In a crackdown on illegal firearms trafficking, three men in Georgia have been firmly sentenced for their involvement in gun crimes spanning across the United States and into Canada. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, accessed via their website, Alvin Demar and Joshua Carter were sentenced for trafficking firearms, while Jamal Plunkett received a sentence for possessing a trafficked firearm.
U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan highlighted the danger firearm traffickers pose to communities, stating, "The sentencing of these defendants is an example of our office’s unwavering commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and to effectively dismantle gun trafficking operations." This sentiment was echoed by ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones, who resolved that "firearm trafficking and the illegal possession and use of firearms will not be tolerated."
From July 2021 to January 2022, Demar, reportedly a convicted felon, engaged individuals including Carter in straw purchasing handguns. These weapons were found at various crime scenes, and some were used in shootings. Notably, one Glock pistol linked to Carter was involved in three shootings in Atlanta. Plunkett was caught discharging another trafficked weapon 17 times in Gainesville, Georgia. According to the release, Demar illegally possessed several firearms over time, including when a loaded Glock pistol and an unregistered USAS-12 semiautomatic shotgun were seized from his property.
Demar faced a 15-year prison term followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty on March 27, 2024, to numerous charges including the possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Carter, who had pled guilty on January 23, 2024, received a three-year prison sentence followed by two years of supervised release. Separately, Plunkett is now serving a sentence of four years and three months after his guilty plea on May 19, 2023. The convictions underscore a shared resolve among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to rigorously combat the flow of illegal firearms into and throughout our communities.
The cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with support from the DeKalb County Police Department and Gainesville Police Department, as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). The PSN program is known for its community and law enforcement partnership approach to reducing violent crime and gun violence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg led the prosecution for these cases, underlining the commitment of law enforcement to ensure safety and justice.
