Rashad Sargeant, a 27-year-old resident of College Park, Georgia, has pleaded guilty to smuggling at least 30 guns to Barbados. The illicit firearms were shipped to the island nation after Sargeant and his co-defendant, David Johnson, obliterated the serial numbers of the firearms and packed them inside false compartments in boxes.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine, Sargeant and Johnson worked together to recruit straw purchasers to buy guns from federally licensed firearms dealers. The straw purchasers, including Shunquez Stephens, made false statements to the dealers, claiming they were buying the guns for themselves. Sargeant and Johnson would then take possession of the guns and use false identifications to mail them to Barbados through common carriers like UPS, FedEx, and DHL.
“Greed fuels the illicit firearms market with traffickers ignoring the violent consequences of helping to equip criminals with guns,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Erskine. “We remain steadfast in our efforts to curb gun-related violence in our communities and to prosecute firearms traffickers.”
The investigation, led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Bureau of Industry and Security, has resulted in the conviction of three individuals involved in the scheme. In addition to Sargeant, David Johnson and Shunquez Stephens have also pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
“Disrupting the flow of illegal guns inevitably saves lives and reduces overall crime, so I’m glad we were able to stop Sargeant’s scheme to illegally export guns to Barbados,” said Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger. “Cases like this highlight the great results that can be achieved when agencies work together to protect our communities.”
Rashad Sargeant is scheduled to be sentenced on December 16, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. District Judge William M. Ray II. David Johnson’s sentencing is set for November 4, 2021, and Shunquez Stephens is scheduled to be sentenced on September 22, 2021.
The ATF and its law enforcement partners will continue to work together to disrupt illegal firearm straw purchase schemes and prevent the illicit export of firearms.
Contact: U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016 for further information.
Read more: http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga
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Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons|Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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