SACRAMENTO, CA – A sprawling gun trafficking operation that flooded California’s streets with over 500 firearms sourced from Georgia has expanded, with five additional defendants now facing federal charges. The network, originally indicted in March 2022, allegedly funneled illegal weapons to individuals prohibited from owning them, contributing to the escalating gun violence plaguing the state.
The latest indictment, handed down on Thursday, adds Andre Warren Jr., 24, of Sacramento; Jjuan Brown, 32, of San Francisco; Kenyatta Alexander, 37, of Sacramento; Jarren Meek, 24, of Stockton; and Keino Brue, 28, of Georgia to the original list of defendants. All are charged with conspiracy to unlawfully deal in firearms without a license and unlawfully dealing in firearms without a license. Alexander also faces three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The initial indictment targeted Jerrell Lawson, 32, of Sacramento; Aisha Hoggatt, 30, of Sacramento; Terrence Phillips, 40, of Union City; James Gordley, 33, of Modesto; and Malek Williams, 29, of Georgia.
Federal prosecutors allege that between November 2019 and October 2021, Lawson and his co-conspirators moved more than 500 firearms from Georgia to California, backing the operation with over $300,000 in money transfers. Williams, a licensed concealed carry permit holder in Georgia, allegedly acted as the primary source, purchasing firearms and shipping them to addresses in California directed by Lawson. The scheme relied on online brokering and a network of sub-distributors, including the newly indicted individuals. Disturbingly, some of these weapons ended up in the hands of convicted felons, further fueling the cycle of violence.
The investigation revealed a clear hierarchy within the organization. Warren Jr., Alexander, Brown, and Meek are now identified as sub-distributors, tasked with pushing the firearms through the California black market. Brue reportedly conducted direct, hand-to-hand transactions, receiving over $23,000 in money transfers for his role. Conversations between the defendants, intercepted by investigators, revealed discussions about acquiring and selling not only firearms but also machine gun conversion devices. A particularly chilling exchange saw Brown describe his Oakland-based clientele as “scar[y],” highlighting the dangerous nature of the operation and the individuals they were arming.
Law enforcement traced the operation back to a shooting in Sacramento, where a recovered firearm was linked to a sale by a licensed Georgia dealer. This initial lead unraveled a sophisticated network utilizing coded language and a variety of financial institutions to conceal their activities. Interdicted packages destined for the conspirators contained more than just firearms – investigators also seized ammunition, knives, and brass knuckles, painting a picture of a group actively supplying tools for criminal activity. Importantly, Lawson, Phillips, Gordley, Warren Jr., and Alexander are all prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions, demonstrating a blatant disregard for the law.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Klein and is the result of a collaborative effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Sacramento Region/San Francisco Bay Area Cross-Jurisdictional Firearms Trafficking Strike Force Initiative. This strike force, launched in July 2021, aims to disrupt illegal firearms trafficking across multiple jurisdictions, tackling the issue at its source and preventing these weapons from reaching the streets. The investigation remains ongoing, and further arrests are possible as authorities continue to untangle the full scope of this dangerous operation.
Related Federal Cases
- Martinez, Firearms Offense, California 1973 · Ohio
- Abdur Rahmen Abdullah, Firearms Law Violation, Pennsylvania 2013 · California
- Joseph Chad Castillo, Felon in Possession of Firearms, Louisiana 2022 · Illinois
- Thao Thi Kim Nguyen, Mortgage Fraud, California 2018 · Texas
- Los Angeles Arson Investigation, Los Angeles CA, 2025 · Iowa
Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
WeaponsWeaponsWeaponsWeapons