HARRISBURG
– Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced the
arrests of four Philadelphia men in two separate cases following two
surveillance operations at the Morgantown Gun Show in Morgantown, PA from Feb.
27-28, 2021. As a result of these investigations, agents seized five fully
assembled ghost guns, four 80% receiver kits, one 80% receiver, one Smith and
Wesson revolver, extended magazines and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition.
Ghost guns typically start as “80% receivers”
that are often sold in kits without background checks. They can be easily and
quickly put together, lack serial numbers so they cannot be traced, and, once
fully assembled, can operate as fully functioning firearms.
“Ghost guns are fueling the gun violence
epidemic that takes the lives of Pennsylvanians every single day. Once these
DIY homemade gun kits are in the wrong hands, in mere hours they become
untraceable, fully operational firearms causing so much senseless violence,”
said Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “The Office of Attorney General’s Gun
Violence Task Force and Organized Crime Section, along with our federal and
local law enforcement partners, are working overtime to target these gun traffickers
and get illegal guns off our streets.”
Najaye Davis, 19, purchased multiple 80%
receiver ready-made gun kits with large amounts of cash at the Morgantown Gun
Show on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021. He and a co-conspirator were then seen leaving
the venue driving eastbound towards Philadelphia. Based on their investigation,
Office of Attorney General (OAG) agents believed Davis was illegally making and
selling ghost guns in Philadelphia. Davis is prohibited from purchasing or
possessing a handgun on the streets of Philadelphia.
As a result of their investigation, agents
obtained a search warrant for Davis’ residence in Philadelphia, which was
executed on Friday, March 5, 2021. During the search, agents seized three fully
functioning unserialized ghost guns, one 80% receiver, $8,600 in cash,
additional firearm parts including trigger assemblies, more than 1,000 rounds
of ammunition, and multiple extended magazines both loaded and unloaded. The
investigation revealed that Davis was in a criminal enterprise that made and
sold unserialized ghost guns on the streets of Philadelphia, making $500 on
each sale.
On Sunday, Feb. 28, Malachi Matthews and
Kenneth Manni purchased four 80% receiver kits at the same gun show and left.
The car was surveilled until the men arrived at a residence on 21st Street in
Philadelphia, where agents suspected an illegal gun manufacturing and
trafficking operation was taking place.
On Tuesday, March 2, OAG Gun Violence Task
Force and Organized Crime agents executed a search warrant and recovered: four
80% receiver ready-made gun kits, two fully assembled unserialized ghost guns,
one Smith and Wesson revolver, two boxes of ammunition, multiple magazines,
approximately thirteen packets of suspected fentanyl, two digital scales, and a
drill suspected to be used in the making and assembly of fully functioning
ghost guns. Matthews, Manni and Montague Coker were on site at the “build
house” during the execution of the search warrant. Coker and Matthews attempted
to flee through the roof of the premises. Both Coker and Matthews are
previously convicted felons and considered Persons Not To Possess a Firearm.
Matthews, Manni and Coker were arrested on
Tuesday, March 2. Matthews and Coker are both being charged with three counts
each of Violation of the Uniform Firearms Act, and Manni is being charged with
possession of a controlled substance, suspected to be fentanyl, and other
Violations of the Uniform Firearms Act. These cases are being prosecuted by the
Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office Gun Violence Task Force.
Davis was arrested on Friday, March 5, and is
being charged with six counts of Illegal Transfer of a Firearm, one count of
Dealing in Unlawful Proceeds, one count of Corrupt Organizations and one count
of Conspiracy. This case is being prosecuted by the Office of Attorney
General’s Gun Violence Task Force.
These investigations were conducted in
partnership with the Office of Attorney General’s Gun Violence Task Force and
Organized Crime Section, Philadelphia Police Department, Berks County
Detectives, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.
These investigations are still ongoing. All charges are accusations and these defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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