Before a federally licensed firearms dealer may sell a gun, the would-be purchaser must provide certain personal information, show photo identification, and pass a background check. To ensure the accuracy of these submissions, a federal statute imposes criminal penalties on any person who, in connection with a firearm’s acquisition, makes false statements about “any fact material to the lawfulness of the sale.” The United States Supreme Court decided last week that law applies to a so-called “straw purchaser” (a person who buys a gun on someone else’s behalf while falsely claiming that it is for himself). The court held such a misrepresentation is punishable under the statute, whether or not the true buyer could have purchased the gun without the straw buyer. The person buying the firearm was a former police officer and used his law enforcement discount to purchase a firearm for his uncle, who could have lawfully bought the firearm.

Because of my criminal defense background, I have extensive experience handling all types of firearms violations. If you’ve been charged with