Ex-Prison Guard Resold Weapons Illegally: Montco Court Records

NORRISTOWN, PA — A Bucks County woman who formerly worked as a prison guard in the City of Philadelphia has pleaded guilty in Montgomery County to felony charges in connection with her straw purchasing firearms and reselling them to individuals with whom she connected on social media platforms.

Amanda Barr, 38, of Trevose, Pa., admitted in front of a state judge in Norristown that she illegally resold a handful of firearms to individuals she met online, according to court records in the case.

Prosecutors said Barr had purchased six of the seven guns at Montgomery County gun shows.

Records from Montgomery County Common Pleas Court show that Barr pleaded guilty recently to felony counts of materially false written statements and conspiracy in connection with what authorities said was a scheme to buy and transfer guns to those who could not legally possess firearms.

Patch previously reported on the case.

Related: Former Prison Guard Sold Guns On Social Media: Montco DA

Investigators said that they found out Barr had purchased a total of seven firearms during a period of time between December 2018 and March 2019, with six of the guns bought at gun shows that took place at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pa., a section of Upper Providence Township.

The other gun was purchased at Locks Philadelphia Gun Exchange in the city, according to prosecutors.

At one point, Barr had reported to police in Bensalem, Bucks County that two of the guns she had bought were stolen two weeks after she purchased them, according to charging documents in the case.

Federal agents later informed Barr during an interview that two of the guns she had bought were found to be in the possession of prohibited individuals.

After being investigated by ATF agents, Barr resigned from her job as a city corrections officer in Philadelphia.

Prosecutors said Barr had ultimately met prospective buyers on social media platforms and arranged to meet them in-person to complete the gun sales, for which authorities said she had no legal transfer paperwork.

Buying guns with the intention of reselling them to individuals who are barred by law from firearms ownership is often termed "straw purchasing."

Court records show that after her guilty plea, Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Judge Thomas Rogers deferred sentencing pending the outcome of a background investigation on Barr.

Sentencing has been scheduled for Nov. 28.