Catawba County man charged with gun trafficking, possession of machine gun in federal indictment

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A Catawba County man was indicted this week on several gun-related charges, including trafficking, the Department of Justice reports.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, a grand jury charged 39-year-old Joshua Herman Phillips, of Claremont, with gun trafficking, possession of a machine gun and dealing in firearms without a license. The indictment alleges that between July and August, Phillips engaged in the trafficking of 23 firearms in Catawba County. Those included handguns and AR-type rifles.

The indictment also alleges that Phillips possessed a “privately made firearm,” an AR-style rifle which is classified as a machine gun.

This case is prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and President Joe Biden signed in June 2022. It’s the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.

This week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office also filed charges against 10 defendants for illegal possession of firearms and related offenses. Among those charged are men from Charlotte and Rock Hill, South Carolina:

• U.S. v. Rodney Regan Dunham, 43, of Rock Hill, S.C., is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
• U.S. v. Ismael Jarquin Cortes, 39, of Charlotte, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien and illegal reentry by an alien

In June, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced efforts to enhance safety across communities in western North Carolina, especially during the summer months when violent crime historically increases. As a result of those efforts, over the summer, the U.S. Attorney’s Office indicted 65 individuals for illegally buying, selling, or possessing firearms, committing a violent crime, or using a firearm in the commission of the crime.

The charges contained in the indictments are allegations and the defendants are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court of law.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.