Luzerne County Woman Sentenced To Three Years In Prison For Straw Purchasing Firearms

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Quinniea Gross, age 27, of Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on October 10, 2023, to 36 months in prison by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for giving false statements in connection with acquisition of firearms. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Gross was convicted by a jury of conspiracy and straw purchasing firearms in July 2023.  Gross accompanied a drug addict to several firearms dealers in Northeastern Pennsylvania and took possession of firearms purchased by her coconspirator.  Gross did so for drug traffickers to whom the drug addict owned money for a drug debt. Gross also purchased four firearms herself, two of which were seized in an unrelated drug trafficking investigation in Philadelphia. Coconspirator Christian Barnes was sentenced to 15 months in prison on August 1, 2023, for conspiracy to make false statements in connection with the acquisition of eight firearms.

In addition to the 3-year prison term, Judge Mannion ordered Gross to serve a 2-year term of supervised release, and to pay $400 in special assessments and court fees.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Gallagher and Todd K. Hinkley prosecuted the case.

This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted, and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.

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