Six Indicted In Multi-State Gun Theft Spree

CANTON, GA -- Six defendants have been indicted on federal charges of conspiracy to steal 129 firearms from stores in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Devonnaire Coffey, Darryle Butler, Bilal Maxey, Natasha Turner, Asia Keith and Prather Abrams were arraigned Wednesday on the charges. Coffey, Butler, Turner and Keith face additional charges of theft of firearms and possession of stolen firearms.

Butler further faces charges of felon in possession of a firearm.

“We’ve seen a recent uptick in gun store burglaries in the district,” said U.S. Attorney John Horn, who represents the Northern District of Georgia. “The theft of firearms, and subsequent illegal trafficking of them, unfortunately leads to more gun violence in our community.”

Coffey, Butler and Maxey allegedly burglarized gun stores in the Peach State and North Carolina where 129 firearms were stolen while Keith and Turner served as lookouts during the crimes, according to information presented by Horn.

According to the indictment, Coffey, Butler, Maxey, Keith, and Turner attempted to burglarize three additional gun stores in Georgia and South Carolina. Abrams is accused of participating in one of the burglaries in Georgia.

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Coffey and Butler sold the stolen firearms shortly after stealing them. The multiple burglaries and attempted burglaries occurred at stores in McDonough, and Holly Springs, Georgia; Charlotte and Rocky Mount, North Carolina; and Rock Hill, South Carolina.

“We are grateful to those who partnered with us in these critical investigations," Holly Springs Police Chief Mike Carswell says. "The success of this indictment extends from our law enforcement community to our neighbors. Everyone has an investment in keeping our community safe."

Coffey, 26, Butler, 27, Maxey, 24, all of Augusta, and Abrams, 35, of Decatur, were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Catherine M. Salinas.

Turner, 25, of Augusta was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Russell G. Vineyard. Keith, 20, also of Augusta, was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Justin S. Anand. The six defendants were indicted Dec. 6, 2016, by a federal grand jury.

This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Henry County, Georgia Police Department, Rocky Mount, North Carolina Police Department, Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina Police Department, Holly Springs Police Department and Rock Hill, South Carolina Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Keen and Stephanie E. Gabay-Smith are prosecuting the case.

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