Grand jury indicts 6 defendants in straw purchasing conspiracy involving firearms bought online with stolen credit card information

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A federal grand jury indicted six individuals with conspiring to commit an offense against the United States by making false statements on federal firearms forms. The individuals allegedly conspired to use stolen credit card information to place orders online for straw purchase firearms.

Those charged include:

The indictment was returned on Oct. 30 and all six defendants have been arrested since that time. The case was unsealed on Nov. 15.

According to the 14-count indictment, members of the conspiracy allegedly placed orders with online firearms retailers, and then had the guns transferred to firearms retailers for in-person pick-up in Reynoldsburg, Columbus, New Albany, Pataskala and Pickerington, as well as in Atlanta and Smyrna, Georgia. Coconspirators allegedly used stolen credit card information to place the orders and lied on the federal firearms forms saying they were purchasing the firearms for themselves. It is alleged that defendants then sold or intended to sell many of the firearms that were acquired illegally.

Each of the six defendants is charged in the conspiracy that allegedly occurred from approximately May until September 2022 and involved the illegal purchase of at least 50 firearms.

Davenport is also charged with aggravated identity theft.

Conspiring to make false statements during the purchase of a firearm is punishable by up to five years in prison. Making false statements during the purchase of a firearm is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two years in prison.

Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys S. Courter Shimeall and Damoun Delaviz are representing the United States in this case.

An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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