Eight of the Suspects Arrested in Gun Smuggling Bust from South Carolina
According to reports, six men and two women are among the 19 suspects arrested as part of New York City’s largest gun smuggling bust in history. Reports state that the operation funneled more than 200 illegal firearms from South Carolina and North Carolina to illegal arms dealers in New York City.
Officials stated, after the bust on Monday, August 19th, that the operation is one of many pervasive black market gun smuggling operations, in which cheap firearms from the South can sell for more than three times their price in Northern cities.
The Rock Hill defendants named in the New York state indictment are:
• Earl Campbell, 23, formerly of Rolling Green Road, who now lives in Charlotte, faces charges of conspiracy 4th (one count), criminal sale of a firearm 1st (one count), criminal sale of a firearm 2nd (six counts), criminal sale of a firearm 3rd (164 counts), criminal possession of a weapon 2nd (57 counts), criminal possession of a weapon 3rd (six counts), attempted criminal possession of a weapon 2nd (one count) and attempted criminal sale of a firearm 3rd (two counts).
• Larick Michaux, 26, of Jefferson Avenue, faces charges of conspiracy 4th (one count), criminal sale of a firearm 1st (one count), criminal sale of a firearm 2nd (one count), criminal sale of a firearm 3rd (32 counts), criminal possession of a weapon 2nd (12 counts) and criminal possession of a weapon 3rd (two counts).
• Warquisha “Choppers” Michaux, 28, of Jefferson Avenue, faces charges of conspiracy 4th (one count), criminal sale of a firearm 2nd (one count), criminal sale of a firearm 3rd (10 counts) and criminal possession of a weapon 2nd (three counts).
• Kendall Danielle Jones, 22, formerly of Patriot Parkway, who now lives in Charlotte, faces conspiracy 4th (one count), criminal sale of a firearm 3rd (two counts), criminal possession of a weapon 2nd (one count) and criminal possession of a weapon 3rd (one count).
• Marcel Lydell Dyess II, 21, formerly of Spring View Court, who has been now incarcerated at Wateree River Correctional Institution in Rembert since May 2013, faces charges of conspiracy 4th (one count), criminal sale of a firearm 3rd (two counts) and criminal possession of a weapon 2nd (one count).
• Arthur Antonio Barber, 27, of Rivercrest Road, faces charges of conspiracy 4th (one count), criminal sale of a firearm 3rd (two counts) and criminal possession of a weapon 2nd (one count).
• Chris Hill, 24, of Rivercrest Road, faces charges of conspiracy 4th (one count) and criminal sale of a firearm 3rd (two counts).
• Brandon Rashad Potts, 24, of Green Street Extension, faces charges conspiracy 4th (one count), criminal sale of a firearm 3rd (four counts) and criminal possession of a weapon 2nd (two counts).
Almost all of the Rock Hill, SC defendants were arrested on August 5th, except for Hill, who was on the run from police for two weeks, and Michaux, who was arrested at a traffic stop a few days before the other gun smuggling suspects.
Gun Smuggling Operation in New York City
According to undercover agents, two of the top gun smugglers used cheap transportation, mainly low-fare Chinatown buses, to take firearms up the Eastern Seaboard from South Carolina to New York City. The gun smugglers put the guns in their carry-on luggage. Reportedly, they used the cheap buses because they had less chance of being caught among the other passengers.
“Police seized 254 illegal guns and indicted 19 people, Bloomberg said,” according to USA Today. “The weapons included high-capacity assault weapons, a fully automatic machine gun and handguns, which are most typically the models of guns used to commit violent crimes.”
“The 19 were charged with crimes including conspiracy, selling firearms and weapons possession in a 552-count indictment filed by the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor,” reports The Wall-Street Journal. “The indictment centers on 208 guns that were sold for nearly $160,000.”
The 19 gun smuggling arrests were part of a 10-month undercover investigation.
The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Federal Gun and Drug Charges
If you are facing federal gun and drug charges, including alleged gun smuggling or drug trafficking, you need the help and guidance of an experienced federal crime attorney. Our attorneys at the Strom Law Firm, LLC are dedicated to providing an effective and aggressive defense to help you reduce the charges against you. Contact our office today for a free consultation. 803.252.4800
