The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia released the below information:
PILADELPHIA
– United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Kyle McLemore, 47,
of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District
Court Judge Harvey Bartle III to 120 months in prison, three years of
supervised release, and a $300 special assessment for selling illegal firearms
from South Carolina on the streets of Philadelphia.
McLemore was one of seven defendants convicted for participating
in a scheme to straw purchase nearly 60 firearms in South Carolina and traffic
them up the “Iron Pipeline” to Philadelphia. Between approximately November
2020 and February 2021, McLemore worked closely with co-conspirator Terrance
Darby in Philadelphia to place orders for firearms with co-conspirator
Ontavious Plumer, who was incarcerated in a South Carolina prison. Plumer would
then direct other co-conspirators to straw purchase firearms at gun stores in
South Carolina and transport them to Philadelphia, where Darby, McLemore, and
co-conspirator Cory Brookins would resell them.
McLemore started trafficking firearms with Darby just a few
months after he was released on parole from a Pennsylvania state prison after
serving 21 years for a 1999 murder conviction. While he was reselling illegal
guns in Philadelphia, McLemore worked as a “youth advocate” at the NoMo (New
Options More Opportunities) Foundation, an organization that provides children
and teens with education, tutoring, mentoring, career readiness training,
behavioral health counseling, and other services to reduce the factors that
lead to gun violence.
McLemore was charged in a superseding indictment on March 6 of
this year with conspiracy, dealing in firearms without a license, and
possession of a firearm by a felon. He pleaded guilty to all three counts on
May 8. Darby, Plumer, Brookins, and three other co-conspirators have also been
convicted and sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy.
“Kyle McLemore sold dozens of guns from South Carolina on the
streets of Philadelphia, while pretending to work to reduce gun violence on
those same streets,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “My office and the ATF will
continue to target gun traffickers for federal prosecution – and federal prison
time. Every illegal gun and unlawful seller we put out of commission makes our
city that much safer.”
“McLemore knew all too well from his criminal history and
community work that illegally trafficked firearms fuel the deadly violence in
his community,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Eric DeGree. “Stopping gun
trafficking, which puts firearms in the hands of violent criminals and other
prohibited people, is a top priority at ATF. We work tirelessly with our local,
state and federal partners to dismantle trafficking operations and federally
prosecute the criminals that endanger our communities.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program
bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve
to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer
for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime
reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering
trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based
organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place,
setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the
results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Jeanette Kang and Matthew T. Newcomer and Special Assistant United States Attorney Alexander B. Bowerman.
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