Kayvonn Bailey, 26, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to making a false statement to a licensed firearms importer.
Court documents reveal that on September 2, 2022, Bailey purchased a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber pistol from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Beech Grove, Indiana. Surveillance footage from the store captured Bailey entering with another individual. During the transaction, Bailey falsely stated on federal firearms forms that he was the actual buyer of the firearm. In reality, Bailey was illegally purchasing the gun on behalf of the other person, engaging in a gun trafficking practice known as “straw purchasing.” After leaving the store, Bailey handed the firearm to the individual.
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Straw purchasing occurs when a person legally eligible to buy firearms falsely claims they are purchasing a gun for themselves when it is actually intended for someone else—often someone prohibited from making the purchase.
On October 20, 2022, the same Smith and Wesson firearm was recovered during a traffic stop in Pennsylvania. The driver, who was not a U.S. citizen, informed investigators that Bailey had helped him acquire firearms. Bailey later admitted to investigators that he had illegally purchased the gun for the individual who accompanied him to the store and further disclosed that he had straw-purchased and sold 36 firearms.
In May 2023, following these illegal purchases, Bailey was convicted in state court of domestic battery and intimidation using a firearm.
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“Individuals who illegally funnel guns into the hands of people who are not legally permitted to possess them contribute to gun violence in Indiana and across the country,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers. “Bailey not only trafficked dozens of illegal firearms but also engaged in armed domestic violence, highlighting the threat he poses to our community. Working with our partners at the ATF, we will continue to target illegal gun traffickers to ensure the safety of our neighborhoods.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led the investigation, and U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon imposed Bailey’s sentence.
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