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Amanda Barr, 37, of Trevose, was investigated after two of the guns she bought were discovered in the possession of felons – people who are not legally allowed to buy or carry a firearm, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said.
Barr bought seven firearms from Dec. 16, 2018, to March 23, 2019, the DA said. Investigators say someone buying that many guns within a 98-day period is a common indication of straw purchasing.
The act of purchasing a gun on behalf of another person in order to conceal the true owner of the gun is known as "straw purchasing." People who are unable to legally purchase a firearm would include convicted felons, domestic violence misdemeanants, juveniles, and those who are mentally ill.
Six of the seven firearms were purchased at gun shows at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA, authorities said.
Barr reported two of the firearms she purchased in February 2018 as stolen two weeks later, but the other five were no longer in her possession, the DA said.
On Nov. 23, 2021, ATF agents interviewed Barr—who at the time worked as a corrections officer in Philadelphia—about her firearms purchases and recovery of two of those guns in the hands of felons, the DA said. She denied the allegations.
Following the interview with the ATF, Barr resigned from her position.
Investigators later learned that she had illegally resold the guns on social media, then met with the prospective buyers in person to complete the sales, the DA said.
On Dec. 30, 2020, one of the firearms she sold was recovered from Terrelle Johnson in Philadelphia in connection with a shooting that occurred earlier that month, authorities said. The GSG .22 caliber semi-automatic handgun was purchased on Jan. 7, 2018, by Barr at a gun store in Philadelphia.
Another was discovered on Feb. 23, 2021, at the scene of a traffic stop in Philadelphia, the DA said. The Taurus 9mm semi-automatic handgun was purchased by Barr on March 23, 2019.
Both arrestees were not allowed to legally possess a firearm, authorities noted.
“Buying and trafficking firearms to criminals is always a threat to public safety and is an egregious crime,” DA Steele said.
“We have firearms laws for a reason—and one of the biggest is to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and keep our communities safe. Law enforcement at all levels is committed to working together to fight the arming of criminals through these illegal straw purchases and gun trafficking.”
Barr was arraigned on charges of unlawful sale/transfer of a firearm, dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activities, materially false statements to authorities, and related charges.
She was unable to post $500,000 bail and was remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, March 29.
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