Woman charged with straw purchases of guns for gang member

Jerry Lynott, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
·2 min read

Nov. 15—PLAINS TWP. — A woman charged with straw purchases of five handguns said she handed them over to a gang member who sold the weapons.

The Luzerne County District Attorneys Office on Monday filed five counts each of making materially false written statements to purchase the firearms, all felonies, and misdemeanor charges of making false statements under penalty against Rachel Drumgo, 37, of Wilkes-Barre. Drumgo was arraigned and released on $25,000 unsecured bail.

The Taurus and Ruger 9 mm pistols were purchased in August at The Cabin Armory in Plains Township and H & H Tactical in Exeter, the office said.

The criminal complaint said: During an interview with investigators on Aug. 15, Drumgo said she was supposed to paid $100 for each gun she purchased for a man who went by the street name "Drip" and was a member of the Bloods street gang. Drumgo said "Drip" had a criminal history and could not buy guns for himself. Investigators determined the man was Troy Siddons.

Charges are pending against Siddons, 37, of Wilkes-Barre.

Drumgo told investigators she met Siddons through Tiffany Lopez and delivered the guns to him at a Chester Street address in Wilkes-Barre. Siddons provided the money for the purchases through Lopez, but at the time of the interview Drumgo did not know where the guns were.

Drumgo said Lopez, who went with her for the first purchase, was too aggressive and caused a sales clerk at The Cabin Armory to become suspicious. The clerk would not sell the gun to Drumgo who thought she was buying it for Lopez. But when Drumgo later returned alone, she bought the gun. After that Drumgo said Lopez pressured her to buy the other guns.

Drumgo told investigators she knew she was going to be investigated after buying the fourth gun because the sales clerk at H&H Tactical notified her she was going to be reported.

Lopez, 36, of Wilkes-Barre, faces charges related to the purchases and has been held in the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $250,000 bail.

Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.