Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Pair Pleads Guilty in Connection to Thefts from Appomattox Gun Store
ATF Has Offered $10,000 Reward for Missing Guns
LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA – Two months after a federally licensed firearms dealer in Appomattox, Virginia was burglarized and 56 guns were stolen, two of the men who took part in the break-in, have pled guilty in Federal court to related charges, United States Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. announced today.
In separate hearings today in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Lynchburg, Dequan Montez Kelso, 22, and Kwamane Jarrae McCoy, 22, both of Appomattox, Virginia, each pled guilty to one count of being a previously convicted felon illegally in possession of a firearm.
“Keeping illegal guns out of the hands of prohibited users is a priority of the United States Attorney’s Office,” United States Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. said today. “In order to keep our communities safe, we must continue to work with our partners in law enforcement to find these guns and get them off the streets. I am grateful to the ATF for putting up a $10,000 reward in this case and am hopeful it will lead to the recovery of some of these firearms.”
“Today's guilty pleas are due in large part to the teamwork of Appomattox County deputies, commanded by Sherriff Barry Letterman, the Virginia State Police including their dive team, the Western District of Virginia U.S Attorney's Office, the ATF Roanoke Field Office agents and our state and local partners,” said ATF Washington Field Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Boxler. “The ATF Washington Field Division remains committed to investigating thefts from firearms dealers and working with the firearms industry to prevent them.”
According to evidence presented at previous hearings by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Bassford, in January 2016, TNT Outfitters in Appomattox, Virginia was burglarized by four, masked individuals in the middle of the night. These individuals stole 56 firearms. Following a thorough investigation by the ATF, Virginia State Police and the Appomattox County Sheriff’s Office, McCoy and Kelso were identified as being involved in the burglary and were soon located and found to be in possession of some of the stolen firearms. They were subsequently arrested and today admitted their involvement in the incident.
Many of the stolen firearms, including a Glock 17, HiPoint C9, Smith and Wesson M&P 9 Pro, Remington Model 700 Shotgun and a Ruger Mini 14 .223 Rifle remain missing. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have offered a $10,000 reward to anyone with knowledge of the whereabouts of these missing firearms. Anyone with information can contact the ATF at 1-800-283-4867.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Virginia State Police and the Appomattox Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Bassford prosecuted the case for the United States.
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