Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele announced on Wednesday the dismantling of a gun trafficking organization that allegedly illegally obtained and resold 31 firearms in Montgomery, Berks, Bucks, Lancaster and Philadelphia counties.
Fourteen men and women were arrested on charges related to straw purchases of firearms and illegally transferring firearms, and they also dealt in the sale of “ghost guns,” according to the release.
The gun trafficking organization was allegedly fueled by firearm purchases by Quinn Whisted, 22, of Plymouth Meeting, who purchased 17 firearms, according to the district attorney. Others involved include:
The release states that those firearms were allegedly purchased on behalf of a gun trafficking organization led by Alexander Smith, 20, of Plymouth Meeting; Daveese Smith, 22, and Tony Pearson, 40, both of Norristown; Taye Wynder, 20, Daeshaun Wynder, 22, and Jerome Wynder, 24, all of Pottstown; Tymir Allen, 22, of Philadelphia; Joseph Zummo, 26, of Bridgeport; Kristen Owens, 24, of Plymouth Meeting, and Talani Ewell, 20, of Newcastle, Dela.
Two additional illegal firearms were reportedly seized during the arrest of the three Wynder brothers; one had an obliterated serial number and one is being traced, according to the district attorney.
The investigation began when Montgomery County Detectives were investigating another alleged gun trafficking organization whose members were charged in September 2020. In the course of that investigation, detectives said they performed a network analysis of those defendants in order to identify other illegal firearms and their gun trafficking networks. That analysis reportedly led to identifying this gun trafficking organization, the release states.
The district attorney said the trafficking organizations were not connected to one another.
From there, law enforcement said they began following the multiple purchases of firearms by Whisted through the Electronic Record of Sale (EROS) system and through hard copies of ATF and Pennsylvania State Police forms at gun stores. Detectives used surveillance, interviews, information from law enforcement agencies, call detail records and cellphone downloads, social media analysis, inspection of forms used in purchasing firearms and other methods of investigation, which they say led them to identify three other accused straw purchasers in addition to Whisted, as well as the 10 other defendants accused of involvement in the illegal gun trafficking organization.
One of those 10 defendants — Alexander Smith — was also accused of purchasing “ghost gun” materials from websites and assembling the guns, then offering them for sale, according to the district attorney.
“This group of people was acting together with the sole purchase of making money by putting firearms in the hands of people who cannot lawfully buy and possess guns, in effect arming criminals,” said Steele. “Straw purchases and the sale of those guns to people who cannot buy their own firearm legally are dangerous to the safety of all of our communities, and ‘ghost guns’ are just as dangerous, if not more. Gun trafficking is a significant threat to public safety and should concern every law-abiding citizen.”
The investigation was led by the Montgomery County Detective Bureau’s Violent Crime Unit (VCU), Montgomery Township Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police and Plymouth Township Police Department, along with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Norristown Police Department, FBI, Bucks and Montgomery County Safe Streets Task Force, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General’s Gun Violence Task Force, Pottstown Police Department, Hatfield Township Police Department and Berks County Detectives.
According to investigators, of the 29 straw purchases identified through the investigation, only six have been recovered:
Additionally, three were returned, leaving 20 unaccounted for.
The defendants were arrested on various criminal charges, but all include felony counts of Corrupt Organizations and Conspiracy. Other charges include Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities, Unlawful Transfer of a Firearm, Criminal Use of Communications Facilities, Materially False Statements and multiple related offenses.
12 of the 14 defendants were arraigned this morning before Magisterial District Judge Edward C. Kropp. Detectives are still in the process of locating and arresting two defendants: Allen and Zummo.
The case will be prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Lauren Marvel, who is captain of the Pottstown Community Justice Unit, and Assistant District Attorney Samantha Arena of the Firearms Unit.
If anyone has information about additional illegal firearms being bought and/or sold by any of these defendants or has information about any illegal firearms purchases and sales, please call the Montgomery County Detective Bureau’s Crime Tip Line at 610-278-3648.
(All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using court records and the affidavit of probable cause.)
See also:
DA Announces Investigation After Police Shoot, Kill Man With Samurai Sword In Pennsburg
Lansdale Police Arrest Juvenile Male Following Physical Assault With Appeared To Be A Firearm
Montgomery County Democratic Headquarters Struck By Gunfire On Inauguration Day
Reward Offered For Info Leading To Arrest In Shooting Death Of Ebony Pack In Lansdale
Teen Charged in Shooting Death of Norristown Woman
