Philadelphia man sentenced to over a decade in prison for illicit firearm trafficking
A Philadelphia man will serve 12 ½ to 30 years in state prison for his central role in a large-scale “straw purchasing” operation that funneled 29 handguns to prohibited individuals, including at least one convicted felon. Some of the firearms were later recovered at crime scenes.
Anthony Jackson, 28, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a host of charges stemming from his illicit activities, which included obtaining two firearms from a gun shop in Warminster. Following his plea, Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey L. Finley handed down the significant sentence.
Jackson’s guilty pleas covered numerous counts, including dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, providing materially false written statements for firearm purchases, penalties for the sale of firearms, firearm ownership by prohibited persons, sales to ineligible transferees, and multiple counts of criminal conspiracy.
An extensive investigation by Bucks County detectives uncovered Jackson’s scheme, which ran from October 22, 2021, to May 17, 2024. Jackson was formally charged on November 12.
