The Khindri brothers who own the dealership denied this under oath, but multiple other witnesses testified against them, backing Rittenhouse's version. May 13, 2018: Valentine purchased two handguns at Ace Hardware in La Crosse, Wisc. Criminals were very aware of these loopholes, said state Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills. If they ask you to buy it, fill out the 4473 in your name, and then pay you . 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Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. The two reportedly agreed that Black would keep the gun until Rittenhouse turned 18 in January 2021, according to court testimony. 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. A straw purchase or nominee purchase is any purchase wherein an agent agrees to acquire a good or service for someone who is often unable or unwilling to purchase the good or service themselves, and the agent transfers the goods or services to that person after purchasing them. How Old Do You Have to be to Buy a Gun in Wisconsin? Black is now being prosecuted for participating in the illegal straw purchase of the weapon on behalf of Rittenhouse. 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. By signing up you agree to Guns.com's 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 motives of Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, were less clear that night. CHICAGO A Chicago resident has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison for setting fire to the Boost Mobile Store Eastern Division May 19, 2018: Valentine purchased seven handguns from a dealer at Bob and Roccos Gun Show in Onalaska, Wisc. There are two federal statutes under which straw purchases are usually prosecuted: 18 U.S.C. 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. Since then, a number of straw buyers have faced a mandatory five-year minimum sentence under its guidelines. Nov. 10, 2021. But Rittenhouse has never publicly identified as a member of any extremist group. . 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. The barrels under 16 inches should've only applied to 18 year old+ who were legally allowed to carry. An official website of the United States government. When a bipartisan group of 20 senators announced a framework deal for gun-related legislation on Sunday, it said one point of the nine-pronged proposal cracks down on people who illegally straw purchase and traffic guns. Each count of the indictment is punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Wisconsin Gov. 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. I have no answer. 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. Gifting vs Straw Purchasing. A judge ordered the release Wednesday of the Indiana man charged by the feds with acting as the so-called straw purchaser of the gun that killed Chicago Police Officer Ella French and drew the ire of the city's top cop. of Justice: Merrill woman sentenced to prison for making false statements during purchase of firearms. The recent decision against a Milwaukee gun store in the shooting of two Milwaukee police officers has brought the issue of straw purchases of firearms to the forefront. 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. The family has a 13-acre property with an old gravel pit used as a gun range. 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. In states where there is no specific law prohibiting a straw purchase, the federal law will apply. 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. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. You have permission to edit this article. Scott Walker on Wednesday approved a measure touted as making it easier to prosecute illegal straw purchasing of firearms in the state. WisPolitics.com DC breakfast with U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, WisPolitics luncheon with Marquette University Law School Poll Director Charles Franklin. MADISON, WIS. Timothy M. OShea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Ashley Zastrow, 32, Merrill, Wisconsinwas sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 1 year and 1 day in federal prison formaking false statements during the purchase of two firearms. With no legislative text, the specifics of a crackdown on straw purchases remain unclear. States such as Ohio, Nebraska, Oregon, and Delaware have individual straw purchase laws. Dominick Black, a friend of Rittenhouse who was 18 at the time, testified earlier in the trial that Rittenhouse paid him to buy the rifle from a hardware store in Wisconsin back in May 2020. Straw purchasers and firearm traffickers enable unlawful possession of guns and the violence that may follow, said John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. There was a problem saving your notification. 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. CHICAGO (WLS) -- A Wisconsin man is charged with providing the gun to teenager Kyle Rittenhouse who then allegedly killed two men during the unrest in late August. Huber's great aunt, Susan Hughes, also testified at Rittenhouse's trial, saying Huber knew Jacob Blake personally and was upset by his shooting. First things first, if you have reasonable cause to believe the person you're gifting a firearm to is prohibited from possessing . The teenager pleaded not guilty to all five counts and testified that he acted in self-defense, saying the men he shot were attacking him. Johnson. 924(a)(1)(A). 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. 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. The prison term will be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. I ask myself that question every day," she told the outlet. For instance, if a father were to buy his son a firearm and didn't plan on being the owner and primary user of the weapon himself, it would qualify as a straw purchase. Rockford: (815) 987-4444. Project Safe Neighborhoodsis a nationwide initiativeto reduce gun violence and violent crime in neighborhoods across the country. Straw purchasing is when someone buys a gun for another person who isn't legally allowed to own one, such as felons. Remington's Nylon 66 semi-automatic .22 LR rifles have grown from 1950s bargain buys to 21st century collectors darlings. Jones or an intermediary told the straw purchasers which firearms to buy and provided the money for the purchases. A locked padlock 327 S. Church Street, Room 3300 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. 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. "Straw purchasing a firearm is a federal crime with serious consequences," said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. That person also allegedly used one of the firearms purchased by Zastrow to commit a homicide. 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 bill, SB 408, was among 41 signed by. However, you should beware of what is known as a straw purchase, which is illegal. As far as straw purchases go, you stand in for someone. 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. Good luck with that. 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. Law enforcement agents call people who buy guns for those who aren't legally . Pennington will be sentenced for his role in the incident (one count of distributing meth) next January. During a trip to Black's family's hunting property in May 2020, Black agreed to buy a rifle for Rittenhouse, who was 17 and couldn't lawfully buy or possess one. Epic 22 Pocket Pistol: The Beretta 71 Jaguar. ROCKFORD A federal judge has sentenced a Rockford man to five years and four months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm in Rockford, to be followed by ROCKFORD A former inmate of the United States Penitentiary in Thomson, Ill. was sentenced today to more than seven years in federal prison for assaulting a federal correctional officer. 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. 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. Short answer: it depends. Rosenbaum's fiance told The Washington Post in 2020 that he wasn't there as a rioter or a looter. Tips For Preventing Firearm Straw Purchases. Authorities argued that arming prosecutors with the ability to go after those obtaining or holding firearms for those who are legally barred from having them will help cut down on gun crime in the city. In order to complete the purchase of the firearms, she represented that she was the actual buyer of these firearms when she was not. The charges were the result of an investigation conducted by the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force, Wisconsin DOJ- Division of Criminal Investigation, and the FBI. She disputed the defense attorney's characterization of Huber as a "rioter" or "looter." The PSN approach involves collaboration by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and communities to prevent and deter gun violence. 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. Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don't miss out on updates. During the investigation, law enforcement utilized ATFs National Integrated Ballistic Information Network. Rittenhouse did testify that his mother drove him to a local police station to surrender following the shootings. This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Departments program to reduce violent crime.