South Carolina man sentenced for involvement in gun trafficking to New York

November 14, 2023 Robert Abruzzese, Courthouse Editor

U.S. Attorney Breon Peace announced the sentencing of a 30-year-old from South Carolina, who was found guilty of selling guns in New York City.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Attorney’s Office

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A South Carolina man has been sentenced to 50 months in prison for his role in a gun trafficking scheme.

The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Frederic Block at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn to 30-year-old Darrell Robinson, marks a major development in the fight against the so-called “Iron Pipeline” of guns flowing into Brooklyn and New York City from the South.

United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace, and FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge James Smith, announced the sentencing on Friday. Robinson had pleaded guilty in April 2023 to being a felon in possession of a firearm, including multiple handguns and an AR-15 style rifle.

The breakthrough in the case came on August 8, 2022, when authorities, acting on a tip, intercepted Robinson in Queens, New York. A search of his vehicle under a judicial warrant led to the discovery of various firearms, including a Smith & Wesson .380 caliber pistol, a Taurus 9 mm pistol and an AR-15 style rifle.

Robinson’s criminal history includes seven prior felony convictions, with charges ranging from armed robbery to aggravated assault.

This case is part of the broader Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, a collaborative effort among law enforcement agencies at all levels and communities to reduce violent crime.

The Eastern District of New York’s U.S. Attorney’s Office is working closely with local and federal agencies, including the NYPD, FBI, ATF, and others, to strengthen the initiative and curb the violent crime stemming from illegal gun trafficking.