South Carolina Woman Sentenced for Role in South Jersey Gun Trafficking Scheme

A South Carolina woman has been sentenced to seven years in prison for her role in a scheme to traffic guns into New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced Thursday afternoon.

Katelynn Schippnick, 25, previously pleaded guilty to an information charging her with one count of conspiring to deal firearms without a license. She must also serve three years of supervised release.

She and five Camden County men had been charged with federal firearms violations last summer.

She pleaded guilty at the same time as 32-year-old Camden resident Shawn Tribbett.

Marcus Rutling, a/k/a “Fresh,” 33, of Camden, and Saluda, South Carolina, and his brother, Joseph Rutling have also pleaded guilty to charges in the case, as have Anthony Gilmore, 24, of Lawnside and Lewis DiMatessa, 37, of Clementon.

They obtained the firearms from pawn shops, gun stores and other sources in South Carolina and brought them to New Jersey, at times using Amtrak trains to transport the guns, according to documents filed in the case and statements made in court.

Schippnick assisted in the sale of at least five firearms, including handguns and a shotgun, also to an ATF cooperating witness.