St. Paul Man Charged in Illegal Gun Buying Conspiracy

St. Paul Man Charged in Illegal Gun Buying Conspiracy

ST. PAUL, Minnesota - A St. Paul man has been arrested and charged for his role in a firearms straw purchasing conspiracy, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats.

According to court documents, between May 11, 2021, and October 17, 2021, Gabriel Lee Young-Duncan, 27, and a previously charged co-conspirator participated in a conspiracy to illegally purchase multiple firearms, including one that was used in the Seventh Street Truck Park Bar shooting on October 10, 2021. Young-Duncan and his co-conspirator agreed to work together to illegally acquire firearms by making false statements to Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) throughout the Twin Cities. Specifically, the co-conspirator would purchase the firearms, stating on the ATF Form 4473 that the co-conspirator was the actual buyer, and then transfer the firearms to Young-Duncan, who would keep the firearms, or further transfer them to third parties.

According to court documents, Young-Duncan and his co-conspirator worked together to illegally obtained dozens of firearms, including four Glock 9mm semiautomatic pistols and two Mossberg 9mm semiautomatic pistols.

Young-Duncan is charged with one count of conspiracy to make false statements in the purchases of firearms. He made his initial appearance yesterday in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Paul Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.