Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Six people from Greater Cleveland were indicted in federal court for firearms crimes, said David A. Sierleja, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

 

Indicted are: Donte L. Harris, 35, of Cleveland; Michael T. Tarter Jr., 36, of Cleveland; Creason Graham, 22, of Cleveland; Deon McGregor, 32, of Cleveland Heights; Lamar Brownlee, 18, of Cleveland, and Christopher Howse, 26, of Elyria.

 

Harris was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and with possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

 

Harris on May 4 possessed a Charter Arms, Model Undercover 38 Special, .38 caliber revolver, which had an obliterated serial number, and 28 rounds of 9mm ammunition, after having been convicted in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas of attempted robbery, aggravated assault, drug trafficking and burglary, according to the indictment.

 

The Harris case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Cleveland Division of Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Morrison.

 

Tarter was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

 

Tarter on April 18 possessed a Taurus .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol and ammunition, after having been convicted twice of drug trafficking in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas and trafficking in heroin and trafficking in cocaine in the Lorain County Court of Common Pleas. He also possessed with the intent to distribute cocaine, according to the indictment.

 

The Tarter case was investigated by the ATF and the Middleburg Heights Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Morrison.

 

Graham was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. On May 15, Graham possessed a Sturm Ruger, Prescott, 9mm pistol, and ammunition, after having been previously convicted of aggravated robbery and having a firearm under disability in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas.

 

The case was investigated by ATF and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ranya Elzein.

 

McGregor on April 29 possessed five round of 9 mm ammunition after having twice been convicted of drug trafficking and once having been convicted of aggravated assault in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, according to the indictment.

 

The McGregor case was investigated by ATF and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Miller.

 

Brownlee was charged with theft of a firearm from a federal firearms licensee. Brownlee stole a Glock, Model 43, 9mm pistol from a federal firearms licensee located in Lyndhurst on April 19, according to the indictment.

 

The Brownlee case was investigated by the ATF and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ranya Elzein.

 

Howse on March 9 possessed a Taurus 9 mm handgun despite prior convictions in Lorain County Common Pleas Court for aggravated robbery and kidnapping, according to the indictment.

 

The Howse case was investigated by the Elyria Police Department and FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert F. Corts and Vasile Katsaros.

 

The cases are unrelated.

 

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

 

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.