Philadelphia Woman Convicted At Trial of Straw Purchasing Firearms in Bucks County for her Boyfriend | USAO-EDPA

PHILADELPHIA – Acting US Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Brihany Baker, 25, of Philadelphia, PA, was convicted today of illegally purchasing three semi-automatic firearms for her romantic partner.

In November 2020, the defendant was charged by the prosecution of criminal conspiracy with knowingly providing false information to a state weapons licensee and a false testimony to a state weapons licensee. The charges are based on an investigation into firearms straw buyers at an arms dealer in Horsham, PA in June 2020. Investigators were monitoring the store as they entered the store with the defendant and another person who was banned from buying firearms. Investigators then proactively delayed any firearm sales to the defendant and while receiving videos from the store showing that the banned buyer, who was also the defendant’s friend, Donte Maxwell, was pending $ 200 bail Left three semi-automatic firearms, they took care of the firearms and take photos of the firearms.

Then, in July 2020, the defendant returned to the store and bought the three semi-automatic firearms, stating on a federal Form 4473 that she was buying them for herself and not someone else. The defendant then confessed that she lied on the form and that she had actually bought the guns for her friend. At the time of purchase, Mr. Maxwell was charged with a felony and prohibited from purchasing firearms.

“The purpose of our ‘All Hands On Deck’ initiative is primarily to prevent violent crime, which includes the targeted fight against straw gun buyers,” said the acting US Attorney Williams. “By indicting crimes such as firearms buying, which involves buying firearms to hand over to people who are prohibited from legally buying or possessing them, we can cut off the supply of illegal weapons at the source. Now this defendant is confronted with the consequences of her actions. “

“ATF is committed to keeping firearms away from people who are prohibited from legal possession,” said Matthew Varisco, special agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Buying straw is a serious crime and ATF, together with our law enforcement partners and the US Attorney General, will continue to investigate and prosecute those responsible. This conviction ensures that this defendant can no longer buy firearms for others. “

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for all. The Department of Justice revitalized PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on fighting violent criminals, instructing all U.S. attorneys to work in partnership with law enforcement at the federal, state, local and tribal levels and the local community to be effective, local-based Strategies to Reduce Violent Crime.

The case has been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Michael Miller.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/philadelphia-woman-convicted-trial-straw-purchasing-firearms-bucks-county-her-boyfriend