Feds Indict 9 for Trafficking Weapons from Georgia to New York

Federal authorities have announced the indictment of nine people in connection with the alleged trafficking of 87 guns that were purchased by a man in Georgia over the course of eight months and used to fire at police in New York, reports the Washington Post. Duvaughn Wilson, 32, is accused of being the “straw” purchaser who bought a total of 87 guns in 30 transactions with licensed dealers in Georgia between August 2020 and April 2021. Wilson attested that the guns were for his own use but then allegedly provided the guns to co-defendants James Thomas and Courtney Schloss. Many of the weapons allegedly ended up in the possession of members of the Blixky Gang, a musically inclined street crew in Brooklyn, for use in music videos.

In February 2020, a gun allegedly supplied by Wilson was used to fire at officers in the Bronx and recovered at the crime scene. Another gun allegedly purchased by Wilson was recovered from a shooting scene, also in the Bronx, two months later. Law enforcement officials said investigators have recovered 18 of the 87 weapons that were allegedly fed to the black market by Wilson, who was arrested in Georgia in connection with the gun purchases and has been released pending trial. Four other men, Jamel Thomas, Argam Taj, Ken Alexander and Samuel Taj, have been arrested and charged in relation to the case, along with members of the Blixky Gang. Two defendants — Harlie Ramos and Christopher Machado — are at large, officials said. Charges include conspiracy to traffic weapons, gun trafficking and interstate travel with intent to engage in gun trafficking.