ST. PAUL, Minn. – A St. Paul man was sentenced to 40 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his role in a firearms straw purchasing conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, between May 11, 2021, and October 17, 2021, Gabriel Lee Young-Duncan, 28, participated in a conspiracy to illegally purchase multiple firearms, including one that was used in the Seventh Street Truck Park Bar shooting on October 10, 2021. Young-Duncan and a co-conspirator agreed to work together to illegally acquire firearms by making false statements to Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) throughout the Twin Cities. Specifically, the co-conspirator would purchase the firearms, stating on the ATF Form 4473 that the co-conspirator was the actual buyer, and then transfer the firearms to Young-Duncan, who would keep the firearms, or further transfer them to third parties.
According to court documents, Young-Duncan and his co-conspirator worked together to illegally obtain dozens of firearms, including four Glock 9mm semiautomatic pistols and two Mossberg 9mm semiautomatic pistols.
Young-Duncan was sentenced earlier today in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Donovan W. Frank. On May 25, 2022, Young-Duncan pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to make false statements in the purchase of firearms.
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 prosecuted the case.