South Carolina Individuals Sentenced for Roles in Gun Trafficking Conspiracy

NEWARK, N.J. – Six South Carolina individuals have been sentenced for conspiring to illegally sell firearms, including nine handguns, in New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Kendell McFadden, 31, of Florence, South Carolina, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz in Newark federal court to 48 months in prison for his role in the scheme after previously pleading guilty to the conspiracy.

His conspirators – Laronmir McFadden, Savon Harrison, Dontavian Jones, Michael Gamble, and Donjanea McClary – were previously sentenced after each of them had also previously pleaded guilty to the conspiracy. Laronmir McFadden, 30, had also pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing a firearm by a convicted felon, and was sentenced to 49 months in prison.  Harrison, 27, was sentenced to 30 months in prison; Jones, 26, was sentenced to 22 months in prison; Gamble, 33, was sentenced to 14 months in prison; and McClary was sentenced to 2 years of probation.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From August 2019 through September 2021, the defendants conspired to traffic firearms from South Carolina to New Jersey. Although Kendell McFadden was prohibited from possessing a firearm as a prior convicted felon, he and his conspirators utilized straw purchasers to purchase firearms in South Carolina and then transport the firearms to Paterson, New Jersey, and elsewhere for resale. On Sept. 26, 2021, law enforcement intercepted a vehicle containing Kendell McFadden, Laronmir McFadden, Harrison, and Jones travelling from South Carolina to New Jersey and recovered nine firearms. 

In addition to the prison term, Judge Farbiarz sentenced Kendell McFadden to three years of supervised release and fined $1,000.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Ross A. Marchetti in the Newark Field Division and Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims in the Charlotte Field Division; and the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to the sentencings. 

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey S. Smith of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.