Philly Man Illegally Purchased Firearms At Bucks Co Gun Store: DA

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — A Philadelphia man was arrested on Friday after an investigation by the Bucks County District Attorney's Office found that he has made illegal gun purchases at a Croydon gun shop, along with several other illegal purchases in the Philadelphia, Montgomery, and Delaware counties.

Deon Lamont Hudson, 25, was charged with 39 counts of unlawful sale or transfer of a firearm and conspiracy to commit the unlawful sale or transfer of a firearm after he was arrested in Philadelphia. Hudson was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Frank W. Peranteau Sr., who sent him to Bucks County Correctional Facility under $200,000 bail, 10 percent.

“Illegal firearms purchases like the ones this prolific straw firearms purchaser has repeatedly made are often linked to other, violent, gun crimes,” District Attorney Matt Weintraub said. “By putting him out of commission and out of illegal commerce, we have undoubtedly saved lives.”

Investigators found that Hudson had purchased 16 9-mm firearms at eight different locations across Bucks, Montgomery, Philadelphia, and Delaware counties between August of 2020 to November of 2021.

According to investigators, two of the guns Hudson had purchased were from Johnston’s Sporting Goods in Croydon.

The purchases were described as straw purchases, defined as "a criminal act in which something, especially a firearm, is bought by one person on behalf of another who is legally unable to make the purchase themselves," by Lexico.

"By using data and intelligence facilitated by our Track & Trace program, this joint investigation linked two of the guns straw purchased by the defendant to at least two shooting incidents in Philadelphia," Attorney General Josh Shapiro said. "Purchasing a gun for someone who isn’t legally able to carry one is a crime that often leads to shootings and murders. This case shows how guns travel illegally across county lines and end up being used in violent crimes in Philadelphia."

Investigators found that Hudson would illegally transfer the purchased weapons to others who are not legally able to purchase firearms.

Two of the firearms traced back to him were recovered on teenagers in Philadelphia within 50 days of the date of purchase. One of those guns was traced back to two shooting incidents in Philadelphia.

"Let it be known — our Gun Violence Task Force traces these crime guns and continues to collaborate with our county, state, and federal law enforcement partners to hold straw purchasers accountable," Shapiro said.