Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele announced today that Jeremy Fuentes, 26, of Philadelphia, was found guilty of Second-Degree Murder and related charges in connection to a December 8, 2024, home-invasion homicide in Lower Merion Township.
Fuentes served as the driving force that led to the home invasion which left Andrew Gaudio dead and his mother, Bernadette Gaudio, seriously injured, officials said. The DA, in partnership with Lower Merion, Upper Moreland Township, and Abington Township police announced his arrest in January.
In Pennsylvania, Second-Degree Murder carries a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole, the DA said.
Charles Fulforth (above right), 41, of the Jenkintown section of Abington Township, and Kelvin Roberts (above left), 42, of Philadelphia were charged with first-degree murder for the deaths of a 61-year-old Lower Merion woman and her 25-year-old son in December. Both were employees at Junkluggers in Willow Grove.
They were each convicted in July of first-degree murder and related crimes.
An investigation found that information provided by Fuentes to Fulforth was the impetus behind Fulforth and Roberts entering the home to burglarize/rob it. According to officials, Fuentes, also an employee of Junkluggers, had met on December 6, 2024 with Bucks County homeowners with a similar address as the Lower Merion home to provide them with an estimate for removal of items by Junkluggers.
“When Fuentes was in the home, he observed a large gun safe, multiple firearms boxes, gun parts and ammunition, none of which were part of the estimate to be removed by Junkluggers,” the January report said. “Following the estimate, Fuentes called Fulforth and shared with him the information regarding the multiple firearms and related items in the home. He also told Fulforth that the homeowners were elderly.”
Officials said Fuentes and Fulforth were interested in stealing the firearms for their gun trafficking organization that illegally sold factory-made firearms as well as privately made ghost guns, machine gun conversion devices (aka switches) and silencers using multiple 3D-printers.
“This tragic murder and attempted murder was all about greed and putting guns in the hands of criminals,” DA Steele said in January. “If not for Fuentes’ involvement, the robbery/burglary would not have occurred and the Gaudios would still be living their normal lives. Now Fuentes is on the hook for Andrew Gaudio’s murder and the attempted murder of Bernadette Gaudio.”
In August, Frances S. Staten, 38, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty to multiple charges of illegal sale or transfer of firearms, criminal use of a communication facility, prohibited offensive weapon, and conspiracy to sell or transfer firearms in connection with a Montgomery County gun trafficking organization allegedly led by Fuentes, Fulforth, and Roberts.
In January, eight participants (including Staten) were charged with illegally selling factory-made firearms as well as manufacturing and selling 3D-printed “ghost guns,” suppressors (aka silencers) and machine gun conversion devices, commonly known as “switches.”
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Photo: Montco DA