
- Kevin Lester Logan, 24, accused of buying three firearms.
- Malik Rowell-Jernigan, 24, who allegedly bought eight firearms and attempted to buy another three firearms.
- Shadiid Smalley, 23, accused of purchasing five firearms.
- Ziair Stenson, 26, who allegedly bought 36 firearms and tried to purchase another seven firearms.
Authorities have outstanding arrest warrants for Deshields and Logan.
Investigators say 29 of the 94 guns have been recovered, some at scenes of violent crimes as far away as Pittsburgh, New York and Connecticut.
“That leaves 65 in the wind,” said Steele. “Getting those other 65 guns back is a priority to us, and I'm afraid and fear that they're going to be involved in other crimes.”
Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub credits cooperation among numerous law enforcement agencies for breaking up the ring.
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“We are awash in a sea of illegal guns that are too easy to acquire, and many of which we know we have the proof in this case have been used to commit violent crimes,” said Weintraub.
Steele said about half of the purchases were made at gun shows. He adds investigators tailed the group at a recent gun show in Oaks.
He said each defendant faces significant prison time if convicted, as Pennsylvania strengthened straw purchasing laws after Plymouth Township Police Officer Brad Fox was killed in 2012.
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“Brad Fox was a police officer here,” said Steele.
“He was killed by a man who was using a [straw purchase gun] and he told that straw purchaser that he would kill a cop if he got stopped, and he did it.”
Authorities ask that anyone who knows where Deshields and Logan are should call Montgomery County Detectives at 610-278-3368.