A 25-year-old Tyler, Texas man, Heon Jong Yoo, a/k/a “Hank Yoo,” has been sentenced to 97 months in federal prison for orchestrating a string of lies to obtain firearms, federal prosecutors announced today. The Eastern District of Texas delivered the sentence in a case that exposed dangerous gaps exploited by a prohibited person with a documented mental health history.
Yoo was convicted on Nov. 15, 2018, on seven counts of making false statements during firearms transactions and one count of unlawful possession by a prohibited person. U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder, III handed down the sentence, ordering Yoo to surrender to immigration officials for deportation upon release. The South Korean-born lawful permanent resident was a student at the University of Texas-Tyler at the time of the crimes.
Court records show Yoo repeatedly lied on ATF Form 4473, falsely claiming he was a U.S. citizen during seven separate gun purchases — some involving semiautomatic weapons. The deception came years after he was involuntarily committed to a mental institution in New Jersey in 2013 and again in 2015, legal prohibitors that should have barred him from purchasing firearms.
At the time of his arrest, federal agents found Yoo in possession of multiple firearms, ammunition, and accessories. Authorities say the arsenal, combined with escalating threats observed at multiple schools he attended, painted a chilling picture of potential violence. The initial indictment was filed Apr. 18, 2018, with a superseding indictment returned Sep. 19, 2018.
“Law enforcement most likely saved lives with the arrest of Hank Yoo,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown. “At multiple schools were he had attended, administrators had worried about his increasing threatening behavior. And when you mix in his history of mental issues and that he was lying to get access to firearms, the situation could have ended badly.”
“Questions on the ATF Form 4473 are designed to identify prohibitors such as felony offenses, adjudicated mental illness, or substance abuse,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II. “Yoo lied on the form, then compounded the lies by misusing the benefit afforded by a Texas Concealed Handgun License. His overall, evolving pattern of conduct sounded alarms at institutions and communities throughout Texas.” The investigation involved the ATF, FBI, Texas Rangers, Smith County Sheriff’s Office, Tyler PD, UT-Tyler PD, DHS, and multiple municipal and campus police departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Coan, Lucas Machicek, and Ryan Locker prosecuted the case.
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