Trenton man pleads guilty in gun purchase linked to killing of Dayton detective

ajc.com

A 42-year-old Trenton man pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Dayton to hiring a man to illegally purchase firearms for him.

As part of his scheme, Arland Mills obtained multiple firearms, three of which later were seized during a search on Ruskin Road in Dayton after Dayton police detective Jorge Del Rio was shot Nov. 4, 2019, as part of a DEA task force. Del Rio died of his injuries on Nov. 7, 2019.

Delano Wells, 50, of Trenton, bought the firearms from a licensed dealer in Middletown for Mills. Wells was charged with making false statements on a federal firearms form. He lied on an ATF form by indicating he was purchasing the firearms for himself and not anyone else, according to a release issued by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Once Wells purchased the firearms, he would provide them to Mills who paid Wells with a stipend in addition to the cost of the gun, or he forgave a portion of the debt owed to him by Wells. In all, Wells purchased more than eight firearms on behalf of Mills. according to the DOJ release.

Wells is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 13 in federal court.

>>PHOTOS: Community comes together for Detective Jorge Del Rio’s funeral service

As part of his guilty plea, Mills will forfeit 28 firearms, which were seized as part of the case.

Aiding and abetting the making of a false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

A sentencing date for Mills has not been set.

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