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Press Release

Leader of Gun Trafficking Ring Sentenced to Prison

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Michigan

DETROIT – A Detroit resident was sentenced to 7 years and 10 months in prison for his role in a firearm trafficking ring, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.

Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge James Deir, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Detroit Division.

Antonio Jackson, age 24, received the sentence from the Honorable Mark A. Goldsmith, United States District Judge, in Detroit, Michigan. Judge Goldsmith also ordered that the defendant serve 3 years on supervised release after his release from federal custody.

At his guilty plea, Jackson admitted that he, along with two co-defendants, was a leader of a scheme in which the group used stolen credit card information to buy firearms online, which were then shipped to local firearm retailers for pickup. They enlisted several straw purchasers to pick up firearms. To get the firearms, the straw purchasers were directed to lie on the required ATF paperwork.

In total, Jackson admitted that the group illegally obtained at least 55 firearms through the scheme. Several of the firearms have been recovered by law enforcement, including some recovered from convicted felons.

Five of the straw purchasers involved in the trafficking ring have already pleaded guilty and were sentenced as follows:

  • Garcia Moses, age 26 of Detroit: 54 months’ prison
  • Emmanuel Stevens, age 23 of Detroit: 46 months’ prison
  • Donte Turner, age 27 of Mt. Clemens: 30 months’ prison
  • Eshon Rose, age 24 of Redford Charter Township: 18 months’ prison

“My office is committed to keeping guns out of the hands of convicted felons and will aggressively prosecute not just the leaders of these gun trafficking organizations, but also the straw purchasers that make these schemes possible. Lying when buying a gun for someone else is a serious crime that deserves just punishments like these.” U.S. Attorney Ison said.

“Accountability matters. Jackson and his able-bodied band of co-conspirators represent the worst of the worst in our community. They are nothing more than common-day thugs who put personal greed before the safety of our community. In my experience,” said Special Agent

 

in Charge James Deir, “these folks represent the most deserving candidates for Federal prosecution. In the end, they’ll have a lot of time to reflect on their wrongdoing.”

One of the other leaders, Mike Chahoua, 25 of Detroit, pleaded guilty and faces sentencing on September 26, 2023. James Jackson, age 25 of Detroit, one of the straw purchasers, has also pleaded guilty and faces sentencing on September 28, 2023.

Charges remain pending against Chauncey Williams, 23, of Detroit, the third leader of the group, and Bishop Allen, age 26, of Detroit, another straw purchaser. They are set for jury trial at a later date. An indictment is only a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case was investigated by special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Ramamurthy and Andrew R. Picek.

Updated August 22, 2023
Topic
Firearms Offenses
Component
USAO - Michigan, Eastern