https://www.heraldmailmedia.co...20-a2bac4501009.html

Martinsburg man charged in firearm purchase

By Matthew Umstead
mumstead@herald-mail.com 14 hrs ago

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Police said a Martinsburg man has admitted to buying multiple firearms in Berkeley County for resale to an individual from Washington D.C.

Antoine Paul Brown, 36, of Faulkner Avenue in Martinsburg, and Jerome Christopher Winecoff, 33, of Washington, D.C., were charged Monday after Brown purchased a firearm at Ray's Gun Shop at 5741 Tabler Station Road, according to Berkeley County Magistrate Court records.

Brown and Winecoff each were charged with single counts of conspiracy to commit a felony and prohibited persons/straw purchase, court records said.

West Virginia State Police Cpl. N.K. Campbell wrote in complaints that an investigation found that Brown used large amounts of cash to previously purchase a number of handguns of the same make, model and caliber, court records said.

Campbell, who was joined in the investigation by an Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives special agent, noted that Winecoff was deemed to be the intended recipient of a firearm that Brown purchased March 24, records said.

Police said Winecoff admitted to accompanying Brown to the gun shop March 24 and that Winecoff knew he was prohibited from owning or being in the presence of firearms due to being a convicted felon and having multiple felony offenses in his criminal record, court records said.

Brown told police he was purchasing the weapons for resale to an individual from the Washington area that he only knows as "Q," and later noted that he didn't know the individual or how to reach him, records said.

My hope is this fool does hard time,he knew damn well this was a crime and the guns might end up in the drug trade.

This is really, really common. Legitimate straw purchases occur each and every day. Multiple times a day.

no sympathy for either one.

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
This is really, really common. Legitimate straw purchases occur each and every day. Multiple times a day.

When are straw purchases “legitimate”?

I know Ray personally; great shop to deal with. I hope they bury the turds in jail.

With the information provided- You can't use a big enough hammer to nail this guy.

quote:

Originally posted by Dwill104:

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
This is really, really common. Legitimate straw purchases occur each and every day. Multiple times a day.

When are straw purchases “legitimate”?

I assume he means clear cut obvious straw purchases, not legitimate as in legal.

quote:

Originally posted by Dwill104:

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
This is really, really common. Legitimate straw purchases occur each and every day. Multiple times a day.

When are straw purchases “legitimate”?

When your wife wants a pistol for her birthday?

quote:

Originally posted by Perception:

quote:

Originally posted by Dwill104:

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
This is really, really common. Legitimate straw purchases occur each and every day. Multiple times a day.

When are straw purchases “legitimate”?

I assume he means clear cut obvious straw purchases, not legitimate as in legal.

Yes. It’s one of those things that if you see it enough, you can certainly recognize it a mile away.

quote:

Originally posted by architect:

quote:

Originally posted by Dwill104:

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
This is really, really common. Legitimate straw purchases occur each and every day. Multiple times a day.

When are straw purchases “legitimate”?

When your wife wants a pistol for her birthday?

It's been a few years and my memory isn't the greatest so I could be wrong. But I believe that when fishing on the net about Federal Firearms Law that there is an EXEMPTION that specifically allows a "straw purchase" of a firearm as a legitimate gift.

Just check on the Net and found his bit about question 11a on form 4473.

quote:

Question 11.a. Actual Transferee/Buyer: For purposes of this form, a person is the actual transferee/buyer if he/she is purchasing the firearm for him/herself or otherwise acquiring the firearm for him/herself. (e.g., redeeming the firearm from pawn, retrieving it from consignment, firearm raffle winner). A person is also the actual transferee/buyer if he/she is legitimately purchasing the firearm as a bona fide gift for a third party. A gift is not bona fide if another person offered or gave the person completing this form money, service(s), or item(s) of value to acquire the firearm for him/her, or if the other person is prohibited by law from receiving or possessing the firearm.

Based on these instruction a Husband can perfectly legally purchase a firearm for his Wife. However in answering this question he must identify HIMSELF as the purchaser, NOT the Wife.

So, yeah there actually may be multiple "straw purchases" made daily that are completely "legitamate".

A very long story but I'll spare you the details. A gun got registered to me that my cousin purchased while we were at a gun show. He is from out of state. Neither of us knew the dealer registered it in my name until it was stolen and they came knocking on my door. I can tell you from experience, they take this very seriously.

quote:

Originally posted by 08 Cayenne:
A very long story but I'll spare you the details. A gun got registered to me that my cousin purchased while we were at a gun show. He is from out of state. Neither of us knew the dealer registered it in my name until it was stolen and they came knocking on my door. I can tell you from experience, they take this very seriously.

I have a question.

Did you fill out and sign the 4473?

I can't remember for certain, this happened in 1981, they were new. The gun was stolen in 2010. It was at an OGCA show. The only thing that eventually saved me was I had a receipt for only 1 of the 2 pistols. They showed up at my house and I thought I was going to jail, actually they told me I was going to jail. The gun was not used in a crime which was also to my advantage.

Is this one of those , spend $155,000.00 of tax payer doller's to put more infractions in a guys pre existing file, and he's out on the
street in 2 years ?

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
Is this one of those , spend $155,000.00 of tax payer doller's to put more infractions in a guys pre existing file, and he's out on the
street in 2 years ?

My bendable decoder ring isn't working right now. I keep getting a recipe for broiled garlic shrimp.

After all is said and done ,what's the worst thing that that's gonna happen to these two ? And what is going to cost the general public?

quote:

Originally posted by Sigmund:
Brown told police he was purchasing the weapons for resale to an individual from the Washington area that he only knows as "Q," and later noted that he didn't know the individual or how to reach him, records said.

Ok, they got me.

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
Is this one of those , spend $155,000.00 of tax payer doller's to put more infractions in a guys pre existing file, and he's out on the
street in 2 years ?

My bendable decoder ring isn't working right now. I keep getting a recipe for broiled garlic shrimp.

I think I got this one.

"Is the government going to spend a lot of money to put a couple more infractions on a guys record and then let him go in only a couple of years."

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
This is really, really common. Legitimate straw purchases occur each and every day. Multiple times a day.

...and from what I've read, rarely if ever prosecuted. This is a major problem that needs a solution.