Two Plead Guilty in Pennsylvania Gun Trafficking Scheme

There are a lot of gun control laws on the books. We’re told these laws work and work well, that the issue is that we don’t have enough of them to deal with the loopholes.

But there’s a problem with that argument. The problem is that we see plenty of people breaking these laws. They’re not worming through loopholes or anything like that. They’re engaged in actual criminal efforts to sell guns unlawfully, which they know is a crime, and do it anyway.

A case in point, two men in Pennsylvania just pleaded guilty to gun trafficking.

Two Pottstown men who authorities accused of multiple illegal gun transfers as part of a sophisticated multi-county gun trafficking network admitted to their criminal activities in Montgomery County Court.

Ryan Stoudt, 26, of the 400 block of Farmington Avenue, pleaded guilty to charges of corrupt organizations, illegal sale or transfer of firearms, conspiring in the illegal sale or transfer of firearms, and possession with intent to deliver marijuana in connection with incidents that occurred between January and July 2024.

Maleec Darrius Borders, 24, of the 400 block of Lincoln Avenue, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to charges of corrupt organizations, illegal sale or transfer of firearms, conspiracy and possession of a prohibited firearm.

Judge Risa Vetri Ferman deferred sentencing Stoudt and Borders until later this year so that court officials can complete background investigation reports about the men.

Stoudt and Borders were among nine people from Pottstown and Berks County who were arrested in July 2024 and linked to the gun trafficking organization whose members illegally obtained or manufactured and sold handguns, 3-D printed ghost guns, suppressors and switches.

Stoudt was accused of two illegal gun transfers, and Borders was accused of four illegal transfers, according to an arrest affidavit.

These were just the latest two to enter guilty pleas. Four others have already done so, and three more will stand trial.

The investigation stemmed from a stabbing of one of the seven men.

The investigation began on Feb. 1, 2024, when Pottstown police were dispatched to Pottstown Hospital for a stabbing victim. The victim, Hiller, originally told police that after an argument about a small amount of marijuana, he was stabbed in Pottstown. However, investigators determined the stabbing occurred in Birdsboro in Berks County, when Hiller, who was then 18 and not allowed to buy or own a handgun, was attempting to sell an illegal firearm and was stabbed by the unknown buyer, according to court papers.

He lied, got caught, and ended up getting all of his buddies caught, too.

Whoops.

But the thing here is that these people were breaking the law, knew they were breaking the law, and were still doing it. There wasn’t some gap in the existing laws that permitted this to happen. Everything about it was criminal. They knew it, they did it, and now they’re going to prison for it–most of them, at least, and three others are only alleged to have been involved, just to be clear.

What new gun laws would stop this?

They engaged in straw purchases, sold them illegally all over the state, and there’s just no way to stop that. Not really, except by arresting and prosecuting those involved.

Yet it’s people like these who are arming the criminals. They’re the ones responsible for the proliferation of firearms in our inner cities among people who can’t lawfully own a firearm for whatever reason. They’re arming children, felons, and anyone else who is willing to hand over money in exchange for a gun. 

They don’t do background checks, play around with waiting periods, or even look at ID cards.

Most are selling stolen guns, even, which is even harder to regulate against, so what exactly do the anti-gunners think can be done? The actual answer is “nothing.” They’re not interested in solving the issue. They’re interested in pushing gun control. That’s it.

Editor’s Note: The mainstream media continues to lie about gun owners and the Second Amendment. 

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