URBANA, Ill. – A deadly chain of deceit landed two women in federal custody this week, accused of fueling the violence that took the life of Champaign Police Officer Christopher Oberheim. Ashantae S. Corruthers, 28, of Indianapolis, Indiana, and Regina Lewis, 27, of Normal, Illinois, are facing serious federal charges for their alleged role in a gun trafficking scheme that put a weapon in the hands of a convicted felon.
According to a federal indictment unsealed Friday, Corruthers and Lewis conspired with Darion M. Lafayette, now deceased, to circumvent the law and obtain a Glock 48, nine-millimeter, semi-automatic pistol. Lafayette, a convicted felon barred from legally owning a firearm, allegedly directed the pair to make the purchase on his behalf – a classic “straw purchase.” On November 17, 2020, Corruthers allegedly walked into an Indianapolis firearms dealer and purchased the weapon and ammunition, falsely claiming on ATF forms that she was the true buyer.
But the deception didn’t stop there. The indictment details a calculated effort to cover their tracks. In April 2021, roughly five months after the illegal purchase, Corruthers allegedly filed a false police report with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, claiming the Glock had been stolen in March of 2021. This fabricated story was intended to mask the illicit transfer to Lafayette. Just twenty-three days after the false report, Lafayette allegedly used the very same firearm to fatally shoot Officer Oberheim during an incident in Champaign, Illinois.
Investigators allege the cover-up continued even after Oberheim’s death. Corruthers and Lewis allegedly agreed to have Corruthers repeat the false story to an ATF Special Agent investigating the officer-involved shooting, further claiming she didn’t know Lafayette. The scheme unraveled, leading to the arrests of both women on October 13, 2022. Both appeared via video conference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan E. Hawley in Peoria on Friday, with detention hearings scheduled for October 19th.
If convicted, Corruthers and Lewis each face up to five years in prison for conspiracy to illegally purchase and transfer a firearm, and up to twenty years for conspiracy to engage in misleading conduct. Each charge also carries a potential sentence of up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
It’s crucial to remember that an indictment is not a finding of guilt. Both women are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. However, the charges paint a disturbing picture of alleged deliberate actions that ultimately contributed to the tragic loss of a police officer and a potential breakdown in the system designed to keep guns out of the wrong hands.
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