Arrests.
Two of the handguns were purchased at a Warminster gun shop.
A Philadelphia man has been charged with 261 felonies related to straw purchases of 29 handguns over nearly four years for convicted felons, including two obtained from a Warminster gun shop.
Anthony DeShawn Jackson, 28, of the 2000 block of Granite Street and the 4600 block of Paul Street, was charged Nov. 12 by Bucks County Detectives with 29 counts of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity; 30 counts of providing materially false written statements for the purchase of firearms, plus 28 conspiracy counts; 27 counts of penalties for the sale of firearms and 27 associated conspiracy counts; 28 counts of firearm ownership – duty of other persons and 28 conspiracy counts; and 28 counts of penalties – sales to ineligible transferee and 28 conspiracy counts, according to court records.
Authorities allege the incidents occurred between Oct. 22, 2021 and May 17, 2024.
On April 30, investigators discovered four firearms owned by Jackson that were recovered by police in four separate incidents, according to an affidavit. A fifth gun was recovered out of Camden County, NJ, police said.
A review of Jackson’s purchase history revealed he bought 29 guns over three years from various gun dealers through Bucks and Philadelphia counties, according to the affidavit. On Feb. 26, Jackson allegedly purchased two handguns from The Bunker Gun Shop at 549 York Road, Warminster, including a black CZ P-10.
Police said the gun was recovered from a male felon prohibited from possessing a gun. A search of the registered owner came back to Jackson, police said.
“From the time of the purchase to the time of the recovery of the (gun), 51 days had lapsed, this is commonly referred to as ‘time to crime’ – the time from the last known retail sale of a firearm to when it is recovered in a crime,” police wrote in the affidavit. “Shorter time-to-crime periods are indicators of illegal trafficking and provide crucial intelligence to investigators.”
Authorities said Jackson bought 10 guns between Oct. 22, 2021 and Dec. 30, 2021. These guns were a Taurus Model G3 9mm semi-automatic, a Sig Sauer P320-R 9mm semi-automatic, a Glock Model 26 9mm, a Sig Sauer Model P365 SAS 9mm, a Smith & Wesson Model M&P .22-caliber, a Taurus Model G3C 9mm, a Ruger Model 5-7 .57-caliber, a Taurus Model G3 STS 9mm, a Sturm Ruger Model 57 .57-caliber, and a Sturm Ruger Model 57 .57-caliber, police said.
Two of the guns purchased in that timeframe were recovered in two separate crimes, authorities said. The guns were purchased at the following locations: Lock’s Philadelphia Gun Exchange, 6700 Rowland Ave., Philadelphia; Firing Line Inc., 1532 S. Front St., Philadelphia; Delia’s Gun Shop, 6104 Torresdale Ave., Philadelphia; and Philadelphia Training Academy, 831-833 Ellsworth St., Philadelphia, police said.
From Jan. 6, 2022 to Dec. 14, 2022, Jackson allegedly purchased seven 9mm handguns, authorities said, from Delaware Valley Sports Center, 101 Geiger Road, Philadelphia; Philadelphia Training Academy; and Delia’s Gun Shop. Often times, Jackson made purchases within a day of one another, per the affidavit.
From Feb. 21, 2023 to Nov. 8, 2023, Jackson allegedly purchased eight handguns, all 9mm, authorities said.
From Feb. 25, 2024 to May 17, 2024, Jackson allegedly purchased four 9mm guns, from Delia’s Gun Shop and The Bunker Gun Shop, police said.
When asked by authorities what he did with the 29 guns, Jackson said, “I gave them away,” per the affidavit, and claimed none of his guns were ever stolen. He told police he would purchase a handgun for $400 to $500, predominantly from Delia’s Gun Shop, and then turn around and sell it for $800 to $900, authorities said.
Jackson admitted buying guns for his uncle, Orondae Andrews, who would drive him to the gun shops, wait while he purchased the guns, and even told him with guns to buy while on the phone in the gun shops, according to the complaint. In exchange for buying guns for Andrews, Jackson would get to use Andrews’ motorcycles as a form of payment, according to police.
Jackson told police he bought the guns for people because of his clean background and because they could not buy them themselves, per the complaint.
Jackson remains at Bucks County jail on 10% of $200,000 cash bail, according to court records. A preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 6 at 2 p.m. before Magisterial District Judge Christopher E. O’Neill.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
