MINEOLA, N.Y. — A South Carolina man was sentenced to seven years in prison on Wednesday for illegally trafficking 11 firearms, including loaded rifles and pistols, from South Carolina to Nassau County between August 2023 and January 2024.
Kim Lilly, 45, of Greenville, South Carolina, pleaded guilty in September to charges of first-degree criminal sale of a firearm and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Nassau County Judge Colin O’Donnell also sentenced Lilly to five years of post-release supervision.
The investigation revealed that Lilly sold the firearms, including an assault rifle, an assault pistol, and high-capacity magazines, during four transactions in Freeport. Prosecutors said all but one of the firearms were loaded and sold with ammunition. The weapons were originally purchased from a pawn shop in South Carolina before being transported to New York.
“This case underscores the danger of illegal firearms making their way into our communities,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly in a statement. “Trafficking weapons into Nassau County not only endangers individuals and families, but it also fuels violence on our streets.”
Lilly was arrested on April 3, 2024, in Farmingdale by the ATF Firearms Task Force. During a search of his vehicle, authorities recovered two loaded handguns.
His co-defendant, Tomeca Jeter, 49, also of South Carolina, pleaded guilty in July to attempted criminal possession of a firearm, a misdemeanor, and was sentenced to time served in October.
Prosecutors highlighted that Lilly, a former Freeport resident, endangered public safety by introducing illegal firearms into the community.
