Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

ATLANTA - Errol Alfred, a/k/a “Major,” and Kerry Fernandez, a/k/a “Trini,” have been sentenced for their respective roles in illegally purchasing and trafficking at least 36 firearms from Georgia to Trinidad and Tobago during a one-year period. Jordan Dunham, a co-defendant in the case, has also been sentenced for illegally purchasing some of the shipped firearms for the two men.

“Our office is committed to identifying and stopping the flow of firearms into the illegal black market,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak.  “These individuals had no regard for the safety of the citizens here or abroad when they smuggled their illegally purchased firearms for personal gain.”

“The unlawful acquisition and trafficking of firearms is a serious crime that feeds and intensifies the violence that plagues so many communities here and abroad,” said Special Agent in Charge Arthur Peralta. “This investigation illustrates the collective resolve of ATF and its law enforcement partners to stem the flow of illegal firearms within the U. S. or anywhere these criminals choose to operate.” 

“In this case, the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement, Atlanta Resident Office worked closely with the U.S Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia and ATF to disrupt a smuggling scheme to illegally export firearms,” said Robert Luzzi, Special Agent in Charge, Office of Export Enforcement.  “We will continue to aggressively pursue arrests and convictions that, as in this case, ultimately shut down such illegal export schemes.”

According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: Between August 2013 and September 2014, Alfred and Fernandez purchased at least 36 firearms from a local firearms licensee for the purpose of shipping the firearms to Trinidad and Tobago for resale.  To avoid detection by law enforcement, Alfred and Fernandez used “straw purchasers” to buy many of the firearms on their behalf.  Alfred subsequently hid the illegally purchased guns in shipping barrels (unbeknownst to the shipping company), and Alfred and Fernandez then smuggled the weapons to Trinidad, where an unknown associate sold the firearms for profit.

The defendants were sentenced for the following offenses:

• Errol Alfred, a/k/a “Major,” 40, of Atlanta, Georgia was sentenced to five years in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release on May 30, 2018.  Alfred pleaded guilty to conspiring to smuggle firearms out of the U.S., submitting false or misleading export information, delivery of firearms to a common carrier for international shipment without written notice, fifteen counts of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm, and two counts of access device fraud on February 6, 2018.

• Kerry Fernandez, a/k/a “Trini,” 34, of Atlanta, Georgia was sentenced to two years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release on April 19, 2018.  Fernandez pleaded guilty to conspiring to smuggle firearms out of the U.S, and making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm on June 22, 2017.

• Jordan Dunham, 26 of Norcross, Georgia was sentenced to six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release on April 19, 2018. Dunham pleaded guilty to two counts of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm on August 17, 2017.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Skye Davis prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In keeping with the Attorney General’s mission to reduce violent crime, the Northern District of Georgia’s PSN program focuses on prosecuting those individuals who most significantly drive violence in our communities, and supports and fosters partnerships between law enforcement and schools, the faith community, and local community leaders to prevent and deter future criminal conduct.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov (link sends e-mail) or (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

###