A Newark, N.J., man was sentenced to five years in federal prison Monday for illegally buying more than 60 firearms in metro Atlanta.
Paul Boykins, 27, illegally bought the firearms in Georgia and then drove them to New Jersey, according to U.S. Attorney Sally Quillen Yates. As a convicted felon, Boykins was prohibited from buying firearms.
U.S. District Judge Richard W. Story sentenced Boykins to serve five years and eight months in prison followed by five years of supervision on charges of conspiring to make false statements to federally licensed firearms dealers and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Boykins was convicted of these charges on July 26 after he pleaded guilty.
Between May and October 2011, Boykins arranged for and paid co-conspirators to buy firearms from federally licensed dealers in metro Atlanta, according to Yates.
On Oct. 25, 2011, while he was en route to New Jersey, Boykins was stopped by officers with the Commerce Police Department for a traffic infraction. During a search of Boykins’ vehicle, officers recovered nine firearms in the trunk, authorities said. In January 2012, officers with the Newark Police Department responded to a burglary in progress call and recovered a handgun that was connected to Boykins.
“Georgia holds the unfortunate distinction of being a top source state for firearms trafficking,” Yates said. “This case highlights our continued efforts to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who come to our state for the purpose of illegally acquiring firearms for transport to other states, where they are often sold to criminals.”
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