TULSA, Okla. – A Tulsa man pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court for conspiring with his girlfriend, a Tulsa Police officer at the time, to lie on a federal firearms transaction form so she could purchase a gun on his behalf, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Devon Jamyll Jones, 28, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make a false statement to a firearms dealer and to false statement to a firearms dealer.
In his plea agreement, the defendant admitted that he conspired with Latoya Dythe, to illegally purchase a firearm. The two agreed that she would buy a firearm in her name then transfer the gun to Jones. On April 11, 2020, Jones and Dythe drove to a Bass Pro Shop in Broken Arrow to make the purchase. When they arrived, Jones gave Dythe the money to buy the gun. Per their agreement, Dythe then entered the store, selected an FN HERSTAL S.A., 5.7 X 28mm, and lied on a federal firearms transaction form during the purchase. On the ATF Form 4473, Dythe answered “yes” to the question “Are you the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm(s) listed on this form?” Her answer was false since she was purchasing the gun at Jones’ request. When returning to the car, Dythe handed the gun over to Jones.
The ATF Form 4473 specifically issues a warning to purchasers: “Warning: You are not the actual transferee/buyer if you are acquiring the firearm(s) on behalf of another person. If you are not the actual transferee/buyer, the licensee cannot transfer the firearm(s) to you.”
Previously, Dythe, 27, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make a false statement to a firearms dealer and with making a false statement to a firearms dealer. On Aug. 10, 2021, she was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.
The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Snow prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of the 2150 Initiative. The initiative is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma, Tulsa Police Department, ATF, and all other local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement partners to combat violent crime by focusing efforts on prohibited persons in possession of firearms as well as straw purchasers.
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