A gun smuggling operation that was trafficking weapons to the Dominican Republic has been shut down with the sentencing of four individuals involved. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia, Jonathan Hiraldo Abreu and three other defendants were sentenced for their roles in the illegal gun trade.
U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan highlighted the danger firearms traffickers pose, stating, "Firearms traffickers present an immediate danger to communities within and outside our district." The sentences aim to disrupt the illegal flow of arms, which was achieved through concerted efforts of various law enforcement agencies. Buchanan's team worked to swiftly and thoroughly bring the perpetrators to justice after they conspired to quickly buy guns that were destined for illegal export to the Caribbean nation.
The scheme unfolded as Hiraldo Abreu contacted Cornel Rashard Miley about a firearm for sale, later resulting in the Mileys acquiring at least 73 Glock 9 mm pistols for Hiraldo Abreu, which were all smuggled to the Dominican Republic. Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg, who prosecuted the case revealed that Hiraldo Abreu repeatedly met with the Mileys to facilitate the transfer and subsequent trafficking of these firearms.
Special Agent Alicia Jones of ATF's Atlanta Field Division underscored the prioritization of ATF "to ensure that firearms traffickers are aggressively investigated and swiftly brought to justice." This collaborative exercise drew together multiple agencies with a singular goal: to safeguard the public and staunch the flow of weapons into criminal hands.
The convicted individuals received varying sentences. Jonathan Hiraldo Abreu, age 31, was handed the heaviest sentence of four years and two months in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's announcement. Cornel Rashard Miley and Charqweshia Sierra Miley, both 31, received two years and three months in prison. The youngest of the defendants, 21-year-old Jose Munoz, was sentenced to a year and a month behind bars. All four are to follow their prison terms with two years of supervised release.
The investigation was a collaboration among a variety of agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the New York City Police Department, and international partners such as the Dominican Republic’s customs authority. These sentences mark a significant victory for the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, which aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence, ensuring safer communities.
