JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – -(AmmoLand.com)- A Jefferson City, Missouri, man has been convicted by a federal jury of providing false information in two unsuccessful attempts to purchase firearms.
Joshua Michael Lehman, 35, was found guilty on Monday, Dec. 9, 2019, of two counts of making false statements in a federal record provided to a licensed firearms dealer.
Lehman attempted to purchase a Ruger 9mm pistol at Bob’s Guns on Dec. 29, 2017, and attempted to purchase a Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun at Dunham’s Sports on Feb. 15, 2018. In each instance, Lehman claimed, in a federal firearms transaction record, that he had not been adjudicated to be mentally defective and committed to a mental institution, which he knew was false.
Both purchases were denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) because Lehman had been civilly committed as mentally defective.
On March 20, 2018, Lehman’s mother (through an attorney) contacted the Cole County Sheriff’s Department because she believed her son was a danger to others and had been attempting to purchase a firearm.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Jefferson City, Mo., deliberated for approximately 40 minutes before returning the guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough, ending a one-day trial.
Under federal statutes, Lehman is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Maness. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cole County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Project Guardian
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.
Kansas City Field Division
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
ATF is the federal law enforcement agency responsible for investigating violations of the federal firearms and explosives laws and regulations. More information about ATF and its programs can be found at www.atf.gov.
Notice they do not go after Kamala Harris who publicly states she smokes marijuana and owns a gun? Ok for me but not for thee!
Yeah, 4473 is illegal to begin with. Forcing firearms dealers to keep gun owner info is illegal. It’s an end run around the basic text of the 2nd Amendment to the Bill Of Rights. It also goes against numerous court rulings. Fact is, all gun control is illegal.
According to the 2A, any free American citizen of proper age, who is not in jail or the loony farm, has the right to keep and bare arms. IF this guy is mentally unstable, what is he doing out in public? I have SEEN crooked federal agents, sheriffs, police and judges. Not heard about them, SEEN THEM. I have SEEN them steal firearms, falsely arrest/convict people even beat people already hand cuffed. I have seen proof of atfe led kill orders. LOTS of us watched what happened in Waco. A large part of the 93 men women and children who… Read more »
One prosecution out of how many thousands of lying on the form every year that are ignored.
Abolish the laws the ATF enforce as well.
So they have to initiate a new initiative to enforce the laws on the books? What were they doing before?
Okay, on the surface, this sounds legit. A guy with known mental health issues tries to buy a gun and is refused. How is this different from the red-flag laws that are so popular now? His mom reports him, says he’s dangerous, and boom. All gun laws that seek to control who gets a gun are patently illegal. This is an extremely slippery slope – hard to say what’s a bogus red-flag and what’s a “legitimate” danger. This stinks somehow.
How insane is that? Talk about needing to be in a mental institution. How about the psychopathic control freaks that have their edicts that if you don’t follow you face 10 years in a cage? For putting something on a piece of paper that wasn’t the truth? Like when was the last time ANYONE in the government told the truth?? About ANYTHING?
Citizens who demand the rights of freedom are making the greatest error by allowing other free citizens to be denied rights. The infringement procedures of Form 4473 along with background checks would not exist if this error had not been made. This is an intentional act, not an error, of those attempting to oppress all private citizens. By public servants being allowed to establish the prohibited person underclass of free citizens is allowing and encouraging further oppression of all private citizens. By signing Form 4473, we have signed the death warrant for freedom. No law will physically prevent any free… Read more »
WOW how many actual criminals try this every year and basically less than 1% are prosecuted? Kinda looks like the DA cherry picked this case to pad his resumé yes they do just that….