BIRMINGHAM - A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted a Birmingham man on stolen firearms charges related to the July 2016 burglary at a Tuscaloosa gun shop, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Gerido.
A two-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges MARTAVES LABRON “Moo Moo" BROWN, 23, with one count of stealing firearms from a licensed firearms business, the Guns & Ammo store in Tuscaloosa, on July 12, 2016. The indictment also charges Brown with one count of possessing the more than 40 stolen firearms.
Taken in the store break-in were: two Taurus.380-caliber pistols, two SCCY 9mm pistols, two Jimenez Arms 9mm pistols, a Phoenix Arms.22-caliber pistol, an Anderson 5.56mm rifle, a GSG.22-caliber rifle, a KEL-TEC 9mm pistol, a Glock.380-caliber pistol, 11 Glock 9mm pistols, an Armalite 0.308-caliber rifle, a Bushmaster 5.56mm rifle, a Century Arms 7.62x39-caliber pistol, a Diamondback 5.56mm rifle, a Mossberg.22-caliber rifle, a Bersa.380-caliber pistol, a Masterpiece Arms 9mm pistol, two Hi-Point.40 S&W caliber rifles, an Armalite 5.56mm rifle, a Hi-Point.40 S&W caliber rifle, a Century Arms 7.62x39-caliber rifle, a Hi-Point 9mm pistol, a Walther.22-caliber pistol, a KEL-TEC 9mm pistol, a Smith & Wesson 5.56mm rifle, a Taurus 9mm pistol, a KEL-TEC.22-caliber pistol, a Walther.22-caliber rifle, a KEL-TEC 12-gauge shotgun, two Hi-Point.380-caliber rifles, and a JC Higgins 12-gauge shotgun.
In separate and unrelated cases, the grand jury indicted two other men with illegal possession of firearms or explosives.
A one-count indictment charges JARVIS MONTREZ KEY, 24, of Hoover, with being a convicted felon in possession of a Glock 9mm pistol and a Sig Sauer.380-caliber rifle on Aug. 20, 2016, in Jefferson County. Key was convicted of second-degree robbery in Shelby County Circuit Court in March 2013, according to the indictment.
A one-count indictment charges JEFFERY CUNNINGHAM, 47, of Cullman, with being a convicted felon in possession of an electrically initiated explosive detonator on March 23, 2016 in Cullman County. Cunningham previously was convicted in Cullman County Circuit Court of first-degree property theft in May 2001, second-degree receiving stolen property in August 2001, and unlawful possession of a controlled substance in November 2001, according to the indictment.
The maximum penalty for stealing a firearm from a licensed gun dealer and for possession a stolen firearm is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for being a convicted felon in possession of firearms or explosives is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
ATF investigated the cases, which the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama is prosecuting.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
