Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Gulfport, Miss – LaKeith Dentrell Smith, Damian O’Neil Towne, Theodore Dempsey Towne, and Princeton Scott Knox were sentenced on January 29, 2015 by Chief District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr., in a case involving the theft of 46 firearms, including machine guns from a federal firearms licensee, announced U. S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Phillip Durham.

LaKeith Dentrell Smith, 21 of Pascagoula, pled guilty to theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee and was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and restitution in the amount of $112,751.90.

Damian O’Neil Towne, 25 of Gautier, pled guilty to theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee and was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and restitution in the amount of $112,751.90.

Theodore Towne, 20 of Gulfport, pled guilty to theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee and was sentenced to 108 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and restitution in the amount of $112,751.90.

Princeton Scott Knox, 34, of Gautier, pled guilty to misprision of a felony by not reporting the theft and acting to conceal the discovery of the crime. He was sentenced to 21 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release and ordered to pay a $2,000 fine.

“This case illustrates the collaborative effort of law enforcement agencies at the federal, state, and local levels working together to get dangerous criminals off the streets and make our communities a safer place to live,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis.

“Burglary and theft of firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers are considered to be a top investigative priority for ATF because these brazen acts are a precursor for future
violent crimes,” stated ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Phillip Durham. “Let these harsh sentences be a warning for anyone considering this type of criminal behavior. ATF and our law enforcement partners are committed to keeping the community safe and will not rest until the crime is solved and the stolen firearms are recovered.”

The case was investigated by the Moss Point Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.

###