Press Release
Fayette County Man Sentenced to 33 Months for Firearms Straw Purchases
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Kentucky
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Ronald Mark Harrison, 49, of Lexington, Kentucky, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison on Friday, by United States District Judge Danny C. Reeves, for acquiring firearms through the making of false statements.
In June 2017 and February 2018, Harrison purchased several firearms from Bud’s Gun Shop in Lexington. During the purchases, Harrison provided false information to the store claiming to be the true purchaser of these firearms when, in fact, he was obtaining the firearms on behalf of a co-defendant, Lawrence Westbrook III, a convicted felon. These types of transactions are commonly known as “straw purchases” and are prohibited under federal law. Harrison previously pled guilty to two counts involving the acquisition of these firearms. As part of his plea, Harrison further admitted to obtaining other firearms and later trading them to Westbrook in exchange for narcotics.
On August 23, Westbrook pled guilty to charges involving the possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Westbrook is set to be sentenced on December 13. He faces up to life in prison and a maximum fine of $5 million. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the United States Sentencing Guidelines and applicable federal sentencing statutes.
Under federal law, Harrison must serve 85 percent of his sentence. Upon completion of his imprisonment, he will be under the supervision of the United States Probation Office for a period of 3 years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Stuart L. Lowery, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division, and Lawrence Weathers, Chief of Police, Lexington Police Department, jointly made the announcement.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The PSN program was reinvigorated as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
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Contact
CONTACT: Gabrielle Dudgeon
PHONE: (859) 685-4887
E-MAIL: Gabrielle.Dudgeon@usdoj.gov
Updated September 27, 2019
Topics
Drug Trafficking
Firearms Offenses
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Component