Duquesne man who bought 23 guns for felons gets nearly 3 years in prison

A Duquesne man will spend almost three years behind bars for a straw-buyer scheme that helped get at least 23 guns to felons prohibited from owning firearms, federal prosecutors said Monday.

Khalil Armstrong, 27, also must spend three years on probation after his release from federal prison, U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said.

Chief U.S. District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence in federal court in Pittsburgh following Armstrong’s convictions for conspiring to make false statements to acquire firearms. Armstrong lied on federal registration forms and to the licensed firearms dealer when he said he was purchasing the guns for himself, Brady said.

In January and February of last year, Armstrong plotted with co-defendant Melvin Bowles to have Armstrong make gun purchases for Bowles and others who wanted guns but couldn’t buy them legally, prosecutors said.

Bowles — who is prohibited from owning guns as a felon — previously was sentenced to 14 months of time served.

Investigators found and seized one of the firearms illegally purchased and distributed by Armstrong during a search of the house where Bowles lives on Feb. 15, 2018.

The 22 other guns he purchased for others have not been found, Brady said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy M. Lanni prosecuted the case with help from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Project Safe Neighborhoods.

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