FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
NOVEMBER 26, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO “STRAW PURCHASE” OF AMMUNITION
Illegally Bought Ammunition for a Person Prohibited from Purchasing It On His Own
Greenbelt, Maryland - Tammy Lynn Alger, age 40, of Langley Park, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to purchasing ammunition for a person previously convicted of a crime and thereby prohibited from possessing a weapon or ammunition, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.
U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein stated, "People should be on notice that it is a crime to help a criminal get a gun or ammunition. Anyone who gives a gun or ammunition to a convicted felon or who makes false statements to help purchase such items at a gun shop is subject to federal criminal prosecution."
“We take the crime of straw purchasing very seriously,” says ATF Special Agent in Charge Gregory K. Gant. “We will not only investigate those convicted felons who illegally possess firearms and/or ammunition, but also those persons who knowingly, fraudulently, and illegally obtain these items for them.”
According to the plea agreement, on November 24, 2006, Alger told a confidential informant (CI) that Edwin Alvanez wanted her to purchase ammunition for him because he had a record and could not purchase the ammunition on his own. Alger told the CI she was going to Montgomery County to buy the ammunition and left the CI a short time later. Alger returned to the CI’s apartment several hours later and told the CI that she purchased a box of .40 caliber ammunition for Alvanez, even though the people at the store were very suspicious of her and asked her to fill out a log book prior to buying the ammunition. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives obtained documentation from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Kensington, Maryland, showing that Tammy Lynn Alger purchased a quantity of Remington (RP).40 S&W caliber ammunition on November 24, 2006.
Alger faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for March 31 , 2008 at 9:00 a.m.
Edwin Francisco Alvanez, age 21, of Adelphi, Maryland is facing charges arising from the sale of two firearms and ammunition, as well as sales of crack cocaine. The transactions are alleged to have taken place from November 2006 to May 2007.
This case was brought as part of a joint effort by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to deter illicit firearms trafficking in Prince George’s County.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their investigative work. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys James M. Trusty and Stacy Dawson Belf, who are prosecuting the case.