Aubrey Burks, Drug and Firearms Trafficking, Illinois 2024

CHICAGO ― Seven defendants are facing federal charges for their alleged participation in a drug and firearms trafficking operation between south suburban Harvey and Marion, Ohio. At least 19 assorted firearms were seized during the investigation, led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

AUBREY BURKS, 22, of Harvey, allegedly led the trafficking operation. Five defendants conspired with Burks between January and April this year to distribute heroin and crack cocaine to drug customers in and around Marion. At times, Burks and five other defendants accepted firearms from their drug customers as payment.

Burks was charged alone in one complaint with being a felon-in-possession of firearms for allegedly possessing six firearms that were seized by Harvey police on Jan. 30, 2014. He was arrested last week in Ohio and is being transferred in custody to Chicago for prosecution.

Five defendants were charged together in a second complaint with conspiring with each other and Burks to possess and distribute heroin and crack cocaine, as well as to violate multiple federal firearms statutes. They are: KIERRE WATERFORD, 24, also known as “Finess” and “Vaness;” KEVIN JACKSON, 23, aka “Ray-Ray” and “New York;” Burks’ brother, OMAR BURKS, 24, aka “T-O;” ANTHONY JACKSON, 20, aka “Smookie” and “B-D;” and DANIEL MURPHY, 28, all of whom have residential ties to Harvey and/or Marion.

Murphy was arrested today and Anthony Jackson was arrested yesterday, both in Ohio, while Waterford, Kevin Jackson, and Omar Burks are in state custody in Ohio.

The seventh defendant, ANTHONY GALVAN, 19, of Harvey, aka, “Ant,” was charged alone in a third complaint with selling firearms without a federal license. Galvan allegedly sold six firearms to an undercover police officer in a vehicle parked in front of his residence in Harvey during five transactions between Jan. 14 and Feb. 20, 2014. Galvan was arrested last week and remains in federal custody in Chicago without bond.

The arrests and charges were announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Carl Vasilko, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Also assisting in the investigation were the Chicago Police Department and the CPD/ATF Firearms Trafficking Task Force, the Illinois State Police, the Harvey Police Department, the Marion Metro Drug Enforcement Unit (MARMET), the Marion Police Department, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Ohio State Police, the Columbus Field Division of ATF, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern and Southern District of Ohio, and the Chicago High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force (HIDTA).

Conspiracy and dealing firearms without a federal license each carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison, while the felon-in-possession count against Aubrey Burks carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/seven-defendants-charged-alleged-trafficking-drugs-and-firearms-between-suburban-harvey