First things first, if you have reasonable cause to believe the person you're gifting a firearm to is prohibited from possessing . THE HILL 1625 K STREET, NW SUITE 900 WASHINGTON DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 TEL | 202-628-8503 FAX. Project Safe Neighborhoodsis a nationwide initiativeto reduce gun violence and violent crime in neighborhoods across the country. Home Press Releases Dept. The other hand shows a straw purchase as buying a gun and selling it directly to someone who can pass their own background check, without actually taking the background check. A straw purchase occurs when somebody purchases a firearm for another person while pretending to purchase it for personal use. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois, Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (LECC), Two Men Indicted in Scheme to Straw Purchase Firearms in Wisconsin and Re-Sell Them in Chicago, Federal Judge Sentences Rockford Man to More Than Five Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearm in Rockford, Federal Inmate Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for Assaulting Federal Correctional Officer, Chicago Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Setting Fire to Cell Phone Store, Two Men Indicted In Scheme To Straw Purchase Firearms In Wisconsin and Re Sell Them In Chicago. States such as Ohio, Nebraska, Oregon, and Delaware have individual straw purchase laws. Licensed dealers also are required under federal law to maintain records on their gun sales and make them available to law enforcement for inspection. Gun control groups have long called attention to the impact on gun violence of straw purchases, a term with which many may be unfamiliar. Of the over 140 firearms trafficked by Jones and his co-conspirators between early 2020 and mid-2021, approximately 45 were recovered at crime scenes primarily in Philadelphia. The motives of Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, were less clear that night. of Justice: Merrill woman sentenced to prison for making false statements during purchase of firearms, WisPolitics luncheon with Gov. A judge ordered the release Wednesday of the Indiana man charged by the feds with acting as the so-called straw purchaser of the gun that killed Chicago Police Officer Ella French and drew the ire of the city's top cop. In addition, the measure carries a mandatory minimum of four years in prison for repeat offenders involved in firearm-related crime if they are charged with three subsequent misdemeanors or one felony within a five-year period. Danzy was released on a $4,500 unsecured bond. Direct Evidence in Wisconsin Criminal Cases. A straw purchase is one in which one Person "A" buys a firearm for Person "B", at Person "B's" request. This person was unable to legally possess a gun because of a previous felony conviction. It is a serious danger to our communities. The charges Zastrow faced stemmed from one of the guns she purchased was used in a homicide. 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. 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. The PSN approach involves collaboration by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and communities to prevent and deter gun violence. Wisconsin resident KIRK VALENTINE purchased the firearms at retail stores, pawn shops and gun shows, and falsely certified on required forms that he was the actual buyer, according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago. (2) The prohibition in sub. . The teenager pleaded not guilty to all five counts and testified that he acted in self-defense, saying the men he shot were attacking him. But any violation of the Gun Control Act, 1968 make the . Rosenbaum was seen in a number of videos not protesting but causing destruction, setting fires, tipping over a Porta Potty, wielding a chain, and at one point even shouting the N-word. An investigation by law enforcement revealed that she purchased the firearms from an individual who accompanied her to the store and provided her with cash at the time of the purchase. of Justice: Merrill woman sentenced to prison for making false statements during purchase of firearms. The campaign was designed to prevent and discourage illegal straw purchases. Graap allegedly used one of those firearms to fatally shoot and kill Kayla Frank. In all, the agency logged 2,420 firearms in 2016, a rate of 407 per 100,000 people. 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 . Wisconsin resident KIRK VALENTINE purchased the firearms at retail stores, pawn shops and gun shows, and falsely certified on required forms that he was the actual buyer, according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago. 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. You should know the laws that apply to buying firearms as gifts for another person. 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 . This offense is known as a "straw purchase." The person Zastrow provided the firearms is prohibited by law from possessing firearms as a result of previous felony convictions and allegedly. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Dept. This is not giving a gift. Ritchie will also serve extended supervision after his release. 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. Please call us today at (972) 369-0577 to schedule a . The bipartisan group of senators announced on Sunday that it would seek to crack down on those purchases as part of an agreement on a series of gun-related proposals. The individual is also accused of using one of the weapons to commit a homicide. Straw purchasing firearms is not a victimless crime, said FBI Assistant SAC Larry L. Lapp. 941.2905 Straw purchasing of firearms. Commercial Contract Review, Drafting, and Negotiation, Employment Contracts and Non-Compete Agreements, Data Breaches / Cybersecurity Civil Defense, Identity Theft / Internet Fraud Charges Defense, Governmental Licensing, Compliance and Administrative Review, Professional Licensing and Disciplinary Defense. Here is the reason. The straw purchaser violates both of these laws by pretending to be the actual gun buyer when the purpose is to give the gun to another. Western Division We are tired of t. Rittenhouse and his friend, Dominick Black, testified that Black, who was 18 at the time, used Rittenhouse's money to purchase the weapon at a Wisconsin hardware store in May 2020. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus prosecuted this case. A "straw" purchase is a firearm purchase when one person buys the firearm with the intent of giving the gun to another person for their primary use. 327 S. Church Street, Room 3300 This is not John Waynes revolver it is a modern work of art! His Illinois residence helped spur rumors that the teenager traveled to Wisconsin with his rifle illegally in tow. Straw purchase is a purchase where a purchaser knowingly acquiring an item or service for someone. 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. 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. While straw buying is primarily prosecuted on the federal level, Wisconsin is not the first state to recently adopt their own statutes on the crime. Any violations of these laws can result in a 10-year prison sentence and fines up to $250,000. Someone makes a straw purchase when they purchase a gun on behalf of someone else who may not be . To complete the purchase,she represented that she was the actual buyer of these firearms when in fact she was not. This prison term will be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. . This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Departments program to reduce violent crime. ROCKFORD A federal judge has sentenced a Rockford man to five years and four months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm in Rockford, to be followed by ROCKFORD A former inmate of the United States Penitentiary in Thomson, Ill. was sentenced today to more than seven years in federal prison for assaulting a federal correctional officer. The two reportedly agreed that Black would keep the gun until Rittenhouse turned 18 in January 2021, according to court testimony. May 17, 2018: Valentine purchased two handguns at Holmen Pawn Shop in Holmen, Wisc. But the tech company later confirmed that Rittenhouse had not been a follower of the flagged page. He was ordered released on bond, and a status hearing was scheduled for Sept. 17, 2019, before U.S. District Judge John Z. Lee. Straw purchasers and firearm traffickers enable unlawful possession of guns and the violence that may follow, said John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. Sentencing Guidelines. Chicago, a much larger city but with similarly high murder rate, recovered 247 guns per 100,000 people. When a bipartisan group of 20 senators announced a framework deal for gun-related legislation on Sunday, it said one point of the nine-pronged proposal cracks down on people who illegally straw purchase and traffic guns. If the end recipient is not disclosed to the gun dealer/seller, they cannot run the background check for the actual purchaser/owner. MADISON, WI (WSAU) A Schofield man will serve two years in federal prison for making false statements to secure the purchase of a firearm for another man. A jury fully acquitted Kyle Rittenhouse on Friday, bringing a close to the high-profile and often tense trial that reflected America's deep political polarization. The two reportedly agreed that Black would keep the gun until Rittenhouse turned 18 in January 2021, according to court testimony. According to Kenoshanews. Giving someone a firearm carries a certain level of legal responsibility that does not come with gifting iPads or socks. While this was a misdemeanor charge for a very long time, in 2010 the Wisconsin legislature voted to make straw purchases a felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. First, contrary to what most people think, no Federal Law prohibits you from buying a gun as a gift for someone else. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. The charge against Zastrow was the result of an investigation conducted bythe Lincoln County Sheriffs Office, Merrill Police Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Marshfield Police Department. Pennington is prohibited from purchasing a firearm due to multiple felony convictions in the state of Wisconsin. A straw purchase, as defined by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, involves someone who purchases a gun for someone who is prohibited by law from possessing one or for someone who does not want their name associated with the transaction. Kyle Rittenhouse's trial has returned again and again to the semiautomatic rifle he used to kill two men and wound a third during the unrest in Kenosha, Wis., last year. "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. In the lawsuit, Ellison ask for "strengthened oversight of Fleet Farm's operations and increased training to prevent sales of guns to straw purchasers." The attorney general also wants Fleet Farm . MADISON, Wis. (WAOW) A 32-year-old Merrill woman was sentenced to 1, year, 1-day in federal prison on Friday formaking false statements during the purchase of two firearms. WisPolitics.com & WisBusiness.com: The clean energy shift is underway: How will the Inflation Reduction Act accelerate the transition? The PSN approach involves collaboration by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and communities to prevent and deter gun violence. He was acquitted on all counts. In sentencing Zastrow, Judge 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. 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. The indictment was returned Aug. 1, 2019, and ordered unsealed Wednesday. MADISON, WIS. Timothy M. OShea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Ashley Zastrow, 32, Merrill, Wisconsinwas sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 1 year and 1 day in federal prison formaking false statements during the purchase of two firearms. Answer (1 of 29): This will just be another embarrassing moment for the left's ridiculous attempts to convict someone for something that was completely legal. This prison term will be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. You are the original buyer, yet you have no intent to own the gun. The charge against Zastrow was the result of an investigation conducted bythe Lincoln County Sheriffs Office, Merrill Police Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Marshfield Police Department.". But Rittenhouse's possession of the firearm at the time was technically legal. During a trip to Black's family's hunting property in May 2020, Black agreed to buy a rifle for Rittenhouse, who was 17 and couldn't lawfully buy or possess one. Graap will next be in court again on May 8th at 11 a.m. for a Motion hearing. The Khindri brothers who own the dealership denied this under oath, but multiple other witnesses testified against them, backing Rittenhouse's version. Sign up for notifications from Insider! MADISON, WIS. Timothy M. OShea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Ashley Zastrow, 32, Merrill, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 1 year and 1 day in federal prison for making false statements during the purchase of two firearms. Similarly, those acting as a human holster for a criminal would be subject to a felony. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus prosecuted this case.