firearm straw purchase warning letter

[Monti Carlo]

Virginia, I had ATF agents come to my home and question me about a pistol I bought a year ago. They stated that they suspect me of straw purchase and want to see the gun and write off the serial number. I refused to talk to them without a lawyer which they agreed but had me sign some kind of straw purchase warning letter. They left their info and said I COULD contact them when ever i had a lawyer. They didn't say for sure I had to. I want to know if there is any more action I need to take, is the warning letter part of a charge of suspicion of crime? I do have the said firearm but due to concerns of implications I didn't say anything.
Thanks

 

[Zigner]

Virginia, I had ATF agents come to my home and question me about a pistol I bought a year ago. They stated that they suspect me of straw purchase and want to see the gun and write off the serial number. I refused to talk to them without a lawyer which they agreed but had me sign some kind of straw purchase warning letter. They left their info and said I COULD contact them when ever i had a lawyer. They didn't say for sure I had to. I want to know if there is any more action I need to take, is the warning letter part of a charge of suspicion of crime? I do have the said firearm but due to concerns of implications I didn't say anything.
Thanks

What happened when you spoke to your lawyer?

 

[Monti Carlo]

straw purchase

I haven't spoken to a lawyer yet.

 

[justalayman]

I haven't spoken to a lawyer yet.

Speaking to your lawyer would be the wisest next choice of action.

 

[Monti Carlo]

a lawyer will be good.

I will be seeking a lawyer but hoping to get so.e advice on the front end. anyone delta with this before?

 

[quincy]

I will be seeking a lawyer but hoping to get so.e advice on the front end. anyone delta with this before?

You are unlikely to find anyone on this forum who has had ATF agents come to their house asking about a gun.

 

[Monti Carlo]

well, I am here now.

I am here now so we never know. I might be coming back after I get information

 

[quincy]

I am here now so we never know. I might be coming back after I get information

You might want to speak to an attorney in your area first.

 

[LdiJ]

Virginia, I had ATF agents come to my home and question me about a pistol I bought a year ago. They stated that they suspect me of straw purchase and want to see the gun and write off the serial number. I refused to talk to them without a lawyer which they agreed but had me sign some kind of straw purchase warning letter. They left their info and said I COULD contact them when ever i had a lawyer. They didn't say for sure I had to. I want to know if there is any more action I need to take, is the warning letter part of a charge of suspicion of crime? I do have the said firearm but due to concerns of implications I didn't say anything.
Thanks

They suspected that you purchased the pistol for someone else. Presumably someone who would not be able to purchase the pistol. You could have made the whole thing go away by showing them the pistol and letting them see that the serial number matched the one that you purchased. Now, they are probably even more suspicious that you made a straw purchase, so you had best get that attorney consult ASAP.

 

[FlyingRon]

Yes, if it wasn't a straw purchase (i.e., you had the gun) that would have been the end to it.

I'd be researching attorneys. While it's possible they won't be back, I wouldn't bank on it. ATF isn't however in the practice of routinely prodding purchasers looking for info on straw purchase. Something tipped them off. There are attorneys that specialize in this. If they come back you'll need one. If you actually did not buy the gun for your own use or for some reason you don't still have it you ABSOLUTELY need one. If this is the case, you were right to decline to speak to them.

 

[xylene]

If you didn't want to incriminate yourself, why did you sign anything?

 

[Zigner]

At this point, the ATF is pretty sure their suspicions were correct and that the OP is now scrambling to get the gun back long enough to show that he "possesses" it.

 

[FlyingRon]

A purchase at a gunshow piques their interest, but there are usually other signs in the federal and state paperwork you filed when you got the gun (Virginia uses their own background check system because they had it in place before the feds got thier instant check in gear...in fact Virginia was used as the model).

Hopefully, he didn't answer the question as to whether he was buying the gun for himself (first question on the form) in the negative...though the dealer should not have completed the transfer if he got that wrong. That's a gotcha on the form as you have to answer that one YES where as you answer all the others (are you a felon, etc...) NO.

 

[LeeHarveyBlotto]

I do have the said firearm but due to concerns of implications I didn't say anything.

What does this mean?

 

[quincy]

Virginia, I had ATF agents come to my home and question me about a pistol I bought a year ago. They stated that they suspect me of straw purchase and want to see the gun and write off the serial number ... is the warning letter part of a charge of suspicion of crime? ...

Warning letters are generally issued for serious compliance infractions.

Although I think you were probably smart not to say anything to the agents when they came to your home, you will want to speak to an attorney now. It appears you are already "implicated" in something, as evidenced by the ATF's appearance at your door. These agents tend not to randomly knock on people's doors asking to see their guns.