Minneapolis Man Arrested, Charged With Straw Purchasing Firearm Used Shooting

Form 4473
Minneapolis Man Arrested, Charged With Straw Purchasing Firearm Used Shooting

ST. PAUL, Minn. – -(AmmoLand.com)- A federal criminal complaint has been filed against Jerome Fletcher Horton, 25, for illegally purchasing multiple firearms, one of which was used in a recent St. Paul shooting, announced Acting United States Attorney W. Anders Folk.

On October 10, 2021, gunfire erupted inside the Seventh Street Truck Park bar in St. Paul. Amid the gunfire, 14 people were injured and 27-year-old Marquisha Wiley was killed.

According to court documents, investigators with the St. Paul Police Department identified one of the suspects in the shooting. Surveillance video footage showed the suspect leave the bar holding a firearm and get into the back of a vehicle. Investigators later recovered from the vehicle a Mossberg model MC2C 9mm semiautomatic pistol. Investigators also recovered numerous 9mm discharged cartridge casings inside of the bar, which were consistent with the caliber of the firearm recovered from the vehicle.

According to court documents, a trace of the firearm revealed that it was purchased by Horton on July 31, 2021, from a Federal Firearms Licensees (FFL) in Blaine. When Horton purchased the firearm, he stated on ATF Form 4473 that he was the actual buyer of the firearm. A review of sales reports submitted by various FFLs in and around the Twin Cities metropolitan area revealed that Horton had purchased 33 firearms from June 15, 2021, through October 17, 2021.

On October 19, 2021, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Horton’s residence and found no firearms, despite his multiple purchases.

“As recent tragedies have shown, illegal guns on the street make our communities less safe for everyone,” said Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk. “Stopping straw purchasers from putting guns in the hands of violent felons is a priority for my office and for the Department of Justice.”

Horton has been charged with making false statements during the purchase of a firearm. He made his initial appearance today before Magistrate Judge Hildy Bowbeer in U.S. District Court.

This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Paul Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

St. Paul 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.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ( ATF )

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Dubi Loo

So the proud BATFE will arrest Hunter Biden when?

JimmyS

The government doesn’t get to decide who owns guns. The 2nd Amendment forbids them that power. So another of The People is being persecuted by a treasonous government. I wonder when “good people” will have finally had enough?

MS-Steve

and 27-year-old Marquisha Wiley was killed”
Marquisha probably had ‘it’ comin’……..

Kevin

You might want to brush up on your civics. Here in the real world, the government does get to decide who doesn’t get to own guns. However, don’t let that stop you from your caterwalling.

2gats

FUCK atf and their extended families!!!!

STOP providing a forum for these treasonous anti American liars.

Let them advertise their treason and corruption in Ladies Home Journal.

you want to publish something from atf?…….PUBLISH THEIR HOME ADDRESSES WHERE THEY KEEP THEIR DOGS

The only decent atf stooges are deceased.

F’em

Kevin

What a thoughtful, well reasoned response. -smh

jrw40113

What about Hunter?

Deplorable Bill

“The right of the people to keep and bear arms SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED.” THAT is the firearm law that all others are subject to. So, the 4473 is not legal. So far, the man is innocent. If you own property you have the right to sell it to whomever you wish. It does not matter what or how many or why or when. This is common knowledge. You broke into/assaulted the man in his home, found the rest of his collection was not present. So what? So far, the man is innocent. The RIGHT and mandate to keep and… Read more »

Kevin

Wow, what you don’t know about living in the real world could fill a book. I’m assuming you had a front row seat in Daley Plaza for the return of the Kennedys.

Russn8r

How many thousands of people have BATF-gs murdered, or set up to be murdered by FBI “Hostage Rescue Teams” (Ruby Ridge, Waco), or in bungled stings (Las Vegas?)?

Disband ATF & FBI

Kevin

Are you doing anything about it besides being a keyboard warrior?

Will

ABOLISH ATF,RESCIND NFA!

CaptainKerosene

The law in all states requires gun dealers to sell to law abiding citizens. How does a dealer or private person know a stranger is honest? Back in the 60s-70s I worked in a gun store. Before Illinois adopted the FOID the owners/boss worried about strangers. He ( we ) had no way to know if a sales was legal. When FOID became law we could and did ask customers for their FOID before showing any arm. We didn’t have to fear a discrimination suit if they didn’t have the card. But the State of Illinois kept passing more pointless… Read more »

Tionico

One key piece of information is missiing from this puff piece. WAS the one who did the shooting with the recovered handgun a Prohibited Person? If not, then what proof do they have the accused was making “straw purchases” which by definition are purchases by a lawful purchaser specificallly for the purpose of suppluing prohibited persons with the weapons purchsed. Will they trace the current possessors of the other thirty something guns he bought, and prove they are each prohibited persos? Buying a gun for someone else is NOT a crime. Unless the new owner is a prohibitd person it… Read more »

Kevin

Straw purchases are illegal. Brush up on the law. There is video evidence and investigative work that was done prior to bringing the charges. I live in the Twin Cities, run two gun clubs and have the facts, not the wild speculations of online “law experts”.