Cleveland man indicted for straw purchase of a firearm

A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging Walter Jackson, 49, of Cleveland, with making false statements in the acquisition of a firearm, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Specifically, the indictment alleges that Walter Jackson, a convicted felon, used another individual as a straw purchaser of a firearm from Atlantic Gun & Tackle in Bedford Heights, Ohio.  Walter accomplished his scheme by having the straw purchaser lie on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Form, stating that she was the actual buyer and recipient of the firearm.   

Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Cronin is prosecuting the case following an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after consideration of the federal sentencing guidelines that depend upon a number of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum.  In most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial where it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.