Two Men Arrested on Federal Firearm Charges

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal indictment has been unsealed after two men were arrested today  on firearm charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives, and Firearms Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.

According to a two-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court, between April 2021 and September 2021, the defendants purchased multiple handguns from a licensed firearms dealer located in Tuscaloosa County by means of straw-purchase transactions where Davis falsely represented himself to be the buyer of the guns. 

Jevonte Kendrell Davis, 28, of Cottondale, is charged with engaging in the business of selling firearms without a license and making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. 

Tyrese Perry, 25, of New Haven, Connecticut, is charged with making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.

The maximum penalty for giving a false statement during the purchase of a firearm is 10 years in prison. 

The maximum penalty for engaging in the business of selling firearms without a license is five years in prison.

These cases are a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. 

The ATF investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney Plyler is prosecuting the case.