Maine Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Conspiring to Straw Purchase Firearms

BOSTON – A Maine man was sentenced today in federal Court in Boston for conspiring to straw purchase firearms in Maine and traffic the firearms to Massachusetts. 

Traveyon Richardson, 26, of Bangor, Maine, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to two years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In April 2024, Richardson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to straw purchase firearms and one count of trafficking of firearms. Richardson was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2023 along with alleged co-conspirator Breon Stroup. The case against Stroup remains pending.

In September 2022, Stroup allegedly used Snapchat to ask Richardson to purchase two specific firearms for him in Maine, where Richardson resides. The following day, Stroup allegedly sent Richardson a Cash App money transfer and Richardson purchased the firearms online. Then, Richardson picked up the firearms from the federal firearm license dealer and drove the firearms to Massachusetts in October 2022.  
    
Approximately two weeks later, in October 2022, Richardson and Stroup allegedly had a phone conversation where Stroup assured Richardson that he had deleted his Snapchat account. When Richardson inquired about Stroup’s iCloud account, Stroup allegedly responded that he had deleted his iCloud account also. 

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Fall River Police Department and the Maine State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucy Sun and Timothy E. Moran of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.