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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.
Just three of the 37 firearms have been recovered by police so far. One was recovered on July 1, 2021 (firearm purchased May 11, 2021) by Michigan State Police when they stopped a vehicle that was stolen out of New York, authorities said.
The other two were recovered by Philadelphia police during separate arrests on June 5, 2021 (firearm purchased May 10, 2021) and June 13, 2021 (firearm purchased March 30, 2021).
The investigation began in May 2021 when the Montgomery County Detective Bureau initiated the investigation into Gresham’s firearms purchases after multiple red flags indicated that he was involved in “straw purchasing” firearms, authorities said.
A “straw purchase” is when a person with a clean background purchases firearms specifically on behalf of another person to conceal the true ownership of the firearm.
"Persons who are unable to legally purchase a firearm would include convicted felons, domestic violence misdemeanants, juveniles, and mentally ill individuals," the DA's office said.
Although Gresham made all of the purchases, Smalls and Walker directed which firearms to purchase and handled the sales of the firearms to other individuals, authorities said.
For many of the purchases, Smalls, Walker, or both were in the vehicle while Gresham was in the gun shop making the purchase.
“The three recovered guns of the 37 purchased by Gresham shows just how far and wide the impact of gun trafficking and straw purchases can be. These guns travel quickly from the original purchaser to a criminal, who very soon uses it in illegal activity,” DA Kevin Steele said.
“Illegal firearms on our streets are a significant threat to public safety and should concern every law-abiding citizen.”
They were each charged with multiple felony counts of corrupt organizations, conspiracy, materially false statements re firearms sale/transfer, unlawful transfer of a firearm, dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activities, criminal use of communications facility, unsworn falsification to authorities, and multiple related offenses.
Magisterial District Judge Francis J. Lawrence set bail at $1 million cash for Gresham and $500,000 cash each for Smalls and Walker.
The defendants did not make bail and were remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility.
The preliminary hearing for all three men is scheduled for 9 a.m., July 21 before Magisterial District Judge William Maruszczak.
The investigation was led by the Montgomery County Detective Bureau’s Violent Crime Unit (VCU) with assistance from the Hatfield Township Police, FBI Bucks and Montgomery County Safe Streets Task Force, Bensalem Township Police, Philadelphia Police, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Pennsylvania State Police.
The case will be prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Allison Ruth and Samantha Arena of the Firearms Unit.
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