North Carolina Residents Sentenced for Trafficking Firearms into Providence

Friday, December 18, 2015

GoLocalProv News Team

North Carolina residents Kinmonte Markell Brown, 28, and Dennis Wells, 24, of Greenville, North Carolina were sentenced to in U.S. District Court in Providence on Friday for trafficking over a dozen firearms from North Carolina into Providence between November 2014 and January 2015. 

Kinmonte Brown was sentenced to 84 in federal prison while Dennis Wells was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison. Both Brown and Wells  have been ordered to serve three years supervised release upon completion of prison terms. 

Brown and Wells pleaded guilty on September 18 to a conspiracy to deal firearms without a license, dealing firearms without a license, being felons in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. 

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The Investigation 

In late 2013 an initiative began targeting the distribution of heroin and crack cocaine in Providence and the importation of firearms onto the streets of Providence. 

Information gathered during the investigations led to a separate investigation by DEA, ATF, Providence Police and state and federal prosecutors which resulted in the interruption of the flow of illegal firearms into Providence from Greenville, North Carolina and the arrest of Kinmonte Brown and Dennis Wells. 

The Arrests 

According to information presented to the court, starting in November 2014 and going through January 2015, a person working at the direction of the DEA began a series of negotiations with Brown and Wells for a shipment and purchase of illegal firearms. The negotiations led to a series of sales and the delivery of a total of 15 illegal firearms and ammunition shipped from North Carolina to Providence by Brown and Wells. Firearms are secured by law enforcement upon delivery. 

On January 31, Brown and Wells drove to Rhode Island from North Carolina to sell and deliver seven firearms, including a .357 magnum revolver with an obliterated serial number, a .38 caliber handgun and several shotguns and rifles.

Brown and Wells were arrested moments after they delivered the firearms. 

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