Courts. (Credit: LevittownNow.com)
A Philadelphia man who helped supply a large gun-trafficking network is headed to state prison after admitting he illegally bought dozens of firearms for the group’s leader, according to a report.
Robert Otis Cooper III, 26, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 15 to 30 years in prison for his role in purchasing 41 guns that were funneled into a multi-county trafficking operation between 2022 and 2023.
Prosecutors said Cooper, who could legally buy firearms, acted as a straw purchaser for ringleader Larry B. Williams, helping the organization put nearly 100 guns into circulation.
Judge Steven T. O’Neill imposed several mandatory minimum sentences, calling gun violence an “epidemic” and emphasizing that the organization relied on people like Cooper to obtain weapons for those who could not legally buy them.
Prosecutors argued that Cooper’s actions fueled the network, noting that more than half of the guns he bought are still unaccounted for. They said Cooper at one point purchased two dozen firearms within a single month. Defense attorneys countered that Cooper struggled with addiction and mental-health issues and was exploited by Williams while desperate for money.
Before sentencing, Cooper apologized, saying he was out of work and made a “terrible decision” in exchange for quick cash.
Authorities say members of the trafficking ring bought or attempted to buy 117 firearms across multiple Pennsylvania counties and at gun shows, with some of the weapons later tied to crimes in Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Investigators from numerous local, state, and federal agencies worked together to track purchases, analyze electronic records, and uncover the structure of the operation.
Williams, the organization’s leader, was previously sentenced to 22½ to 45 years in prison for related offenses.
