Traveyon Richardson, Conspiracy to Straw Purchase Firearms and Trafficking of Firearms, Massachusetts 2024

BOSTON – A Bangor, Maine man has confessed to a scheme to illegally obtain firearms in Maine and funnel them across state lines to Massachusetts. Traveyon Richardson, 26, entered a guilty plea on Monday, admitting to one count of conspiracy to straw purchase firearms and one count of trafficking of firearms. He’s facing a potentially lengthy prison sentence.

According to federal prosecutors, the operation began in September 2022 when Richardson’s co-conspirator, Breon Stroup, allegedly contacted him via Snapchat requesting the purchase of two specific firearms. Stroup, who resides elsewhere, reportedly sent Richardson funds through Cash App the very next day. Richardson then allegedly purchased the firearms online and picked them up from a licensed dealer in Maine.

The indictment details a brazen attempt to cover their tracks. In October 2022, just two weeks after the firearms exchange, Richardson and Stroup had a phone conversation focused on deleting digital evidence. Stroup allegedly assured Richardson he had deleted his Snapchat account. Richardson then inquired about Stroup’s iCloud account, to which Stroup responded he had also deleted that. Investigators believe this was an attempt to obstruct the investigation.

Federal authorities say Richardson then drove the firearms from Maine to Massachusetts in October 2022. The full extent of what Stroup intended to do with the illegally obtained weapons remains unclear, but the scheme highlights a common method used to circumvent gun laws. The pair were initially indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2023.

Richardson now faces up to 15 years in prison for each charge – conspiracy to straw purchase firearms and trafficking of firearms. In addition to potential imprisonment, he could be ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for July 10, 2024, before Chief United States District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV. The final sentence will be determined based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.

The case was jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Boston Field Division, the Fall River Police Department, and the Maine State Police. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and ATF Special Agent in Charge James M. Ferguson announced the guilty plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucy Sun and Timothy E. Moran of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case. It’s important to remember that these allegations were contained in charging documents, and the remaining defendant, Breon Stroup, is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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