State leaders want local charges for straw purchases to be elevated to a felony offense
MINNEAPOLIS — State Senator Warren Limmer says criminals have been slipping through the legal cracks.
"Straw purchases are certainly an issue criminals have been taking advantage of," said Limmer.
He says straw purchasing in Minnesota has been illegal for many years but lacks appropriate penalties in state law. Right now, local prosecutors can only charge someone who buys a gun for a person who is prohibited from owning one with a gross misdemeanor.
"We have less than a penalty that we should have," said Limmer. "This should be considered a felony type penalty, [and] also we need to have prosecutors who are willing to prosecute."
Limmer says he appreciates the U.S. Attorney's Office building the case against Ashley Dyrdahl. Dyrdahl is facing federal charges for buying her boyfriend, Shannon Gooden, the guns he used to kill two police officers and EMT in Burnsville.
But federal charges like this are the exception.
"Everyone complains about gun crimes but 40 percent of the times those gun charges are plea bargained away in the state of Minnesota despite the fact that the legislature wrote it with a mandatory prosecution," said Limmer.
At the capitol, there is some traction on a new bill that would modify law enforcement's ability to charge individuals for straw purchases.
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According to Limmer, Senator Coleman currently has a bill. If passed, this bill would make any straw purchases a felony. If convicted that charge would carry two years behind bars and a $10,000 fine. The penalties would go up if that gun is used in a crime.
"Its a need to detour other people from buying guns on behalf of those who are restricted because they are a felon and its vitally important that we give those laws teeth of enforcement so that deterrence actually occurs," said Limmer.
