Jury Convicts Chicago Woman of Straw Purchasing and False Statements During Purchase of Firearm

A woman who purchased several firearms for prohibited persons was convicted by a jury yesterday after a 4-day trial in federal court in Sioux City.

Cedrinique Coleman, 32, from Chicago, Illinois, was convicted of four counts of false statement and representation during a firearm purchase and two counts of purchasing a firearm for another for prohibited purposes commonly known as “straw purchasing;” she was acquitted of two counts of false statement and representation during a firearm purchase.  The verdict was returned following about four hours of jury deliberations.

The evidence at trial showed that between April 2020, and July 2023, Coleman purchased seven firearms.  Ms. Coleman came to the attention of law enforcement when the firearms began showing up at crime scenes both in Iowa, and out of state.  Two Glock 19 handguns were converted to machineguns: one recovered in possession of a prohibited person in Chicago, the other was used in the shooting of a police officer in Minneapolis.  A Glock 22 handgun was reported stolen by Coleman.  Evidence at trial showed that this is a common tactic used in straw purchasing cases to distance the purchaser from the gun in case it is ever tied to a crime.  The other handgun was found in possession of Coleman’s boyfriend on February 21, 2024, when law enforcement executed a search warrant at Coleman’s apartment.  Coleman’s boyfriend is prohibited from possessing firearms because he is an illegal drug user and domestic abuser.  Coleman was aware of his prohibition because she was the victim of his domestic abuse conviction stemming from 2020.  Coleman’s boyfriend was also out on bond for an indictment for attempted murder out of Blackhawk County.  Despite this, Coleman continued to purchase firearms for her boyfriend.  Photos and text messages recovered from Coleman’s cell phone showed she was in communication with her boyfriend before and during the purchase of several of the firearms.  Evidence showed Coleman bought the guns at the request or demand of her boyfriend.  

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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Coleman remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing.  Coleman faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system. 

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Iowa Division of Narcotic Enforcement, Cedar Rapids Police Department, and Mason City Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin C. Fletcher and Kraig R. Hamit.  

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

The case file number is 24-3038.  Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.