Syracuse Man Jailed for Nedrow Gun Store Heist

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK — Leron T. Ross, 25, of Syracuse, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for smashing into a Nedrow gun store with a sledgehammer and stealing nine handguns in the dead of night. The burglary at Intimidator Sports — a federally licensed firearms dealer — occurred on November 20, 2014, when Ross and an accomplice broke in, used bolt cutters to rip open a secured display case, and fled before deputies arrived.

Ross was sentenced to sixty months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The sentence runs consecutive to a prior 30-month state sentence he received for criminal possession of a weapon — the same charge stemming from a separate incident where he tossed a stolen .45 caliber Glock from his car during a police pursuit on January 5, 2015. That firearm was one of the nine taken in the burglary.

Items recovered from Ross’s vehicle included the sledgehammer used in the break-in, gloves, and tools matching those used at the scene. Despite the recovery of four of the stolen guns, five remain unaccounted for — weapons now potentially circulating in the underground arms trade, according to federal investigators.

On June 14, 2016, Ross pleaded guilty to the federal burglary charge. During a prison interview in January 2016 with ATF agents and Onondaga County detectives, he admitted his role in the heist. The burglary triggered alarm systems, but not before the thieves vanished into the night with a lethal arsenal.

U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian didn’t mince words: “The theft of nine handguns from a federally licensed dealer presents a clear danger to the public. The fact that five of these remain missing highlights the risk that they may be used in further crimes.” He emphasized that prosecuting firearm-related offenses remains a top priority for his office.

ATF Special Agent in Charge Ashan M. Benedict warned that burglaries from licensed dealers directly fuel street violence. “Some of the firearms recovered in this investigation were found in separate law enforcement encounters,” he said, underscoring the ripple effect of such thefts. A second suspect, Andrew Grady of Syracuse, is charged in connection with the theft. The complaint against him remains pending; he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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