Ocala, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Karin Hoppmann announces the arrest of Kenyari Devaughnte Brewton (26, Ocala) on a criminal complaint charging him with eight counts of knowingly causing a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) to maintain false information in its official records. Each count is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. According to court records, Brewton worked as a detention deputy for the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office until his arrest on August 5, 2021.
According to the criminal complaint, between February 3, 2020, and April 26, 2021, Brewton purchased multiple Glock pistols, AK-47 style pistols, and an AK-47 rifle from a Marion County gun dealer. Many of the firearms were identical. While purchasing the firearms, Brewton certified on each ATF Form 4473 (Firearm Transaction Record) that he was the “actual transferee/buyer” of the guns, even though he quickly resold them to “unknown” individuals for a profit. On May 2, 2021, one of the Glock pistols that Brewton had sold to an individual was used during a homicide in Marion County. Brewton had purchased this firearm only six days earlier from the gun dealer.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This was investigated by the Ocala Police Department, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.