Massive Gun Trafficking Rings Brought 400 Firearms Into Philly: Feds

PHILADELPHIA —Major gun trafficking rings that flooded Philadelphia with hundreds of firearms has been broken up, according to federal authorities.

Federal authorities Monday said two separate interstate firearms trafficking cases have brought charges against 14 people total.

Both cases involve individuals illegally trafficking firearms from states in the southern United States into Philadelphia, a large northeastern city, a fact pattern which is known as the "iron pipeline," according to authorities.

Taken together, both trafficking conspiracies are alleged to be responsible for illegally putting approximately 400 firearms on the streets, authorities said.

In the first case, 11 people have been charged by Indictment with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license and to make a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer:

• Fredrick Norman, 25, of Atlanta, GA;
• Brianna "Mars" Walker, 23, of Atlanta, GA;
• Charles "Chizzy" O’Bannon, 24, of Villa Rica, GA;
• Stephen Norman, 23, of Villa Rica, GA;
• Devin "Lant" Church, 24, of Villa Rica, GA;
• Kenneth "Peppito" Burgos, 23, of Philadelphia, PA;
• Edwin "Rock" Burgos, 29, of Philadelphia, PA;
• Roger Millington, 25, of Philadelphia, PA;
• Ernest Payton, 30, of Philadelphia, PA;
• Roselmy Rodriguez, 22, of Philadelphia, PA; and
• Brianna Reed, 21, of Shippensburg, PA.

Additionally, Edwin Burgos and Kenneth Burgos were each charged with dealing firearms without a license.

In the second case, the following three people have been charged by Indictment with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license and to make a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer:

• Muhammad "Moo" Ware, 26, of Myrtle Beach, SC;
• Haneef "Neef" Vaughn, 25, of Philadelphia, PA; and
• Jabreel "Breely" Vaughn, 20, of Elkins Park, PA.

Additionally, Ware is charged with dealing firearms without a license.

In October 2020, ATF agents identified multiple firearms found in the Philadelphia area as having been originally purchased in Georgia.

The short time frame between the firearms’ purchase in Georgia and subsequent recovery in Philadelphia indicated that the weapons may have been trafficked into the city, authorities said.

A subsequent investigation showed that over six months, the conspiracy led by Norman allegedly purchased nearly 300 firearms from dealers in and around Atlanta, and transported the firearms to Philadelphia for distribution and sale on the black market in exchange for approximately $116,000, according to authorities.

And in March 2020, ATF agents found multiple firearms found in Philadelphia as having been originally purchased in South Carolina, authorities said. Agents subsequently learned about a number of additional firearms recovered in Philadelphia with short “time to crime” periods that indicated they may have been trafficked into the city, just as in Norman, et al., according to authorities.

According to the Indictment, the recovered firearms were concentrated in a particular area of Philadelphia and were originally purchased near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Subsequent investigation showed that defendant Ware had allegedly purchased several of the recovered firearms, and conspired and communicated with defendants Haneef Vaughn and Jabreel Vaughn, and others about the purchase, transportation and sale on the black market of over 100 illegal firearms, authorities said.

In the Norman case, if convicted of all charges, Edwin Burgos and Kenneth Burgos face a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. All other defendants face a statutory maximum penalty of 5 years in prison.

In Ware's case, Ware faces a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Haneef Vaughn and Jabreel Vaughn each face a statutory maximum penalty of 5 years in prison.