A U.S. Army Major has been sentenced to 70 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after being convicted of smuggling firearms to Ghana and making false statements to federal authorities.
Kojo Owusu Dartey, 42, of Fort Liberty, was found guilty on April 23, 2024, by a jury on multiple charges, including conspiracy, dealing in firearms without a license, false declarations in court, and illegally exporting firearms without authorization.
Firearms Smuggling Operation
Court records and trial evidence revealed that Dartey played a key role in smuggling firearms from the U.S. to Ghana. He purchased seven firearms in North Carolina and enlisted a U.S. Army Staff Sergeant at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to acquire three additional weapons and ship them to him.
Dartey then concealed the weapons inside blue barrels filled with rice and household goods. With the help of an Army Chief Warrant Officer, he managed to smuggle the barrels through the Port of Baltimore, Maryland, onto a container ship bound for the Port of Tema, Ghana.
The Ghana Revenue Authority later seized the smuggled firearms and reported the matter to the DEA attaché in Ghana and the ATF Baltimore Field Division.
False Testimony and Marriage Fraud Links
In addition to arms smuggling, Dartey was involved in a marriage fraud scheme connecting Fort Liberty soldiers and foreign nationals from Ghana. He provided information that led to the prosecution of a 16-defendant marriage fraud case.
During the U.S. v. Agyapong trial (June 28 – July 2, 2021), Dartey falsely testified about his relationship with a defense witness. Prosecutors revealed that he lied both to federal law enforcement and under oath in court.
Investigation and Sentencing
Following extensive investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), and the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, Dartey was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel J. Diaz.
Announcing the sentencing, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Daniel Bubar, emphasized the seriousness of Dartey’s actions.
Dartey will now serve nearly six years in federal prison for his role in smuggling weapons and obstructing justice.
