Guntersville Woman Charged in a Scheme to Straw Purchase Firearms

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury today charged a Guntersville woman on charges involving straw purchasing of firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives, and Firearms Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.

A four-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court, charges Caritina Jarquin, 46, of Guntersville, with making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. 

According to the indictment, between March 2021 and May 2021, Jerquing purchased multiple .22 caliber rifles from Simmons Sporting Goods Co., a licensed firearms dealer located in Jefferson County.

The maximum penalty for giving a false statement during the purchase of a firearm is 10 years in prison.

This case is a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. 

The ATF investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney John Camp is prosecuting the case.

An indictment contains only charges.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.