DOVER, DE - The Department of Justice District of Delaware has announced the sentencing of a 25-year-old Dover man after he was found to be making “straw purchases” of semi-automatic pistols.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Jordan Harmon, 25, purchased 19 semi-automatic pistols from a firearms dealer in Delaware in 2020. Federal law requires gun buyers to certify they are buying the guns for themselves and not for someone else. Harmon falsely certified he was purchasing the 19 guns for himself when he was illegally purchasing them for other people in a scheme known as “straw purchasing,” according to prosecutors.
The U.S. Attorney’s office says 7 of the semi-automatic pistols have been recovered and an investigation to recover the remaining 12 remains active.
“Straw purchasing firearms for individuals who cannot legally purchase guns is a threat to public safety,” said U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss. “I commend the Dover Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms and Explosives for their hard work in investigating this case. For anyone considering purchasing a firearm for someone who cannot legally purchase one on their own, consider the end result in Mr. Harmon’s case – federal prison.”
Harmon was sentenced to three years in federal prison on April 15th.
