A group of six individuals has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to a conspiracy to purchase firearms using stolen credit card information illegally. The defendants are accused of taking part in a straw purchasing scheme, which allegedly involved making false statements on federal firearms forms, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The conspiracy, which the indictment states took place from May to September 2022, appears to have included orders placed with online firearms retailers using stolen credit card data. These orders were then allegedly transferred for pick-up across various cities in Ohio and Georgia. It is believed that the defendants intended to quickly turn around and sell many of the firearms that had been obtained through these fraudulent means.
Those charged in the indictment include Keith Davenport III, 21, of Columbus; Ellyson Jeffries, 23, of Reynoldsburg; Javohn Garcia, 23, also of Reynoldsburg; D’andre Beasley, 31, of Columbus; Johna McCoy, 27, of Atlanta; and Vincent Irvin, 33, of Columbus. Following an unsealing of the case on November 15, all six defendants have been arrested, as detailed in the indictment returned on October 30 by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio. Davenport is facing additional charges of aggravated identity theft.
Regarding potential penalties, conspiring to make false statements while purchasing a firearm is punishable by up to five years in prison. Making such false statements is a federal crime carrying a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison. Moreover, aggravated identity theft comes with a mandatory two-year imprisonment. The case, which involves at least 50 illegally purchased firearms, is further compounded by the severe nature of identity theft and the potential for these weapons to diffuse through illicit channels quickly.
U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker, alongside ATF Special Agent in Charge Daryl S. McCormick and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant, announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys S. Courter Shimeall and Damoun Delaviz will prosecute the case. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, an indictment is merely an accusation, and all defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
