COLUMBUS, GA – A network of Columbus residents is facing federal time after admitting to a brazen scheme to steal guns and funnel them to the city’s most dangerous street gangs. The operation, which targeted local firearms businesses in 2022, has already landed two men in prison, with several more awaiting sentencing. The goal? Arming the Zohannon and Marlo gangs, escalating violence on Columbus streets.
Daquan Braxton, 20, of Columbus, received a hefty 120 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to one count of theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee on January 23. His accomplice, Tarcus Sanders, aka “TJ,” 22, of Columbus, will spend 33 months behind bars, also with three years of supervised release, after admitting to the same charge on January 24. U.S. District Judge Clay Land delivered the sentences today, emphasizing there’s no parole in the federal system.
The operation began to unravel after a burglary at the Northside Money Mizer Pawn Shop on Manchester Expressway on August 9, 2022. According to court documents, Sanders admitted to participating in the break-in, where Joshua Holland, 24, of Columbus, crashed a stolen car through the front door. Holland then pilfered five firearms – two pistols and three rifles – while Sanders and others acted as lookouts or carried the stolen weapons. Just over a month later, on September 7, 2022, the crew struck again, this time at A Better Pawn on 2nd Ave. This time, they made off with a staggering 19 firearms: 11 rifles, seven shotguns, and one pistol.
U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary made it clear that his office is prioritizing the prosecution of gun traffickers. “Our office prioritizes the prosecutions of gun traffickers supplying stolen firearms to criminal organizations, which pose a serious threat to a community’s safety,” Leary stated. “Firearms traffickers and straw purchasers—individuals who purchase guns for those who are prohibited from possessing them—will be held accountable at the federal level for illegally providing guns to dangerous people.” Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka of the ATF added, “The unlawful acquisition and selling of firearms are serious crimes that feed and intensify the violence that plagues so many communities.”
Braxton and Sanders aren’t the only ones facing consequences. Joshua Holland, also known as “Lou” or “Luke,” pleaded guilty to two counts of theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee on January 24, and faces a maximum of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. Robert Holman, 34, of Columbus, admitted to one count of the same charge on February 13, also facing a decade behind bars and a $250,000 fine. James David Lowery, 28, and Jerry Starks, aka “John Hill,” 31, both of Columbus, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit theft of firearms, facing a maximum of five years and a $250,000 fine apiece. Sentencing dates for these co-defendants have yet to be determined.
The ATF’s investigation, in conjunction with local law enforcement, underscores the persistent flow of illegal firearms fueling gang activity in Columbus. While these convictions represent a blow to the operation, authorities are likely bracing for the next iteration of gun trafficking schemes, as the demand from criminal organizations remains high. The message from federal prosecutors is blunt: arming gangs carries severe consequences.
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