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Johnny Fowler, 28, was charged with multiple felony counts of unlawful transfer of a firearm, corrupt organizations, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, criminal use of communications facilities, unsworn falsification, and related offenses, according to the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office.
Investigators say Fowler trafficked 16 firearms from 2014 to 2019.
The investigation began after Philadelphia police seized a firearm during a traffic stop on Aug. 11, 2021, from a former felon, the DA's office said.
The purchase of the firearm was traced back to Fowler, authorities said.
Investigators learned that Fowler began buying firearms on Aug. 8, 2014, soon after his 21st birthday, and to date, has purchased 16 firearms that have been found to be straw purchases, according to the DA's office.
A “straw purchase” is when a person with a clean background buys firearms specifically on behalf of another person to conceal the true ownership of the firearm. People who are unable to legally purchase a firearm would include convicted felons, domestic violence misdemeanants, juveniles, and those who are mentally ill.
While investigating all of Fowler's firearms purchases, detectives found that from Aug. 8, 2014, to April 10, 2019, Fowler bought 18 firearms from gun shops in three counties—16 of which were considered straw purchases, authorities said.
Of the 16 firearms Fowler bought, three firearms have been recovered by police.
One of the firearms he sold was recovered from a NY teenager on May 29, 2018, the DA's office said. NYPD also learned the firearm had been used in a shooting on Oct. 10, 2017, in Brooklyn, NY.
Another was discovered on Nov. 15, 2019, at the scene of a shooting at a high school football game in Pleasantville, NJ, where a juvenile was shot and killed and an adult was shot in the chest but survived, authorities said.
The adult victim was discovered with a weapon linked to Fowler. That gun was not fired during the shooting and was only found in his possession, according to investigators.
“This defendant was arming criminals, plain and simple. The recovery by law enforcement of three of the 16 straw purchased firearms show how far these illegal guns can travel and how they show up at crime scenes,” District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said.
“Straw purchasers like Fowler need to be stopped in order to stop the arming of criminals. We need to have stronger tracking and reporting mechanisms in place to be able to flag this type of behavior in order to stop this flow of firearms onto the streets, making us all less safe.”
Fowler was arraigned on Dec. 11 before Magisterial District Judge Scott T. Palladino, who set bail at $1 million cash.
His bail was reduced to $500,000 cash following a bail review hearing on Dec. 13.
He was unable to make bail and was remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 23 before Judge Palladino.
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