14 Charged In Connection To Illegal Gun Trafficking Operation: DA

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY - A total of 14 Bloods gang members and associates were indicted on 127 charges in connection to an alleged illegal gun trafficking operation, Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini announced on Tuesday. In addition to the arrests, more than 70 illegal firearms that were trafficked into Suffolk County from states along the "iron pipeline," including Virginia and Georgia were seized as a result of the year-long investigation.

In September 2018, the District Attorney’s Office, Police Department and ATF began an investigation into the illegal sale of firearms in Suffolk County by 31-year-old Leroy Jones, of Deer Park, who is an identified Bloods gang member, the DA said.

The investigation revealed that 35-year-old Damar Parler, of Virginia, would buy firearms through a network of straw buyers in Virginia to illegally sell the firearms in New York, the DA said.

Parler coordinated the illegal sales with a family member, 37-year-old Jasmine Sexton, of Huntington Station, who would then coordinate with 28-year-old Curtis Bostic, of Hempstead, to sell the firearms, the DA said.

Sexton and Bostic used Jones as a runner to pick up the firearms and deliver them to the buyer to complete the sales, according to the DA.

The investigation revealed evidence that Parler was planning to travel to Suffolk County to sell additional firearms with his girlfriend 35-year-old Tameeka Stevens, of Virginia, the DA said.

Last month, law enforcement officers initiated a traffic stop of Stevens and Parler in Stevens’ 2014 Ford Explorer in Nassau County and recovered two firearms from the car, one of which was loaded, according to the DA.

Jones is also accused of coordinating illegal weapons sales with 52-year-old Matthew Edwards, of Huntington Station; 24-year-old Ed Lariviere, of Bellport; 25-year-old Scott Brown, of Middle Island and 22-year-old Tavon Pascal, of Huntington Station, the DA said.

In a year, the group conducted illegal firearms sales on more than 50 separate occasions, resulting in the recovery of 73 firearms by Suffolk County law enforcement, according to the DA.

"That is 73 weapons that never made it onto the streets of Suffolk County," Sini said.

The recovered weapons included 62 handguns; 11 rifles and shotguns; 13 assault weapons, including AR-15s, AK-47s, and AK-47 style pistols, according to the DA.

A total of 48 of the weapons were loaded at the time of the sale and 36 of the weapons were sold along with high-capacity magazines. Twenty-two of the weapons were previously reported stolen and six of the weapons had their serial numbers defaced.

The weapons came from 15 different states, with the majority coming from Virginia, Georgia, and North Carolina, according to the DA.

Bostic, Brown, Jones, Lariviere, Parler, Pascal and Sexton are all identified by law enforcement as being members of the Bloods street gang.

The investigation involved the use of an undercover officer, physical surveillance, electronic surveillance, and court-authorized eavesdropping.

Bostic is charged with two counts of fourth degree conspiracy, first degree criminal sale of a firearm, second degree criminal sale of a firearm, 12 counts of second degree criminal possession of a weapon, 13 counts of third degree criminal sale of a firearm, five counts of third degree criminal possession of a weapon, four counts of third degree criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm.

He was arraigned last Wednesday and bail was set at $250,000 cash or $500,000 bond. If convicted of the top count, Bostic faces a maximum sentence of up to 25 years in prison.

Brown is charged with fourth degree conspiracy, two counts of second degree criminal possession of a weapon, two counts of third degree criminal sale of a firearm and two counts of third degree criminal possession of a weapon.

He was arraigned last Wednesday and bail was set at $200,000 cash or $400,000 bond. If convicted of the top count, Brown faces a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison.

Edwards is charged with two counts of fourth degree conspiracy, first degree criminal sale of a firearm, seven counts of second degree criminal possession of a weapon, nine counts of third degree criminal sale of a firearm, six counts of third degree criminal possession of a weapon and two counts of criminal possession of a firearm.

He was arraigned last Wednesday and bail was set at $250,000 cash or $500,000 bond.

Jones was charged on Oct. 9 with three counts of fourth degree conspiracy, three counts of first degree criminal sale of a firearm, three counts of second degree criminal sale of a firearm, 30 counts of second degree criminal possession of a weapon, 39 counts of third degree criminal sale of a firearm, 22 counts of third degree criminal possession of a weapon, nine counts of third degree criminal possession of a weapon, four counts of fourth degree criminal possession of stolen property and five counts of criminal possession of a firearm.

If convicted of the top count, he faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison if found to be a persistent felony offender.

Lariviere is charged with third degree criminal sale of a firearm and third degree criminal possession of a weapon.

He was arraigned last Tuesday and bail was set at $25,000 cash or $50,000 bond. If convicted of the top count, Lariviere faces a maximum sentence of up to seven years in prison.

McKeever is charged with fourth degree conspiracy, second degree criminal possession of a weapon, two counts of third degree criminal sale of a firearm, three counts of third degree criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm.

She was arraigned on Oct. 10 and bail was set at $100,000 cash or $200,000 bond. If convicted of the top count, McKeever faces a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison.

Parler is charged with two counts of fourth degree conspiracy, second degree criminal sale of a firearm, seven counts of second degree criminal possession of a weapon, six counts of third degree criminal sale of a firearm, four counts of third degree criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm and endangering the welfare of a child.

He was arraigned on Oct. 8 and bail was set at $200,000 cash or $400,000 bond. If convicted of the top count, Parler faces a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison.

Pascal is charged with third degree criminal sale of a firearm, two counts of third degree criminal possession of a weapon, five counts of third degree criminal possession of a weapon and four counts of fourth degree criminal possession of stolen property.

He was arraigned on last Monday and bail was set at $200,000 cash or $400,000 bond. If convicted of the top count, Pascal faces a maximum sentence of up to seven years in prison.

Sexton is charged with two counts of fourth degree conspiracy, first degree criminal sale of a firearm, second degree criminal sale of a firearm, 10 counts of second degree criminal possession of a weapon, 11 counts of third degree criminal sale of a firearm, two counts of third degree criminal possession of a weapon, four counts of third degree criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm.

She was arraigned on Oct. 8 and bail was set at $200,000 cash or $400,000 bond. If convicted of the top count, Sexton faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison if found to be a persistent felony offender.

Stevens is charged with fourth degree conspiracy, second degree criminal possession of a weapon, criminal purchase or disposal of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm and endangering the welfare of a child.

She was arraigned on Oct. 9 and bail was set at $200,000 cash or $400,000 bond. If convicted of the top count, Stevens faces a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison.

Warrants have been issued for four additional suspects.