by Kevin Lilly
SOUTH BEND — The woman who drove two Logansport teens to Chicago to sell guns they stole from a local gun shop will be spending time in federal prison.
U.S. District Court Judge Robert Miller Jr. on Tuesday sentenced 31-year-old Suzanne McCray of Milwaukee, Wis., to 33 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release on charges that she transported stolen firearms from Indiana to Illinois.
Last year, Miller had sentenced both 19-year-old Coty Fultz and 18-year-old Jacob Fry on federal firearms charges. Fultz got 33 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release, while Fry received 70 months in prison followed by three years on probation.
An investigation by the Logansport Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives found that Fultz and Fry broke into Downham & Sons Shooters Supplies on March 25, 2009, stealing 16 guns. McCray later drove Fultz and Fry to Chicago in an attempt to sell the guns for drugs and money, but according to court documents, the guns were stolen during the transaction.
As part of a plea deal, McCray admitted that she knew the guns were stolen.
Logansport Detective Rob Smith says police have recovered five of the guns. One was confiscated from a juvenile in Logansport, one turned up in Washington, D.C., and three were found in Chicago.
Fultz had been indicted on three counts: possession of stolen firearms, transporting stolen firearms across state lines and possession of stolen firearms that had been shipped/transported in interstate commerce.
Fry faced the same three counts in addition to a charge of making false statements.
As part of their plea deals, the prosecution dismissed all but one count each. They were both ordered to pay nearly $8,000 in restitution to Downham and Sons and to the business’ insurance provider.
McCray, who had been out on a $10,000 bond, was also ordered to pay restitution.
The Drug Enforcement Administration also investigated the case against McCray, who was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Barrett.
• Kevin Lilly is news editor of the Pharos-Tribune. He can be reached at 574-732-5117 or kevin.lilly@pharostribune.com.
