Randy Coffey, Armed Robbery, Indiana 2022

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – A convicted armed robber has been sentenced to more than 5 years in federal prison for illegally acquiring a firearm through a ‘straw-purchase’ scheme.

Randy Coffey, 36, of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been sentenced to 63 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegally possessing a firearm.

According to court documents, on March 1, 2022, Coffey sold a pair of tires with rims at Cash America Pawn, a federally licensed firearms dealer. After completing the sale, Coffey attempted to purchase a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol. On the required federal firearm transaction form, Coffey stated under penalty of perjury that he was not a convicted felon. Coffey failed the required background check, and the gun sale was not completed.

Several hours later, Coffey returned to the same Cash America Pawn with another person. Coffey stayed inside his vehicle as the other person looked over the store’s guns and purchased a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol. The person then illegally purchased the gun for Coffey in exchange for $120 from Coffey, a transaction known as a ‘straw-purchase’ of a firearm.

Coffey is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law due to his two previous felony convictions of armed robbery resulting in bodily injury in 2006 and 2013.

On March 8, 2022, IMPD detectives stopped Coffey for a traffic violation. Coffey did not have a valid license or a valid registration in his possession and he was placed under arrest. During a search of the vehicle, officers located the same Taurus 9mm handgun straw-purchased for him from Cash America Pawn the week before. The handgun had a loaded magazine with a round in the chamber.

Coffey is currently serving a 63-month federal prison sentence for the crime. He will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years following his release from federal prison.

The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney. U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy C. Fugate, who prosecuted this case.

Related Federal Cases