PEORIA, Ill. – A chilling revelation from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Illinois’ Central District brings to light the shocking story of Keith L. Winters, 28, and Miray A. Smith, 28, who are accused of orchestrating a massive gun heist that targeted two licensed firearms dealers in Monmouth and Galesburg.
According to a federal criminal complaint unsealed today, on March 21, 2019, Winters and Smith allegedly drove a stolen truck to The Tac Shack, in Monmouth. They threw a brick through the window and broke glass with a metal pole, escaping with 39 guns.
The duo struck again eight days later at Farm King in Galesburg, using wire cutters to enter a fenced area before breaking into the store and taking away 59 additional firearms.
Winters, Smith, and an unnamed third suspect are charged with conspiracy and theft of firearms from federal licensees. Winters faces an extra charge for possession of firearms by a felon, while his alleged partner in crime, Jeremy L. Howard, 39, is also charged with two counts of possession of stolen guns.
“Too frequently we see the deadly consequences of stolen guns in our communities,” stated U.S. Attorney John Milhiser. “We will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to get guns out of the hands of the wrong people and aggressively prosecute those who put them there.”
The ATF has confirmed that investigating thefts from licensed firearms dealers is a top priority, as these crimes pose significant risks to both the dealers and the community. The investigation into this case was conducted with assistance from multiple law enforcement agencies.
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Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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