Fighting violent crime is a top priority in our office, and we are committed to holding accountable those who engage in illicit firearm transactions.. A popular rumor that spread following the August 2020 shootings was the idea that Rittenhouse's mother, Wendy Rittenhouse, drove her teenaged son to the protests. In civil lawsuit, Ellison alleges Fleet Farm sold guns to straw buyers (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. Gifting Guns - Is It Legal - FFL License Kyle Ritchie was found guilty of buying four guns from a licensed dealer in Wausau last year by representing himself as the actual buyer. . Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. FOND DU LAC, Wis. - Attorney General Josh Kaul today announced that criminal charges have been filed against Denell Logan for first degree intentional homicide, felon in passion of a firearm, repeater, and possession of THC, repeater. Law enforcement agents call people who buy guns for those who aren't legally . The new law makes it a Class H felony in the state to purchase a gun with the intent to give it to someone prohibited from possessing a firearm or to act as a human holster by holding a weapon for a criminal. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. With other recent changes in the law, straw purchases, and people charged with other gun crimes, now face severe criminal penalties. Although there are exceptions, generally all firearm purchasers must be at least 21 years of age to purchase any firearm. 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. Why wasn't Rittenhouse charged with a straw purchase? : r/guns - reddit A straw purchase occurs when somebody purchases a firearm for another person while pretending to purchase it for personal use. The backers of the proposal, which passed the legislature on a voice vote, say the move was requested by the Milwaukee Police Department. 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. March 8, 2018: Valentine purchased three handguns at Gander Outdoors in Onalaska, Wisc. In 2012, Pennsylvania established the so-called Brad Fox Law named after a police officer shot in the head by a felon who had illegally purchased a gun through a third party. The indictment describes seven firearm transactions in Wisconsin: Holding straw purchasers accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods the Department of Justices violent crime reduction strategy. But those background checks and records involve the purchaser of the firearm and not always the ultimate user of the gun. Here is the reason. You have permission to edit this article. Circumstantial vs. Straw Purchase | USCCA But any violation of the Gun Control Act, 1968 make the . The PSN approach involves collaboration by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and communities to prevent and deter gun violence. A small number of states also penalize the actual buyer in straw purchases. of Justice: Merrill woman sentenced to prison for making false statements during purchase of firearms, WisPolitics luncheon with Gov. On January 13, 2022, Zastrow purchased two firearms in Wisconsin Rapids. Giving a gun as a gift? Here's what you need to know - Guns.com 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. April 13, 2018: Valentine purchased a handgun at Big Rooster Firearms in Sparta, Wisc. PDF 2021 California Firearms Laws Summary - Attorney General of California This crime is being prosecuted more vigorously as of late, and comes with a potential for a very long prison sentence. Both the purchaser and the intended buyer are criminally liable under these statutes; the actual buyer is criminally liable for aiding and abetting the straw purchase, and for causing another to make false statements. There was a problem saving your notification. Jones or an intermediary told the straw purchasers which firearms to buy and provided the money for the purchases. The 29-year-old Indiana man allegedly acted as a straw purchaser to buy the firearm used to kill Chicago police Officer Ella French. 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. A Cold War era classic with smooth lines, a legendary back story, and an exotic-sounding name, Beretta's Model 71 was definitely a mouse that roared. An indictment. This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Departments program to reduce violent crime. Seven years earlier, a study found as many as half of dealers from large U.S. cities expressed a willingness to participate in such a purchase. SCOTUS: "Straw" purchase prohibition applies even when true purchaser 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. The person that Zastrow bought the firearms for was a convicted felon. How Old Do You Have to be to Buy a Gun in Wisconsin? Johnson. That person also allegedly used one of the firearms purchased by Zastrow to commit a homicide. 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. A straw purchase typically involves one person buying a gun for someone else, usually because the other person cannot pass a background check or does not want a record of the purchase in their name. Direct Evidence in Wisconsin Criminal Cases. 219 S. Dearborn St., 5th Floor Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison on Wednesday filed a civil lawsuit against Wisconsin-based retailer Fleet Farm for allegedly selling guns to straw purchasers, including a man who. 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. The offense is known as a 'straw purchase.' The person that Zastrow bought the firearms for was a convicted felon. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. May 19, 2018: Valentine purchased two handguns from a dealer at Bob and Roccos Gun Show in Onalaska, Wisc. This prison term will . She was making the buyfor an individual who accompanied her to the store and provided her with cash at the time of purchase. On January 13, 2022, Zastrow purchased two firearms in Wisconsin Rapids. 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. 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. Instead, Ritchie passed the guns off to Victor Pennington in exchange for meth. We'll send breaking news and news alerts to you as they happen! 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. Criminals were very aware of these loopholes, said state Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills. 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. 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. 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. State laws punishing straw purchases vary. 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. May 19, 2018: Valentine purchased seven handguns from a dealer at Bob and Roccos Gun Show in Onalaska, Wisc. Similarly, those acting as a human holster for a criminal would be subject to a felony. Video of 17-year-old Kyle. A straw purchaser can be identified as a person with a clean background who purchases firearms specifically on behalf of a person prohibited from purchasing a firearm because that prohibited person is a convicted felon, domestic violence misdemeanant, juvenile, an individual who has been adjudicated mentally ill or one who is prohibited for other But as Rittenhouse testified, the teenager drove himself to Kenosha ahead of the protests. We are tired of t. 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. Charges were also filed against Callie Bender for two counts of straw purchase of a firearm, one count of aiding a felon and one count of possession of THC. 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. 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 . Dept. WisPolitics.com & WisBusiness.com: The clean energy shift is underway: How will the Inflation Reduction Act accelerate the transition? 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. Why has the person who performed a straw purchase of a firearm - Quora 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. When I dress Western, nothing beats the classic good looks of my Smith & Wesson (S&W) 586 .357 revolver. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Man faces 12 years for buying gun Kyle Rittenhouse used in - WISN 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. Southern District of West Virginia | West Virginia Straw Purchaser Schofield Man Sentenced for Straw Purchase of a Firearm Just hours before the protests, Rosenbaum had been released from a hospital following psychiatric care for a suicide attempt. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives provided assistance.