Davenport Man Cops to Fake Address in Gun Buy

Leonard Deshawn Boyd, 24, of Davenport, Iowa, is headed to federal prison after admitting he lied on a government form to buy a gun. On November 14, 2016, U.S. District Judge Stephanie M. Rose handed down an 18-month sentence for the felony charge of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. The move marks another conviction under the federal crackdown on illegal gun trafficking and straw purchases.

Boyd pleaded guilty on June 20, 2016, to providing a phony address on ATF Form 4473 when he bought a Ruger 9 mm pistol from a Davenport pawn shop. The form, required for all federally regulated gun sales, includes strict penalties for false information. Investigators confirmed the address Boyd listed was not his residence at the time of the sale, a deliberate misrepresentation that triggered federal charges.

The red flag came during a routine background check, which led to a joint probe by the Davenport Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Authorities zeroed in on Boyd’s purchase after discrepancies in the paperwork surfaced. Firearm tracing showed the weapon changed hands under false pretenses—a felony under federal law.

As part of his sentence, Boyd must serve three years under federal supervision after release. He was also ordered to pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund—a small but symbolic penalty tied to his crime. While no additional weapons or criminal activity were tied directly to this purchase, prosecutors emphasized the danger of bypassing background checks through deception.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing gun violence through targeted enforcement and prosecution. U.S. Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel reiterated that falsifying federal forms to obtain firearms won’t be tolerated, calling it a direct threat to public safety.

Boyd’s case underscores how even a single lie on a gun application can land a suspect in federal prison. With 18 months behind bars and years of supervision ahead, the message from prosecutors is clear: the system is watching, and the cost of deception is steep.

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