Edmond Man Charged with Illegal Smuggling of Firearms to the Middle East

OKLAHOMA CITY – RANDY LEW WILLIAMS, 57, of Edmond, Oklahoma, has been charged for illegally shipping firearms to the Middle East, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing.

According to an affidavit in support of a criminal complaint filed on March 3, 2020, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Legal Attaché in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates notified the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office that a FedEx shipment had been seized on December 19, 2018.  The shipment contained multiple Glock pistols and firearms parts, and shipment records indicated the shipment was sent from Williams, at an address in Oklahoma City.  Records also indicated the shipment contained tools and that the intended recipient was located in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq.  The affidavit further explained that FBI authorities later learned that between January 2018 and October 2018, Williams received approximately $12,761.00 in wire transfers from Sweden.  The affidavit states that Williams did not have a Federal Firearms License (FFL) from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) or authority from the Department of Defense to export defense articles (i.e., weapons) outside the United States.

The defendant was arrested yesterday and made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary M. Purcell.  The criminal complaint charges Williams with four criminal counts:  1) shipping firearms in foreign commerce without a license, 2) shipping firearms in foreign commerce without notifying the carrier, 3) illegally smuggling firearms from the U.S., and 4) conspiracy to smuggle firearms from the U.S.

If found guilty of counts 1, 2, or 4, the defendant faces a maximum potential penalty of 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.00.  If found guilty of count 3, the defendant faces a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.00.  Each count carries a term of supervised release of not more than three years.

This case is a result of an investigation by the FBI—Oklahoma City Field Office, the ATF, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Oklahoma City Police Department, and the Edmond Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Dillon and Mark Stoneman are prosecuting the case.

The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.