Gun crimes are a hot topic in the nationwide news these days, and the Indianapolis area is no exception. Sometimes, there is more to an alleged crime than just the act of violence. In some cases, federal investigators will track down a gun’s origin. These types of investigations are closer to the investigation of a white collar crime than a crime of violence.
In fact, just such an investigation occurred in the local area. Federal investigators attempted to track down the purchasers of guns used in incidents that involved the shooting deaths of two police officers in Indiana. According to a recent report, federal charges have been filed against three individuals for being alleged “straw men” for gun purchases.
The reports indicate that, for one incident in which a sheriff’s deputy was killed in Boone County in March of this year, the gun that was used could be traced back to a purchase made at a gun store in Indianapolis the previous month. The reports allege that the individual who purchased the gun provided false information at the time of the sale. That individual now faces federal charges. In another incident, in which a police officer from Terre Haute was killed in May of this year, federal investigators claim that they have traced the purchase of the gun that was used back to two individuals who also made the purchase from a gun store, and then turned around and resold it to someone else. The pair, a brother and sister, also face federal charges.
Federal investigations and white collar crime allegations are serious cases. Anyone in Indiana who is facing these types of charges will need to be sure that they are doing everything in their power to present a strong criminal defense strategy.
