Raymond A. Small, Machine Gun Possession, Ohio 2024

COLUMBUS, OH – Raymond A. Small, 38, of Westerville, is headed to federal prison for seven years after pleading guilty to possessing a machine gun and illegally possessing firearms as a previously convicted felon. The sentence, handed down today by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Algenon L. Marbley, closes a case built by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.

According to court documents, Small wasn’t just holding onto illegal weapons – he was actively peddling them. Between August and December 2022, Small engaged in a series of clandestine deals with an undercover ATF agent, trading narcotics for firepower. The transactions weren’t limited to a single weapon; Small moved one fully-automatic machine gun, along with seven additional firearms, onto the streets.

What’s more disturbing, Small wasn’t operating alone. Investigators found he routinely recruited others into his firearms trafficking scheme, effectively building a network to expand his illegal operation. He brought associates along to meetings with the undercover agent, pushing pills and guns as a team. In one August 2022 meeting, Small and a friend presented the agent with Oxycodone pills and a machine gun stripped of its serial number – a clear attempt to evade tracing.

This wasn’t Small’s first brush with the law. The 38-year-old was already on probation for prior drug and weapons offenses when he committed these latest crimes, demonstrating a blatant disregard for the justice system. His history played a significant role in the severity of the sentence, with Judge Marbley clearly sending a message that repeat offenders will face serious consequences.

The case was spearheaded by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin W. Kelley and S. Courter Shimeall, working under the direction of U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio, and ATF Special Agent in Charge Daryl S. McCormick. Parker stated the sentence reflects the commitment to removing dangerous individuals and illegal weapons from Ohio’s communities.

Small pleaded guilty in August 2023 to both possessing a machine gun and possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. He will now spend 84 months – seven years – in federal prison, a harsh reminder that illegal gun trafficking carries a steep price. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities haven’t ruled out further charges against Small’s co-conspirators.

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