STOP Straw Purchases Act

STOP Straw Purchases Act

This bill establishes new criminal offenses and penalties to deter straw purchases of firearms (i.e., firearm purchases from a licensed gun dealer by one person on behalf of another person).

Current law prohibits and imposes penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to 10 years, or both—for making false statements in connection with the acquisition of a firearm from a federally licensed dealer.

This bill increases the statutory maximum prison sentence—from 10 years to 25 years—for a violation by a person who is acting as a straw purchaser. Under this bill, a straw purchaser is a person who makes false statements involving deception about the identity of the actual buyer and knows or has reasonable cause to believe the actual buyer intends the firearm to be (1) used in a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime, or (2) transferred to a prohibited person.

Additionally, the bill establishes new related criminal offenses. Specifically, it prohibits and imposes penalties for

• inducing another person, as a leader of a straw purchasing ring, to act as a straw purchaser in a continuing series of transactions from which the person obtains income or resources; or
• obtaining a firearm by inducing another person to act as a straw purchaser.

Finally, the bill directs the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to include in the Firearms Transaction Record form a statement outlining penalties for acting as a straw purchaser.