Five Atlanta Men Arrested on International Firearms Trafficking Charges

ATLANTA - Five Atlanta men, including a U.S./Jamaican dual citizen, have been charged with numerous offenses involving the alleged trafficking of hundreds of stolen firearms to the Caribbean.

"These defendants allegedly perpetrated a multi-year crime spree in the city of Atlanta-breaking into vehicles and stealing guns-to source firearms to be smuggled out of our country, fueling violence overseas," said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. "Thanks to the collaboration between a wide range of federal law enforcement agencies through our Homeland Security Task Force and the Atlanta Police Department, the trafficking ring allegedly responsible for these crimes has been dismantled."

"This multi-agency operation underscores HSI's commitment to combat the illegal trafficking of firearms and protect our communities both domestically and abroad," said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. We will continue to pursue transnational criminal networks who threaten public safety and violate U.S. laws, wherever they operate."

"Among ATF's top priorities is ensuring that firearm traffickers are aggressively investigated and swiftly brought to justice. This investigation is an excellent example of multiple partner agencies working collaboratively to achieve outstanding results," said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ryan Todd of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Atlanta Field Division.

"The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is devoted to defending the nation's mail system from illegal use. We remain steadfast in our resolve to seek justice to the end and to keep communities safe," stated Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Atlanta Division. "This goal is achieved through collaborative investigative efforts with fellow law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Attorney's Office."

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the indictment, and other information presented in court: On April 2, 2025, HSI and CBP agents at Miami International Airport interdicted a package destined for Georgetown, St. Vincent. The package contained three 9mm pistols, which had not been declared as required by law, hidden in a package containing a queen air mattress. One of the three handguns was reported stolen on March 1, 2025, in Atlanta.

A multi-agency investigation conducted by HSI, ATF, and U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security special agents, USPIS inspectors, and Atlanta Police Department officers revealed that the stolen handgun seized at the Miami airport was one of dozens of guns taken during a rash of car break-ins and burglaries allegedly perpetrated by Lorenzo Harris-Brown, D'Anthony Varner, and Albert Brown in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Harris-Brown, Varner, and Brown allegedly broke into scores of vehicles, stole the vehicles' contents, including firearms, and provided the stolen firearms to Sanchaz Turner. After receiving the guns, Turner allegedly contacted Andre Lalor to sell the firearms. A court-authorized search of Turner's cell phone allegedly led to the discovery of text messages between Turner and Lalor in which Turner sent Lalor photographs or descriptions of more than 350 firearms. After acquiring firearms from Turner, Lalor allegedly tried to send those guns to contacts in the Caribbean and Canada, but several of Lalor's alleged shipments were intercepted, resulting in the seizure of dozens of stolen weapons.

On May 27, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Andre Lalor, a/k/a "Plug Dre," 48, of Conyers, Georgia, and Sanchaz Turner, a/k/a "Chezz," 20; D'Anthony Varner, 23; Lorenzo Harris-Brown, 21; and Albert Brown, 21, all of Atlanta, Georgia, with conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking, trafficking in firearms, possession of stolen firearms, and dealing in firearms without a license. The indictment also charged Lalor with attempted smuggling goods from the United States, failure to notify a common carrier, and failure to file electronic export information. Andre Lalor, Sanchaz Turner, and Lorenzo Harris-Brown appeared in federal court last week following their arrests, and Albert Brown was arraigned yesterday. D'Anthony Varner will be arraigned at a later date.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government's burden to prove the defendants' guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Department of Commerce - Bureau of Industry and Security, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Atlanta Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Smith and Jamil Favors are prosecuting the case.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF comprises agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney's Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.