Fayetteville woman sentenced for role in Beckley-to-Philidelphia firearms trafficking conspiracy

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Published: Mar. 31, 2023 at 3:42 PM EDT
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BECKLEY, W.Va. (WVVA) - Stephanie Cohernour, 33, of Fayetteville was sentenced for her for making false statements in acquisition of firearms to five years of federal probation. She also admitted her role in a conspiracy to traffic over 140 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia.

According to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of West Virginia, “Cohernour was one of several straw purchasers who bought firearms for the conspirators in exchange for money or drugs. Jones or an intermediary would tell the straw purchasers which firearms to buy and provide the money for the purchases.”

She admitted to straw purchasing a Glock Model 19 Gen 5, 9mm pistol and a Glock Model 19X, and a9mm pistol for Jones on April 12, 2021, and she further admitted further admitted that she falsely certified on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Federal Firearms Transaction Record Form 4473 that she was the buyer of the firearms when she knew she was purchasing the firearms for Jones and his trafficking conspiracy.

Of the over 140 firearms trafficked by the conspirators between early 2020 and mid-2021, approximately 45 were recovered at crime scenes primarily in Philadelphia and have been connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent offenses. Cohernour straw purchased at least five firearms for the conspirators, including three recovered at crime scenes in Philadelphia.

Cohernour is one of 18 defendants who pleaded guilty in connection with the firearms trafficking.