Maine Man Sentenced for Straw Purchasing Firearms

BOSTON – The grimy streets of Boston saw justice served as Traveyon Richardson, 26, from Bangor, Maine, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for conspiring to straw purchase firearms and traffic them across state lines.

Richardson’s crime spree began when Breon Stroup allegedly sought out the services of Richardson through Snapchat. The pair hatched a plan to buy guns in Maine, where Richardson lived, and transport them to Massachusetts. In October 2022, Richardson fulfilled his part by purchasing the firearms online using money transferred via Cash App.

Despite promising that he had deleted his digital footprints, Stroup’s conversation with Richardson suggested a chilling level of control over the crime. The federal firearm license dealer was left none the wiser as Richardson picked up the guns and made his way to Massachusetts.

The justice department’s hard-hitting team led by Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), Boston Field Division, brought this case to light. They were backed by the Fall River Police Department and the Maine State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucy Sun and Timothy E. Moran from the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are the ones who prosecuted Richardson with a gritty determination.

Richardson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to straw purchase firearms and one count of trafficking of firearms in April 2024, facing an additional three years of supervised release upon his release from prison. His co-conspirator, Breon Stroup, awaits trial as the investigation continues.

The gritty details of this case serve as a stark reminder that even in the digital age, old-school criminal methods can lead to federal charges and severe penalties. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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