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Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

$10K Reward Offered After 43 Guns Stolen In 2 PA Masked Burglaries: ATF $10K Reward Offered After 43 Guns Stolen In 2 PA Masked Burglaries: ATF
$10K Reward Offered After 43 Guns Stolen In 2 PA Masked Burglaries: ATF Multiple agencies are investigating after 43 guns were stolen in two burglaries of the same Lancaster firearms shop, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Philadelphia Field Division accounted on Wednesday, Aug. 14.  A $10,000 reward is being offered by the ATF and the National Shooting Sports Foundation for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the theft of firearms from Jones Firearms, LLC, a federal firearm licensee, as explained in the release.  The burglaries and thefts happened at Jones Firearms, LLC located at 2200 …
Berwyn House Fire Sends One To Hospital: Officials Berwyn House Fire Sends One To Hospital: Officials
Berwyn House Fire Sends One To Hospital: Officials A house in Berwyn caught fire on Tuesday morning, July 23, sending one person to Paoli Hospital, according to first responders.  The fire was "well-advanced" by the time authorities arrived at the 400 block of Leopard Road around 11 a.m., Berwyn Fire Company said in a release.  Because the interior of the home was still badly damaged from a blaze on May 1, firefighters made the decision not to go inside, officials said.  Berwyn Fire Company Members of the Radnor Fire Company, Malvern Fire Company, Goshen Fire Company, East Whiteland Fire Company, and Good Will Fire Co…
2 Cumberland County Men Indicted For Gun, Drug Trafficking: USDOJ 2 Cumberland County Men Indicted For Gun, Drug Trafficking: USDOJ
2 Cumberland County Men Indicted For Gun, Drug Trafficking: Usdoj Two Cumberland County men have been indicted on drug and gun trafficking charges, the Middlesex Township Police Department on Tuesday, May 7.  William L. Nalley Jr., 27 of Boiling Springs; and Rafael Orihuela, 22 of Carlisle, were indicted by a federal grand jury "on charges related to the distribution of controlled substances and unlawful possession of firearms," the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced on Wednesday, May 1.  United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam explained the following about the case: "The indictment alleges tha…
Video Shows Moment SWAT Team Arrests NJ Gun Trafficker Denied Permit Just Last Year: Police Video Shows Moment SWAT Team Arrests NJ Gun Trafficker Denied Permit Just Last Year: Police
Video Shows Moment SWAT Team Arrests NJ Gun Trafficker Denied Permit Just Last Year: Police Police have released the video that shows a SWAT team arresting a New Jersey man accused of trafficking guns across multiple state lines, despite being denied a permit to purchase firearms, they said. Following a five-month investigation, Wayne Bagley, 68, of South Brunswick, was arrested during a motor vehicle stop on Thursday, Feb. 29, South Brunswick Police Chief Raymond Hayducka said. Video shows officers approaching Bagley in a dark blue work van before pulling up and surrounding him. "Hands up," officers can be heard yelling with their guns drawn. "Put your hands up." Once…
Structural Issues A Factor In Cleanup Of Lincoln Chemical Fire Site, Says Reading Mayor Structural Issues A Factor In Cleanup Of Lincoln Chemical Fire Site, Says Reading Mayor
Structural Issues A Factor In Cleanup Of Lincoln Chemical Fire Site, Says Reading Mayor (Note: This story has been updated to include a statement from Reading Mayor Eddie Moran's Office.) As authorities work to investigate the cause of the two fires at Reading's Lincoln Chemical building, safety concerns regarding the building's structure are the main priority, Mayor Eddie Moran said in a press conference on Friday, Nov. 9.  The former home of Lincoln Chemical, 600 S. 9th St., caught fire on the third floor on Oct. 31 and then again on Nov. 2, Daily Voice reported. Both blazes remain under investigation.  As a result of the fires, there are now "some concerns with the struct…
Ex-Con Kidnapper Gets 43 Years, No Parole, For Rape, Arson, Assault Rampage Through NJ, NY, PA Ex-Con Kidnapper Gets 43 Years, No Parole, For Rape, Arson, Assault Rampage Through NJ, NY, PA
Ex-Con Kidnapper Gets 43 Years, No Parole, For Rape, Arson, Assault Rampage Through NJ, NY, PA UPDATE: An ex-con who kidnapped and raped his ex-girlfriend in Pennsylvania, then torched a used car dealership in Paterson and rammed a stolen SUV into police cars at both ends of the George Washington Bridge was sentenced to 43 years in federal prison. Luis Figueroa, 42, first took a plea deal from the government that called for him to serve 26 years in a federal penitentiary. Then he abruptly withdrew his plea, took his chances with a trial – and lost. Federal jurors in Newark convicted Figueroa in May 2022 of kidnapping, criminal sexual abuse, illegal gun possession and assaulting…
Philly 'Speakeasy' Owner Guilty Of Gun Charge: Feds Philly 'Speakeasy' Owner Guilty Of Gun Charge: Feds
Philly 'Speakeasy' Owner Guilty Of Gun Charge: Feds A Philadelphia man who owned an illegal "speakeasy" was convicted of illegal firearms possession in federal court on Wednesday, Feb. 1, authorities say.  Edward Burgess, 45, was found guilty at trial of owning a gun as a convicted felon, said US Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero in a statement.  The charges stem from a June 2019 incident, when Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board agents and city police raided an apparently unlicensed cocktail lounge that Burgess was operating in Philadelphia, prosecutors wrote.  Prior to the raid, PLCB agents reportedly witnessed Burgess "acting as…
Fentanyl Drug Dealer Leads Police To Straw Gun Purchaser In Lancaster County Fentanyl Drug Dealer Leads Police To Straw Gun Purchaser In Lancaster County
Fentanyl Drug Dealer Leads Police To Straw Gun Purchaser In Lancaster County When the police seized 548 bags of fentanyl and a Glock Model 26 9mm pistol, from a Lancaster dealer they were able to trace the weapon to the straw gun purchaser, the county district attorney announced on Thursday, January 12.   A straw gun purchaser is someone who purchases a gun for someone who is prohibited by law from possessing one or for someone who does not want their name associated with the transaction, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Alexander Rodriguez, 21 of the 600 block of Wyncroft Lane, was stopped by police near his home …
23,000 Fentanyl Doses, 30 Homemade Guns Seized In NJ Latin Kings Takedown: Feds 23,000 Fentanyl Doses, 30 Homemade Guns Seized In NJ Latin Kings Takedown: Feds
23,000 Fentanyl Doses, 30 Homemade Guns Seized In NJ Latin Kings Takedown: Feds More than 23,000 doses of fentanyl, nearly 30 homemade firearms and a host of parts designed to create fully-automatic machine guns were seized in the takedown of a drug and gun trafficking network run by New Jersey members of the Latin Kings, federal authorities announced. Nine reputed members of the ring were charged with a variety of drug and weapon offenses that include creating and selling private-made firearms (PMFs), more commonly known as “ghost guns," U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. PMFs were actually being made on 3D printers at the moment law enforcers raided one of sever…
Serial Bomber Threw Molotov Cocktails At Philly Homes, Feds Say Serial Bomber Threw Molotov Cocktails At Philly Homes, Feds Say
Serial Bomber Threw Molotov Cocktails At Philly Homes, Feds Say A serial bomber targeted at least three northeast Philadelphia homes with Molotov cocktails over the summer, according to authorities.  Jason Mattis, 49, was arrested by federal agents and arraigned on weapons charges, said US Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero in a statement Tuesday, Dec. 20.  Investigators believe Mattis was responsible for a string of firebombings in the city's Tacony section in June and July, prosecutors wrote.  Twice on June 30 and once on July 1, authorities said Mattis lit an "incendiary device" and lobbed it at a residence. On all three occasions, the att…
Philly Firebombing Suspect In Police Custody: Report Philly Firebombing Suspect In Police Custody: Report
Philly Firebombing Suspect In Police Custody: Report Authorities in Philadelphia have arrested a man suspected of "firebombing a rowhome" near Temple University on Tuesday, Nov. 15, according to a report by 6ABC.  Citing "law enforcement sources," the outlet writes that police believe the suspect is also responsible for vandalizing "several" cars. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, And Explosives (ATF) expects to bring him up on charges soon, they added.  As Daily Voice has reported, Philadelphia officials suspected arson in at least two fires in November — a blaze on Trinity Street on Nov. 16 that sent two child…
$15K Reward Offered For Info On Five Suspects Who Robbed Suburban Philly Gun Store $15K Reward Offered For Info On Five Suspects Who Robbed Suburban Philly Gun Store
$15K Reward Offered For Info On Five Suspects Who Robbed Suburban Philly Gun Store A $15,000 reward is being offered for information that helps authorities identify five suspects who robbed a gun store in Montgomery County over the weekend. The masked group burglarized the Founding Fathers Outfitters gun shop on Ridge Pike in Lafayette Hill on Saturday, Sept. 24, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. They were all dressed in hoodies and face masks and fled the scene in a newer model dark blue four-door Kia Forte, ATF officials said. Authorities did not say how many guns were stolen or what kind they were. Anyone with information is …
‘90 Day Fiance’ Barber Bumped Up To US Marshals' Most Wanted List For Deadly PA Shooting ‘90 Day Fiance’ Barber Bumped Up To US Marshals' Most Wanted List For Deadly PA Shooting
‘90 Day Fiance’ Barber Bumped Up To US Marshals' Most Wanted List For Deadly PA Shooting A former barber who appeared in ”90 Day Fiance” and “90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After?” is still at-large over a year after he allegedly shot and killed his former boss. Michael Anthony Baltimore, 43, of Carlisle, is wanted as the prime suspect in the fatal shooting of GQ Barber Shop owner Kendell Jerome Cook, 39, of Steelton, according to police. Kendell Jerome Cook and Anthony White GQ Barber shopGoFundMe (Krystal Sara Rooduijn) For an unknown reason Baltimore came to the shop, located at 128 North Hanover Street in Carlisle, opened fire at Cook and then shot at another former barb…
GUILTY: Kidnapping Rapist Who Cancelled Plea Deal Convicted In Rampage Through PA, NJ, NY GUILTY: Kidnapping Rapist Who Cancelled Plea Deal Convicted In Rampage Through PA, NJ, NY
Guilty: Kidnapping Rapist Who Cancelled Plea Deal Convicted In Rampage Through PA, NJ, NY An ex-con who kidnapped and raped his ex-girlfriend in Pennsylvania, torched a used car dealership in Paterson and crashed a stolen SUV into police cars on either side of the George Washington Bridge rolled the dice and lost. After originally pleading guilty to several charges, Luis Figueroa, 41, withdrew his plea and took his chances with federal jurors in Newark. They ended up convicting him following a two-week trial. So now, instead of the 26-year deal that he originally accepted from the government, Figueroa could be sentenced to nearly 50 years in federal prison. The rampage had an “…
PA Constable Purchased 22 Firearms For Felon: AG PA Constable Purchased 22 Firearms For Felon: AG
PA Constable Purchased 22 Firearms For Felon: AG A Pennsylvania court constable is accused of purchasing weapons— including straw purchasing 22 guns— for a convicted felony, Attorney General Josh Shapiro. says. Sidney Snelling, 48, of Wilkes-Barre, was arrested on Thursday, April 28, by members of the Office of Attorney General’s Gun Violence Section, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Luzerne County Detective Bureau, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Agents also searched Snelling’s car and residence, seizing nine firearms, as well as ammunition and outlaw motorcycle vests.…
$10K Reward Offered In Deadly PA Apartment Explosion: ATF $10K Reward Offered In Deadly PA Apartment Explosion: ATF
$10K Reward Offered In Deadly PA Apartment Explosion: ATF A $10,000 reward has been offered in connection with a deadly apartment explosion investigation, officials with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives say. Shanna Carlson, 34, was killed in the explosion at her apartment building located at 327 E. Market St. in Clearfield in 2019, authorities say. Carlson "died from penetration wounds to the head and right lung due to an explosive device," WJAC reported citing Clearfield County coroner Kim Shaffer-Snyder. This is considered a bombing and a homicide according to the multiple organizations investigating it. TAKE A LO…
Feds: 'Community Guns' Smuggled Into NJ Seized, Local Man, Georgia Woman Charged Feds: 'Community Guns' Smuggled Into NJ Seized, Local Man, Georgia Woman Charged
Feds: 'Community Guns' Smuggled Into NJ Seized, Local Man, Georgia Woman Charged A trio of “community guns” were brought into New Jersey by a Garden State man and a Georgia woman, a grand jury has charged. Most used in crimes in New Jersey are smuggled in from out of state, most often from the South, after being bought or stolen, authorities say. These include “community guns,” which two or more criminals stash somewhere – in a mailbox or a garbage can, under a rock or on the tire of a car, for instance -- for instant access and quick disposal by them and others. A grand jury indictment returned in Trenton charges Marquise Peterson, 28, of Trenton, and Quaneisha Frost-…
Feds: Impatient Repeat Felon Points Police To Smuggled Gun, Drugs Feds: Impatient Repeat Felon Points Police To Smuggled Gun, Drugs
Feds: Impatient Repeat Felon Points Police To Smuggled Gun, Drugs "We can just cut the chase bro -- the gun [is] behind the couch and there's drugs in the cabinet," an impatient six-time convicted felon told police who raided his North Jersey home, federal authorities said. "That sh*t belong to me," Jabbar Pierce, 41, told officers in his Penns Grove apartment who read him his Miranda rights and then recorded his every word, according to a criminal complaint. A federal judge ordered Pierce held following a video-conferenced initial court appearance Friday afternoon in Newark on charges of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Authorities in Salem C…
Family Killed In Philadelphia House Fire Gets Support From Community Family Killed In Philadelphia House Fire Gets Support From Community
Family Killed In Philadelphia House Fire Gets Support From Community A Pennsylvania family is turning to the community for support after eight children and four adults were confirmed dead in a fire that swept through a Philadelphia rowhouse early Wednesday morning. Nearly $80,000 had been raised on a GoFundMe for the loved ones of the deceased as of Thursday afternoon. According to the page, 13 people died. Although fire officials initially reported 13 deaths, the number was later confirmed to be 12. Had the smoke alarms in the N. 23rd Street building been working properly, though, things might have turned out differently, Mayor Jim Kenney's office said…
8 Kids, 4 Adults Dead In 'Devastating' Philadelphia Fire 8 Kids, 4 Adults Dead In 'Devastating' Philadelphia Fire
8 Kids, 4 Adults Dead In 'Devastating' Philadelphia Fire Eight children and four adults were confirmed dead in a fire that swept through a Philadelphia rowhouse early Wednesday morning, city officials said. Had the smoke alarms in the N. 23 Street building been working properly, though, things might have turned out differently, Mayor Jim Kenney's office said in a news release.  “This is, without a doubt, one of the most tragic days in our city’s history,” said Kenney, the son of a firefighter, at a news conference Wednesday. “Losing so many kids is just devastating.” Fire companies arrived at 6:40 a.m. and found heavy fire coming …
Feds: Pistol-Packing Ex-Con Busted At Jersey Shore ER Claiming To Be With DEA Feds: Pistol-Packing Ex-Con Busted At Jersey Shore ER Claiming To Be With DEA
Feds: Pistol-Packing Ex-Con Busted At Jersey Shore ER Claiming To Be With DEA An ex-con was charged federally after he showed up at a Jersey Shore emergency room for treatment packing a handgun and then claimed he was DEA agent, authorities said. Staff members at Hackensack Meridian Health Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank spotted Wesley Rucker, 34, of Tinton Falls carrying the gun in his waistband, federal authorities said. “Rucker showed the security officer two identification cards in a leather bifold wallet with the Drug Enforcement Administration (”DEA”) logo embossed on the outside,” a federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives complaint on …
NJ, PA Trio Trafficked Dozens Of 'Ghost Guns,' Indictment Charges NJ, PA Trio Trafficked Dozens Of 'Ghost Guns,' Indictment Charges
NJ, PA Trio Trafficked Dozens Of 'Ghost Guns,' Indictment Charges Two Philadelphia men and one from Camden trafficked no fewer than two dozen untraceable “ghost guns” from Pennsylvania into New Jersey, a grand jury indictment alleges. Even more guns, as well as parts, large-capacity magazine and ammo, were seized during the investigation, Acting New Jersey Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck said Tuesday. According to the indictment returned in Trenton, Eduardo T. Lazo Jr., 26, of Camden, organized the operation and sold the illegal guns in Camden. Juan Enrique Fernandez, 29, and Ericknell Rivera-Mercado, 31, both of Philadelphia, are accused of bringing th…
10 NJ, PA Residents Charged In Federal Illegal Gun Investigation 10 NJ, PA Residents Charged In Federal Illegal Gun Investigation
10 NJ, PA Residents Charged In Federal Illegal Gun Investigation A federal crackdown on the sale and purchase of illegal guns has led to the arrest of 10 people in Pennsylvania, according to authorities.  The U.S. Attorney's Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Harrisburg Police announced 10 people have been charged as a part of "Operation Scarecrow," which targeted people who are not allowed to possess weapons illegally purchasing them. These types of purchases are called straw purchases which is why "Scarecrow" was an apt name for the operation. "Taking illegal guns off the streets is a high priority of the Departme…
Feds Bust South Jersey Man With Homemade Explosives Feds Bust South Jersey Man With Homemade Explosives
Feds Bust South Jersey Man With Homemade Explosives Federal agents busted a South Jersey man with do-it-yourself explosive devices and the materials used to make them, authorities said. Among various other items, Thomas Petronglo, 63, of Vineland had a 5¾-inch diameter metal can filled with potassium perchlorate and aluminum with a fuse sticking out, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said Thursday. The mixture is commonly used in commercial fireworks displays. Honig said authorities seized several other improvised devices -- mostly plastic cylinders and cardboard tubes containing "explosive mixtures" that were wrapped in black electrica…
FAMILY AFFAIR: Philly Man Admits Attempted Armed Bucks County Bank Robbery With Sons FAMILY AFFAIR: Philly Man Admits Attempted Armed Bucks County Bank Robbery With Sons
Family Affair: Philly Man Admits Attempted Armed Bucks County Bank Robbery With Sons A Philadelphia man admitted to an attempted armed bank robbery in Bucks County in which his two sons were his accomplices, authorities said. In Jan. 2018, Ronald DeWitt Vines, 47, was charged by Indictment for attempting to commit armed robbery of the PNC Bank branch on Buck Road in Holland in late 2017, according to Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams. On the day of the incident, Vines placed a handgun against the side of a bank employee’s head, forcing her to open the bank door as she arrived for work that morning, and then forcing her inside the bank, auth…
Feds: Allentown Man Charged For Hiring Hitman To Kill Ex-GF, Tried To Arrange More Murders Feds: Allentown Man Charged For Hiring Hitman To Kill Ex-GF, Tried To Arrange More Murders
Feds: Allentown Man Charged For Hiring Hitman To Kill Ex-GF, Tried To Arrange More Murders After being charged with hiring a hitman to kill his ex-girlfriend, a Lehigh County man was newly charged with attempting to arrange the murders of two more people, authorities said. Dominic Luis Escalera, 37, allegedly traveled to Newark, NJ from Jan. 28 to Feb. 17 to organize the murders of two Allentown residents described in federal documents as M.R and A.R, according to Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams. He made an agreement to pay someone to commit the murders using drugs and cash, authorities said. The Indictment alleges that knowing Escalera had previously b…
DA: 5 People Arrested For MontCo, Philly, Berks, Lancaster County Gun Trafficking Ring DA: 5 People Arrested For MontCo, Philly, Berks, Lancaster County Gun Trafficking Ring
DA: 5 People Arrested For MontCo, Philly, Berks, Lancaster County Gun Trafficking Ring Five Pennsylvanians were arrested for operating a straw purchase gun trafficking ring in Montgomery, Philadelphia, Berks, and Lancaster counties, authorities said Friday. Daveese Smith, 21, of Norristown; Darell Smith, 25, of Philadelphia; Maliqa Jack, 25 of Pottstown; Donaya Williams, 22, of Philadelphia; and Tanisha Allen (AKA Tanisha Smith), 42, of Norristown are accused of illegally obtaining and reselling 14 firearms, according to the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office. Some of the suspects were arrested and charged in February when DA Kevin Steele initially announced th…
DA: 3 PA Men Arrested For Trafficking 37 Firearms Across Philly, Bucks, MontCo DA: 3 PA Men Arrested For Trafficking 37 Firearms Across Philly, Bucks, MontCo
DA: 3 PA Men Arrested For Trafficking 37 Firearms Across Philly, Bucks, MontCo Three Pennsylvania men were arrested for trafficking 37 firearms across Philadelphia, Bucks, and Montgomery counties, authorities announced.Tyron Gresham, 24, purchased the firearms from Dec. 19, 2019, through May 13, 2021, and attempted to buy another one on May 18, 2021, according to Montgomery County District Attorney's office.  Of the 37 firearms purchased by Gresham, 17 were purchased in Bucks County, 16 in Philadelphia, and four in Montgomery County. Nasim Smalls, 24, and Aaron Walker, 20, who are brothers, are not legally allowed to purchase or possess firearms, authorities said…
FBI Called To PA Apartment After DIY Fireworks Go Wrong FBI Called To PA Apartment After DIY Fireworks Go Wrong
FBI Called To PA Apartment After DIY Fireworks Go Wrong A Mechanicsburg man is facing a weapons of mass destruction charge after a failed attempt to make fireworks, say police. Johnathan Park, 33, was arrested after he attempted to make fireworks on his bed in his apartment in 500 block of Geneva Drive, according to police. Upper Allen Township police and fire were called to the apartment complex for reports of a burn victim around 1 a.m. on Wednesday. Upon arrival crews found that Park's bed caught fire while he was attempting to making homemade fireworks. Neighborings in the complex were evacuated. Park's apartment had explosives and explo…
Historic Philadelphia Church Destroyed In Fire, Ruled Arson, $20K Reward Offered Historic Philadelphia Church Destroyed In Fire, Ruled Arson, $20K Reward Offered
Historic Philadelphia Church Destroyed In Fire, Ruled Arson, $20K Reward Offered The fire that destroyed the historic St. Leo's Catholic Church in Philadelphia's Tacony neighborhood was intentionally set, according to fire officials. The fire broke out at the St. Leo The Great Roman Catholic Church on Keystone Street and Unruh Avenue at approximately 5:15 p.m. and burned through most of the building in two hours. A wrecking ball knocked down the remains of the building on Monday after the Keystone Street facing wall that remained, “posed an imminent danger to the neighborhood and prevented investigators from getting inside to try and determine the fire's cause,” the f…
AG: Lehigh County Man Forced Another To Illegally Buy 29 Firearms To Support Meth Habit AG: Lehigh County Man Forced Another To Illegally Buy 29 Firearms To Support Meth Habit
AG: Lehigh County Man Forced Another To Illegally Buy 29 Firearms To Support Meth Habit A pair of Lehigh County men were arrested for their roles in the illegal straw purchases of 29 firearms in an effort to make up for the debt related to one of the man's drug use, the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office announced. James Gleason, 38, of Emmaus, was instructed by Reynold Lewis, 37, of Allentown, to make straw purchases of firearms to pay back debt related to Gleason’s methamphetamine use, Attorney General Josh Shapiro said.  Agents executed a search warrant on Lewis' hotel room and vehicle on May 3, and recovered one handgun, ammunition, firearm parts, and accesso…