Curtessa Monet Franklin, Firearms Trafficking, West Virginia 2020

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA

Four individuals have been charged with lying to obtain firearms in West Virginia, according to a federal indictment.

Curtessa Monet Franklin, 21, of Canton, Massachusetts, is alleged to have conspired with Deven Deloreece Johnson, 21, and Ashanta Renea Marshman, 22, both of Martinsburg, to provide false information in order to unlawfully purchase firearms.

On at least two occasions in December 2015, the defendants allegedly attempted to purchase firearms in Berkeley County, West Virginia by falsely claiming that Johnson and Marshman were purchasing the firearms for themselves. In fact, they were attempting to purchase the firearms for Franklin.

Franklin, Johnson, and Marshman are charged with “Conspiracy to Provide a False Statement During the Attempted Purchase of a Firearm.”

Franklin is also charged with two counts of “False Statement During the Attempted Purchase of a Firearm.” Johnson and Marshman are also charged with one count of “False Statement During the Attempted Purchase of a Firearm.”

The defendants face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count. The ATF and West Virginia State Police investigated.

In a separate matter, Christopher Lee Linn, 29, of Maryland, was indicted on one count of “False Statement in Acquisition of a Firearm,” one count of “Aggravated Identity Theft,” and two counts of “Felon in Possession of a Firearm.”

Linn is alleged to have stolen the identity of another individual and used that information to unlawfully pawn and then re-acquire a firearm in Berkeley County. Linn was previously convicted of a felony in Allegany County, Maryland and therefore is prohibited from possessing firearms.

Linn faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each of the three firearms charges and an additional two years in prison for the aggravated identify theft charge.

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