Two Peoria Men Charged with Stealing Nearly 100 Guns from Licensed Dealers in Monmouth and Galesburg

PEORIA, Ill. – A federal criminal complaint, unsealed today, charges two Peoria, Ill., men with stealing nearly 100 guns from two west central Illinois federal firearms licensees, The Tac Shack, in Monmouth, and Farm King, in Galesburg, in March 2019. Keith L. Winters, 28, of the 100 block of E. Melbourne Ave., and  Miray A. Smith, 28, of the 3400 block of N. Molleck Drive, are each charged with conspiring and stealing guns from a federal firearms licensee. A third man, Jeremy L. Howard, 39, of the 2400 block of W. Wiswall St., is also charged, with Winters and Smith, with two counts  of possession of stolen guns. Winters faces two additional counts of possession of firearms by a felon.

“Too frequently we see the deadly consequences of stolen guns in our communities,” stated U.S. Attorney John Milhiser. “We will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to get guns out of the hands of the wrong people and aggressively prosecute those who put them there.”

“Investigating thefts of firearms from Federal Firearms Licensees is a top priority of ATF. These crimes not only pose a danger to the licensed dealers, but to the community as a whole. I commend the investigative partnerships and prosecutorial commitment of the Central District of Illinois,” said Chicago Field Division ATF Special Agent in Charge Tim Jones.

Howard was arrested today and the complaint and affidavit were unsealed at his court appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan E. Hawley in Peoria. Howard was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and a detention hearing was scheduled for May 24. Winters and Smith have not been apprehended and remain fugitives at this time.

As alleged in the complaint affidavit, on March 21, 2019, Winters, Smith and another unnamed individual drove a stolen truck from Peoria to The Tac Shack, at 1100 E. Jackson Ave., Monmouth, Ill. Another passenger vehicle accompanied the truck to serve as a lookout. When they arrived at The Tac Shack, Winters and Smith allegedly threw a brick through a window and used a metal pole to break the glass and make entry. After taking 39 guns from the store, the men drove back to Peoria and allegedly divided up the stolen guns.

On March 29, 2019, Winters, Smith, and another individual allegedly drove a stolen truck from Peoria to Farm King, at 3000 W. Main St., Galesburg, Ill., where the men used wire cutters to enter a fenced area, then threw a brick through a window and used a metal pole to make entry. During the burglary, another individual who had accompanied the men in a separate vehicle, acted as a lookout for law enforcement. After taking 59 guns from Farm King, the men drove back to Peoria and allegedly divided up the stolen guns.

The charges are the result of investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, assisted by the Galesburg Police Department; Illinois State Police; Monmouth Police Department; Peoria County Sheriff’s Office; and the Peoria Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna is representing the government in the prosecution of the case in coordination with the Warren County, Knox County and Peoria County State’s Attorneys’ Offices.

If convicted, for the offenses stealing from a federal firearms licensee, possession of stolen firearms, and felon in possession of a firearm, the maximum penalty for each count is up to 10 years in prison. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to steal and possess firearms from a federal firearms licensee is five years in prison.

Members of the public are reminded that a complaint is merely an accusation; each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.