Federal agents in the US have dismantled a smuggling network that shipped dozens of guns over the years from Georgia to street gangs in Chicago. The Justice Department announced that five individuals have been indicted on 23 separate charges.
The investigation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). According to the indictment, Anthony Edmond and Rafael Enriquez, allegedly members of the Black Disciples gang in Chicago, face the most serious charges including gun trafficking, machine gun possession, and drug trafficking. If convicted, they could face life in prison.
Prosecutors said Edmond purchased dozens of guns from Georgia gun stores between 2020 and 2021, including at least 22 in a 10-month period. These weapons, acquired through straw purchases, were later distributed to gang members in the Chicago area.
The indictment states that some of the guns were converted to fully automatic and used in numerous violent incidents. It also alleges that Edmond purchased ammunition, extended magazines, and drum magazines, and test-fired the weapons before transporting them to Chicago.
Authorities said police have recovered 20 guns traced to Edmond's purchases across three states between 2021 and 2026. A Glock pistol found by the Chicago Police Department in a gang member's bedroom in 2021 was determined through forensic analysis to be linked to three separate violent crimes.
Prosecutors said the weapon was used in a 2021 murder in Chicago and a shooting targeting a rival gang member. Investigators determined that Edmond purchased the gun in Georgia just 36 days before the murder.
