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Two Ft. Drum soldiers plead guilty in September burglaries of firearms dealers in DeKalb Jct., Gouverneur

Posted 2/12/20

The Syracuse U.S Attorney’s Office says they have obtained guilty verdicts from two Fort Drum soldiers in connection with the burglaries of federally licensed firearms dealers in DeKalb Junction …

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Two Ft. Drum soldiers plead guilty in September burglaries of firearms dealers in DeKalb Jct., Gouverneur

Posted

The Syracuse U.S Attorney’s Office says they have obtained guilty verdicts from two Fort Drum soldiers in connection with the burglaries of federally licensed firearms dealers in DeKalb Junction and Gouverneur last September.

Rian Patterson, 23, and Devin Diggs, 20, who were soldiers, pled guilty Tuesday, Feb. 9 in federal court to felony charges, according to United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith.

In pleading guilty, Patterson and Diggs admitted to stealing firearms during the burglary of Bowman’s Gun Shop in Gouverneur, a licensed federal firearms dealer, on Sept. 14, 2019, and the burglary of Graham’s Gun Shop in DeKalb Junction, a second licensed federal firearms dealer, on Sept. 29, 2019. As part of their guilty pleas, both men also admitted to knowingly possessing stolen firearms taken during those burglaries in their barracks at Fort Drum, in Le Ray. Patterson also admitted that he knowingly possessed a firearm with an obliterated serial number, according to Department of Justice officials.

Patterson and Diggs face up to 10 years in prison, a maximum fine of up $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release, when they are sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy on June 16.

This case was investigated by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S Army Criminal Investigation Division (ARMY CID), the St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department, and the New York State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Sutcliffe.

There was no word on the status of the case against a third Ft. Drum soldier, Tyrease Kimmons, 20, who was charged with Patterson and Devin Diggs, and appeared in federal court Oct. 2 on the same criminal complaint.