Maine woman charged with buying guns that ended up in LA

PORTLAND, Maine — A Maine lady has been charged with shopping for dozens of weapons that allegedly had been supplied to gangs in Southern California final yr, federal prosecutors mentioned.

Jennifer Scruggs, 35, of Turner, attested that she bought 55 weapons from three federally licensed firearms sellers in Auburn, Turner and Whitefield for her personal use whereas she was really shopping for them for others, legislation enforcement officers mentioned.

Scruggs, who has been charged with 10 counts of creating unlawful straw gun purchases, made her first court docket look on Monday, in response to prosecutors.

Every rely carries a most penalty of 10 years in jail and a nice of $250,000. Her lawyer declined to remark Tuesday.

The purchases had been remodeled a three-month interval final yr and had been allegedly supplied to gang members in California, however Scruggs additionally reported that two of the weapons had been stolen from her, legislation enforcement officers mentioned.

A legislation enforcement affidavit states two of the weapons had been recovered by Los Angeles police, and one was fired by a person who shouted, “Crypts,” which was an obvious mistaken reference to the Crips road gang.