Published Saturday, July 12, 2003
Herald Staff Writer
A former New Castle man was sentenced to a prison term Friday, completing an investiga- tion into illegal firearms sales at a New Castle store that netted five convictions.
Johnnie Burton, 37, formerly of Detroit, was sentenced to 27 months by U.S. District Court Judge Ralph L. Cindrich, a court spokeswoman said.
Other details of the sentencing were not available, she said. Burton pleaded guilty April 14 to a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Burton was the ultimate recipient of 10 firearms that were illegally purchased for him at Pete’s Sport Shop, said the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Pittsburgh. A convicted felon, Burton cannot legally purchase a firearm.
Four employees of the store were convicted of illegally selling the firearms to Burton through a straw purchaser, who is a person who buys firearms for someone else.