HARRISBURG, PA – Frederick Cornelius Brown Jr., a serial straw purchaser, was sentenced on Thursday to 10-20 years in state prison after being convicted of 34 straw purchasing-related offenses in March. Brown, 62, was found guilty of buying firearms in multiple states, falsifying records during the purchases, and then trafficking the guns — some of which were later involved in other crimes.
The investigation was a joint effort between the Office of Attorney General’s (OAG) Gun Violence Task Force and Bucks County authorities. It revealed that Brown had purchased at least 17 firearms, none of which were ever reported lost or stolen, and none were lawfully transferred to another person. At least three of the guns were recovered from other people during criminal investigations. Many of the firearms purchased were Taurus G2C, 9mm pistols – a weapon frequently subject to illegal firearm trafficking due to its cost and availability.
Attorney General Michelle Henry praised the collaborative efforts of the OAG and Bucks County investigators, stating that the conviction and significant prison sentence make Pennsylvania a safer place by removing illegal guns from the streets.
