Wilkes-Barre, PA — A 19-year-old city man has admitted to orchestrating a straw purchase of a semi-automatic pistol, lying to a federally licensed dealer and exploiting loopholes in the gun control system. Ruben Rosario pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph F. Saporito, Jr., to making false statements during the acquisition of a .22 caliber handgun at Piestrak’s Gun Shop, LLC, in Nanticoke on April 5, 2016.
Rosario didn’t just break the law—he paid someone else to break it for him. According to U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Rosario arranged for another individual to buy the firearm on his behalf and falsify federal paperwork required by law. The transaction, designed to conceal Rosario’s role, is a textbook example of a straw purchase—a felony under federal statute that undermines the integrity of national firearm background checks.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), which has intensified scrutiny on illegal gun trafficking routes through Northeastern Pennsylvania. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case, emphasizing that even indirect involvement in firearm fraud carries severe consequences under federal law.
Rosario now faces up to ten years in federal prison, a supervised release term, and a substantial fine. Sentencing will be determined by U.S. Senior District Judge Richard P. Conaboy in Scranton at a date yet to be scheduled. While the statutory maximum penalty looms, the actual sentence will hinge on federal guidelines, including the nature of the offense and Rosario’s criminal history.
This conviction is part of the Violent Crime Reduction Partnership (VCRP), a coordinated push by federal, state, and local agencies to dismantle networks that fuel gun violence in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The initiative targets individuals who obtain firearms illegally and supply them to violent offenders, often without ever pulling a trigger themselves.
Straw purchases like Rosario’s are not victimless paper crimes—they arm criminals, endanger neighborhoods, and erode public trust. Federal prosecutors warn that even young, first-time offenders will be held accountable. As the VCRP continues to tighten its grip, more cases like this are expected to surface—each one a reminder that lying to buy a gun is a crime that carries real bullets.
RELATED: Wilkes-Barre Teen Charged in Gun Straw Purchase
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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