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. The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. This person was unable to legally possess a gun because of a previous felony conviction. 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. Your intent is to act as the agent. Smith & Wesson Model 586: Reviewing A .357 Revolver With Class. By signing up you agree to Guns.com's 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. "This is part of a longstanding and deadly pattern in Chicago of straw . A straw purchase occurs when somebody purchases a firearm for another person while pretending to purchase it for personal use. . The charges Zastrow faced stemmed from one of the guns she purchased was used in a homicide. The offense is known as a 'straw purchase.' The person that Zastrow bought the firearms for was a convicted felon. 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. Straw purchasing is when someone buys a gun for another person who isn't legally allowed to own one, such as felons. NSSF employee Michael Bazinet spends a lot of time focusing on the "Don't Lie . Federal law criminalizes making false statements about a material fact on ATF forms and criminalizes presenting false identification when purchasing a firearm. This crime is being prosecuted more vigorously as of late, and comes with a potential for a very long prison sentence. 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. Danzy was released on a $4,500 unsecured bond. Project Safe Neighborhoodsis a nationwide initiativeto reduce gun violence and violent crime in neighborhoods across the country. The PSN approach involves collaboration by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and communities to prevent and deter gun violence. Despite the federal prohibition and state-level legislation, many gun control advocates and experts say the illegal transactions still happen regularly. It is classified as a serious crime in Illinois (Class 2 felony), but police rarely. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Departments program to reduce violent crime. The firearms in question were used by Tanner Graap. U.S. Attorney Lausch announced the charges along with Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the FBI, and Eddie Johnson, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. On January 13, 2022, Zastrow purchased two firearms in Wisconsin Rapids. We'll send breaking news and news alerts to you as they happen! First things first, if you have reasonable cause to believe the person you're gifting a firearm to is prohibited from possessing . 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 . 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. You have permission to edit this article. March 23, 2018: Valentine purchased two handguns from a dealer at Bob and Roccos Gun Show in Onalaska, Wisc. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. 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. There are two federal statutes under which straw purchases are usually prosecuted: 18 U.S.C. 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. 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. 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. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Federally licensed firearm dealers are required to perform background checks for those seeking to buy a firearm. According to Kenoshanews. CHICAGO A Chicago resident has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison for setting fire to the Boost Mobile Store Eastern Division 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. 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. In all, the agency logged 2,420 firearms in 2016, a rate of 407 per 100,000 people. Please call us today at (972) 369-0577 to schedule a . A locked padlock Straw purchases are deemed a federal crime, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Kyle Ritchie was found guilty of buying four guns from a licensed dealer in Wausau last year by representing himself as the actual buyer. Nov. 10, 2021. 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. The gun . Section 18 U.S.C. 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 . 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. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. 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. Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don't miss out on updates. 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. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 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. 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. 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. Some other states have looser regulations that prohibit individuals from knowingly encouraging sellers to conduct those illegal firearm transfers, according to the group. Rittenhouse testified that he and Black went downtown because they were invited to guard the Car Source, a Kenosha car dealership, during the unrest and were under the impression they were going to be paid. MADISON, WI (WSAU) A Merrill woman has been sentenced for making false statements to secure the purchase of two firearms, a practice known as a straw purchase. There was an error processing your request. Huber's great aunt, Susan Hughes, also testified at Rittenhouse's trial, saying Huber knew Jacob Blake personally and was upset by his shooting. Tips For Preventing Firearm Straw Purchases. gun for an acquaintance in Chicago who was unable to buy a firearm himself due to a past felony conviction for theft in Wisconsin. The prison term will be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Purchasing firearms for people prohibited from owning them, commonly known as straw purchases, would be a felony in Wisconsin if a newly introduced bill is passed into law. 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. 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. You are the original buyer, yet you have no intent to own the gun. Merrill woman sentenced to federal prison in case stemming from homicide, Our Kids in Crisis: A Mental Health Emergency, one of the guns she purchased was used in a homicide, Wisconsin legislators ask Governor Evers to remove Milwaukee County District Attorney from duties following Waukesha tragedy, A local school district hosts school-based mental health counseling retreat, Marathon Co. corrections officer awarded sheriffs office life saving medal, Wisconsin politicians react to Roe v. Wade being overturned by U.S. Supreme Court. Here's what it's like to shoot this classic scattergun. During the investigation, law enforcement utilized ATFs National Integrated Ballistic Information Network. Johnson. (2) The prohibition in sub. The jury's verdict in the case, handed down on October 13, 2015, found that a gun shop employee acted negligentlyand . Wisconsin law makes it a crime to provide false information to a gun dealer with the intent to purchase a firearm and then transfer it to a person prohibited from obtaining one. In order to complete the purchase of the firearms, she represented that she was the actual buyer of these firearms when she was not. This crime is being prosecuted more vigorously as of late, and comes with a potential for a very long prison sentence. K-Mart Classics: Remingtons Nylon Rimfires Engineered To Last. 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. After he pleaded not guilty to the initial charges in January 2021, prosecutors said Rittenhouse went to a bar in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, where he posed for photos with members said to be of the Proud Boys while flashing a "white power" hand signal. 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. 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. Gifting vs Straw Purchasing. Circumstantial vs. It is this intent that matters. Top Ukrainian intelligence official: Russia will run out of military Watch live: White House monkeypox response team holds briefing, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. Graap allegedly used one of those firearms to fatally shoot and kill Kayla Frank.