HARRISBURG — Attorney General Dave Sunday announced charges against six people and seizures of numerous firearms in connection with the Allegheny County Gun Violence Task Force’s takedown of straw purchasers.
The charged individuals legally obtained firearms, then transferred or lent them to individuals prohibited from possessing firearms — illegal conduct known as straw purchasing and straw lending.
Charged are: Leneja Cogdell, 30; Martell Herriot, 27; Deonquay Wilson, 23; Halle Sokol, 25; Deveda Horsley, 26; and Raquel Betters, 27.
Cogdell, Sokol, Horsley, and Betters provided firearms to current or former intimate partners, and other individuals prohibited from possessing firearms. Cogdell purchased seven firearms, in recent years, and transferred and lent them to several individuals, including a significant other and a relative.
Herriot and Wilson conspired to traffic firearms to individuals who were prohibited from having them.
All but Cogdell are in custody and will be arraigned on various felonies. Cogdell has an active warrant for her arrest.
“Straw purchasing often leads to violence, and that is why my office, along with our partners, take this conduct very seriously,” Attorney General Sunday said. “These individuals all took deliberate and intentional action to get firearms into the hands of dangerous people. The Allegheny County Gun Violence Task Force continues to make huge strides in removing illegal firearms — that so often turn up at violent crime scenes — from western Pennsylvania communities that deserve to feel safe and secure.”
In all, at least 11 firearms were illegally transferred/lended by the charged defendants.
The Allegheny Gun Violence Task Force is an Attorney General-led collaboration of local, including Allegheny County Police Department, City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Monroeville Police Department, state, and federal law enforcement partners committed to tracking the illegal movement and possession of firearms and acts of gun violence.
The cases will be prosecuted by the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office. Criminal charges, and any discussion thereof, are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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