Two Current U.S. Navy Servicemembers, Two Former U.S. Navy Servicemembers and One Other Indicted on Conspiracy to Violate the Firearm and Controlled Substance Laws

(Norfolk, VA) – Pierre Alain Mbekwa Atekwana, age 28; Eddie James Bunyton, II, age 26; Jeffrey Shaun Krauss, age 29; and Richardo Veillard, age 28, all from Norfolk, and Kelvin DeJuan Brown, age 24, from Tennessee, were indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on 17 counts, including conspiracy to violate the firearms laws of the United States, conspiracy to possess, use and carry firearms in furtherance of and during and in relation to drug trafficking crimes, and conspiracy to distribute and possess controlled substances. Chuck Rosenberg, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Edgar A. Domenech, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Washington Field Division; Samuel G. Worth, Special Agent in Charge, Naval Criminal Investigative, Norfolk; and Bruce P. Marquis, Chief of Police, Norfolk Police Department, made the announcement. The defendants each face a maximum penalty of life in federal prison if convicted.

According to the indictment, the five defendants conspired to transport guns from Virginia to New York and other places. They also conspired to transport controlled substances from New York and other places into the Eastern District of Virginia. Two of the five defendants, Atekwana and Brown, were former members of the Navy. Two other defendants, Bunyton and Veillard, are currently in the Navy. The remaining defendant, Krauss, is not in the military.

Bunyton and Veillard were arrested today locally and Brown was arrested in Tennessee. Krauss is in state custody pending transfer to federal court and Atekwana has already been detained on a federal complaint related to the indictment.

The military ties were used to develop straw purchasers and develop a customer base for the controlled substances. The investigation began on or about January 9, 2008 with the recovery of firearms locally. The case proceeded and federal search warrants were issued to search two Norfolk homes on March 8, 2008 for controlled substances, firearms, and
ammunition. This investigation has been able to identify over 50 firearms that have allegedly been purchased and trafficked by these defendants throughout Virginia, DC and New York.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the Norfolk Police Department, Vice and Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin M. Comstock and Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Kosky are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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