Success! (1) Whoever intentionally furnishes, purchases, or possesses a firearm for a person, knowing that the person is prohibited from possessing a firearm under s. 941.29 (1m), is guilty of a Class G felony. A lock ( The individual is also accused of using one of the weapons to commit a homicide. Beware the Straw Purchase! NSSF The charges Zastrow faced stemmed from one of the guns she purchased was used in a homicide. Fighting violent crime is a top priority in our office, and we are committed to holding accountable those who engage in illicit firearm transactions.. One thing is clear; whether you face federal charges or state charges, being accused of making a straw purchase can carry lengthy prison sentences and result in a felony conviction with substantial fines. In a November CNN interview, Democratic Rep. Karen Bass of California propagated the falsehood, alleging that Wendy accompanied her son over state lines so he could help law enforcement amid the unrest. He pleaded not guilty Wednesday during his arraignment in federal court in Chicago before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes. "In sentencing Zastrow, U.S. District Judge William M. Conley stated that she made a disastrous choice to transfer firearms to a prohibited person and could not ignore the fact that this choice contributed to a womans death. To complete the purchase,she represented that she was the actual buyer of these firearms when in fact she was not. Feds say 'straw buyer' purchased 39 handguns for a felon since July, paid more than $25,000 cash to firearms dealers. As far as straw purchases go, you stand in for someone. Graap allegedly used one of those firearms to fatally shoot and kill Kayla Frank. NRA Blog | Buying and Selling a Firearm: Straw Purchases The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a major victory to gun control advocates on Monday. With other recent changes in the law, straw purchases, and people charged with other gun crimes, now face severe criminal penalties. Ashley Zastrow will serve one year and one day in federal prison for presenting herself as the buyer of the handguns when in fact she was not. Tips For Preventing Firearm Straw Purchases. They're illegal, because criminals and other people who cannot pass a background check often get other people, who can pass a background check, to buy guns for them. The offense is known as a 'straw purchase.' The person that Zastrow bought the firearms for was a convicted felon. Tell us what you think about the songs we play! The campaign aims to not only provide better education for firearms retailers, but also to make the general public aware of the laws and penalties associated with making a straw purchase. Court documents allege Rittenhouse retrieved the gun from Black's stepfather's house in Kenosha on Aug. 25, 2020, and that Rittenhouse and Black went together, armed, to protests in downtown . This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Departments program to reduce violent crime. The law raises the maximum penalty for the illegal straw purchasing of guns under state law from a $10,000 fine and nine months in jail to six years in prison. Licensed dealers also are required under federal law to maintain records on their gun sales and make them available to law enforcement for inspection. Each count of the indictment is punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Judge William Conley said Ritchie knew he was purchasing guns for a known drug dealer, which warranted a prison sentence even though he has no prior sentences on his record. An official website of the United States government. The 29-year-old Indiana man allegedly acted as a straw purchaser to buy the firearm used to kill Chicago police Officer Ella French. How is a gun retailer supposed to stop straw purchases? The gun . NRA Blog | Buying and Selling a Firearm: Giving Someone A Gun Remington's Nylon 66 semi-automatic .22 LR rifles have grown from 1950s bargain buys to 21st century collectors darlings. Black said he used Rittenhouse's . April 13, 2018: Valentine purchased a handgun at Big Rooster Firearms in Sparta, Wisc. Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect. Dept. May 19, 2018: Valentine purchased two handguns from a dealer at Bob and Roccos Gun Show in Onalaska, Wisc. 20 Colorado for Pac-12 title berth, Olympic ticket sales for Paris Games gets off to rocky start. This prison term will be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. An investigation by law enforcement revealed that she purchased these firearms for an individual who accompanied her to the store and provided her with cash at the time of purchase. It is legal to purchase a firearm as a gift for another, since you are actually buying the firearm for yourself to gift to another. Judge Conley also reasoned that a prison sentence was warranted given the defendants poor performance on pre-trial release and nominal efforts to confront her methamphetamine addiction. How Can Employers Avoid Accusations of Wrongful Termination? Here are the states where residents will pay the biggest share of their income I never realized: Airbnb hosts warn of scam taking advantage of Shark Tanks Kevin OLeary blasts Ocasio-Cortez: She kills jobs by the Florida bill would require bloggers to register before writing about DeSantis, Trump collaborates on song with Jan. 6 defendants. Scott Walker on Wednesday approved a measure touted as making it easier to prosecute illegal straw purchasing of firearms in the state. States such as Ohio, Nebraska, Oregon, and Delaware have individual straw purchase laws. The statement signed by 10 Senate Republicans indicates the legislation has a good chance of avoiding a legislative filibuster, the 60-vote threshold required for most bills. Judge orders release of man charged with straw purchase of gun without the transfer creating a "straw purchase". 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. This prison term will . Southern District of West Virginia | West Virginia Straw Purchaser Ashley Zastrow will serve one year and one day in federal prison for presenting herself as the buyer of the handguns when in fact she was not. 922(a)(6) and 18 U.S.C. Who Can't Buy a Gun in Wisconsin? Firearms dont get much more iconic than John Moses Brownings legendary Auto-5 semi-auto shotgun, affectionately called the Humpback for its distinctive drop at the rear of the receiver. There are two federal statutes under which straw purchases are usually prosecuted: 18 U.S.C. Huber's great aunt, Susan Hughes, also testified at Rittenhouse's trial, saying Huber knew Jacob Blake personally and was upset by his shooting. A straw purchase is when you purchase a firearm at the behest of another person. Law enforcement agents call people who buy guns for those who aren't legally . Zastrow Sentenced for Straw Gun Purchase | 95.5 WIFC A straw purchase is one in which one Person "A" buys a firearm for Person "B", at Person "B's" request. Alleged Straw Purchaser of Gun Used to Kill Officer Ella French to Be Why has the person who performed a straw purchase of a firearm - Quora Straw purchases are deemed a federal crime, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. For instance, if a father were to buy his son a firearm and didn't plan on being the owner and primary user of the weapon himself, it would qualify as a straw purchase. Black is now being prosecuted for participating in the illegal straw purchase of the weapon on behalf of Rittenhouse. But during his trial, Rittenhouse testified in court that he drove himself from his home in Illinois to Kenosha on August 24, 2020, the day before he fatally shot two men. Section 941.2905 - Straw purchasing of firearms (1) Whoever intentionally furnishes, purchases, or possesses a firearm for a person, knowing that the person is prohibited from possessing a firearm under s. 941.29 (1m), is guilty of a Class G felony. According to federal law, an individual convicted of a straw purchase may be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison, and may even be required to pay a fine of . In all, the agency logged 2,420 firearms in 2016, a rate of 407 per 100,000 people. Nov. 10, 2021. This crime is being prosecuted more vigorously as of late, and comes with a potential for a very long prison sentence. Two Men Indicted in Scheme to Straw Purchase Firearms in Wisconsin and Assembly Bill 524 and its counterpart, Senate Bill 408, were introduced in August by state Rep. Joe Sanfelippo, R-New Berlin, and Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills. Rittenhouse, 18, was on trial for fatally shooting two men and injuring a third during civil unrest in Kenosha in 2020. Insider debunked six prevalent myths surrounding the high-profile and tense trial. Get Guns.com offers and news!! It is a bill that would prohibit so-called "straw purchases" of firearms; it would make this practice a fourth-degree felony in New Mexico, according to a press release from the governor's office. May 17, 2018: Valentine purchased two handguns at Holmen Pawn Shop in Holmen, Wisc. The two reportedly agreed that Black would keep the gun until Rittenhouse turned 18 in January 2021, according to court testimony. SCOTUS: "Straw" purchase prohibition applies even when true purchaser Wisconsin Legislature: 941.2905 Since then, a number of straw buyers have faced a mandatory five-year minimum sentence under its guidelines. 924(a)(1)(A) imposes fines and possible prison sentences against any person who knowingly makes a false statement regarding any of the information required by federal firearms law. Minnesota attorney general sues Fleet Farm over firearm sales 922(d) if the seller knew or had reason to know that the person buying the gun is a criminal or otherwise prohibited buyer. How Kyle Rittenhouse Got His Gun - The New York Times