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<\/p>\nSix people were arrested in connection with an organized criminal organization linked to kidnappings, robberies, extortion schemes and other crimes across the Philadelphia region, according to the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, prosecutors announced charges against Daquine Owens, 29, Ajahnae Owens, 31, Aysir Bond, 23, Najwa Owens, 46, and Gregory Johnson, 25, all of Philadelphia, and Keith Cirwithen-Howell, 29, of Dover, Delaware. According to officials, the suspects were members of an organized criminal enterprise known as “ARP” or “Always Running Plays,” which is behind multiple crimes throughout Montgomery, Philadelphia and Delaware counties.<\/p>\n
On June 27, 2026, detectives began their investigation following an incident at a parking lot of a LongHorn Steakhouse in Bala Cynwyd, where “ARP” members lured a person through an online app.<\/p>\n
Officials said when the person arrived, three masked men, later identified as Daquine Owens, Bond and Cirwithen-Howell, approached him wearing body armor, claiming to be law enforcement officers and placed him in handcuffs. Then, the suspects forced the man into a car, took his phone and wallet, accessed his financial accounts and began transferring money to accounts controlled by members of the organization.<\/p>\n
According to prosecutors, the masked men then drove the victim to other locations where more money was taken using mobile banking applications and an in-store ATM before dropping him off back at the LongHorn Steakhouse parking lot. <\/p>\n
The next day, the victim reported the incident to Lower Merion Township Police.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Investigators reviewed surveillance footage and financial records, and conducted search warrants and witness interviews to identify members of the organization and uncover evidence that showed the June incident was not isolated, prosecutors said.<\/p>\n
According to officials, detectives found that members of ARP targeted at least one other victim through a similar scheme in 2024 and extorted more than $100,000 from the victim over an extended period.<\/p>\n
In another incident, prosecutors said members of the organization lured a victim to a meeting under the pretense of discussing money the person supposedly owed, prosecutors said. When the victim arrived, one member wrapped a rope around the victim’s neck while other members threatened them with a firearm.<\/p>\n
As the investigation progressed, detectives also uncovered evidence of a straw purchasing and gun trafficking operation centered around Daquine Owens, who is prohibited from possessing firearms under both Pennsylvania and federal law due to prior felony convictions, prosecutors said.<\/p>\n
According to officials, detectives found that Ajahnae Owens purchased numerous firearms between 2021 and 2025, including handguns, rifles and a Draco-style firearm.<\/p>\n
Through firearms purchase records, ATF tracing information, cellphone evidence, digital communications, photographs and videos recovered during the investigation, detectives documented Daquine Owens possessing many of the firearms after they were purchased by Ajahnae Owens. <\/p>\n
According to prosecutors, a straw purchase occurs when a person who can legally purchase a firearm buys the firearm on behalf of another individual in order to conceal the firearm’s true ownership. These schemes are commonly used to obtain firearms for individuals who are prohibited from legally possessing them.<\/p>\n
Detectives also found evidence that firearms purchased in Pennsylvania were transported across state lines. The investigation showed that Ajahnae Owens purchased a Glock pistol and a Draco-style firearm in August 2025. Through cellphone records, photos and videos, detectives found that shortly after the purchases, Daquine Owens and Bond traveled to South Florida while in possession of Ajahnae Owens\u2019 firearms, despite her not accompanying them on the trip.<\/p>\n
Detectives also examined financial records and expenditures by members of the organization. <\/p>\n
According to officials, the investigation found that proceeds obtained through robberies and extortion schemes were used to purchase firearms, fund travel to destinations including Florida and Cancun, rent luxury vehicles, charter yachts, purchase jewelry and luxury watches, and buy designer clothing and other high-end items.<\/p>\n
Detectives also recovered communications in which members of the organization boasted that luxury purchases and trips were funded using money obtained from ARP\u2019s victims, officials said.<\/p>\n
All suspects are charged with corrupt organizations and related offenses. Daquine Owens, Bond, Cirwithen-Howell and Johnson are additionally charged with kidnapping, robbery, theft by extortion and related offenses.<\/p>\n
Daquine and Ajahnae Owens are additionally charged with offenses related to firearms trafficking. Najwa Owens is additionally charged with receiving stolen property, criminal use of a communication facility and related charges.<\/p>\n
Daquine Owens and Ajahnae Owens were arrested in Delaware on Oct. 5, 2026. Daquine Owens was extradited to Montgomery County on Oct. 7, 2026. Ajahnae Owens is awaiting extradition.<\/p>\n
Keith Cirwithen-Howell turned himself in on the charges on Oct. 5, 2026. Johnson and Najwa Owens were arrested on Sept. 30, 2026.<\/p>\n
An arrest warrant has been issued for Bond.<\/p>\n
A preliminary hearing for the suspects in custody is scheduled for Oct. 19.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Six people were arrested in connection with an organized criminal organization linked to kidnappings, robberies, extortion schemes and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":303143,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[212,200,69,71,70],"class_list":["post-303142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-philadelphia","tag-delaware-county","tag-montgomery-county","tag-philadelphia","tag-philadelphia-headlines","tag-philadelphia-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/303142","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=303142"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/303142\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/303143"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=303142"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=303142"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=303142"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}