STAFF REPORTS
BUFFALO, N.Y. — U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Deonte “Terry” Cooper, 23, Ricky Turner, 48, Argentis Albino Herrera, 24, Diones Bowens, 22, Shane Shumaker, 31, Victoria Orlando, 36, Vicky Hoffstetter, 37, Koree Runyan, 24, and Jenna Ann Redding, 31, all of Ashtabula, Ohio, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to traffic in firearms. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and a 250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmanuel O. Ulubiyo, who is handling the case, stated that
according to the complaint, in November 2017, defendant Herrera purchased 29 firearms in Ashtabula, Ohio. On March 23, 2018, one of those firearms, a Glock pistol, was recovered in Buffalo, NY.
In April and May of 2018, some of the defendants purchased guns for Robert L. Williams, Jr., who resides in Buffalo and who himself has been previously charged with firearms trafficking. Those individuals include:
• Defendant Bowens; who purchased 12 firearms for Williams from Gun Brothers, in Eastlake, Ohio;
• Defendant Shumaker; who purchased 14 firearms for Williams from Point Blank Range & Gun Shop, in Mentor, Ohio;
• Defendant Orlando; who purchased 16 firearms for Williams from Excalibur Outdoors LLC, in Circleville, Ohio;
• Defendant Hoffstetter; who purchased 11 firearms for Williams in Eastlake, Ohio;
• Defendant Runyan; who purchased 10 firearms for Williams in Perry, Ohio; and
• Defendant Redding; who purchased eight firearms for Williams from MGA Arms, in Perry, Ohio.
All told, the defendants are accused of illegally purchasing a total of 100 firearms. 10 of those firearms have been recovered in Buffalo, and another firearm was recovered in Youngstown, Ohio.
In connection with the purchase of these firearms, defendants Cooper, Turner, Herrera, Bowens, Shumaker, Orlando, Hofstetter, Runyan, and Redding falsely represented on an ATF Form 4473 that they were the actual purchaser of the firearm, when, in fact, the defendants purchased the firearms for Williams and Deonte Cooper.
Defendants Herrera, Runyan, Hoffstetter, Shumaker, Orlando, and Cooper were arraigned this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer. All defendants, except for Orlando, were released on conditions. Defendant Orlando is being held pending a detention hearing on August 6, 2018 at 9:30 a.m.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict, New York Field Division.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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