NORRISTOWN — A Cheltenham Township man was convicted of charges he engaged in gun trafficking activities involving more than a dozen firearms as part of a corrupt organization that utilized straw purchase schemes in Montgomery, Bucks and Philadelphia counties.
Bryan Jaurice Clark Jr., 27, of the 500 block of General Patterson Drive, was convicted in Montgomery County Court of charges of corrupt organizations, making false statements on federal gun purchase forms, illegal sale or transfer of firearms, selling firearms to ineligible persons, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities and criminal use of a communication facility in connection with incidents that occurred between 2020 and 2022.
Judge Wendy G. Rothstein convicted Clark of the charges during a nonjury trial at which Clark stipulated to information provided by detectives in an affidavit of probable cause.
Rothstein deferred sentencing so that court officials can complete a background investigation report about Clark. The judge remanded Clark to the county jail without bail to await his sentencing hearing.
Clark potentially faces decades in prison on the charges.
With the charges, prosecutors alleged Clark, who did not have a criminal record that prohibited him from buying firearms, purchased 17 firearms at gun stores in Hatfield, Montgomery County, in Feasterville, Bucks County and in Philadelphia between September 2020 and April 2021. The speed and frequency of the purchases was exemplified by the fact that during one seven-day period Clark purchased 10 firearms, detectives alleged.
The gun trafficking network was dismantled by members of the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Violent Crime Unit.
The investigation began in April 2021 when a clerk at a Hatfield gun store alerted authorities that Clark had purchased four firearms under suspicious circumstances that indicated they were straw purchases. Clark told the employee “he wanted to purchase as many handguns as he can with $2,100.00,” according to the criminal complaint.
The weapons included Glock .40-caliber semiautomatic handguns and Smith & Wesson .40-caliber semiautomatic and 9mm handguns, according to court papers.
For each of the gun purchases, authorities alleged, Clark indicated on federal record of sale paperwork that he purchased the guns for himself and not for other individuals.
A straw purchase occurs when a person with a clean background purchases firearms on behalf of another person to conceal the true ownership of the firearm. Those who are prohibited from purchasing firearms include convicted felons, domestic violence offenders, juveniles and mentally ill individuals.
“The purpose of this corrupt organization was to illegally obtain and distribute numerous firearms to others. This gun trafficking organization armed their members and provided the firearms to others, some of which were precluded from legally obtaining or possessing a firearm,” county Detective James Kemm alleged in the arrest affidavit. “The organization also worked in tandem to ensure that the serial numbers were removed from the firearms.”
Authorities alleged some of the guns were illegally sold or transferred to Kevin William McCloud, 33, of Gillingham Street, Philadelphia, who had a criminal history that precluded him from purchasing or possessing firearms. McCloud is awaiting an Aug. 20 jury trial on corrupt organizations and gun-related charges.
In court documents, detectives alleged they uncovered text communications between Clark and McCloud that depicted photos of handguns and discussions about prices for certain guns.
A third person charged in connection with the organization, Ieisha Shakyra Williams, 23, of the 1700 block of Belfield Avenue, Philadelphia, was sentenced to 5 to 10 years in the State Correctional Institution at Muncy after she pleaded guilty to multiple charges including corrupt organizations and illegal sale or transfer of firearms in connection with illegally purchasing four firearms for the organization.
The judge ordered Williams to surrender to prison officials on Aug. 1 to begin serving her sentence.
“Miss Williams purchased firearms for individuals who could not have them. As a result there are individuals on the street who have access to firearms who otherwise would not be able to, and that creates substantial risk to the community,” said Assistant District Attorney William Harry Highland III, who sought a state prison term against Williams.
When detectives confronted Clark about the gun purchases in August 2022 he could not account for the location of the guns he purchased, according to court documents.
“Clark attempted to fabricate an explanation for the missing firearms but it was confirmed that the firearms were illegally purchased and transferred by Clark,” Kemm alleged.
Court documents indicate a few of the guns were recovered during other criminal investigations in Philadelphia. However, a majority of the guns allegedly purchased by Clark and Williams have not been recovered, according to authorities.
