Man sentenced to 12-24 years in state prison for illegal straw purchase scheme in Bucks County
A 33-year-old man was sentenced today to 12 to 24 years in state prison for a straw purchase operation that illegally funneled firearms into the community.
The sentencing follows a jury trial earlier this month where Raheem Evans, of Philadelphia, was convicted on dozens of weapons charges, including conspiracy and the illegal possession of firearms. The 4-day trial was presided over by Common Pleas Judge Stephen A. Corr.
The investigation, led by the Pennsylvania State Police and the ATF Firearms Trafficking Task Force, began in October 2020 after the Philadelphia Police Department recovered a 9mm pistol during a vehicle search. The firearm was in the possession of a convicted felon prohibited from owning weapons. Authorities traced the gun to a woman who had purchased it just 28 days prior.
Records revealed that between August and October 2020, the woman purchased 13 firearms from The Bunker Gun Shop in Warminster. The investigation found she purchased 10 of the 13 firearms for Evans and three for another man. The investigation found that the two of them were in an intimate relationship after meeting on Facebook.
Evans accompanied her to the gun store for several of the transactions. Evans was legally prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior felony robbery conviction in 2010. The “straw purchase” scheme allowed him to circumvent background checks to obtain a variety of handguns, including Glocks, Rugers, and Smith & Wessons.
On December 8, 2025, a jury found Evans guilty of 22 counts, including multiple counts of conspiracy and persons not to possess firearms. Following the verdict, Evans’ bail was revoked, and he was remanded to the Bucks County Correctional Facility to await today’s sentencing.
To date, five of the 10 guns illegally trafficked by Evans have been recovered, with several linked to subsequent criminal investigations involving drug dealing and shootings. This sentence reflects the gravity of the danger straw purchase schemes pose to our communities.
Pennsylvania State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were assisted in this case by the Philadelphia Police Department, Princeton Police Department, and Bristol Township Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Thomas C. Gannon.
