2 sentenced in conspiracy to ‘straw-purchase’ firearm

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Two men were sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to “straw-purchase” a firearm.

The criminal act often occurs when a firearm is purchased by one person on behalf of another who is not legally allowed to make the purchase themselves.

Evidence collected during an investigation found that one of the men, 26-year-old Noah Fowler, of Moncks Corner, bought a firearm for 25-year-old Joshua Turner, of Summerville, who was prohibited from possessing or purchasing a firearm.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, Fowler falsely certified on the ATF Form 4473 that he was purchasing the firearm for himself.

Evident also found that Turner sent Fowler information on which firearm to buy and paid him for the gun via CashApp.

Officials said Fowler was employed as a correctional officer at the Berkeley County Detention Center at the time the gun was purchased.

“Straw purchases undermine our efforts to keep firearms out of the hands of those legally prohibited from possessing them,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan P. Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “We’ll continue to work with our law enforcement partners to prosecute individuals who attempt to circumnavigate the proper procedure to purchase firearms.”

Turner was sentenced to 20 months in prison to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. Fowler was given a “time-served” sentence to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision.