Austell man accused of leading international firearms trafficking conspiracy, USDOJ says

WSBTV.com News Staff
·3 min read
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Five men from Georgia and Florida have been accused of operating an international firearms trafficking conspiracy across North America.

While most of the alleged participants are from southeast Florida, Homestead and Miramar, the man who is accused of starting the whole conspiracy is from Cobb County, according to federal officials.

The U.S. Department of Justice said the alleged Floridian participants, Grevaughn Sanchez Goodman, aka “The General,” 23, of Homestead, Fla. Shavonte Justin Summers, 22, of Homestead, Fla., Tranquilo G. Goodman, 24, of Miramar, Fla., and Demetrius Lamont Randolph, Jr., 23, of Homestead, Fla., have all been arraigned in federal court.

However, Dexter Wellington Roberts, III, aka “Science,” a 43-year-old man from Austell, Ga. is not yet in federal custody. He’s the person accused of starting the conspiracy, according to USDOJ.

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Detailing the case, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan said Roberts started conspiring with a Canadian and several other people to get large numbers of firearms into the southeastern U.S., then resell them in Mexico and Canada.

Buchanan said in a statement that Roberts began this process in mid-December 2022. From that period through February, Roberts is said to have made retail purchases of nearly 50 firearms, while Grevaughn Goodman started buying more guns for the conspiracy in January.

“Illegally purchasing firearms on behalf of others is a serious crime that frequently places guns in the hands of individuals prohibited from possessing a firearm,” Buchanan said in a statement.  “Many of the firearms allegedly traced to the defendants in this case were recovered from criminals in Canada.”

From January to April, Grevaughn Goodman allegedly bought more than 50 guns, while his brother Tranquilo Goodman “joined the conspiracy by March 2023 and bought at least 11 firearms that month.”

In May, Summers allegedly joined the conspiracy, buying more than 50 firearms from May to June. Justice Department officials said Randolph also allegedly joined the conspiracy in June, buying 10 guns over two days from five licensed firearms dealers.

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During the investigation, law enforcement officers seized more than 120 weapons during four bulk seizures, with 47 firearms seized from Roberts in Henry County, Ga.

“Additionally, numerous other weapons allegedly purchased by defendants in this case have been seized by law enforcement throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico,” USDOJ said. “Roberts, Goodman, Summers, Goodman and Randolph were indicted by a federal grand jury on October 24, 2023.”

The four Florida men were arraigned for charges of conspiracy to deal in firearms without a license. Roberts was arrested mid-October in the Bahamas for another weapons charge, officials said.

Grevaughn Goodman also faces charges for firearms trafficking conspiracy, resulting form a June 2022 statute passed by U.S. Congress, according to USDOJ.

“Among ATF’s top priorities is ensuring that firearms traffickers are aggressively investigated and swiftly brought to justice. This is an excellent example of such an investigation that was worked cooperatively by multiple partner agencies with outstanding results,” Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Raymond Connor said.

Roberts, who is not in custody yet, is charged with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license, firearms trafficking conspiracy and smuggling.

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