Felon from Marcus Hook busted in stolen gun sale
D.A.: He sold stolen firearms to undercover cops
A convicted felon from Marcus Hook was charged Monday with selling two stolen firearms to an undercover agent was who posing as a convicted felon, officials said.
Charles David Clark, of the unit block of West Sixth Street in Marcus Hook, faces of slew of gun charges, according to a press release issued by Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun M. Copeland.
Clark is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and receiving stolen property, both felonies of the second degree, possession of a firearm without a license, illegal sales of firearms, and criminal use of a communication facility, felonies of the third degree, and offenses.
“In the case of Charles David Clark, he stole these guns and then brazenly sold them for profit to an individual who he believed was a criminal, showing a complete disregard for the law,” said Copeland. “By doing so, and blatantly perpetuating criminal activity right here in our community, the defendant faces up to 10 years in prison under the Brad Fox Law.”
The arrest stems from a joint investigation conducted by the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigations (BNI), the Delaware County District Attorney’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID), and the Upper Chichester Police Department.
Copeland offered these details from the investigation:
On June 5, 2018, at 5:33 p.m., BNI Agent Stacy Rucker, while acting in an undercover capacity, spoke with the defendant, Charles Clark, by cellphone in reference to purchasing a handgun. Clark agreed to sell undercover narcotics agent Rucker a handgun for $450 and told her to meet him at the Walmart on Conchester Highway in Upper Chichester. At approximately 5:50 p.m., Rucker and a supervisory narcotics agent, David Carolina, observed Clark arrive at the pre-arranged location.
Clark then got out of his car and entered the car occupied by agents Rucker and Carolina.
At this time, Clark removed a 9-mm handgun that he had concealed in his waist band and handed it to the agents. Once Carolina agreed to purchase the firearm, Clark retrieved two loaded magazines and a holster from under his shirt, which he stated he would give them when they bought the gun. During this interaction, Rucker informed Clark the reason she was purchasing the gun in this manner was because she was a felon. Clark admitted that he too was a convicted felon. Rucker then handed $450 in cash to Clark, who in turn provided the two loaded magazines, holster, and an additional 100 rounds of ammunition to the agents. Clark also offered to sell the undercover agents cocaine and Percocet pills.
Law enforcement records revealed that in June of 2009, Clark pleaded guilty to felony statutory sexual assault and indecent assault of a minor, and was remanded to the George W. Hill Correctional Facility.
On Aug. 9, 2018, Clark allegedly contacted Rucker again, stating that he had a .45-caliber handgun and a Ruger 9-mm firearm for sale. On Aug. 10, 2018, Rucker advised Clark that she would buy both of the firearms. However, Clark stated although the .45-caliber firearm was already sold. But he was still in possession of the Ruger 9-mm and would sell it for $500.
According to the D.A.’s office, during this conversation with Rucker, Clark revealed that he obtained these handguns during a burglary he recently committed. Rucker arranged to meet Clark on Aug. 11, 2018, at 9:30 a.m., at the Walmart in Upper Chichester to purchase the firearm.
On Aug. 11, at 9:20 a.m., Rucker contacted Clark by cellphone, at which time Clark stated he was at the meeting location and was parked in the parking lot of the Walmart. CID and BNI agents then approached Clark’s vehicle and took him into custody. A search of his vehicle revealed a loaded 9-mm Ruger handgun in a bookbag on the front seat.
Clark was arraigned on gun charges and remanded to the George W. Hill Correctional Facility after failing to post bail set at 10 percent of $100,000. His preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 23.
Copeland lauded the efforts of the agents involved in the case.
“We commend Agent Stacy Rucker and Supervisory Agent David Carolina of the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigations and CID Detective Steven Bannar and Detective Rick Jones of the Trainer Borough Police Department for their work on this case and the Upper Chichester Police Department for their assistance,” Copeland said. “We will continue to aggressively target gun traffickers to prevent criminals from illegally obtaining firearms and to raise awareness about the severity of these crimes.”
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro also commended the officers.
“Thanks to the strong collaboration with our law enforcement partners in Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun Copeland’s office and the Upper Chichester Police Department, two more stolen guns are off our streets and this illegal gun trafficker will face justice,” Shapiro said. “People have the right to feel safe in their home and the neighborhoods where they live and work – and illegal guns and gun traffickers erode that basic right.”
Deputy District Attorney George B. Dawson, chief of the Anti-Violence Task Force, will be prosecuting the case on behalf of the Commonwealth.