DENVER – Cassidy Morgan Ahearn, 19, of Boulder County, Colorado, will spend the next year under house arrest as part of a two-year probation sentence handed down today for a brazen lie that put a weapon into potentially dangerous hands. Ahearn admitted to falsely stating she was the actual buyer of a 5.56 caliber rifle, a violation of federal firearms laws.
According to court documents, on May 8, 2019, Ahearn walked into EZ Pawn in Northglenn, Colorado, and purchased the rifle. She signed the required ATF form, swearing she was the end user. But the truth, laid bare in her plea agreement, is that she was acting as a straw purchaser for a friend who accompanied her into the store. A week later, the rifle was handed over to that friend. While not used in a specific crime, the weapon later surfaced at the scene of a homicide.
“My office, working closely with the ATF, has an important responsibility to ensure that firearms are bought and possessed legally,” stated U.S. Attorney Jason R. Dunn. “Lying on a form to purchase a firearm can result in a felony conviction and have other serious consequences, including jail time and loss of the right to possess a firearm in the future.” Dunn’s office indicted Ahearn on August 7, 2019, and she pleaded guilty on January 15, 2020.
ATF Special Agent in Charge David S. Booth drove home the point that this wasn’t a victimless “paper crime.” “Lying on an ATF form in order to purchase a firearm is not just a paper crime. It arms individuals who are prohibited from possessing firearms and puts guns in the hands of criminals,” Booth said. The ATF’s Denver Field Division spearheaded the investigation.
U.S. District Court Judge Christine M. Arguello pronounced the sentence today, August 12, 2020, ordering 12 months of home detention as part of the two-year probation. The case is a component of Project Guardian, a Department of Justice initiative aimed at reducing gun violence and enforcing federal firearms laws. The initiative focuses on coordinating federal, state, and local authorities and improving information sharing related to prohibited individuals attempting to purchase firearms.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rajiv Mohan prosecuted the case. Court documents related to Case Number 19-cr-355 are available on PACER. The Department of Justice is currently celebrating its 150th anniversary. More information about the agency’s history can be found at Justice.gov. This investigation serves as a stark reminder that circumventing gun laws carries serious consequences, and the Grimy Times will continue to expose those who put public safety at risk.
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Key Facts
- State: Colorado
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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