Man Charged With Illegally Buying 27 Firearms In Suburbs: Feds

MOKENA, IL — A Dolton man has been charged with 12 counts of making a false and fictitious statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois.

Matthew Jamaal Johnson, 34, was arrested Tuesday. He is accused of illegally purchasing 27 guns from licensed firearms dealers in Mokena, Oak Forest, Hodgkins and Lansing, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Each of the 12 counts in the indictment are punishable by a maximum sentence of 1o years in federal prison.

Federal prosecutors said Johnson falsely certified that he was the actual buyer. In reality, he purchased the guns on behalf of another person, according to the indictment unsealed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago.

Johnson pleaded not guilty Tuesday during his arraignment. A detention hearing has been scheduled for Feb. 8.

“Straw purchasers put guns in the wrong hands,” U.S. Attorney John R. Lausch was quoted saying in a news release. “Our office will continue to use federal laws to prosecute straw purchasers and hold them accountable for trafficking illegally purchased firearms.”