Another DE Straw Purchase Bust - 77 Counts Against 9 People - Dover, DE

[adit]

77 charges filed in ‘straw’ gun prchase scheme​

The Delaware Department of Justice has secured 77 charges, 76 of which are felonies, against nine defendants accused of participating in straw purchases of at least 12 firearms in six separate transactions in the Dover area.

The sealed indictment was returned by a Kent County grand jury on May 2, and unsealed following the arrests of two primary members.

“There’s no question that guns — and by extension gun trafficking — are driving violent crime in Delaware,” said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. “Straw purchases may appear at face value to be a nonviolent offense, but the reality is that they are deadly. Guns are meant to do one thing, period, and that’s what’s at stake here. These are challenging investigations but they are critical to the safety of this state, and I’m grateful that state, local, and federal law enforcement partners are focusing on disrupting gun trafficking. We will continue to make these felonies a priority and to fight for policy change that prevents them from happening in the first place.”

“Straw purchasers criminally abuse the process of purchasing firearms and aid prohibited persons by supplying them with guns. They must be held accountable for illegally bringing firearms into the community,” said Toni M. Crosby, special agent in charge of ATF’s Baltimore Field Division. “The use of crime gun intelligence, diligent investigative work, and the strength of our partnership with law enforcement and prosecutors were key to this investigation. ATF will continue to work alongside our partners to identify and arrest anyone who threatens the safety of our communities.”


Investigators determined that co-defendants Nassir Williams, Jyheim Spencer, and John Lassiter, all of whom are prohibited from purchasing firearms, conspired to find subjects over the age of 21 with no criminal records to buy guns for them and their criminal associates.

Williams, Spencer, and Lassiter would direct straw purchasers to obtain a credit card, order firearms from an online retailer, and then have them delivered to a federal firearms licensee in Delaware. The purchaser would then retrieve the firearms, keeping one for themselves as “payment” for the transaction, and turning the rest over to Williams, Spencer, Lassiter, who in turn would sell them to their associates.


One firearm recovered from the investigation is alleged to have been used in a shooting, with another recovered from a suspected gang member.

The charges and allegations are as follows:

• Nasir Williams
  • Racketeering, a Class B Violent Felony
  • Nine counts of Engaging in a Firearm Transaction on Behalf of Another, a Class E Felony
  • Five counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited, a Class D Felony
  • Four counts of Conspiracy 2nd Degree, a Class G Felony
  • Four counts of Making a False Written Statement, a Class G Felony
  • Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon, a Class G Felony
  • Possession of Marijuana, a civil violation
• Jyheim Spencer
  • Racketeering, a Class B Violent Felony
  • Five counts of Engaging in a Firearm Transaction on Behalf of Another, a Class E Felony
  • Two counts of Conspiracy 2nd Degree, a Class G Felony
  • Making a False Written Statement, a Class G Felony
• John G. Lassiter
  • Racketeering, a Class B Violent Felony
  • Four counts of Engaging in a Firearm Transaction on Behalf of Another, a Class E Felony
  • Three counts of Conspiracy 2nd Degree, a Class G Felony
  • Three counts of Making a False Written Statement, a Class G Felony
• Nakiya Goicuria
  • Racketeering, a Class B Violent Felony
  • Two counts of Engaging in a Firearm Transaction on Behalf of Another, a Class E Felony
  • Two counts of Giving a Firearm to Person Prohibited, a Class F Felony
  • Conspiracy 2nd Degree, a Class G Felony
  • Making a False Written Statement, a Class G Felony
• Naquan Peace
  • Racketeering, a Class B Violent Felony
  • Three counts of Engaging in a Firearm Transaction on Behalf of Another, a Class E Felony
  • Two counts of Making a False Written Statement, a Class G Felony
  • Two counts of Conspiracy 2nd Degree, a Class G Felony
• Kylen Thomas
  • Racketeering, a Class B Violent Felony
  • Two counts of Engaging in a Firearm Transaction on Behalf of Another, a Class E Felony
  • Making a False Written Statement, a Class G Felony
  • Conspiracy 2nd Degree, a Class G Felony
• Tuscan Wright
  • Racketeering, a Class B Violent Felony
  • Three counts of Engaging in a Firearm Transaction on Behalf of Another, a Class E Felony
  • Making a False Written Statement, a Class G Felony
  • Conspiracy 2nd Degree, a Class G Felony
• Darvis J. Epiewane
  • Engaging in a Firearm Transaction on Behalf of Another, a Class E Felony
  • Conspiracy 2nd Degree, a Class G Felony
  • Making a False Written Statement, a Class G Felony
• Kaharri Jackson
  • Engaging in a Firearm Transaction on Behalf of Another, a Class E Felony
  • Conspiracy 2nd Degree, a Class G Felony

Nasir Williams was taken into custody on May 12 on the sealed indictment and presented before a Superior Court commissioner. He is held at Sussex Correctional Institution in default of $60,000 cash bail.

John Lassiter was taken into custody on May 26 on the sealed indictment and presented before a Superior Court commissioner. He is held at Sussex Correctional Institution in default of $30,000 cash bail.


Jyheim Spencer was taken into custody on June 1 and will be arraigned before a Superior Court commissioner.

Deputy Attorney General Kevin Smith secured these charges following an investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Dover Police Department Drugs, Vice, Organized Crime Unit, and Delaware State Police.

77 charges filed in 'straw' gun prchase scheme - Delaware Business Now

The Delaware Department of Justice has secured 77 charges, 76 of which are felonies, against nine defendants accused of participating in straw purchases of at least 12 firearms in six […]

delawarebusinessnow.com

 

[Growler215]

Sounds like the headline was intended to exaggerate the importance of this bust. 77 charges sounds more impressive than saying 9 people were charged for straw purchases of 12 firearms.

 

[adit]

Still, 2 more busts in DE than I've seen in MD lately. I can't remember the last one in MD.

 

[sbmike]

"Guns are meant to do one thing, period, and that’s what’s at stake here." Is she for real?

 

[lazarus]

"Guns are meant to do one thing, period, and that’s what’s at stake here." Is she for real?

I guess they didn't seize any hi-points. Last I checked those are dual purpose. You can use them to shoot a bullet or as a fairly good framing hammer (tough I don't recommend attempting both at the same time).

 

[radnor]

Would not surprise me if she gave them cookies & milk and sent them on their way.
KJ sucks. Too soft on crime. How many of the charges will she drop?

 

[Huckleberry]

Damn Amish! Always flouting the Englishes' Laws

 

[K31]

Fuq-Joe-Biden should publicly shame anyone who illegally obtains a firearm in DE and demand that they be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and get the maximum prison time.

Oh wait...

 

[Michigander08]

Fuq-Joe-Biden should publicly shame anyone who illegally obtains a firearm in DE and demand that they be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and get the maximum prison time.

Oh wait...

We have a new term. Anyone isn't prosecuted is called "has been HunterBiden".

 

[lazybones]

Straw purchase indictments are good news. Choking the flow of guns flowing into the hands of criminals reduces mortality. Cooperating with those prosecutions makes gun dealers look like they care and are not rogue agents out for profits at any cost.

 

[huesmann]

Straw purchase indictments are good news. Choking the flow of guns flowing into the hands of criminals reduces mortality. Cooperating with those prosecutions makes gun dealers look like they care and are not rogue agents out for profits at any cost.

In fact, all law abiding gun owners should be applauding such indictments, and any efforts to get them. Aren't people always complaining about enforcing the laws already on the books?

 

[hippkid88]

Sounds like the headline was intended to exaggerate the importance of this bust. 77 charges sounds more impressive than saying 9 people were charged for straw purchases of 12 firearms.

I agree with you but we must keep in mind that if this was an article about Antifa or BLM riots, it would have stated"No charges filed in peaceful protests". It's all about the media's agenda. I hope they nail them, if they are guilty for these crimes, since this gives law abiding citizens a bad rep.

 

[davsco]

yes would be interesting to see how many actually do jail time and for how long. all this hoopla over "gun" violence yet it seems when they actually catch a criminal, it's catch and release.

would also be interesting to see of those caught, how many had already been caught before for gun or violent crimes and weren't put or kept in jail.