The judge noted that the prosecution did not find any evidence of his affiliation with a white supremacist group in phone records or social media history, and as Michelle Mark previously reported, ruled the trip to the bar was not relevant to the 2020 shooting. In states where there is no specific law prohibiting a straw purchase, the federal law will apply. Anthony Huber's girlfriend told the New York Post that she and Huber, 26, were protesting that night. Should I Move Out of My Home During My Divorce? Black is now being prosecuted for participating in the illegal straw purchase of the weapon on behalf of Rittenhouse. 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 used one of the firearms purchased by Zastrow to commit a homicide. When a person buys a gun intending to later sell it to someone else, the government often prosecutes the initial buyer under 18 U.S.C. He said he had gone downtown the night of August 25, 2020 and dozens of other nights that summer to provide medical aid to anyone in need, regardless of political affiliation. She was making the buyfor an individual who accompanied her to the store and provided her with cash at the time of purchase. It is a serious danger to our communities. The PSN approach involves collaboration by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and communities to prevent and deter gun violence. Black said he used Rittenhouse's . Call us at 414-271-1440 or send us an e-mail today to discuss your case. Pennington is prohibited from purchasing a firearm due to multiple felony convictions in the state of Wisconsin. Graap allegedly used one of those firearms to fatally shoot and kill Kayla Frank. gun for an acquaintance in Chicago who was unable to buy a firearm himself due to a past felony conviction for theft in Wisconsin. . A small number of states also penalize the actual buyer in straw purchases. 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Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. To complete the purchase,she represented that she was the actual buyer of these firearms when in fact she was not. This is not John Waynes revolver it is a modern work of art! K-Mart Classics: Remingtons Nylon Rimfires Engineered To Last. of Justice: Merrill woman sentenced to prison for making false statements during purchase of firearms. First, contrary to what most people think, no Federal Law prohibits you from buying a gun as a gift for someone else. Ashley Zastrow, 32, from Merrill, purchased two firearms in Wisconsin Rapids on Jan. 13, 2022. In the aftermath of Friday's verdict, a flurry of responses and reactions to the ruling restated longstanding myths and misinformation surrounding the trial and Rittenhouse's actions on August 25, 2020. 922(a)(6) and 18 U.S.C. 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. Home Press Releases Dept. Chicago, a much larger city but with similarly high murder rate, recovered 247 guns per 100,000 people. Law enforcement agents call people who buy guns for those who aren't legally . Wisconsin law also criminalizes straw purchases, and anyone who helps another illegally obtain a firearm can also be prosecuted for intentionally aiding and abetting a crime. 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. The campaign was designed to prevent and discourage illegal straw purchases. Federally licensed firearm dealers are required to perform background checks for those seeking to buy a firearm. Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Lock In general, straw purchases are legal except in cases where the ultimate receiver of goods or services uses those . Contact Us About Straw Purchases in Texas. Straw purchases are deemed a federal crime, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. This prison term will be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. 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. Rittenhouse, 18, who was not charged with murder, faced charges of first-degree reckless homicide, first-degree intentional homicide, and attempted first-degree intentional homicide for fatally shooting two men and injuring a third during protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in August 2020, following the police shooting of Jacob Blake. The two reportedly agreed that Black would keep the gun until Rittenhouse turned 18 in January 2021, according to court testimony. 922 (a)(6) for making a false statement about the identity of the buyer that is "material to the lawfulness of the sale." These prosecutions rely on the court-created "straw purchaser" doctrine, a legal fiction that treats the ultimate recipient of a firearm . During sentencing, Judge William M. Conley said that she made a 'disastrous' choice to transfer firearms to a felon and he could not ignore that it allegedly contributed to a woman's death. Generally, secretly purchasing a gun on someone else's behalf from a gun dealer, called a straw purchase, is illegal. Official websites use .gov Instead, Ritchie passed the guns off to Victor Pennington in exchange for meth. Section 18 U.S.C. Dept. The barrels under 16 inches should've only applied to 18 year old+ who were legally allowed to carry. The charges Zastrow faced stemmed from one of the guns she purchased was used in a homicide. Since then, a number of straw buyers have faced a mandatory five-year minimum sentence under its guidelines. The 5-4 ruling allows strict enforcement of the federal ban on gun "straw purchases," or one person buying a . This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Departments program to reduce violent crime. 327 S. Church Street, Room 3300 Wisconsin Gov. When I dress Western, nothing beats the classic good looks of my Smith & Wesson (S&W) 586 .357 revolver. 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. Straw purchasing is when someone buys a gun for another person who isn't legally allowed to own one, such as felons. 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. This indictment demonstrates the FBIs commitment to working with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to help stop the flow of illegal guns into our neighborhoods., We are going to continue to use the full weight of the Chicago Police Department and U.S. Justice Department to send a clear message that we will not tolerate the proliferation and use of illegal guns in Chicago, said CPD Supt. Straw purchases of firearms are also violations of federal law, and under both state and federal law, it is a felony that carries the potential for a long prison term. In sentencing the 32-year-old, 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. State laws punishing straw purchases vary. His legal team said Rittenhouse did not know who the men were or what group they were affiliated with and was unfamiliar with the hand symbol's meaning. Each count of the indictment is punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in prison. This is known as a "straw purchase" and is a crime. The criminal case against the 19-year-old who allegedly made the straw purchase that provided Kyle Rittenhouse his gun has been put on . CHICAGO Two men have been indicted on federal firearm charges for conspiring to straw purchase 19 handguns in Wisconsin and re-sell them in Chicago. The civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Blake family, falsely described Rittenhouse on Friday as a "self-declared white nationalist." Fighting violent crime is a top priority in our office, and we are committed to holding accountable those who engage in illicit firearm transactions.. 924(a)(1)(A). Similarly, those acting as a human holster for a criminal would be subject to a felony. Tips For Preventing Firearm Straw Purchases. Merrill woman sentenced for making false statements while purchasing firearms, Liverpool and United call on fans to stop 'tragedy chanting', Rangers, Bruins among winners at close of NHL trade deadline, Skier Shiffrin's quest for 86th win extended after downhill, Jin Young Ko leads by 2 after 3rd round at LPGA Singapore, Western Illinois plays in Summit Tournament against the St. Thomas, Washington St. stuns No. He was ordered released on bond, and a status hearing was scheduled for Sept. 17, 2019, before U.S. District Judge John Z. Lee. Therefore, if you are being charged with making a straw purchase of a firearm, it is very important to have an experienced criminal defense attorney by your side from the very beginning. 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 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. Who Can't Buy a Gun in Wisconsin? 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 used one of the firearms purchased by Zastrow to commit a homicide. Good luck with that. A straw purchase is someone intentionally avoiding a background check, a waiting period, or is too young to purchase the gun in the first place. Any violations of these laws can result in a 10-year prison sentence and fines up to $250,000. Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children. MADISON, WIS. - Timothy M. O'Shea, 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. The Judge gave him the break of a lifetime by obfuscating two different statues. A straw purchase is when you purchase a firearm at the behest of another person. Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don't miss out on updates. After providing personal information, question 21 - made up of 11 "yes" or "no" sub-questions - begins by asking "Are you the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm (s) listed on this form . If you were arrested or charged with a crime in connection to an alleged straw purchase, we can help. A straw purchase is any purchase in which a second person agrees to acquire a firearm for someone else. This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Departments program to reduce violent crime. In reality, Valentine was a straw purchaser who knowingly bought the guns at the direction of FRANCISCO ROCHA, a Chicago resident who identified which firearms he wanted and paid Valentine a premium over the list prices, the indictment states. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Danzy was released on a $4,500 unsecured bond. Gifting vs Straw Purchasing. Graap will next be in court again on May 8th at 11 a.m. for a Motion hearing. Democrats hope they can bring a gun violence package to the floor the week of June 20. Ritchie will also serve extended supervision after his release. 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. 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. Western Division This case is the latest example of the daily work police officers, federal agents and United States Attorneys are doing to safeguard communities and create a culture of accountability for gun offenders.. In order to complete the purchase of the firearms, she represented that she was the actual buyer of these firearms when she was not. All Rights Reserved, Gov. Prosecutors had said they wanted Jamel Danzy held in custody, and a detention hearing had been set for Wednesday. Rocha was ordered to remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Sept. 10, 2019, at 1:30 p.m. Valentine self-surrendered to the Court on Aug. 5, 2019. Scott Walker on Wednesday approved a measure touted as making it easier to prosecute illegal straw purchasing of firearms in the state. GRGB Law serves people in the greater Milwaukee area and all of SE Wisconsin, as well as Midstate Wisconsin and throughout the state, including: You do not have JavaScript enabled. 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. Learn how you can help drug endangered children. 219 S. Dearborn St., 5th Floor Circumstantial vs. 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. 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. 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. . In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, including by prosecuting individuals who illegally purchase firearms. Gaige Grosskreutz, a then-27-year-old EMT who survived being shot by Rittenhouse, testified during the trial, telling the jury that he frequently attended demonstrations as a volunteer medic and chose not to affiliate with any particular side. "This is part of a longstanding and deadly pattern in Chicago of straw . Licensed dealers also are required under federal law to maintain records on their gun sales and make them available to law enforcement for inspection. Reports of thefts to police are much lower: they totalled about 240,000 in 2016, according to the FBI's National Crime Information Center, which derives its figures from data provided by local law enforcement. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Just hours before the protests, Rosenbaum had been released from a hospital following psychiatric care for a suicide attempt. Although there are exceptions, generally all firearm purchasers must be at least 21 years of age to purchase any firearm. You should know the laws that apply to buying firearms as gifts for another person. Remington's Nylon 66 semi-automatic .22 LR rifles have grown from 1950s bargain buys to 21st century collectors darlings. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. In the first six months of 2018, the pair caused at least 19 handguns to be purchased in Wisconsin and transported to Chicago, where Rocha and others re-sold and distributed them, the indictment states. 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. Rocha was arrested in Wisconsin on Aug. 9, 2019. It is legal to purchase a firearm as a gift for another, if you are actually buying the firearm for . 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. Dominick Black, who purchased the AR-15 rifle carried and used by Kyle Rittenhouse during the protests in Kenosha last August, could walk out of court a free man later today without any criminal. (2) The prohibition in sub. 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.