Georgia man pleads guilty to transferring illegal firearms to Capital Region

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10)-- According to the United States Department of Justice, a Georgia man pleaded guilty to transferring illegal firearms to a New York resident in 2023. Court officials said Devon Newsome, 31, of Forrest Park, Georgia, admitted to delivering 29 to the Capital Region.

Some of the illegal firearms were stolen and equipped with conversion devices, allowing the gun to function like a machine gun. Newsome admitted to delivering the firearms to a residence on Western Avenue on May 21, 2023, and knew neither he nor the person he delivered the guns to were licensed importers, manufacturers, dealers, or collectors.

Police found 34 guns, including the ones Newsome transferred on May 23, when searching the Western Avenue property. Newsome is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. He is facing five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of probation.

Police also seized significant amounts of drugs during their search, which led to criminal charges for Anthony Luizzi and Brandon Bartley and probation revocation proceedings against Jabree Jones.

Luizzi pleaded guilty on Monday, March 18, and Bartley on Friday, May 24, to trafficking fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine and possessing over 30 firearms. Luizzi is scheduled for sentencing on Tuesday, Oct. 1, and Bartley on Thursday, Sept. 19.

Jones was detained pending a resolution of the supervised release violation petition for violating his parole. Jones is scheduled for a final revocation hearing on Monday, Sept. 23.