A 30-year-old man was sentenced today to 10 to 20 years in state prison for charges related to the straw purchase of firearms in Bucks County and Philadelphia.

Steven Lee Smith, of Philadelphia, was convicted in April on four counts each of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, penalties for the sale of firearms, sales to ineligible transferees, providing materially false written statements for firearm purchases, and statement under penalty.

He appeared before President Judge Raymond F. McHugh for sentencing on Tuesday.

An investigation by detectives in Bucks County and Montgomery County revealed that Smith engaged in a series of transactions where he acted as an intermediary to illegally purchase firearms on behalf of individuals prohibited from owning them. "Straw purchases" are illegal firearms transactions where a person with a clean criminal background buys firearms for someone who is legally prohibited from doing so.

Smith is alleged to have purchased nine handguns between July 6, 2022, and January 25, 2023. Six of the guns were purchased at a gun store in Croydon, Bristol Township.

He attempted to purchase a 10^th gun in Allegheny County in March 2023, but the purchase was never completed.

Specifically, the investigation found that Smith purchased firearms from federally licensed dealers and then illegally transferred them to others. This included instances where Smith completed a federal ATF form that falsely indicated he was the actual buyer, when in fact he was acquiring the firearms for other individuals.

Police recovered four of those weapons. Two of the guns were recovered during arrests of people barred from purchasing firearms due to previous criminal convictions. Upon recovery, the guns were found to have obliterated serials numbers. 

Detectives with the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office and the Montgomery County Detective Bureau's Violent Crime Unit led the investigation, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Attorney General’s Office Gun Violence Task Force, the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bridgeport Police Department, Montgomery County.

 The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Thomas C. Gannon, Chief of Drugs and Firearm Crimes Unit.

During sentencing, Gannon argued that Smith was fully aware of the dangers associated with the firearms he was selling.

Gannon highlighted a November 2021 incident where Smith drove a man named Dymir Mitchell, who had sustained a gunshot wound, to the hospital in Philadelphia. Despite both men claiming they didn't know each other and that Smith had merely picked Mitchell up from the street, Smith later purchased a firearm for Mitchell.

That weapon was recovered approximately 61 days after its purchase. As a convicted felon, Mitchell was a person not allowed to possess a firearm.

This collaborative effort sends a clear message: we will relentlessly pursue and prosecute those who facilitate illegal gun trafficking, ensuring accountability and working tirelessly to make our communities safer.

Media Contact: Manuel Gamiz Jr., 215.348.6298, mgamiz@buckscounty.org