A 65-year-old Ohio man has admitted to lying on federal gun purchase forms in a scheme that funneled 21 firearms through straw buyers. Allen DeCola, of Perry, Ohio, pleaded guilty in Buffalo federal court to making a false statement during the acquisition of firearms, a felony carrying a maximum sentence of 15 years behind bars and a $250,000 fine.
DeCola, a former federal firearms licensee who operated under the name MGA Arms, Inc., orchestrated three illegal sales in May 2018. On each occasion, he sold multiple firearms to individuals acting as straw purchasers—people who legally buy guns for others prohibited from doing so. Despite knowing the truth, all buyers signed ATF-required forms falsely claiming they were the actual purchasers.
The guilty plea was entered before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who detailed how DeCola exploited his status as a licensed dealer to facilitate the unlawful transfers. His insider knowledge of federal reporting requirements only deepened the breach of trust, authorities say.
The investigation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), under Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito of the New York Field Division, and the Buffalo Police Department, led by Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia. Cross-jurisdictional coordination proved critical, with support from ATF’s Youngstown office and the Ashtabula, Ohio Police Department.
DeCola’s fall from licensed dealer to convicted felon underscores the vulnerabilities in the federal firearm purchasing system. By enabling straw purchases, he helped place dozens of weapons into circulation without proper background checks—weapons that could end up on city streets or in criminal hands.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 27, 2023, before Judge Wolford. Federal prosecutors are expected to push for a substantial sentence, citing DeCola’s role as a former dealer and his deliberate circumvention of federal law. The case remains a stark reminder: when gun dealers break the rules, the fallout follows the bullets.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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