Philadelphia Contact:
Darrell G. O'Connor
Public Information Officer
Office:215-597-7266 Fax: 215 597-6116

Pittsburgh Contact:
Brandt A. Schenken
Resident Agent in Charge
Pittsburgh Firearms Trafficking Field Office

Office: 412-395-6911 Fax: 412-395-4613

ATF and the Firearms Industry partner to educate the public as to the illegality of "Straw Purchasing" firearms.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - Special Agent in Charge Lawrence L. Duchnowski, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Philadelphia Field Division announces a partnership between the ATF, the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the Pennsylvania Gun Collectors Association. The purpose of this partnership is to educate the public concerning the illegality of "straw purchases". A "straw purchase" is a situation in which a person is using a "straw purchaser"(another person) to acquire one or more firearms from a Federally licensed firearms dealer, to hide the identity of the true purchaser or ultimate possessor of the firearm/s. In Pennsylvania, this is the most common way that prohibited people, such as convicted felons, and drug traffickers, obtain firearms.

The press conference will be held on May 4, 2001 at 2:00 PM at the Greengate Mall, Greensburg, PA, at the site formerly known as J.C. Penneys (the PGCA Gun Show).

For additional information, please contact ATF Resident Agent in Charge Brandt Schenken.