According to federal prosecutors, a mass shooting on Chicago’s South Side at the end of March led investigators to three U.S. Army soldiers about 500 miles away.
DeMarcus Adams (21), Jarius Branson (22) and Brandon Miller (22) were charged and arrested on Tuesday. They operated an illegal gun pipeline The Central Tennessee District Attorney’s Office said in a news release that it had leaked dozens of guns from outside the state to Chicago.
All three will join the Army and will be stationed at Fort Campbell in Clarksville, Tennessee. It’s about an hour from Nashville.
Adams, Brunson, and Miller were charged with criminal charges and arrested by agents of the ATF and the US Army Criminal Investigation Bureau.
Prosecutors said they would face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
The investigation began on March 26 with the Chicago Police Department after the shootings, according to a statement by ATF investigators following the complaint. One died and seven were injured. A shootout broke out at an “improvisation party” The Chicago Sun-Times reported.
police Collect multiple guns on siteWas tracked by a federal firearms licensed dealer in the Clarksville area. Adams, Branson and Miller reportedly bought most of the guns.
Investigators scrutinized the firearms trading records in the area and found that Adams purchased 27 guns between December and April. Meanwhile, according to criminal charges, Miller and Branson had purchased 32 each. It turns out that Adams and Miller are also roommates.
Investigators examined dozens of text messages between Adams and Miller mentioning gun purchases and monetary transactions using Cash App, Zelle, and Apple Pay.
“Fat boys should borrow a rill loan that wants a lot of guns,” Miller said in a March 1 message.
ATF agents later searched Miller and Adams’ homes in Clarksville. Prosecutors said they had found at least 49 empty gun cases.
“Many of these sky incidents were consistent with guns recovered by the Chicago Police Department at the scene of recent shootings and murders,” the prosecutor said.
A search of Miller’s phone also revealed a text message from Branson, including a picture of the gun and potential prices, according to a statement from an ATF agent.
Adams, Brunson, and Miller transferred firearms to out-of-state residents, made false statements while purchasing firearms, engaged in business without a firearm license, transfer fraud, money laundering, and He was charged with conspiracy. They first appeared in court on Tuesday.
The prosecutor asked the judge To keep Miller in jailHe presented “a serious danger to the community” and said he was already facing military proceedings surrounding allegations of sexual assault.
“Defendants face serious civilian and military judicial accusations, with very few, if any, ties to central Tennessee,” the prosecutor said in a court filing. “If the defendant is released, it poses a significant flight risk.”