SOUTH CAROLINA MAN SENTENCED TO UP TO 24 YEARS IMPRISONMENT FOR ILLEGAL GUN SALES TO UNDERCOVER DETECTIVE

Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced today that a man who illegally sold guns to an undercover detective on seven different occasions, has been sentenced to a term of 8 to 24 years imprisonment by State Supreme Court Justice Dominick Massaro.

Walter Moses, 35, of Anderson, South Carolina, pled guilty on April 30, 2004 to 27 counts of Criminal sale of a firearm in the 3rd degree, a Class D felony offense.

Moses was convicted of selling the guns from the trunk of his car between September 10, 2002 and February 21, 2003. All seven sales occurred at the same location at 173rd Street andCrotona Park East. The guns were purchased legally in South Carolina and transported by car to the Bronx for re-sale by Moses who was not a licensed distributor or vendor of firearms.

The first illegal sale occurred on September 10, 2002 and involved four weapons, one Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver; one Charter Arms .38 caliber revolver; one Hi-Point 9 millimeter pistol; and one Hi-Point .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol. Nearly three weeks later, on September 30, 2002, Moses sold the undercover detective another five firearms. The second sale involved one Smith and Wesson 9 millimeter pistol; one Colt .38 caliber revolver; one Taurus .357 Magnum revolver; and two Rossi Interarms .38 caliber revolvers.

The third illegal sale of firearms occurred on November 17, 2002 when Moses delivered two more guns to the undercover detective. This sale involved one Lorcin 9 millimeter semi-automatic pistol and one Springfield Armory .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol. Moses next met the undercover detective on November 23, 2002 and delivered one Beretta .40 caliber automatic pistol; one Lorcin .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol; and one Taurus .357 Magnum revolver. Two weeks later on December 6, 2002, three more weapons were sold, one Smith and Wesson 9 millimeter semi-automatic pistol; one Jennings .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol; and one Ruger P939 millimter semi-automatic pistol. On December 22, 2002, one Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol; one Smith and Wesson M6599 millimeter semi-automatic pistol; one Smith and Wesson .357 Magnum revolver; one .32 caliber H&R Inc. revolver; and one Clerke .32 caliber revolver were sold illegally. The final illegal sale to the undercover detective occurred on February 21, 2003 when Moses delivered six more guns. Those weapons were one Smith and Wesson .32 caliber revolver; one Rossi .38 caliber revolver; one Rohm .38 caliber Special revolver; one Rohm GMBH .38 caliber revolver; one Bersa .380 semi-automatic revolver; and one Hi-Point .380 semi-automatic caliber revolver.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Stuart Levy of the Investigations Division’s Racket Bureau.