Kingston Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Straw Purchase Firearms
ALBANY, N.Y. — Oryin McLeod, 23, of Kingston, pled guilty today to conspiring with others to unlawfully obtain firearms from a licensed dealer by making false statements, also known as “straw purchasing” firearms.
U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman and John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.
McLeod admitted that he entered into an agreement with Rylan Peterson, a native of Kingston then serving in the Marine Corps at a base in North Carolina, for Peterson to acquire six semi-automatic handguns on behalf of McLeod and others. Peterson then obtained the guns from North Carolina resident Mitchell Locke, who purchased them from a licensed dealer in North Carolina, falsely representing at the time of the purchase that he was acquiring the firearms for himself. McLeod paid Peterson for the guns, which Peterson transported to New York from North Carolina. McLeod was subsequently arrested in unlawful possession of two of the handguns.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 26 before Senior U.S. District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn. McLeod faces up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of three years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. sentencing guidelines and other factors.
Peterson and Locke are indicted on the same charge and pending trial. Peterson is also charged with two additional firearms crimes. The charges against these defendants are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
ATF and the Kingston Police Department are investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin C. Segovia and Emmet O’Hanlon are prosecuting the case.
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