Man Faces 20 Years In Prison For Bucks Co. Straw Gun Purchases

LOWER BUCKS COUNTY, PA — A Philadelphia man faces up to 20 years in prison for running an illegal gun trafficking scheme in the Philadelphia region for three years, authorities said.

Jawone Shakour Williams, 33, of Philadelphia, was sentenced Monday to 10 to 20 years in state prison for the straw purchase of 20 firearms, the Bucks County District Attorney's Office said.

From July 2019 and March 2022, Williams bought 20 handguns from licensed dealers in Bucks, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Delaware, and Lehigh counties.

According to a criminal complaint obtained by Patch, Williams bought 10 guns from Johnston's Sporting Goods in Croydon, two guns from MEGA Pawn in Morrisville, and one gun from Classic Pistol in Southampton.

The remaining guns were purchased throughout the Philadelphia region.

During each transaction, Williams completed purchase documents claiming the firearms were for his personal use, authorities said.

Authorities recovered many of the firearms at various crime scenes. Several handguns were found by Philadelphia police during car stops and in the aftermath of shootings.

Other firearms were located in a stolen vehicle and even buried in the snow in the Poconos. Cellphone records and emails linked Williams to multiple gun purchases and online sales platforms, authorities said.

Williams pleaded guilty to 59 felony counts of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, making false statements on firearm purchase forms, illegal sales of a firearm, and illegal sales of firearms to an ineligible transferee.