Felon Admits to Possessing Stolen Gun, Conspiring to Commit Bank Fraud

Donovan Bunch pleads guilty to firearm offense and multi-state fraud conspiracy involving stolen checks and counterfeit banking

CAMDEN — Donovan Bunch, 23, of Sicklerville, Camden County, has pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a stolen firearm as a convicted felon and to conspiring in a bank fraud scheme that targeted financial institutions using checks stolen from the U.S. mail, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

Bunch entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel to a two-count information charging him with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. His sentencing is scheduled for August 18, 2025.

According to court records and statements made during the proceedings, Bunch was part of a group that included Tracy Felder-Carter, Dante Ford, and Quamell Keyes-Griffin. The group obtained checks stolen from the mail and altered them to inflate the value and change the payee to either a co-conspirator or a recruited third party. The fraudulent checks, often worth several thousand dollars, were then deposited at banks across southern New Jersey and elsewhere. Members of the conspiracy attempted to withdraw funds before the financial institutions could detect the fraud.

As part of the investigation, law enforcement officers executed search warrants in July 2023 at Bunch’s residence and vehicle. Inside his car, officers recovered a stolen Glock pistol equipped with a 31-round magazine containing 14 rounds of ammunition. Bunch was on probation for a prior felony conviction at the time of the firearm discovery, making his possession of the weapon illegal under federal law.

The firearm possession charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The conspiracy to commit bank fraud charge carries a maximum of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million.

Felder-Carter, Ford, and Keyes-Griffin have each previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the same conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing before Judge Kiel.

The investigation was led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Philadelphia Division, with support from the Pennsylvania State Police – Media Station, Pennsauken Police Department, and Springfield Township Police Department in Pennsylvania. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the Camden office is prosecuting the case.

All charges and admissions pertain to this case alone, and the defendant remains presumed innocent on any unrelated matters unless proven otherwise in court.