Fredericksburg Man Pleads Guilty To Straw Purchasing 18 Guns

FREDERICKSBURG, VA — A man from Fredericksburg pleaded guilty in connection with the straw purchase of 16 guns, the U.S. Attorney's Office said on Tuesday. Officials said that some of the guns were later recovered from crime scenes.

Officials identified the man as Bernard Jenkins, Jr. Court documents claimed that Jenkins purchased 18 firearms from August 2019 to April 2020. 16 of those guns were straw purchased on the behalf of others, authorities said. Some of the guns purchased by Jenkins were later recovered at crime scenes, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Raj Parekh is the acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. "This case serves as another example of our resolve to hold accountable those who illegally purchase guns on behalf of others," Parekh said. "While straw purchasers are often unaware of how the firearms they unlawfully obtain will be used, that’s what makes this conduct so dangerous, and it is why we must continue working together to prevent these crimes from occurring."

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Jenkins was officially charged with conspiracy to make false statements to federally licensed firearms dealers during the purchase of firearms.

This case was prosecuted as Project Safe Neighborhood, a nationwide program that intends to reduce violent crime. "Through our close partnerships on the federal, state, and local level, we have been leveraging the latest technology, evidence, data, and intelligence to combat firearms trafficking and reduce the tragic toll that gun violence has on our communities," Parekh said.

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Jenkins is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 8, 2022. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Although, officials noted that actual sentences for federal crimes are usually shorter than their maximum penalty.

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