Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to federal crimes related to making straw purchases of firearms.

Jermaine Pulley, 30, admitted to making false statements during purchases of firearms, including by lying about the identity of the true buyer on ATF Form 4473, which a buyer must fill out when purchasing a firearm from a federal firearms licensee (FFL). Pulley also admitted to conspiring with Nylisha Hill, 22, to do so.

He and Hill were indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2022.

According to court documents, Pulley was prohibited from possessing firearms under the terms of his probation. To circumvent this restriction, Pulley would provide Hill with cash to purchase firearms on his behalf, and the defendants would then make false representations to FFLs to the effect that Hill, not Pulley, was the true purchaser of the firearms.

The defendants visited two area FFLs on Oct. 12, 2021, in an attempt to purchase multiple firearms.

Pulley admitted to attempting to pay for a firearm at Cincinnati-area FFL Shoot Point Blank – Cincy West. During the attempted purchase, Pulley told a store associate that he was paying for the firearm but that it was for Hill’s use, and he refused to fill out ATF Form 4473. The associate declined the sale, saying he believed it to be a straw purchase and warning the defendants that it was a felony for Hill to purchase a firearm for Pulley or anyone else.

Later that same day, at a different FFL, Hill successfully purchased two pistols at Pulley’s direction, falsely representing that she was the true buyer. Shortly after Hill purchased the firearms, Pulley directed her to go back into the store to buy two more. This additional purchase was denied.

Making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Conspiring to commit a felony offense against the United States carries a potential penalty of five years in prison.

Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced the plea entered today before Senior U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott. Assistant United States Attorney Julie D. Garcia is representing the United States in this case.