Las Vegas Man Caught After Allegedly Supplying Gang with $28K in Illegal Guns

A dangerous fugitive is finally off the streets after spending nearly three years on the run for allegedly trafficking firearms to a violent street gang. D’Andre Rowe, 25, was arrested in Las Vegas by the U.S. Marshals Nevada Violent Offender Task Force after authorities say he purchased 40 firearms to supply the Crips gang in California as part of an escalating turf war.

Federal investigators allege Rowe illegally bought the weapons through straw purchases—a scheme where a buyer falsely claims ownership of the weapons while actually supplying them to criminals. From January to March 2021, Rowe ordered the guns from an online retailer, picking them up at two gun stores in Las Vegas, totaling nearly $28,000.

Prosecutors say Rowe knowingly purchased the guns for two other men, one of whom is a convicted felon barred from possessing firearms. Investigators uncovered text messages showing the felon instructing Rowe on which weapons to buy and promising to cover the cost. Surveillance showed the felon present when Rowe picked up the weapons. Fortunately, federal agents intercepted the firearms before they could be used in the gang war.

When confronted, Rowe had an unusual excuse for how he could afford the hefty purchase. According to federal records, he claimed that “various females pay him for relationships” after being fired from McDonald’s—an absurd explanation that did little to clear his name.

While Rowe’s two co-conspirators have already faced justice, Rowe managed to evade authorities for nearly three years. That ended on Feb. 28, when law enforcement tracked him down in northwest Las Vegas. The arrest involved multiple agencies, including the Clark County School Police Department, reinforcing just how serious the case was.

Rowe now faces federal charges including conspiracy to make a false statement in the acquisition of a firearm, aiding and abetting, and transferring a firearm to a prohibited person. He is being held in federal custody, where he will face judicial proceedings in the U.S. District Court of Nevada.

With gang violence spiraling out of control in cities across America, this case serves as a clear warning about the dangers of illegal firearms trafficking. The real question remains—how many more criminals like Rowe are still out there, fueling chaos while law-abiding Americans are expected to jump through endless hoops just to exercise their Second Amendment rights?

Source: 8 News Now