Del. Attorney General announces 87 felony charges in firearms straw purchases investigation

DELAWARE – Wednesday marked the end of a months-long investigation into firearm straw purchases. “We are announcing 87 felony charges against five defendants, accused of illegally purchasing more than 60 firearms for others,” said Delaware Attorney General Kathleen Jennings. “When someone purchases a gun, knowing they are giving it to an individual prohibited, they’re giving an instrument of death to another person.”

The illegal purchases were made in Kent and Sussex Counties. “All straw purchases would circumvent the background check and record keeping requirements of federal law, and have the potential to place firearms in the hands of criminals​,” said ATF Baltimore Assistant Special Agent in Charge Andre Miller. “Anyone purchasing a gun for someone else cannot know with any certainty where that gun may go, or how it may be used.”

Jennings says the illegally purchased firearms have been quickly making their way across the East Coast. One was found as far away as West Chester County, N.Y. “Each of those guns is a threat to our communities and communities throughout our region. This is a close-up and tragic look at the damage that straw purchases do​,” said Jennings.

Jennings says the charges are only a snapshot of how prevalent firearm straw purchases are in the region. “What I think we’re seeing here is a microcosm of a much larger problem – and that is guns that are lawfully purchased, but have been turned over intentionally to people who are going to use them to commit violence,” she said.

Investigators have recovered some of the firearms purchased in these illegal transactions. In total, 53 are still unaccounted. One of the defendants is currently incarcerated. The other four were released on unsecured bond.

State v. Keyon Eley

Keyon Eley is an admitted member of the Piru 700 Blood gang. He is accused of purchasing 38 firearms from five different federal firearms licenses (FFLs) in Sussex County between July 28th, 2020 and March 16th, 2021.

On February 23rd, 2021, Laurel Police Department searched Eley’s home on a warrant for suspected drug activity. They found four gun boxes, and a laundry hamper filled with firearm magazines and ammunition. Later that year, police in Baltimore, Md., Dover, and West Chester County, N.Y. recovered firearms traced back to Eley.

Eley turned over two of the 38 firearms he purchased. 33 of the guns remain unaccounted for. Eley is charged with 36 counts of Engaging in a Firearms Transactions on Behalf of Another. Each count carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison. Eley is also charged with 29 counts of False Statement. He could face up to two years in prison for each count.

State v. Karen Morris and Shane Willey

Karen Morris and Shane Willey are also facing charges related to straw firearms purchases. Between August 7th, 2021 and October 26th, 2021, Morris bought eight firearms. Six of them were purchased over the course of two days, from two FFLs.

Morris admitted to buying the firearms on behalf of Jeremiah McDonald. A search of Morris’ cell phone showed several text messages about different types of firearms available for purchase, and how much they cost. The text messages also revealed that McDonald was supplying Morris with heroin.

Surveillance video from one of the FFLs shows Morris and Willey texting, and purchasing the firearms mentioned in the messages. One of the firearms purchased was found in the possession of Cedrick Fooks, a convicted felon. The seven other firearms remain unaccounted for.

Morris charged with nine counts of Engaging in a Firearms Transaction on Behalf of Another, with the potential of up to five years in prison per count. She is also facing five counts of False Statement. Morris could face up to two years in prison per charge.

State v. Malik Jarvis

Malik Jarvis is accused of purchasing 15 firearms, and making false statements to an FFL to obtain them. Investigators say he made the purchases between January 23rd, 2021 and February 20th, 2021.

One of the firearms was used in a 2021 New Castle County suicide. Two more were recovered in New York, including one seized during a warrant being executed against a street gang. The other 12 firearms have not been found.

Jarvis faces four counts of False Statement. Each charge carries the potential of up to two years in prison.

State v. Paige Morris

The sale of three firearms on April 3rd, 2021 to Paige Morris triggered a multiple sale report to the ATF. The FFL the made the sale told law enforcement that two males came into the store looking to buy firearms, but did not purchase anything.

Just 15 minutes later, Morris came into the store and purchased two of the firearms the men were looking at. Surveillance footage revealed that Morris and the two men had arrived in the same car. On April 12th, 2021 a firearm used in a Dover homicide was traced back to Morris.

Morris confessed to purchasing the firearms for her boyfriend, Riley Braswell, and friend Nasir Williams. The third firearm was purchased for Morris’ use. Morris surrendered her firearm to police, and Braswell was charged with First Degree Murder. He was extradited from New York. Williams admitted to receiving a gun from Morris, but said he had lost track of it. That firearm is currently unaccounted for.

Morris is facing two counts of Engaging in a Firearms Transaction on Behalf of Another. She could face up to five years in prison for each charge. Morris is also charged with one count of Firearm to a Person Prohibited, which could land her in jail for three years per county. She is also charged with one count of False Statement, with a maximum penalty of two years behind bars.