Kenneth Locke, a 23-year-old resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 10 months in jail for his involvement in a gun trafficking scheme. The sentencing was announced by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

Locke previously pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to unlawfully obtain firearms from a licensed dealer through false statements, a practice known as "straw purchasing." He admitted to collaborating with Rylan Peterson, originally from Kingston, New York and then residing in North Carolina as a former Marine. Their plan involved acquiring six semi-automatic handguns for Oryin McLeod and other individuals in Kingston.

The operation saw McLeod paying Locke via Peterson for the firearms. In December 2022, Locke purchased the guns from a licensed dealer in North Carolina while falsely claiming they were for personal use. Peterson later transported these firearms to New York and handed them over to McLeod and others. Following this transaction, McLeod was arrested for illegal possession of two of the firearms.

Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn also ordered Locke to serve a three-year term of supervised release following his incarceration. McLeod had already received a sentence of 34 months for his participation in the unlawful acquisition of firearms. Peterson is scheduled for sentencing on March 26, 2025.

The case was investigated by ATF alongside the Kingston Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin C. Segovia.