Straw purchasing is a serious federal gun crime that has drawn attention from federal authorities recently due to the rise in mass shootings. So what is straw purchasing? If someone buys a gun on your behalf when you are not legally eligible to purchase it, this is a crime known as “straw purchasing.” Many guns involved in crime scenes are guns that were bought for a person who was not eligible to own the gun. Worse still, straw-purchased guns often end up in the hands of minors.
In June 2022 the President signed into law the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BCSA). The BCSA establishes new criminal offenses for the straw purchasing of firearms and increases the maximum terms of imprisonment for straw purchasing to 15 years and a $250,000 fine and up to a 25-year prison sentence if the weapon is used to commit a felony, in an act of terrorism, or a drug trafficking crime.
In a recent case involving straw purchasing, Traveyon Richardson from Bangor, Maine, was sentenced in federal court in Boston for his role in a conspiracy to straw purchase firearms and traffic them to Massachusetts. Chief United States District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV sentenced Richardson to two years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Richardson had pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to straw purchase firearms and one count of firearm trafficking in April 2024. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2023 along with his alleged co-conspirator, Breon Stroup, whose case is still pending.
The case:
In September 2022, Stroup allegedly used Snapchat to ask Richardson to buy two specific firearms in Maine. Stroup then allegedly sent Richardson a Cash App transfer for the purchase. Richardson bought the firearms online, collected them from a licensed dealer, and transported them to Massachusetts in October 2022.
Alleged attempts to conceal their activities came to light through a recorded phone conversation in October 2022. During the call, Stroup allegedly assured Richardson that he had deleted his Snapchat account, and when asked about his iCloud account, Stroup allegedly claimed he had deleted that as well.
The coordinated efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Fall River Police Department, and the Maine State Police, played a crucial role in prosecuting this case.
Federal gun crime charges are not something to be taken lightly. Federal authorities are poised to use all available resources to investigate and prosecute these crimes. Even if you have no prior convictions, straw purchasing could land you in prison and leave you with a felony conviction that could derail your life. If you or someone you know has been accused of straw purchasing a firearm or trafficking firearms, you should reach out to an experienced federal gun crimes defense attorney immediately. At Dhar Law, LLP, our experienced team has defended countless cases in federal courts. Our hard-hitting approach gets results, so that our clients can get their lives back on track. Please contact us at 617-880-6155 to learn more about our federal gun crimes defense strategy and translation services so you understand your rights in any language.
