CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Federal officials say three Southeast Missouri men, including one from Malden, recently were indicted for what was described as "lying and buying" firearms.
Jarvis D. Wofford, 26, of Malden was arrested Friday by the Malden Police Department on a federal indictment.
The four-count indictment charged Wofford with the felonies of being a felon in possession of a firearm, making a false statement in connection with the purchase of firearms from a federal firearms licensee (FFL) and distribution of methamphetamine (two counts).
On Monday, Wofford made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Abbie Crites-Leoni, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Sorrell.
Wofford, he said, is to appear at 10:10 a.m. Thursday before Crites-Leoni for a detention hearing and arraignment in his case.
Wofford, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, allegedly purchased a 9mm pistol from a shop in Malden on March 1 and falsely claimed on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives form that he did not have a felony conviction.
The indictment alleges Wofford was a convicted felon at the time of the purchase as he previously had been convicted of the felonies of theft and burglary in 2012 in New Madrid County.
As a convicted felon, Wofford was a prohibited person under federal law.
Wofford reportedly also was facing drug charges in Dunklin County at the time he allegedly purchased the pistol, and those charges still are pending.
In addition to the weapons charges, Wofford was indicted for allegedly distributing methamphetamine in July 2014 and August 2015 in Dunklin County.
If convicted, Wofford faces a maximum of 10 years imprisonment on each of the weapons charges and up to 20 years in prison on each of the distribution charges.
Wesley Williams, 23, and Demontray Walker, 22, both of Charleston, Mo., also were indicted for lying on federal forms in association with the purchase of firearms in early 2018.
Both men, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, allegedly are habitual users of marijuana and admitted to investigators that they use marijuana daily. Marijuana is a schedule I controlled substance under federal law.
Both Williams and Walker, according to the release, allegedly denied being illegal users of any controlled substance on the ATF forms they completed earlier in 2018 when respectively acquiring an A-15 semiautomatic rifle in Sikeston and a 5.7 x 28mm semi-automatic pistol in Charleston.
In addition to the false statements to FFLs, Williams and Walker are alleged to have been found in possession of those weapons while unlawful users of a controlled substance when law enforcement recovered them from the men in Charleston on March 22.
Williams and Walker each face up to 10 years imprisonment for each weapons charge.
"Vigorous enforcement of the laws already in place, which are designed to keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of prohibited persons is an important part of an integrated response to violent crime," said United States Attorney Jeff Jensen. "We plan to continue cooperating with gun dealers and manufacturers to get illegal guns out of the wrong hands."
ATF Special Agent in Charge George Lauder said, "These cases should serve as a message to those individuals who choose to circumvent federal law in the acquisition of firearms.
"These investigations are a priority in ATF's ongoing efforts to combat firearms related violence, and we will pursue these violations of the law."