Three Georgia men and an Irvington woman were charged today with conspiring to illegally sell numerous firearms bound for New Jersey, including an assault rifle with a 75-round magazine and multiple handguns with extended magazines, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Tyheed Jefferson, 33, a/k/a “Solo,” of Albany, Georgia, Mathias Connor, 41, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Nakiya Glenn, 28, of Irvington, New Jersey, are charged by criminal complaint with one count of unlawfully selling firearms to an individual that they knew did not reside in their state of residence, namely Georgia. Tyheed Jefferson was also charged with three counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of methamphetamine distribution.
Carnell Jefferson, 25, of Albany, is charged in a separate complaint with conspiracy to engage in the business of unlicensed firearms dealing.
Tyheed Jefferson and Carnell Jefferson were arrested this morning and will appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Q. Langstaff in Albany federal court. Glenn will appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark federal court. Connor is still at large.
According to the complaints:
From January 2017 through July 2017, Tyheed Jefferson, Connor, and Glenn were part of a gun tracking ring that used “straw purchasers” to buy and transport firearms in Georgia. Connor allegedly assisted Tyheed Jefferson – the alleged leader of the ring – with the acquisition, transport and storage of the firearms in Georgia. On at least two occasions, the firearms were sold in Georgia, knowing that they were being transported to New Jersey.
On at least five other occasions, the firearms were purchased in Georgia and then sold in New Jersey. Glenn stored some of those firearms at her residence in Irvington.
In addition, Tyheed Jefferson is charged with distributing methamphetamine, which he sold during a sale of five firearms on May 24, 2017.
From October 2014 through July 2016, Carnell Jefferson allegedly purchased numerous firearms at federally licensed firearms dealers in Albany and Leesburg, Georgia, on behalf of another conspirator, knowing that the firearms would be transported to New Jersey. Jefferson was paid $50 per firearm. Firearms purchased by Carnell Jefferson were later recovered in New Jersey in relation to criminal activity between December 2014 and January 2017.
In total, the investigation recovered 47 illegal firearms, including assault rifles, revolvers, semi-automatic handguns, a shotgun, and numerous rounds of ammunition.
The counts of conspiracy to deal in firearms without a license and conspiracy to engage in the business of unlicensed firearms dealing each carry a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The count of possession of firearms by a convicted felon carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The count of distribution of methamphetamine carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison.