Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Virginia Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Gun Trafficking
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Virginia man has been sentenced to 60 months in prison for conspiring to traffic 35 guns into New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
Shawn K. Harvey, 54, of Locust Grove, Virginia, was previously convicted of one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms and three counts of trafficking firearms following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman. Judge Hillman imposed the sentence Dec. 17, 2019, in Camden federal court. According to documents filed in this case and the evidence presented at trial: Shawn K. Harvey and his son, Shawn M. Harvey, a/k/a “Munchy,” 29, also of Locust Grove, were originally arrested in August 2016 after agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) directed and supervised a sting operation using a confidential informant, who purchased firearms from the Harveys at a parking lot in Pennsauken, New Jersey. Ultimately, the Harveys sold 35 firearms – including assault-style rifles, revolvers, shotguns and semi-automatic handguns – in 11 separate transactions spanning several weeks. One of these firearms was reported stolen in Virginia and many of the guns were brand new and came with ammunition.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Hillman sentenced Shawn K. Harvey to three years of supervised release. Shawn M. Harvey previously pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 8, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited ATF special agents, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson, Newark Field Division, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara A. Aliabadi of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
Defense counsel: A. Harold Kokes Esq., Pleasantville, New Jersey
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