Cape Coral Man Sentenced To Federal Prison For His Role In Firearm Trafficking Conspiracy

Fort Myers, FL – U.S. District Judge Kyle Dudek has sentenced Derick Desir (28, Cape Coral) to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for his role in a firearm trafficking conspiracy. Desir pleaded guilty on July 23, 2025, to conspiring to make a false statement to a firearms dealer and making false statements to a firearms dealer.

According to court records, in May 2022 Desir joined a conspiracy to “straw purchase” handguns on behalf of others. In June 2022, in coordination with another conspirator, Desir purchased approximately twelve Glock handguns across seven transactions from six different federally licensed firearms dealers in Lee County.  While making these firearms purchases, Desir falsely represented to each firearm dealer that he was the “actual buyer or transferee” of the firearms, when he knew that the firearms he was purchasing would be trafficked to Canada by others. At least five of the twelve handguns purchased by Desir during the conspiracy have since been recovered in Canada during various Canadian law enforcement investigations.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).