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. A 2015 survey of gun owners conducted by researchers at Harvard and Northeastern universities estimated that as many as 380,000 weapons are lost or stolen each year. (Photo: Walkers office). By: Camden R. Webb & Charles E. "Chuck" James, Jr. A Wisconsin gun shop, Badger Guns, has been held liable for almost $6 million for injuries to two police officers who were shot with a gun purchased at the shop. Who Is Liable When a Person Is Hit by a Car in Front of a Store? The offense is known as a 'straw purchase.' The person that Zastrow bought the firearms for was a convicted felon. The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Remington's Nylon 66 semi-automatic .22 LR rifles have grown from 1950s bargain buys to 21st century collectors darlings. 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. The governor and Lane are supporting House Bill 306. Stop Straw Purchases - Texas Gun Sense With other recent changes in the law, straw purchases, and people charged with other gun crimes, now face severe criminal penalties. 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. Merrill woman sentenced to federal prison in case stemming from The person purchase on behalf of other when the other person is unable to purchase the item or service themselves is not considered as an illegal act. I have no answer. 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. Wisconsin Gov. 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. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. WisPolitics.com DC breakfast with U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, WisPolitics luncheon with Marquette University Law School Poll Director Charles Franklin. Here's what it's like to shoot this classic scattergun. The gun was already being stored at a friend's house in Kenosha, according to police records and court testimony. This is known as a "straw purchase" and is a crime. Black is now being prosecuted for participating in the illegal straw purchase of the weapon on behalf of Rittenhouse. Any violations of these laws can result in a 10-year prison sentence and fines up to $250,000. The two reportedly agreed that Black would keep the gun until Rittenhouse turned 18 in January 2021, according to court testimony. Judge orders release of man charged with straw purchase of gun Firearm Gifts Legal Considerations . You have permission to edit this article. WAUSAU, Wis. (WAOW) -- A Wausau woman has been charged with making a false statement while purchasing firearms, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice. 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. Some other states have looser regulations that prohibit individuals from knowingly encouraging sellers to conduct those illegal firearm transfers, according to the group. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Stay up to date with what you want to know. Graap is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and two counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety. gun for an acquaintance in Chicago who was unable to buy a firearm himself due to a past felony conviction for theft in Wisconsin. 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. 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. To complete the purchase,she represented that she was the actual buyer of these firearms when in fact she was not. Error! If you were arrested or charged with a crime in connection to an alleged straw purchase, we can help. This prison term will be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don't miss out on updates. The agreement follows days of closed-door talks after a string of high-profile mass shootings, including at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and a supermarket in Buffalo, N.Y. 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 . The bill, SB 408, was among 41 signed by the Republican without comment this week. "We are doubling down on our efforts across the DMV to prosecute any and all straw purchasing cases. The weapon Rittenhouse used to shoot the three men was obtained in what many would consider a "straw purchase" arms sale. 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. 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. 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. A straw purchase is an illegal firearm purchase where the actual buyer of the gun, being unable to pass the required federal background check or desiring to not have his or her name associated with the transaction, uses a proxy buyer who can pass the required background check to purchase the firearm for him/her. Learn how you can help drug endangered children. 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. Good luck with that. A Word About Straw Purchases And Gifting Guns - American Gun Association A "Kenosha Guard" militia group on Facebook did issue a "call to arms" ahead of the violenceon August 25. Earlier this week, Judge Bruce Schroeder threw out a count of possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18 after Rittenhouse's defense argued the rifle was not short-barreled, capitalizing on an exception to the Wisconsin statute involving the barrel length of a gun. Attorneys Albert Berry III and Elizabeth Pozolo. Wausau woman facing charges in 'straw purchase' of firearms Scott Walker on Wednesday approved a measure touted as making it easier to prosecute illegal straw purchasing of firearms in the state. 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Beware the Straw Purchase! NSSF Since then, a number of straw buyers have faced a mandatory five-year minimum sentence under its guidelines. Court Case For Man Who Bought Rittenhouse Rifle Delayed There was an error processing your request. A Wisconsin jury fully acquitted Kyle Rittenhouse on Friday, finding him not guilty on five counts. This is not the same thing as purchasing a firearm as a genuine, bonafide gift. Ashley Zastrow, 32, purchased two firearms in Wisconsin Rapids on Jan. 13, 2022. This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Departments program to reduce violent crime. Chicago, a much larger city but with similarly high murder rate, recovered 247 guns per 100,000 people. Ashley Zastrow, 32, from Merrill, purchased two firearms in Wisconsin Rapids on Jan. 13, 2022. Generally, secretly purchasing a gun on someone else's behalf from a gun dealer, called a straw purchase, is illegal. In states where there is no specific law prohibiting a straw purchase, the federal law will apply. Kyle gifted the money to Dominic Black to Purchase the firearm for himself then do a private sale one Kyle had turned 18. 219 S. Dearborn St., 5th Floor Just hours before the protests, Rosenbaum had been released from a hospital following psychiatric care for a suicide attempt. Dept. Gifting vs Straw Purchasing. Dept. of Justice: Merrill woman sentenced to prison for making false Giving someone a firearm carries a certain level of legal responsibility that does not come with gifting iPads or socks. Stay in the know. 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. 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. Valentine, 23, of La Crosse, Wisc., and Rocha, 28, are charged with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license, and unlawfully dealing and importing firearms. Zastrow Sentenced for Straw Gun Purchase | WDEZ 101.9 FM Great Country 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. Although there are exceptions, generally all firearm purchasers must be at least 21 years of age to purchase any firearm. I ask myself that question every day," she told the outlet. Graap will next be in court again on May 8th at 11 a.m. for a Motion hearing. 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. According to Kyle The Answer to this is no. Rittenhouse lived about 20 minutes outside of Kenosha, in Antioch, Illinois. Thats why tougher laws on straw purchases are a priority for gun control groups. 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. 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. If you are being charged with making a straw purchase or with any other gun crime, contact our skilled Milwaukee criminal defense attorneys, who have defended many of these types of cases and are ready to defend you and protect your rights. 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. The campaign was designed to prevent and discourage illegal straw purchases. (2) The prohibition in sub. Have a question about Government Services? 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 . What is straw purchasing a gun? - Yahoo! News