'Ireland's top criminals, LOL': Man who sold guns to Derry gangs jailed for 10 years

A MAN who used his US citizenship to buy military-grade firearms and ammunition legally in America before selling them on to Irish criminal gangs - including in Derry - has been jailed for ten years.

Passing sentence on Conor O'Brien at the three-judge Special Criminal Court this Monday, Ms Justice Karen O'Connor said criminal gangs need firearms to threaten and intimidate others and use them to maim, kill and terrorise. 

O'Brien, she said, had shown a cavalier attitude towards the harm he was causing by playing a "crucial, if not imperative role" providing arms and ammunition.

He took advantage of his dual citizenship to purchase guns in America and sell them here for financial gain, she said, adding that the impact of such crimes "cannot be overestimated".

In communications found on his phone, including one in which joked about selling guns to "Ireland's top criminals, LOL", Ms Justice O'Connor said he had shown "total disregard for the impact of such deadly weapons on our citizens".

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While O'Brien's guilty plea had been of value, Ms Justice O'Connor said the evidence against him was compelling as he had been caught "red-handed" with an extensive arsenal of firearms, ammunition and components in a shed he was renting.

Ms Justice O'Connor also noted that O'Brien had used his own name and details when purchasing the firearms and ammo in the US, making them traceable to him and showing "an element of naivety" in what he was doing.

Ms Justice O'Connor cited as an aggravating factor the extensive planning and organisation involved in the importation and sale of guns as she set a headline sentence of 15 years, the maximum penalty available. Having considered mitigating factors, including his guilty plea, she reduced the sentence to 11 years with the final 12 months suspended for one year.

The court ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the firearms and ammunition. However, the court will hear further submissions next week regarding cash that was also seized by gardai investigating O'Brien.

Counsel for O'Brien said there is no consent to the forfeiture of the cash in circumstances where money laundering charges that had been brought against O'Brien are no longer being pursued.

At a previous hearing, Detective Inspector Shane McCartan said: “Without Conor O’Brien, there would be no criminal organisation, such was his importance."

O’Brien and the leader of the gun-running ring, Mark McCourt, were distributing guns and ammunition to criminal gangs in Derry, Armagh, Dublin and Limerick, he said.

Last November, O'Brien aged 29, of Kilpatrick, Ardee, Co Louth, was arraigned on six charges.

He pleaded guilty that between February 10, 2023, and July 19, 2024 with knowledge of the existence of a criminal organisation, he did participate in or contribute to activity intending to facilitate the commission by the said criminal organisation or any of its members in the importation of firearms and ammunition and explosives.

He further pleaded guilty to five counts concerning the possession or control of a firearm or ammunition in suspicious circumstances, contrary to the provisions of Section 27A(1) of the Firearms Act 1964, as substituted by section 59 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 2007.

These related to offences at John Street, Blackstick, Ardee, Co Louth, on July 19, 2024, when he had unlawfully in his possession two .233 Remington calibre barrels from AR-15 pattern semi-automatic rifles, in circumstances giving rise to a reasonable inference that he did not possess them for a lawful purpose; he had possession of four .233 Remington calibre barrels from Anderson manufacturing AM-15 pattern semi-automatic rifles; he had eight frames for Sig Sauer semi-automatic pistols; a frame for a Canik semi-automatic pistol; and four slides for a Sig Sauer model P320 9mm Luger calibre semi-automatic pistol.

At the sentencing hearing, Det Insp McCartan told counsel for the State, Simon Matthews BL, that O’Brien and McCourt were involved in procuring the firearms in America and bringing them into Ireland, where they were distributed. 

Det Insp McCartan explained that the two men were bringing the weapons into Ireland in component parts, which were then reassembled.

The detective inspector said that both men were arrested and their phones seized, with forensic examination of the phones revealing communication between the two and other parties who used aliases.

He said that in one communication between O’Brien and a person known as “Eugene”, O’Brien made reference to a “suitcase full of Glocks” and “.22 is for babies”, the latter being a reference to .22 calibre ammunition.  

Det Insp McCartan said that in April 2023, McCourt and O’Brien flew to Las Vegas, with O’Brien returning to Ireland on April 9. In a communication between O’Brien and an individual known as ‘The Keeler’, the defendant mentioned “500 rounds of 9mm”. O’Brien also said that he was going “to stick them all together”, which Det Insp McCartan explained meant reassembling the component parts of firearms.

The detective inspector said that communication between the parties revealed that O’Brien had “military grade rifles” and Glock handguns, as well as large drum magazines, which were capable of firing 60 rounds, and assorted ammunition.  

Det Insp McCartan gave evidence that, in relation to this particular collection of weapons and ammunition, McCourt had messaged that “75K is the best price”.

The witness said that the two men had shared images and videos of the firearms with ‘The Keeler’, which showed the type of guns they had for sale. He said that some of the weapons were fully assembled, with everything stored in a shed in Blackstick in Ardee, which was rented by O’Brien.

The detective inspector told the court that gardaí were able to identify a serial number attached to one of the AR-15 rifles that showed the weapon had been purchased by O’Brien from a firearms shop in Nevada in February 2023. He gave further evidence of a conversation between McCourt and an individual known as ‘Vladimir Putin’ in May 2023, in which McCourt said he could get an AR-15 rifle with long range bullets that “can drop a deer at 900 yards, no problem”.

Det Insp McCartan also gave evidence of further communication between O’Brien and a person known as ‘C’, in which O’Brien said that he had “pipes”. The witness said that he believed this referred to pipe bombs, with O’Brien sourcing clients for pipe bombs which were to be manufactured by McCourt.

In further communication, McCourt made a reference to “meeting this other fella today to give him the money for the flight”. Det Insp McCartan said that other members of the criminal organisation were travelling to America to support the transporting of ammo and gun parts back to Ireland, with the gun components divided out between these air passengers.

In a communication in July 2024, O’Brien told a man called ‘Joe’ that he was selling weapons to “Ireland’s top criminals”.

Det Insp McCartan said that when gardaí raided the shed in Ardee in July 2024, they found a suitcase of firearms and handguns, which were semi-automatic pistols and military grade rifles, all of them in working order. The court was shown an example of the type of handgun and assault rifle that was found in the premises rented by O’Brien in Ardee.

The detective inspector said that when arrested, O’Brien initially downplayed his role in the offences but then accepted that the items found were his. When asked what his role was, O’Brien told gardaí: “I know guns.”  

Det Insp McCartan said that he formed the opinion about the existence of a criminal organisation, with O’Brien “operating in a symbiotic relationship" with McCourt.

“Without Conor O’Brien, there would be no criminal organisation, such was his importance,” said the detective inspector, adding that McCourt “was directing operations” in Derry, Armagh, Dublin and Limerick and dealing with “Ireland's top criminals”.

O’Brien had no previous convictions.  

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O'Brien's co-accused Mark McCourt, aged 34, of Edenreive, Newry, Co Down, was previously jailed for 12 years by the Special Criminal Court, having also pleaded guilty to facilitating the criminal organisation’s efforts to import restricted weapons between February 2023 and July 2024, and the possession of firearms components.

McCourt told one prospective customer he would throw in ten pipe bombs as a free gift to seal a €75,000 cash deal to supply guns and ammunition smuggled by air from America, the sentencing court heard.

He has 42 previous convictions, including for assault causing harm, theft and dangerous driving. McCourt was previously jailed for going to the home of an off-duty garda and ramming her car.