GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Two men from Flint have been sentenced for illegally purchasing firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers in Michigan and Ohio. The two men are 24-year-old Jonathan-Michael Brown and 25-year-old Jalen Kenyatta Malik Jackson.
According to the Department of Justice, the two illegally purchased 62 firearms using multiple fraudulent methods. They also attempted to purchase an additional 19 firearms.
Brown could not lawfully posses any firearms due to having previously been convicted of a felony. Brown acquired the firearms by posing as another person. He used the driver’s license and credit card account number assigned to that person, as well as others, to purchase the weapons for resale.
After Brown was arrested by state authorities, he recruited Jackson to make false statements to gun dealers and acquire multiple firearms using credit card numbers assigned to other people. After the weapons were purchased, they were resold to others.
Brown pleaded guilty to the federal crimes of making a false statement and aggravated identity theft in connection with the purchase of two firearms, as well as conspiracy to commit wire fraud for profiting from selling firearms. He was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison, as well as a restitution order of $28,047.88. He will also have to serve two years of supervised release after his incarceration.
Jackson pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement during the purchase of firearms. He was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison, as well as restitution of $12,004.27. He will also have to serve two years of supervised release.
“Protecting our communities by holding individuals accountable for straw purchasing weapons and fraudulently acquiring firearms that flood our streets with illegal guns is a top priority for my office,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “We will continue working with the ATF and our law enforcement partners to target these types of schemes that put our communities at risk.”
“Illegally providing firearms to prohibited persons fuels violent criminals presenting a grace threat to our communities,” said ATF Acting SAC Craig Kailimai. “The collaborative effort with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, our federal, State of Michigan, and local partners continues to remove illegally trafficked firearms and those individuals involved from our streets.”
